Early English versions of the Gesta Romanorum / edited by Sidney J.H. Herrtage

Story.

[leaf 156, col. 1]

Lenoppus was a wise Emperour, and regnyd in Rome; And among aƚƚ othir vertuys he was mercifuƚƚ And for grete pyte he maade a lawe, that euery man þat were blinde, shuld̛ haue an Cs. Hit happid, þat xiiij. felawis were gon to-gedre to þe Cite of Rome out of þe cuntre, for noon oþer cause, but only for to drinke wyne. And whenne þei were sette in the Tauerne, þei cessid̛ neuer drinking by þe space of iij. days or iiij, and dronke more be mocℏ þan þei hadde money to pay for. At þe last the tauernere askid his payment, and saide, þat noon̛ of them shuld passe, til tyme þat he were payd̛.

Thenne spake oon̛ of þe drinkers, and saide to his felowis, "Seris, I can teƚƚ you a goode conseil in þis cas. Ȝe wete wel, it is þe lawe of the Emperour, þat euery blind man shuld haue to his tresour an Cs; And þerfore, seris, lat vs drawe cut, and drawe out his yen, on whom the cut wol falle; And þenne he may go to þe palys, & aske an Cs by þe Emperouris lawe, and qwite vs aƚƚ." And whenne the other men hurde þis, they were rigℏt glad, and seide, þat it was goode conseil. And þei drowe cut; and it felle vp on him þat ȝafe þe conseil. Thenne his yen̛ were don out; and so he wente to þe Emperouris stiward, and askid an Cs. "Nay," quoþ þe senescal, "for þou haddist goode siȝt ȝisterday; nay, felowe, þou vndirstondiste þe lawe wrong. The lawe is I-sette for hem þat ben made blinde by infirmite, or by þe wiƚƚ of god; And þou haddiste ij. yen in þe tauerne, and nowe þou hast don hem out only by þi selfe. go aȝen to the tauernere, and accord with him as þou may, for sotℏly þou shult of me haue neyther jd, ne obolus, ne quadrans." He ȝede aȝen to his felowis, and tolde hem howe the stiward seide to him.

Whenne þe tauerner hurde þis, he spoiled him of all his clothis, and bette him soore, and so lete hem aƚƚ go witℏ gret confusion̛, &c.