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

[ LXXII ]
(OF A REPENTANT HARLOT.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 69 back (cont'd)]

SOme tyme there was a man in spayne, that had̛ be his wyfe a fayre doughter, and̛ no moo childryn̛; wherfore he louyd̛ it mekiƚƚ, And̛ cheryshed̛ it. afterward̛, when she was of xiiijten. or fiftene yere of age, the deuyƚƚ, that is Enemye to mankynde, that perceyued̛, that he louyd̛ wele this childe, and̛ temptid̛ hym to do fleshly synne with his doughter. Atte laste he brought hem̛ bothe to-gedre to the dede of synne, and̛ fullfilled̛ it in dede; and̛ than afterwarde she was with childe. and̛ when the modre wiste it, she askid̛ whose it was; but she wolde not teƚƚ here. The modire thratte hire, and̛ seide, she shuld̛ a-bye, but she tolde hire, she nolde not. Then the modire pleasid̛ here, and̛ gafe her good̛ drynke, and̛ made here merye; and̛ when̛ she was wele merie, she askid̛ who was the fadire? she seide, "my fadire." "thy Fadire!" she sayde, "oute on the, stronge strompette! were thou delyuered̛, thou shuldyste neuer dwelle in my house lengere. goddis Curse haue thou, and̛ myne!" and̛ with in few dayes after she was delyuered̛ of̘ a fayre knave childe. and̛ that tyme the fadir was oute. and̛ alse sone as she was oute of here bedde, she toke the childe, and̛ wrothe in sondre the necke, and̛ wente, and̛ beried̛ it in the dunge-hille. sone after that, the fadir come home, and̛ asked̛, whethere it were a man̛ or a woman̛? he seide, "lette me se it̘." she seide, [leaf 70] "it is dede." he askyd̛, "how?" she seide, "I haue slayne it, and̛ beryed̛ it in the donge-hille. "alas!" he saide, "that Euer thou was borne, thoughe thou and̛ I be synfuƚƚ wrechis, the childe myght haue bene a seynte in heuyn̛, and̛ now it is loste for Euer! alas the while!" The modire Cursed̛ and̛ waried̛ the doughtere ofte sithes, for here folye. the doughter sawe she myght not be in pease, and̛ on a nyght she slowe hire modire, for she

thought the better to be in pease. and̛ on the morowe, when̛ the fadre wyste that she had̛ slayne her modre, he was a sorye man̛, and̛ seide, "a! thou Cursyd̛ wreche, go oute of my house, for thou shaƚƚ neuer a-byde with me more." she sawe that she was forsakyn̛ of here fadere, and̛ at Euyn̛, when̛ here fadre was in bedde on slepe, she toke an axe, and̛ kylled̛ here fadre. and̛ whan̛ she had̛ this done, she toke what she wolde, and̛ wente to a Cite, into a-nothere contree; and̛ there she was a Comyn̛ woman̛, and̛ toke aƚƚ that wolde come. she reffused̛ none, monke ne Frere, Clerke ne lewde man̛, she was so comyn̛, that Euery man that knewe here, lothed̛ here company. she sawe that, and̛ wente to anothere Cite, and̛ there she was as Comyn̛ as she was in the tothere Cite. atte laste, on̛ a day as she wente in the strete, she sawe mych folke go into a chirche. thought she, "I wil go wete what this folke do there." and̛ wente here into the chirche, and̛ sette here downe, as othere didden̛. sone after come a persone into the pullpite, and̛ prechid̛; and̛ his sermone was mych of̘ the mercy of god̛, and̛ seide, though a man̛ or a woman had̛ done as mych synne as aƚƚ men̛ had̛ done, and̛ they had̛ sorowe in herte for theyre synnes, and̛ wolde amende hem̛, and̛ leue here synnes, god̛ of his grete mercy wolde for-gyve hem̛ aƚƚ here synnes. This woman̛ was right sorye, and̛ wepte faste, and̛ thought she wolde leue her synne, and̛ be shrevyn; and̛ longe she thought tiƚƚ the sermone were done. and̛ when it was done, she wente to the prechoure, and̛ prayde hym, for the loue of god̛, to here a synfuƚƚ wreche. he wente, and̛ herde here life; and̛ when he had̛ herde here, he was astonyede in hym self̘, what penaunce that he myght̘ gyve here, for here synnes were so grete. "sir," she seide, "why do ye so, that ye tary, and̛ gife me no penaunce? my herte is gretly tormented̛ for sorowe." "doughter," he seide, "be not̘ [leaf 70, back] a-ferde, for thou shalte fare right wele. go to yondere autere, and̛ knele downe be-fore oure ladie, and̛ pray here hertly and̛ deuoutely, that she wolde be goode meane to here sone; for she is aƚƚ weye modre of mercy, and̛ remedie for to helpe. and̛ than shaƚƚ I telle the what thou shaƚƚ do." she wente, and̛ did̛ as he bade here. he wente in the meane tyme to take cownsaylle,

what penaunce he myght gyve here. she in the meane tyme praide so hertely, and̛ with so mych sorowe, that hire herte braste; and̛ [she] deyed̛. and̛ the confessoure come a-gayne, and̛ fownde here dede. then he wente, and̛ sorowed̛, and̛ made grete mone; and̛ askid̛ god̛ mercy of his necligence, that he gafe here no penaunce. Then he herde a voice in þe Eyre, sayeng̘ to hym thus, "Be the grete mercy of Iesu Criste, and̛ prayere of hys blessyd̛ modre, and̛ the grete sorowe that she had̛ for here synnes, she is right wele, and̛ sittes fuƚƚ hye in heuyn̛ blisse, and̛ is as white as lille floure, and̛ as bryght as any golde in goddis sight; therfore pray not for here, but pray here to pray for the, and̛ for aƚƚ that bene in dedly synne, that ye mow be aƚƚ in blisse that she is in."