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

[ LXXVIII. ]
(HOW A MURDERER WAS DETECTED BY A DOG.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 72 (cont'd)]

Charlys, kyng̘ of fraunce, weddid̛ a wyfe, sible, the doughter of the Emperour costantyne the noble, þat was a woman̛ moste fayre, and̛ wise in good̛ werkes, wele Enfourmyd̛, and̛ deuoute in the seruice of god̛ and̛ of seynte marie. It̘ felle on̛ a day, that the kyng̘ made a grete feste with his barouns; and̛ while they were there atte mete, Entred̛ a dwerfe of a litiƚƚ stature, hauyng̘ a grete hede and̛ bely, smaƚƚ Eyen, and̛ a bose in his back, and̛ Crokid̛ fete, and̛ blak fleshe, and̛ fuƚƚ of aƚƚ diformyte. he thus livede in the seruice of the kyng̘. It happenyd̛, that the kyng̘ wento to the wode an huntyng̘, and̛ a knyght lafte at home, that was called̛ macharie, that brente [leaf 72, back] in the loue of the queen̛; and̛ for he myght not haue his wille on no wise, he cownseyled̛ the dwarfe, that he shuld̛ go into the queenes Chambre; and̛ when̛ he sawe here alone, he shuld̛ know here fleshly. the dwarfe, that wreche, wente into the Chambre of the queen̛; and̛ when̛ he sawe here alone, the queen̛ be-helde what he wolde do, and̛ smote hym with here fyste, so that she brake thre of his tethe. Þe kyng̘ come home, and̛ asked̛ who had̛ smytten̛ the dwarfe? he seide, "I wente on the greces, and̛ felle, and̛ brake my tethe." On the next nyght after, the kyng̘ herde the bellys rynge to matyns; and̛ wente to the kyrke. sone after, the dwarfe wente prively in to the Chambre of the queen, that slepte; and̛ wente into the bedde; and̛ while he thought what he shuld̛ do, he be-gan̛ to slepe, and̛ so they slepte bothe, tiƚƚ it was light day. The kyng̘ come from the kyrke, and̛ fownde hem bothe slepyng̘. Anone he called̛ his barouns, to come to se this dede. the kyng̘ seide, "I wolde not that this had̛ fallen̛ for aƚƚ my reawme!" he askid̛ of the

dwarfe, how he wente In̛? and̛ he seide, atte biddyng̘ of the queen̛, and̛ seide false. Then̛ the kyng̘ sware, that they shuld̛ be bothe brente. The day was ordeyned̛, and̛ the queen̛ was brought in here smok alone to the fyre; and̛ she toke the kyng̘ by the legges, and̛ askid̛ mercy and̛ loue, for she was with childe. Anone duke naymes, Roulonde, ande Olyuer, Ogere, Denys, and̛ othere comyn to the kyng̘, prayeng̘ for the queen̛, sayeng, that it shuld̛ not be be-fore the byrthe of the childe, for aƚƚ the worlde, brenne here. The kynge herde hem̛, and̛ graunted̛ hem̛ here askyng̘; and̛ commaunded̛, that the dwarfe shuld̛ be brought forthe, for to be brente. and̛ when the dwarfe was brought, yette the kyng̘ asked̛ hym, how he durste Entere the Chambre of the queen̛? he answerid̛ as he did̛ before, falsly, that he did̛ it atte byddyng̘ of the queen̛. The kyng̘ bade putte hym in the fyre; And̛ anone as he had̛ yoldyn̛ the sperite, the kyng̘ sawe the deuyƚƚ bare away his soule to helle. then he was fuƚƚ of sorowe, and̛ commaundid̛ þe queen̛ to be putt oute of̘ the reawme, with oute any delaye; and̛ gafe here an asse to ride on̛, and̛ a noble baroun̛, whose name was Aubry of Mundider, on whome he trusted̛ wele, to lede here throwe the grete wode. and̛ that Aubry wente with the queen̛, and̛ in the wode, be-syde a welle, the knyght [leaf 73] Aubry made the queen̛ light downe, and̛ Ete and̛ drynke. sone aftir come Macharie, the traytoure, armyd̛, and wold̛ confounde the queen̛; and̛ anone she prayde Aubry to defende here. And̛ for he wolde [not] frely delyuer the queen̛ to macharie, Macharie began to fyght with aubry, the knyght that ledde the queen̛, and̛ smote of̘ his hede. and̛ while they foughten̛, the queen̛ rode in to the wode alone the space of iij. leges, and̛ there she mette oon̛ whos name was warkere, a mych man̛, and̛ a right myghty; and̛ anone he seide to the queen̛, "o! woman̛, thou arte right fayre, thou shalte be my loue; for I sawe neuer a fayrere; thou arte like the queen̛ of fraunce, that oure kyng̘ commaundid̛ to be brente." she saide, "brothere, I am̛ queen̛." and̛ tolde hym̛ how aƚƚ thing̘ was done, and̛ prayde hym̛ to defende here, and̛ she shuld̛ make hym riche. This warkere anone seide, that he shulde deffende here with strength of̘ hande a-gaynes aƚƚ. and̛ so he lafte his wyfe and̛ his childryn̛, and̛ ladde here to the

house of here fadere; and̛ there she hadd̛ childe; and̛ afterwarde she wente to the courte of Rome, for to haue helpe; and̛ there a-bode goddis sonde. And̛ the grewhonde of aubry had̛ kepte iiij. dayes the dede body of his mayster from̛ briddes and̛ bestes. the iiij. day for hongere he rose, and̛ ranne to paryse, be-fore the kyng̘, while he sate atte mete; and̛ loked̛ aƚƚ a-boute, and̛ sawe macharie, the knyght that slowe his mayster. he drewe hym from̛ the borde to the Erthe, and̛ bote hym̛ Euyƚƚ; Atte laste he toke a lofe in his mouthe for hongere, and̛ ranne throw aƚƚ to the wode, for to kepe his mayster. The seconde day he Come on̛ the same wise. The thrid̛ day þe frendes of̘ macharie ordeyned̛ him staves, for to sle the grewhounde; and̛ afterwarde anone, as he was wonte, the grewhound̛ for hongere come vnto the kynges house The vij. day for his mete, while the kyng sate atte Tabille. The frendes of macharie rysen̛, and̛ wolde haue slayne the grewhounde. Then̛ the duke naymes toke the grewhonde by the neck, and̛ defended̛ hem on the kynges be-halfe, that no man̛ shuld̛ do no harme; and̛ be the tokens of the grewhounde anone be-fore aƚƚ seide, that macharie had̛ slayne aubry. Anothere seide, that he wolde defende hym with his body. Then the kynge commaundid̛, that the grewhounde shuld̛ honestly be kepte, and̛ toke cownsaylle of̘ this thinge. The duke naymes saide for Cownsayle, that̘ [leaf 73, back] the grewhounde shuld̛ go where he wolde, and̛ that the kyng̘ and̛ othere shuld̛ folowe hym̛; and̛ this was done. then the grewhounde wente be-fore the kyng̘ to the wode where his mayster laye dede, and̛ made myche sorowe, lickyng̘ his woundes with his tonge. then the kyng̘ was sorie, and̛ made his body to be borne to paryse, and̛ there worshipfully to be beryed̛. After that, the duke naymes gafe cownseylle, that̘ macharie shuld̛ feght with the grewhonde, and̛ he shulde haue a staffe to deffende hym̛ with, a fote longe and̛ an halfe; and̛ if he ouerecome hym, he shuld̛ be conuycte as to the dethe. aƚƚ they perseyued̛ this cownsaylle, and̛ accepte it. the day was sette to feghte, in the presence of̘ the kyng̘. this Cursed̛ macharie with his staffe come to the medowe. the duke naymes toke the grewhounde, and̛ lete hym go, sayeng̘, "in the name of god̛ and̛ seynte marie, the blessid̛ virgine, go, and̛ venge the

dethe of thy mayster!" Anone the grewhonde toke hym by the hande, and̛ grevously bote hym̛; and̛ than toke the stafe in his mouthe, and̛ drew macharie to the Erthe, and̛ helde hym so myghtely in the throte with his tethe, that macharie Cried̛ with an highe voice, mercy! mercy! the grewhounde was take from̛ hym̛; and̛ than be-fore the kyng̘, he was aknowe of̘ the trouthe, how he wolde haue knowe the queen̛ fleshly, and̛ myght not, and̛ how he stirred̛ and̛ bade the dwarfe how he shuld̛ go into þe queenes Chambre, for to confownde here, and̛ she smote oute his tethe with here fyste.— After that I bade hym̛ wayte, when the kyng̘ were rysen̛, and̛ she in bedde, that he shuld̛ go into bedde to here; But afterward̛ he tolde me, he felle on slepe Anone while he thought how he shuld̛ done, and̛ so he touchid̛ here not." Also he tolde how he folowed̛ the queene, for to haue had̛ here, and̛ howe he slowe Aubry, the knyght, in the wode, for he wolde not suffere hym̛ to haue her̛. when̛ this was herde, The Kyng̘ bade that macharie shuld̛ be take, and̛ Galaren̛, his Cousyn̛, and̛ other̛ traytours; and̛ made hem to be drawen̛ throwe the Cite, and̛ also to be brente. when this was done, the grewhounde lay thre dayes atte towmbe of his mayster, with outyn̛ mete, and̛ then̛ he deyed̛. and̛ the kyng̘ made hym̛ to be beryed̛ with oute the kyrke yerde, a-gayne his mayster. Afterwarde the kyng̘ made men̛ to seke the queen̛, and̛ to be brought home agayne, if̘ she myght be fowndyn̛ at rome. than̛ the pope, with [leaf 74] Erchebyshopes and byshopes, and̛ the fadire of̘ the queen̛, with a grete company, comyn into Fraunce, and̛ aƚƚ that was done was remytte; and̛ the kyng̘ of Fraunce ressayued̛ his wyfe with a grete worship, and̛ they lyvedyn̛ longe to-gedre holylye in god̛. this tale is a-gayne heme that are traytoures, and̛ a-gayne hem that are morderers, that may not be kepte cownseyle; also it makes god̛ to shewe myracle on a vnresonable beste, as he did̛ on the grewhonde, &c.

[For No. LXXIX, Tale of Lear, see before, p. 48.]