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

[EMPERATOR LENOPPUS.]
(OF THE DRUNKARDS AND THE INNKEEPER. )

[ XI. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

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.

MORALITE.

Deere Frendis, þis Emperour is our Lord iesu crist, þe whicℏ hatℏ maade a lawe, þat ecℏ man þat is blind, scil. euery erþely man that synnytℏ, by instigacion̛ of þe deviƚƚ, of þe wordle, or of þe flesℏ, that if he be sory for his synnys, as blind men ben for hire dorkenesse, he shalle haue an Cs, þat is to sey, an hundride sithis ioy of victorie; as he seyithe, Centuplum accipietis, et vitam eternam possidebitis, vt supra. And so is a synner callid blind. The felowis that comytℏ to þe tauerne, er synners, þat gon ofte tyme to the tauerne of þe deviƚƚ, And drinkitℏ, scil. wastitℏ & consumytℏ aƚƚ þe vertuys þat þei Receivid in Baptisme; And so the deviƚƚ spoilitℏ hem of aƚƚ [leaf 156, col. 2] the goodis that they haue y-don̛. They drowe cut, scil. dilectacion̛, and custome of synne; And þe sort of synne fallitℏ vp on him that is with oute riȝtwisnesse or mercy. Suche a man̛ is wilfully blynde, as was Judas, that betrayd crist, his lord, withoute ony suggestion̛; And þerfore his synne was þe moor̛. And þerfore

when sucℏ on comitℏ to þe stiwarde, scil. prelatis of holy chircℏ, he may not liȝtly haue grace.—Why? For þey ben not in þe wey to leve hire synne. And þerfore late vs not synne wilfully; but if we synne by sikenesse, or frailte, anoon late vs with shrifte, and contricion̛, and fulfilling of penaunce, do it away, to haue remission̛ of our synnes, And ioy perdurable, þat graunte vs þe lord, Qui cum patre, &c.

[Second Version. IV.]Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 10 (cont'd)]

Story.

Teucippus reigned̛ in the Citee of Rome, the whiche amonge other vertues that he had̛, he was mercifuƚƚ; wherfore of grete mercy he ordeyned̛ a law, that every blynde man shuld̛ have an hundred̛ shelynges of his tresoure. ¶ It fille on a tyme, that xxiiij. men come to the Citee, for to drynke wyne; and aƚƚ thei went into a Taverne, and there satte drynkyng iij. daies or iiij. tille thei hadde dronken̛ more wyne than they had̛ money to paye. ¶ Than the Taverner̛ asked̛

hem for his wyne, and said̛, "none of̘ you shaƚƚ go, tille that I be paid̛." ¶ Than said̛ one of the drynkers, "Wille ye have a good̛ counsaile?" And they said̛, "Ye, I pray the." Than he said̛, "ye know aƚƚ wele everychone, that the Emperours law is, that every blynde man shaƚƚ [leaf 10, back] have an hundred̛ shelynges of the Emperours tresorye. ¶ Therfore cast we lotte amonge vs, and lette se vpone whom the lotte shaƚƚ falle, and his bothe eyen̛ lette be put out; and so he may go to the paleys, and after the law aske in the tresorye of the Emperour an hundred̛ shillynges; ¶ And witℏ tho hundred̛ shillynges we may acquyte vs aƚƚ." Whan his felawes hadde herde this, thei were right glad̛, and saiden, "this is right a good̛ counsaile." ¶ And so anon̛ thei cast lotte, and the lotte fille vpon hym that gafe the counsaile; and so his felishippe put out his eyen̛. And whan he was blynd̛, one of his felawes lad̛ him to the paleys; and than he asked̛ of the Steward̛ an hundred̛ shillynges, as the law was. ¶ The Steward̛ said̛, "Frende, yisterday thou sawe clere i-noughe, and thou knowest not how the law is made. The law was ordeyned̛ only for men, that of infirmyte or of goddes sonde were made blynde, and not for suche as have dronken̛ out her eyen̛ in the Taverne; wherfore go thi way, for here thou shalt have no money." ¶ The wrecched̛ blynd̛ man

went to his felawes, and told̛ hem this aunswere of the Steward̛. ¶ Whan the Taverner̛ had̛ herd̛ this, he spoyled̛ hem aƚƚ out of her clothes; and so with grete confusion̛ thei went out of the Citee, and were no more sayn̛.

¶ Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour is oure Lord̛ Ihesu crist, that made this law, that every blynde man shuld̛ have an hundred̛ shillynges, that is, every man that synnetℏ of infirmyte, or instigacion̛ of the fende, or of his flessℏ, withe oute doute, yf he enterly sorow for his synne, he shaƚƚ have an hundred̛ shillynges, that is, an hundred̛ old̛ more Ioye; ¶ Iuxta illud, Centiplum accipietis, &c. ¶ Therefore eche man that synnetℏ dedely, is made blynde. Thise men, that comyn̛ to the Taverne to drynke wyne, are synners, that ofte sithes gone to the Taverne of the fende, and̛ drynken̛; so that thei consumen̛ all the vertues that thei resceived̛ in her baptyme; wherfore the deveƚƚ spoyletℏ aƚƚ suche of aƚƚ the goodes that thei have done. And than thei cast lotte, and the lotte of synne falletℏ on hym that is witℏ out rightwisenesse and mercy, and sucℏ one is made blynd̛, that is, a synner most vile, as Iudas

traitour, that betraied̛ crist, witℏ out any suggestion̛; and therfore [leaf 11] he synned̛ the more. ¶ Suche, whan thei come to the Steward̛, that is, the prelate of holy chirche, to aske the hundred̛ shillynges, that is, grace; and he shaƚƚ aunswere as the Steward̛ did̛, ¶ Go thi way, for thou gettest none while thou stondest in dispaire, as Iudas did̛. Therfore studie we aƚƚ, witℏ aƚƚ oure diligence, to please god in aƚƚ thynge, and than we mow have everlastyng mede. Amen.