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

[ LXXXIII. ]
(OF FOUR DEVILS WHICH APPEARED TO A DYING MAN.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 76 back (cont'd)]

ÞEre was some tyme a yonge man̛ and̛ a Iolye, the which the Enemy of mankynde, the deuyƚƚ, styrred̛ to synne, so that he consentid̛ to synne; and̛ afterwarde did̛ it in dede, and̛ contenued̛ there in vnto a litiƚƚ before he deyed̛. when many wynters he had̛ leuyd̛ there in, he felle seke, and̛ shuld̛ passe oute of̘ this worlde, as Euery man̛ [leaf 77] And̛ woman shaƚƚ. this man, as he lay, he sawe iiij. deuyls; oon̛ stondyng̘ at his fete, anothere at [the] lyfte syde, the thrid̛ on the right̘ syde, and̛ the fourte at his hede. when he sawe this, he was right sore a-ferde. then the deuyƚƚ that stode at his fete saide to this soule, "this shaƚƚ I haue, for to presente oure kyng̘ sathanas, for to haue thanke of hym̛; for I fyrste sterid̛ hym to synne." Þen seide the deuyƚƚ that stode on the lyfte side, "I am̄ better worthy for to haue hym then thou, for thegh thou temptid̛ hym to syn̛, I made hym to do the synne; therfore shaƚƚ I haue the soule to presente with oure lorde and̛ souerayngne." The deuyƚƚ that stode on the right side spake than̛, and̛ seide, "I am better worthy for to haue hym then ye bothe; for if̘ thou sterid̛ hym to synne, and̛ thou made hym to do the synne, I haue made hym to contenue and̛ lye in synne vnto this tyme, and̛ am̛ sekere of hym̛, for he may not speke. se, here is his tonge in my hande; and̛ therefore I shaƚƚ haue hym̛ to presente with oure worthy kyng̘ sathanas, for to haue the thanke." Than he spake that stode atte hede, "now are ye grete fooles." they seide, "why?" "for god is so mercyfuƚƚ, that as longe as his soule is in his body, if he wil aske mercy, he may be sauyd̛." Then seide the deuyƚƚ that stode on̛ the right side, "how shuld̛ he aske mercy? he may not speke, for I haue his tunge in myn̛ hande." The tothere seide, "thoughe thou haue his tunge in thyn hande, he may aske mercy with his herte with in; and̛ so ye mowe lese aƚƚ youre laboure, and̛ haue myche Indignacion̛ of oure prince." The seke man̛ herde what þe[y] seydyn̛, and̛ keste vp the mynde of his herte to god̛, with a grete sorowe for his synnes, and̛ seide, "lorde Iesu Criste, for the grete multitude of thy mercies,

haue mercy on̛ me, synfuƚƚ wreche, and̛ sende me my speche, that I may be shreuyn̛." And̛ anone god̛ sente hym̛ his speche. And̛ anone he sente for his gostly fadre, and̛ was shreuyn̛ of aƚƚ his synnes, with grete contricion̛, and̛ sorowe of herte; and̛ sone after he deyed̛, and̛ wente to blisse. and̛ thus he begiled̛ the deuyƚƚ, with contricion̛ of̘ herte, opyn confession̛, and̛ dew satisfaccion; for contricion̛ may be so mych, that it shaƚƚ be fuƚƚ satisfaccion̛ for aƚƚ synne that man or woman̛ hathe done. Aƚƚ men̛ and̛ women̛ that are in dedly synne, I pray god̛ gyfe hem grace þus to be-gile þe fende! Amen.