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

[ LXXXVIII. ]
(OF THE DEATH-BED OF A PROFANE SWEARER.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 79 back (cont'd)]

ÞEre was a man̛ leuyng̘ some tyme, that leuyd̛ in many synnes the moste partie of̘ his life, and̛ namely in sweryng̘, for he lafte no membre of criste but that he sware therby, so that the herers had̛ horroure thereof̘, and̛ were sorye, and̛ bade hym̛ amende hym̛ therof̘. and̛ his confessoure charged̛ hym and̛ bade, that he shuld̛ leue it, and̛ amende hym̛. he answerid̛, and̛ seide, "I am̛ yonge, and̛ therfore I wil take my luste while I may; and̛ when I am̛ olde, I shaƚƚ amende me, and̛ leue aƚƚ foly." He leuyd̛ forthe in his synnes many yeres, and̛ wolde not amende hym̛, for no mannys speche. atte laste he felle seke; and̛ men̛ comyn̛ to hym̛,

and̛ bade hym̛ amende hym̛. he saide he shuld̛ to-morne. On the tothere day his Curate come to hym̛, and̛ cownseyled̛ hym to amende hym̛, and̛ bade hym̛ thinke what paynes he shuld̛ haue in helle with the deuyƚƚ, but if̘ he wolde amende hym̛ or he deyed̛, and̛ what Ioye and̛ blisse he shuld̛ lose, but if̘ he wolde a-mende hym̛ or he deyed̛. He seide a-gayne, "thou chatters aƚƚ in vayne, for here sitteth oon̛ at myn̛ hede, and̛ sayeth, I shaƚƚ be dampned̛, for he sayeth, it may no noþere wise be." the confessoure seide, "he seide not sothe, [leaf 80] fore he is a lyere; for aƚƚ the whiles that thou lyves, thou mayste haue mercy, if thou wilt aske it." "yee, go thy way," he seide, "for I wil not do after the, for it is nought that thou sayest." then þe confessoure wente, heuy and̛ sorye. sone after that, come the fayreste woman̛ that Euer he sawe be-fore; he saw neuer none so fayre, and̛ saide to here, "a! fayre woman̛, what arte thou? "I ame marie, the modre of Iesu Criste." "why come ye hiddere?" "for to shew the my sone. lo!" she saide, "here is my sone, lyeng̘ in my lappe, with his hede aƚƚ to-broke, and̛ his Eyen̛ drawen̛ oute of his body, and̛ layde on his breste, his armes broken̛ a-twoo, his legges and̛ his fete also." Then seyde oure ladie to hym, "what is he worthy, that thus hathe made my sone?" he saide, "he is worthy to haue as mych payne as he myght bere." Than̛ seide oure ladie, "for sothe thou arte that man̛, that thus hathe made my sone." "nay," he sayde, "that haue I nought." "yis," she seyde, "with thy grete othes thou haste thus rente hym̛, and̛ with thy synfuƚƚ leuyng̘; but I haue prayde for the to my sone, and̛ haue brought hym̛ to the, that thou shuldyste aske mercy of hym̛." "nay," he saide, "that shaƚƚ I not." "why so?" seide Criste. "for I am̛ vnworthy to be herde." he seide, "if̘ thou be vnworthy for thy synne, and̛ haste forsaken̛ me, but yete I neuer forsoke the; for I haue bought the fuƚƚ dere with my passyon̛ sufferyng̘, and̛ therfore aske mercy, and̛ thou shalte haue mercy." he saide, "nay, for thegh thy mercy wille, thy rightwisnesse wil not; for how shuld̛ I haue mercy, that haue leuyd̛ aƚƚ my lyfe in synne? It is agayne aƚƚ resouns it shuld̛ be so. for syn̛ thou putte oute Adam̛ of paradise into this worlde, for a bitte of an aple, and̛ when̛ he deyed̛, he

wente into helle. How shuld̛ I then̛ haue mercy, that haue done so many synnes, syn̛ he was dampnyd̛ for oon̛? It were a-gayne aƚƚ resouns, and̛ therfore I wiƚƚ not aske mercy." then̛ oure lorde putte his hande in his side, and̛ toke oute blode, and̛ caste it in his face, and̛ seide, "this blode be witnesse agayne the atte day of dome, that̘ I proffere the mercy, and̛ thou wilte non̛ aske." then Iesu and̛ oure ladye wente oute of̘ his sight to blisse; and̛ sone after the wrechid̛ soule wente to helle with the fendes, there to dwelle. here may men̛ and̛ women̛ se, how perilouse it is to lyve in synne aƚƚ theyre life to the laste Ende, for then̛ is the fende fuƚƚ besye to kepe hem̛ there in̛, and̛ so to Falle in wanhope, for multitude of̘ here synnes. Therfore Euery man̛ and̛ woman̛ shuld̛ [leaf 80, back] be warre, and̛ amende hem̛ be-tyme of̘ here synnes, And̛ aske god̛ mercy, for he is aƚƚ mercyfuƚƚ; And̛ therfore no man̛ ne woman̛ shuld̛ falle in dyspayre, for no thing̘ that shaƚƚ be-falle in Aƚƚ here lyfe tyme, of any maner of synne; and̛ þan̛ he shaƚƚ come to the blysse.