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

[ XCII. ]
(HOW TWO DEVILS WERE SET IN THE STOCKS.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 84 (cont'd)]

SOme tyme in lumbardie dwelled̛ a knyght be-side an abbey of̘ monkes, that loued̛ wele men of Religion̛, and̛ othere of good̛ communycacion̛, and̛ her̛ good̛ leuyng̘; and̛ therfore he was ofte amonges hem̛. This knyght had̛ a good̛ woman̛ to wife, and̛ a deuoute to oure ladie. and̛ in the abbey was a monke, that was holdyn̛ an holy man̛. this woman̛ chose hym to be here confessoure. the monke come ofte sithes to this woman̛, and̛ herde here confession̛, and̛ tolde here many good̛ wordes, and̛ taught here many good̛ orisouns, wherfore she louyd̛ hym wele. But the Fende, that is Enemy to man̛ and̛ to woman that wolde lyve wele, he besied̛ hym to tempte hem̛, and̛ to bryng̘ hem̛ into synne. The monke come on a day, for to shryve the ladie. The fende was there redie for to tempte hem̛, and̛ bryng̘ hem into synne, [One and a half lines are here repeated by negligence in the MS.] and̛ stirred̛ hem to synne, that they consentid̛ to go a-way to-gedre. The woman̛ seide, "I shaƚƚ go and̛ trusse some store with vs." And̛ the monke seide, "I shaƚƚ do also." And̛ when̛ they had̛ done, they wentyn forthe in here way more than̛ iiij. myle. In the meane tyme the

knight come home, that had̛ ben̛ oute, and̛ askid̛ after his wife, but no man̛ Couthe telle where she was; and̛ he had̛ grete mervayle, and̛ wente into his Chambre, and̛ fownde his Cofers broken̛, and̛ his Tresoure away. and̛ when̛ his meany had̛ longe spered̛, and soughte, atte laste come oon̛, and̛ saide, "I saw here and̛ a monke go oute atte yate this day." "I trow," seide the knyght, "they ben̛ not gon̛ a-waye." and̛ he mervayled̛ gretly, and̛ bade his men̛ take her horses, and̛ some ride on̛ waye, and̛ some an̛ othere, for to seke after. And̛ the knyght toke his horse, with a certayne of his men̛ with hym̛, and̛ toke the way that the man̛ tolde hym̛. and̛ rode forthe tiƚƚ he Come to the towne, and sperid̛ after such a monke and̛ a woman; and̛ it was tolde hym̛, that such ij. were at an ale house, and̛ satyn̛, and̛ dronkyn̛. the knyght come in sodeynly, and̛ toke hem̛ bothe, and̛ ladde hem bothe into an̛ olde house, and̛ sette hem þer bothe in a payre of stockys; and̛ when he had̛ done, he rode to the abbote. and̛ while he rode, they sittyng̘ in the stockys wepte, and̛ made grete soorowe bothe. Than seide the woman̛ to the monke, "sir," she seide, "ye taught me onys an̛ orysoun̛, that I shuld̛ say Euery [leaf 84, back] day to oure blessid̛ ladie seynte marie, And̛ that day that I saide it, I shuld̛ not falle in the dede of dedly synne." "what orison̛," saide the monke, "is that?" she saide. "it is this, Aue et gaude, pia maria, mater dei et domim nostri Iesu Cristi, regina celi, domina mundi, imperatrix inferni, mater casta consilii! miserere mei, et tocius populi christiani, et ne permittas me mortaliter peccare, sed tuam sanctissimam voluntatem adimplere. Amen̛!" "This Orisoun̛ is trew," the monke seide, "for ofte sithe it hathe ben fowndyn̛ sothe. but saidiste thou ought this orisoun̛ to-day?" "yee," she saide, "for I saide it at Euyn̛, when I go to bedde, and̛ at morne, when I rise." "blessyd̛ be god̛," he saide, "and̛ þis helpy lady, for that hathe kepte vs from the dede of̘ dedly synne, aƚƚ though we assentid̛ in wille." "lette vs then," she seide, "say this orisoun̛ bothe hertly, with wepyng̘ Eyen̛, that this blessid̛ lady helpe vs, and̛ saue vs from̛ shame and̛ velanye." Then they saydyn̛, and̛ prayde faste. and̛ when they had̛ seide this oryson̛, oure blessyd̛ ladie aperid̛ to hem̛, and̛ seide, "the Fende

hathe dissayued̛ you bothe; be warr̛ from̛ hens forward̛. and̛ for ye han praide to me for helpe, and̛ Called̛ me Emperesse of helle, It shaƚƚ be wele shewed̛ that I haue powere in helle; for I shaƚƚ sette ij. deuyls in the stockys in youre stid̛, and̛ restore home a-gayne you, with oute any sklawndre or shame." then they thanked̛ god̛ and̛ oure ladie with aƚƚ here hertes. And̛ anone the monke was in his cloyster, and̛ the woman̛ in here Chambre. sone after, this knight come to the abbote, and̛ saide, "thy false monke hathe a-way my wife, and̛ made me a Cokewolde." "nay," saide the abbote, "it is not so, for my monke is not so lewde, for to do such a dede." "sir," seide the knyght, "I and̛ my men folowede after, and̛ fownde hem in such a towne drynkyng̘; and̛ there I haue sette hem̛ in a payre of stockes." The Abbote saide, "it is not so, for wele late I sawe hym̛ sitte in the Cloystre." "that is not sothe," quod̛ the knyght. The abbote sente for hym̛, and̛ he come anone. "lo!" saide the Abbote, "it is not sothe that ye sayne; go we now to youre house, and̛ lette vs se whethere your wife be at home." when̛ they were into the Chambre comyn̛, they fowndyn̛ his wife sittyng̘ at here boke, and̛ fownde his cofers hole, and̛ his Tresore hole also. "lo! sir," he saide, "ye dreme, or Ellys ye han fastid̛ to mych, that your hede is voyde, that thus wil sklawndre my monke, and̛ youre good̛ wife to-gedre." Then seide the knyght to the abbote, "Ride we to the Graunge, and̛ se we whethere they be there or not, for I sette hem̛ there in the stockes." when they [leaf 85] were Comyn̛ in to the berne there as the stockes were, they fowndyn ij. deuyls sittyng̘ in the stockis, the tone like the monke, And̛ the tothere like the wife; And̛ aƚƚ that sawen̛ hem were aferde. than saide the abbote, benedicite, and̛ blessid̛ hym; and̛ anone they rysen̛, and̛ bare a-way the house rofe. "se now, sir," seide the abbote, "the wickidnesse of̘ the deuyls, that thus wolde make debate betwene you and̛ youre wyfe, and̛ sklawndre my monke and̛ youre wife; but now ye mow se the sothe, that it is false and̛ vntrew, and̛ fantomye. therfore, sire, go, and̛ shryve you of̘ youre foly." here may men se, how redie þis mercyfuƚƚ lady is to hem that wil calle to here, when they han̛ nede. Amen̛, &c.