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

[ XV. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 158, back, col.. 1 (cont'd)]

Story.

Theodosius regned a wys emperour̛ in the Cite of Rome, & myghti he was of power; the which emperoure had thre doughters. So hit liked̛ to this emperour̛ to knowe which of̘ his doughters lovid̛ him best; and tho he seid̛ to the eldest doughter, "How moche lovist þou me?" "Forsoth," "quod she, "more þan I do my self̘." "Þerfore," quod̛ he, 'þou shalt be hily avaunsed;" & maried̛ her to a riche & myghti kyng. Tho he cam to þe secund,

and seid to her, "doughter, how moche lovist þou me?" "As moche forsoth," she seid, "as I do my self." So þe Emperoure maried̛ her to a duc. And tho he seid to the thrid doughter, "how moche lovist þou me?" "Forsoth," quod she, "as moche as ye beth worthi, & no more." Tho seid the Emperour̛, "doughter, sith þou lovist [leaf 158, back, col.2] me no more, thou shalt not be maried̛ so richely as þi sustris beth." And tho he maried̛ her to an erle. Aftir this hit happid̛ that the emperour̛ held̛ bataile ayens the kyng̘ of̘ Egipt,

and the kyng drove the emperour̛ oute of the empire, in so moche that the Emperour̛ had no place to abide ynne; So he wrote letres, ensealid̛ with his Ryng, to his first doughter, þat seid that she lovid̛ him more than her self̘, for to pray her of̘ socouryng in þat grete nede, bycause he was put oute of̘ his empire. And when the doughter had red thes letres, she told̛ hit to þe kyng, her husbond̛. Þo quod the kyng, "it is good þat we socour̛ him in þis nede. I shal," quod he, "gadery an host, & help him in aƚƚ þat I can or may; & þat wiƚƚ not be do withoute grete costage." "yee," quod she, "hit wer̛ sufficiant if̘ that we wold̛ graunt him v. knyghtes, to be in felaship with him, while he is oute of̘ his empire." & so hit was y-do in dede; and þe doughter wrote ayen̛ to the Fader, þat oþer help myght he not haue, but v. knyghtes of̘ þe kynges to be in his felaship, at þe coste of the kyng, her husbond. And when the Emperour̛ herd̛ this, he was hevy in his hert, and seid, "Alas! alas! aƚƚ my trust was in her; for she said she lovid̛ me more than her self, and þerfore I avaunced̛ her so hye." Then he wrote to þe seconde, þat seid̛ she lovid him as moche as her self̘. And when she had herd̛ his letres, she shewid̛ his erand̛ to hir husbond̛, & yaf him in counseiƚƚ, that he shuld̛ fynde him mete, & drink, & clothing, honestly as for þe state of sucℏ a lord̛, during tyme of his nede; and when þis was graunted̛, she wrote letres agein to hir

fadir. the Emperour̛ was hevy with this answere, & seid, "Sith my two doughters haue thus yhevid̛ me, sothely I shal preve the thrid." And so he wrote to the thrid, þat seid she lovid̛ him as moche as he was worthi; and praied her of socour̛ in his nede, & told̛ her þe answere of her two sustris. So the thrid doughter, when she had considred̛ the myschief̘ of her Fader, she told̛ her

husbond in this fourme, "My worshipfuƚƚ lord̛, do socour̛ me now in this grete nede; my fadir is put oute of̘ his empire & his heritage." Þen spake he, "what were thi wiƚƚ I did þerto?" "Þat ye gadre a grete oste," quod she, "& help him to figℏt ayens his enemys." "I shal fulfiƚƚ thi wiƚƚ," seid the erle; & gaderid a grete oste, & yede with the Emperour̛ at his owne costages to the bataile, and had the victorye, & set the Emperour̛ ayen̛ in his heritage. and þen seid the emperour̛, "blessed be the hour̛ I gate my yongist doughter! I lovid̛ her lesse þan eny of the othir, & now in my nede she hath socoured̛ me, and þe othir haue yfailed me; and þerfore, aftir my deth, she shal haue myn̛ empire." & so hit was ydo in dede; for aftir þe deth of the emperour̛ the yongist doughter regned̛ in his sted̛, & ended̛ pesiblye.

MORALITE.

[leaf 159, col. 1]

[D]ere Frendis, this Emperour̛ may be callid̛ ecℏ worldly man̛, the which hath thre doughters. The first doughter þat seith, "I loue my fadir more þan my self̘," is þe worlde, whom a man lovith so wele, þat he expendith aƚƚ his lif̘ aboute hit; but what tyme he shalbe in nede of̘ dethe, scarsly if̘ þe world̛ woƚƚ for aƚƚ his love yeve him five knygℏtes, scil. v. bordis, for a cofre to ley his body ynne, in þe sepulcre. The seconde doughter, þat lovith her fader as moche as her self̘, is þi wif̘, or thi childryn̛, or thi kyn̛, þe whiche woƚƚ happely fynde the in thi nede, to the tyme þat þou be put in the erthe. And the thrid doughter, þat lovith the as moche as þou art worthi, is our̛ lord̛ god, whom we lovith to liteƚƚ; But if̘ we come to him in tyme of oure nede with a clene hert and mynde, withoute doute we shuƚƚ haue help of̘ him ayens the kyng of egipt, scil. þe devil; and he shal sette vs in oure heritage, scil. þe kyngdome of heven̛. Ad quod nos &c.