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

Story.

Leyre was some tyme kyng̘ of bretayne the more, that now is called Englond. this kyng̘ leyre made the towne of leycetur, and̛ called̛ it after his name leycetur. this kyng̘ had̛ thre doughters; the name of the fyrste doughter was Gonoryƚƚ; the seconde was Regan̛; the thrid̛ Cordeƚƚ, that was beste taughte, and̛ wiseste. leyre, here fadre, was feble and̛ olde, and̛ wolde marie his doughters or he deyed̛, But fyrste he wolde wete, which loued̛ hym moste, shuld̛ be beste mariede. On a day he askid̛ his Eldiste doughter, how mych she louyd̛ hym̛? "Sir," she seide, "I loue you as mych as myn̛ owne lyfe." "for sothe," seide the kyng̘,

"that is a grete loue; I may no more aske." Then he asked̛ the seconde doughter, how mych she louyd̛ hym̛? she sayde, she louyd̛ hym̛ aboue aƚƚ Criatures of the worlde. "for sothe," seide leyre, "I may no more aske." Than he asked̛ of the yongeste doughter, how mych she louyd̛ hym̛? "Sir," she seide, "my systers han̛ seide to you wordes of glosyng̘, but I say to you trouthe. I love you as mych as I owe to loue my Fadire, and̛ for to make you more Certayne how mych loue is worthe, I shaƚƚ say you, as mych as ye han̛, so mych are ye worthe, and̛ so mych I loue you." leyre wenyd̛ that she had̛ skorned̛, and̛ was wrothe, and̛ seide, that she shuld̛ neuer haue lande of hym̛; But his othere doughters, that mych louyd̛ hym̛, shuld̛ departe the lande betwene hem̛, be Euyn̛ porcyons, and̛ she shuld̛ be disheried̛. And̛ he maried̛ the Eldiste doughter to Managles, the kyng̘ of Scotlonde; and̛ the tothere to Hanemos, Erle of cornwaylle; and̛ the mariage was thus made of the tone and̛ of the tothere, that the kyng̘ of Scottes and the Erle of cornwayle shuld̛ departe grete bretayne, aftere his dissese, so that Cordeƚƚ, his yongeste dougter, shuld̛ not haue of his. This maydyn̛ Cordeƚƚ was so fayre, and̛ so wele taughte, that it was mervayle, so that Agape, kyng̘ of [leaf 74, back] Fraunce, herde speke so grete of this maydyn̛ Cordeƚƚ, that he sente to kyng̘ leyre, that he wolde gyfe hym here to wife. leyre sente worde agayne, that he had̛ departed̛ his lande bytwene his ij. Eldiste doughters; and̛ so he had̛ no more lande, the which he myght marie Cordeƚƚ, his yongeste doughter, with. when̛ Agape herde this answere, he sente agayne to leyre, and̛ seide, he asked̛ no thing̘ with here, but alonly here bodie, and̛ here clothing̘. And̛ leyre, here fadre, made here wele to be arayed̛, and̛ Clenly, and̛ sente here to the kyng̘ of Fraunce; and̛ he Ioyfully ressayued̛ here, and̛ weddid̛ here, with grete worship, and̛ made here queen̛ of Fraunce. The kyng̘ of Scottes and̛ the Erle of Cornwayle, that had̛ weddid̛ the Eldiste doughters of kyng̘ leyre, wolde not abide

tiƚƚ after his dethe for to haue the londe, but werred̛ harde vppon̛ hym̛, and̛ putt hym in so grete distresse, that they token̛ so awaye the reawm̛; but on̛ this wise they ordeyned̛ betwix hem̛, that the toon̛ of hem̛ shuld̛ withholde hym̛ in soiorne aƚƚ his lyfe, with xl. knyghtis, and̛ here squyers, that he myght worshipfully go to what partie he wolde. Managles, kyng̘ of scottes, resseyued̛ with hym̛ leyre in the manere afore seide; and̛ or a yere were passed̛, Gonoreƚƚ, the wife, and̛ doughter of leyre, was so anoyed and̛ dissesed of hym̛ and̛ of his meany, that she spake to here housbonde, that x. knyghtes and̛ here squyers shuld̛ be putt from̛ here fadire. leyre he come [become ?] right heuy, and̛ his meany, þat that was putt away, and̛ his state apayred̛, therfore men̛ hadd̛ hym̛ in the lesse reuerence; wherfore he thought to go into Cornwaylle, for to preve Regan̛, his oþer doughter. and̛ when he was Comyn̛ to here, the Erle and̛ his

doughter resseyued̛ hym with grete solempnite, and̛ helde hym̛ with hem̛, with his thretty knyghtes and̛ his squyers; but he had̛ skarsly dwelled̛ there a yere, but that his doughter was yrke of hym̛ and̛ of his meany, that here housbond̛ and̛ she helde hym̛ in so grete vyolete and̛ represse, that of thretty knyghtes and̛ here squyeres they putte hym̛ vnto oon̛ alone. than̛ was leyre more sorowfuƚƚ than Euer he was before, and̛ seide, "alas! that Euer I was borne, for now am̛ I more vile then̛ Euer I was before, yette it had̛ ben̛ better to haue dwelled̛ stiƚƚ with my fyrste doughter." and̛ [he] wente agayne into Scotlonde, to his Eldyste doughter. but when̛ the kyng̘ and̛ his wife sawe þat, [leaf 75] and̛ the myschefe of leyre, they ressayued̛ hym̛, and̛ tokyn̛ away the knyght, and̛ putt to hym a squyere. then was leyre more sorowfuƚƚ then̛ Euer he was be-fore, and̛ be-gan̛ Gretly for to sorowe, and̛ pleyne hym̛ piteously, and̛ seide, "alas! alas! I haue leuyd̛ to longe, that it is fallen to me; now am̛ I pore that was wonte to haue so mekille; now haue I no Frende ne kynne that wil me good̛. Cordeƚƚ, my doughter, seide me fuƚƚ wele, and̛ that I haue now fowndyn̛; for she seide me as mych as I had̛, so mych was I worthe, and̛ so mych louyd̛ shuld̛ I be. now wote I wele, that myn othere doughters han̛ flatered̛ me; now they take no Force. now be-houys me for nede to go and̛ proffere myn̛ yongeste doughter Cordeƚƚ, to whame I wolde gyfe no lande ne tenemente, for she seide she louyd̛ me als mekiƚƚ as she ought to loue here Fadre." and̛ on this maner [he] pleyned̛ longe. and̛ atte laste he wente ouere the see, with his squyere, and̛ Come into Fraunce; and̛ he asked̛ where the queen̛ shuld̛ be fowndyn̛, and̛ men̛ tolde hym̛. He come to the Cite, and̛ sente his squyere to the queen̛, for to saye here, that here Fadre was comyn̛ for nede, for to gete some good̛ and̛ helpe of here. The squyere wente, and̛ tolde in ordre to the queen̛, how his ij. doughters had̛ lefte hym̛. Cordeƚƚ, the queen̛, toke golde and̛ syluer grete plente, and̛ toke it to the squyere, and̛ seide to hym̛ in Cownsayƚƚ, that he shuld̛ bere that Tresoure to here Fadre, and̛ that he shuld̛ go to some good̛ towne, and̛ araye hym̛ richely of riaƚƚ clothing̘, with-holdyng̘ with hym̛ xlti knyghtes of oone leveraye; and̛ when̛ he were redye, he shuld̛ sende vnto þe

kyng̘, here lorde, that he was comyn̛ to speke with hym̛, and̛ to se his doughter. the squyere commaundid̛ the queen̛ to god̛, and̛ come to leyre, his lorde, and̛ toke to hym his tresoure, and̛ seide his message. wherfore leyre wente ferre thense to anothere Cite, and̛ did̛ after the ordynaunce of his doughter; and̛ afterward̛ he come to þe kyng̘, there he soiourned̛ with his wife. leyre sente to the kyng̘ of Fraunce, and̛ tolde Cordeƚƚ, his doughter, that he was comyn̛ into Fraunce, for to speke with hem̛. when the kyng̘ herde this, he commaundid̛ aƚƚ his men̛ to take here horse; and̛ the queen̛ also commaundid̛ aƚƚ here men̛ to take here horse; and̛ aƚƚ they ridden̛ to-gedre. The kyng̘ and̛ the queen̛ Come with a grete worship agayne hym̛, and̛ ressayued̛ hym̛ with grete nobley. The kyng̘ commaundid̛ throw aƚƚ his reawme, that aƚƚ shuld̛ be intendaunte to kyng̘ leyre, the Fadre of his wife, as to hym̛ self̘. When̛ leyre had̛ dwelled̛ [leaf 76, back] there with the kyng̘ of fraunce a monethe, he tolde the kyng̘ and̛ the queen how his ij. doughters had̛ serued̛ hym̛. wherfore kyng̘ Agape assembled̛ a grete powere of folke, and̛ sente hem with leyre in to bretayne; and̛ Cordeƚƚ, his doughter, Come with hym, for to haue the londe after here fadre. and̛ they passed̛ the see, and̛ foughtyn̛ with the felouns, and̛ slowen hem̛; and̛ leyre toke agayne his zlonde, and̛ leuyd̛ after iij. yere in pease; and̛ afterwarde he died̛, and̛ Cordeƚƚ, his doughter, did̛ hym be beried̛ at leycetur. and̛ after the dethe of here fadre, Cordeƚƚ helde the lande of Bretayne.