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

MORALITE.

DEre frendis, this Emperoure is oure lorde Ihesu Crist, Fader of heven̛. In his empire beth two knyghtes,—how so? Þe yong knygℏt was moyses, þat weddid the old̛ wif̘, scil. þe old̛ lawe, þat was byfore the natiuite of Crist: the old̛ knygℏt is our̛ lord̛ Ihesu Crist, the which is withoute, begynnyng; and he weddid a yong wif̘, when he made the new lawe, & fylid not þat othir, as is seid in the gospeƚƚ, Non veni soluere legem, sed adimplere, I come not to lose or vndo þe lawe, but to fulfille hit. but moyses & aƚƚ othir profitȝ and patriarkes desired for to se this new lawe of Crist, and to be weddid̛ þerwitℏ; but þei mygℏt not se hit. The lady ros vp ofte tyme for to here the swete song of the bird̛; by the lady we vndirstond þe soule, made to þe likkenesse of god, þe which owith to arise fro the bed of synne, and here þe song of þe word̛ of god, and of̘ holy scripture. The fyg-tre, þat stondith afore þe wyndowe, is þe Cros of Crist, þat stondith afore oure yȝen̛: the brid, þat syngeth so swetly, is þe manhode of Crist, þe which praied his fader for vs on the cros; and þere in þat tre was slayn̛ by men

for oure synnes. And þerfore we shuld̛ [wed] his wif̘, scil. his lawe, & lede þerwith pesable lyf̘, and haue euerlastyng lyf̘. Ad quam &c.