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

Story.

CIclides reigned̛ in Rome Emperoure, in whos Empire were ij. knyghtes, one olde, another̛ yonge. The olde knyght hadde wedded̛ a yonge woman, [mayde] and the yonge knyght *Had̛ wedded̛ [omitted] an olde woman; and thise ij. knyghtes dwelled̛ nere to-gedre. It *Happened̛ this [happed that the] yonge knyght sawe ones the wyf̘ of his felaw, the olde knyght, and anon̛ [omitted] he was take [omitted] in the love of her, and thought, it were more honest that I shuld̛ have sucℏ a wyf̘, *and my felaw to have suche a wyf̘ as I have [omitted] . ¶ This yonge knyght spake so to the yonge lady, that she consented̛; but she was kept so streight [omitted] , that in [omitted] no wise thei myght not [omitted] come to-gedre, for to fulfille her wille in feble dede. ¶ It fille so [omitted] , that the lady was wonte ofte sithes to rise, and

go to her chambre wyndow, for to here the yonge knyght, how meryly he songe. And before the wyndowe was a figge-tree, vpon the whiche a Nyghtyngale songe swetely. The lady *a-roose on nyghtes [rose a-nyghtes] for to here his songe. The olde knyght, whan he had̛ perseived̛ that, he said̛ to his wyf, "Telle me for what cause thou risest so ofte on [in] nyghtes, out of thi bedde?" ¶ She said̛, "sir̛, there is a nyghtyngale, that syngetℏ every [alle] nyght fulle swetely, and for to here his songe I rise out of̘ my [the] bedde *a nyghtes." [at nyght] ¶ Whan the knyght had̛ [omitted] herde [leaf 14] that, he toke a bowe and an arowe, and slougℏ the Nyghtyngale; and toke out the harte, and gaf̘ it to his wyf̘, and said̛, "Se, *Here is his hert [the hard of hym] that songe so merely, for whos songe thou aroose so ofte; from hens forward̛ thou shalt rest in thi bedde." ¶ The yonge knyght, whan he herde that the Nyghtyngale was slayn̛, he thought *in his hert, "and [with in hym selfe, Yf] he wist how moche I loved̛ his wyf̘, he wold̛ do to me as he did̛ to the Nyghtyngale, but it shaƚƚ not be so." ¶ Than he armed̛ hym, and went [entred] into the house of the olde knyght, and slougℏ hym; and [omitted] anon̛ after [after that] his wyf̘ died̛; and than he wedded̛ the olde knyghtes wyf̘, and afterward̛ ended̛ his lyf̘ in pease.