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

[Second Version. VII.]Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 13, back]

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.

Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour is our lord̛ Ihesu crist, in whos Empire, that is in this world̛, were two knyghtes, one yonge, the other olde. The yonge knyght was Moyses, that wedded̛ the olde woman, that is, the olde lawe. ¶ The olde knyght was our lord̛ Ihesu crist, that is, god witℏ out begynnyng; and he wedded̛ a yonge maiden̛, that is, the new lawe that he made, and fowled̛ not the other; wherfore he said̛, I come not to breke the lawe, but to fulfille it. ¶ But moyses and aƚƚ the prophetes desired̛ for to wedde this lawe, that is to sey, crist, and thei sawe hym not. By the lady, that arose out of her bedde, we shaƚƚ vndirstond̛ the soule formed̛ to the symylitude of god̛, that owetℏ to a-rise out of the bedde of synne, and here the song of the holy scripture. ¶ The figge-tree before the wyndowe is the crosse of crist before oure eyen̛. The nyghtyngale, that songe swetely, is the manhede of crist, that on the crosse praied̛ to his fadir for synners; but he was slayn̛ of mankynd̛, and suffred̛ dethe for our synnes. ¶ Therfore we owe to wedde his wyf̘, that is, his lawe, and love her, and lede a pesible lyf̘, by the whiche we mow

please god̛, and so purchace vs ever lastyng lyf̘; to the whiche brynge vs oure lord̛ Ihesu Crist! Amen.