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

Story.

Andronicus was Emperour̛ of Rome, & regned̛ ther̛ mighty in power: and he had with him a knygℏt, named̛ Temecius, the which was rightwis and good; Neuertheles by enemys he was accused̛ grevously to þe emperour̛, the which mygℏt yeve noo sentence ayenst him. And when the Emperour̛ saw this, he thougℏt how and by what manere þat he mygℏt grive or noy him; and þerfore he clepid him to him, and seid, "Dere Frende, þou shalt answere to certein questions, þe which I shal put vnto the, and þat in peyne of thi lyf." "Sir," quod̛ þat othir, "I shal do aƚƚ þat I can or many." "Telle me how moche is fro heven̛ to helle? þis is my first question̛." "Sir," quod̛ that othir, "as mocℏ as is a sighing fro the hert." "The second I aske, how depe is þe See?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "as is þe cast of̘ a stone." "The thrid, how many galons of̘ salte water ben̛ in the See?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "let aƚƚ þe outepassinges of̘ fressh water be stoppid, & I shaƚƚ teƚƚ the." "The iiij. of what crafte or of what myster beth moste men̛?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "of leche-crafte." "The v. of̘ whom beth moste and fewist?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "of̘ popys." Then seid the Emperour̛, "The vj.th shal distroy him;— how many daies iourney beth in þe sercle of the world̛?" then spake [he], "oonly the space of̘ oo day." "now, what difference is bytwene riche and pouere?" "but rychesse," quod̛ þat othir. Whenne þe emperour̛ had herd̛ aƚƚ thes wordis, he seid, "Þou answeredist to my first question̛, & saidist, þat heven̛ was fro helle as moche as is a sighyng fro þe hert; teƚƚ me now how may þat be?"

"Sir," quod̛ he, "for in turnyng of an yȝe comyth a syghing fro the hert, &, ser, in so liteƚƚ space may a good soule passe to heven̛, & a dampnyd soule to helle." "what is þe depnesse of the See?" "ser, I sey, the cast of a ston̛; for eche hevy thing naturely descendith, & for þe stone is hevy and ponderous, þerfore he woƚƚ discende, and þerfore, If̘ I were [leaf 160, back, col. 2] a ston̛, I shuld̛ discende to þe grounde of þe see, & telle you the soth by probacion̛." Then seid þe emperour̛, "what if aƚƚ þe outegoyng of̘ the fressℏ water be stoppid?" "For if þou did so, then I shuld̛ telle þe how many galons of̘ salt water [were] in þe see." quod̛ the emperour̛, "Þat were impossible me to do." "So were þat oþer impossible for me," quod̛ he, "for to mow bere." "How of lechecraft?" quod̛ þe emperour̛. "For þere is no man," seid þe knygℏt, "but þat he is somtyme seke, & somtyme medlitℏ with medicynes." Then seid he, "how of the Pope?" "For god is oon," seid he, "and þerfore he hath made a vyker." "And also who makith þe daies iourney, þat þou speke of̘?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "the sonne, þe whicℏ goth aboute aƚƚ þe world̛ in oo daye." "Go thi wey," quod̛ the emperour̛, "for thyn̛ answeris haue ykept the fro deth."