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

MORALITE.

DEre Frendis, this Emperour̛ may be callid eche man̛, þat arguytℏ how þat he may in the day of dome answere to god. Þe first, how moche is bytwene good and yueƚƚ? and þat is to þe first question̛, where as he askith, how moche is bytwene heuen̛ and helle? & þat þou oughtist to considre in þi hert, what þou shalt haue for the good, scil. heuen̛, and for yvel, scil. helle; and þerfore fle yveƚƚ, & take þe good. How depe the See is? By þat thou shuldist thenk how moche is þe periƚƚ of this worlde, & to fle thilke perils; for hit is hard̛ to go in to the fyre, & not to brenne þe solis of̘ þi fete, So it is hard̛ to go in the world̛, & not offend god. Also of̘ what crafte is moste? Know þou, that þere beth two maner of medycyns, þat is to sey, material, and spiritual; and aƚƚ þe chose childryn̛ of god moste vse the spiritueƚƚ medicyn̛, & haue nede of̘ hit, For withoute

hit þere is non helth in no creature. Also of̘ what crafte or of̘ what myster beth moste & fewist? scil. þe pope; for eche man is a pope ouer him self̘, & is yholde to labour̛ for his owne heltℏ. Also how many daies iourneys? Þis terme or this dyet, is not ellis but the terme of thi lyf̘; for if̘ that we lyved̛ an c. yere, hit is but an houre as to regard̛ of euerlastyng lyf̘. And þerfore let vs make him, þat settith sucℏ a dyet in vs, to rise with vs, and lig with vs; and lat vs traveiƚƚ so wele, þat we mowen̛ passe oute of̘ the world̛ as clene as we entrid̛, thurgℏ meritory werkes. Also difference is bytwene ricℏ and pouere, scil. he [is] riche, þat hath many vertues, by the which he doth plesaunce to god; & he is pouere, þat lakkitℏ [leaf 161, col.1] vertue. And therfore let vs labour̛ for suche richesses, wherthurgℏ we mow come to þe kyngdom of heven̛. Ad quod &c.