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

MORALITE.

DEre Frendis, this Emperour̛ may be callid ecℏ Cristen̛ man̛ þat is myghti and riche, þe whicℏ for habundaunce of good inhietℏ him ayens god, scil. he is recheles to kepe his commaundementȝ, and he gotℏ in the forest of this world̛ for to hunte aboute wordly vanytes. but thenne ofte tymes þer riseth a thik clowde and a derk, scil. temptacion̛ of̘ the deveƚƚ, þe which ofte tymes departitℏ suche a man̛ fro the people of god, scil. fro the werkys of̘ mercy; and takith then a grete hete, þat is for to sey, dilectacion̛ of synnyng̘, & so he puttith of̘ his clothis, scil. good vertuys, þe which he receiued̛ in baptisme, and he entrith in to þe water of flesshly affeccions, in þe which a synner is ofte tyme delited. But when a man begynneth to þenk on his syn̛, and purposith to arise oute þerof bye contricion̛, then he sechith his clothis, scil. vertuys, the which he had yloste, but he fyndeth hem not.—what doth he thenne? He goth then to

þe hous of the knygℏt þat he avaunced, scil. to reson̛; and reson̛ betith him so ofte tyme as he stonditℏ ayens þe Synner, and he reprevith him, for he offendith god, & lesith Heuen̛, and getith him þe peyne of helle. Aftirward̛ he comyth to þe hous of þe Erle, scil. consciens; and he grucchitℏ with him, & presonytℏ him, and puttith him in many angris & tribulacion̛, tyƚƚ tyme þat he come [leaf 163, back, col. 2] to the wey of helth. For whenne eny Man doth eny synne, conscience grucchitℏ þerwitℏ; and therfore the Appostiƚƚ seitℏ, Omne quod est contra conscienciam, edificat ad iehennam, þat is to sey, Aƚƚ þat is ayens conscience, beldith toward̛ helle. Aftir he goth to his owne paleis, scil. to the herte, and thinketh how & in what maner þat he had trespassid to god; & þere he may not be receiued̛,—why? for god is put oute of̘ herte by synne. & the Emperour̛, scil. holy chircℏ, to whom we owe to be weddid, knowith not þe synner, tiƚƚ tyme þat he be ydrawe atte þe Tailles of hors, vpon̛ þe pavement, scil. þou owe to take to mynde fro begynnyng of thy lyf̘ vnto þis present day, where, how, & for what cause, þat þou hast grevid̛ thi god; & then renne to a heremyte, scil. a discrete confessour̛, & shew

to him what, & howe moche þat þou hast grevid̛ god; and so by good argument þou shalt recouere thi clothing, scil. vertuys, þat thou lostist; and þen þou shalt mow go vnto þe palys of Crist, where the porter, scil. prelat, scil. god him self̘, shalle opene to the the yate of heuen̛. And then aƚƚ thine, scil. aungles, shul know þe, and þou shalt regne þere withouten̛ ende, with the blessed̛ lord̛, Qui cum patre &c.