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

[XXIII. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 162, back, col. 1 (cont'd)]

Story.

IOvinianus [was] regnyng a wys Emperour̛ in the cite of Rome; and he was riche in possessions. Hit happid þat he thougℏt in a nygℏt, as he lay in his bed, whethir þere be any god withoute me? And when he aros, he callid his knygℏtis & Squiers, and seid, "sers, loke ye be redy, for I woƚƚ go hunte to day." Anon thei yede to hunte; and as þemperour̛ rode by the wey, þere toke him a grete hete, and þat so strongly, þat him thougℏt he was ny ded̛, but he may haue refresshing of water. And anon þere ros a clowde, so derk and so thik, þat hit hundrid̛, & hit assundrid̛, & departid him fro

aƚƚ þe people. So as he rode by him self̘, he saw a water afore him; & he smote the hors with his sporis, and yede in to þe water, and þere did of aƚƚ his clothing, and kelid him in þe water. And as he was in the water, þere come a man in his owen̛ lyknesse, but he saw him not; [leaf 162, back, col. 2] and he toke the Emperours clothing, and clothid him therewith, and lept vpon̛ the Emperours hors, and rode forth to the Emperours men, as he had be emperoure him self̘; and as Emperour̛ he was receiued̛, & turnyd home with hem to þe paleis. Aftirward̛ when the Emperour̛ had I-bathed̛ ynowe, he yede vp to londe, & sougℏt his hors, & his clothing, but aƚƚ was goo, so he went aboute nakid̛. & he cowde see no man̛, But he wept sore, and cried̛ with an hye vois, & seid, "Allas! allas! what shal I now do!" and as he cried̛, he thougℏt in his hert, here ny duellith a knygℏt, þe which I avaunsed̛; I woƚƚ go to him, and telle him my cas, & haue clothing of him, & so go home. He yede to the knyghtis hous, and knokked̛ atte the yate; and þe porter asked of̘ him what he wold̛. Þen he seid, "Let me yn, withoute lenger delay, for I am

your emperour." Then anon the porter openyd the yatis; and when he saw him naked̛, he seid to him, "what art þou?" "your emperour̛," quod he. "thou liest," quod the porter, "for þe emperour rode rigℏt now here by the yate, with a grete multitude with him; and þerfore þou seist þat þou art Emperour̛, thou shalt appere afore my lord̛." And anon the porter brougℏt him byfore the knygℏt; and the Emperoure had good knoulache of the knygℏt. And when the knygℏt had herd̛ þe wordis of̘ the porter, he seid to þemperour̛, "O! ribawde, seist þou that þou art Emperoure?" "yee, withoute doute I am he, þat avaunced̛ the." "I sey þou liest, "quod̛ the knygℏt, "and þerfore þou shalt sore aby." He made him to be sore beted̛ and scourged̛, tyƚƚ þe blode ren̛ oute, and aftir to be put oute at þe ȝatis. Then themperour wept sore, & seid, "Allas! for care how may this be?" tho he thougℏt, "I woƚƚ go to an erle here beside, þat was grete of my counseiƚƚ, þe which I avaunced̛ I woƚƚ to him, and be refresshid of him, & so go home." He knokked at

his ȝate; and the Porter come ny, and asked̛ what he knokked̛. "Open̛ the yatis," quod̛ he, "for I that knok am þemperour̛." When the porter herd̛ þat, he opened the yatis, as sone as he mygℏt fynd þe keys. When he come, and saw him naked̛, he seid to him, "O! rybawde, whi hast þou presumyd thi self̘ for to sey that þou were emperour̛? The Emperour hath ben̛ here a liteƚƚ afore, and hath y-ete with my lord the erle, and is gon̛ to his paleis, witℏ grete multitude of̘ men; and for þat thou callist the Emperour̛, þou shalt come afore my lord̛, and avow thi pele." And when he was y-brougℏt to-fore the erle, he knew the Erle wele, but the erle knew not him. When the Erle had herd̛, þat he had callid him themperour̛, he bad him telle, & sey, what was þe cause þat suche a ribawde as he presumyd so hiely in him self̘? "Forsotℏ," quod̛ he, "I am themperour̛ your̛ lord̛; and the I avaunced̛, & made the chief̘ of counseiƚƚ, & in this tokene, þat I tretid̛ in þe last parlement in suche materes and erandis." Þe Erle had þerof̘ merveiƚƚ, but he wold̛ [leaf 163, col. 1] not trow him, for he had no knoulache of him; and þerfore he made

him to be presoned̛, and to sitte there þe space of̘ thre daies, withoute mete & drinke; and aftir he chargid him þat he shuld̛ go oute of his contre, vpon̛ peyne of̘ lesing of his lyf̘. when themperour̛ was withoute the ȝatis, he wept sore, and seid, "Allas! what shal I do now? I am but lorne, for no man knowith me. Best is, þat I go home to my palys, & wete if̘ þe Emperesse, my wif̘, or any of̘ my meyne woƚƚ know me." He yede home; and anon̛ a Grehound, þe which he had lovid̛ moche afore, come wyghtly rennyng to him, and wold̛ haue slayn̛ him, had not ben̛ þat herd̛ him crye had pite of̘ him, and holpyn̛ of him. then themperour̛ yede forth to the yatis of̘ þe palys, and þere he knokked̛; and þe porter openyd̛ the yate, and asked̛ why he knokked̛. "Dere Frend," quod themperour̛, "hast þou no knoulache of me?" "No," quod̛ the Porter, "I haue no knoulache of the." "I am," quod̛ he, "your̛ Emperour̛, & your̛ lord̛, & þou berist my clothing vpon̛ the." then seid þe porter, "thou liest, harlot; my lord̛ the emperour̛ sittith at mete, & my lady the emperes by his side, with Erlis & dukys." Tho seid

themperour̛, "good Frend, I pray the for the loue of̘ god, þat þou herkene what I shaƚƚ sey to the; & go to the emperesse, and sey to her in her ere by sucℏ tokyns which non knowithe but oonly she & I; and sey to hir, þat I her husbond̛ & hir lord̛ stonde nakyd at þe ȝate; & pray hir to senden̛ me some clothis, þat I may come yn." And þe porter in scorne toke hede to his wordis, & with scorne yede to themperesse, & rownyd̛ with her, & told̛ to hir aƚƚ the prive tokyns þat were ysaid bytwene hem two. Anon the emperesse made him to be fet yn; and he knew aƚƚ men̛, and no man knew him. Þen the Emperour̛ seid, þat sat at the table, "sey, loreƚƚ knave, seist þou that thou art Emperour̛?" "Ya, ser," quod̛ he. tho spake þat othir to alle the lordis aboute him, "Sirs and Frendis, I charge you aboute him, by þe feith ye owe to me, þat ye sey soth, whethir this man be Emperour̛ or I?" "A! ser," quod thei, "this question̛ is not wortℏ for this loseƚƚ saw we neuer here to-fore, and the we haue yknow long." Thenne the Emperour̛ chargid hem, þat thei

shuld̛ take him, and tey him to Tailles of hors, vpon̛ the hard̛ pavement,—"but I woƚƚ not þat ye slee him, but, forsoth, if he euer presume any more so fouly, he shalbe dampnyd̛ to the foulest detℏ þat I can̛ deme." And in dede, þe cacchepolis drow him vpon̛ the pavement at þe Tailles of hors, and putte him oute of the cite. Sone aftir this Emperour̛ bygan̛ to thenk, what haue I do, or what haue I grevid̛ god, þat I am thus put oute of̘ the Empire, and þat no man knowith me? And as he thougℏt these wordis, hit come to his mynde, how he had I-thougℏt afore in his bed̛, is þere any god but I?—"A! lord̛ god, now I se wele þat was þe cause þat grevid̛ the, and þerfore I shal go to a confessour̛, and clansy me, and take penaunce þerfore." There beside duellid̛ an heremyte, þat vsid̛ to shrive [leaf 163, col. 2] him afore; and he yede to this heremite then, & knokked̛ at þe dore. "Who is þere?" quod the heremite. "Opyn̛, opyn," quod̛ the Emperour̛, "for I am the Emperour, and haue certein prevites to speke with the." And the Heremyte openyd the dore;

and when he saw þe Emperour̛, anon he put to the dore ayen̛ with aƚƚ his myght, and seid, "nay, þou art not Emperour̛ but the deviƚƚ." Þen̛ themperour̛ bygan sore to wepe, and seid, "alas! alas! vnappy wrecche þat I am; I pray the, for goddis loue, here my confession̛ þere as I stonde; and let thi dore stond yshit, as hit dotℏ." "For the loue of god," quod̛ the heremyte, "I wolle gladly here the; say what thou wilt." Tho the Emperour̛ makyd confession̛, and told̛ how he had grevid his god; "and þerfore I had suche venIaunce." When þe heremite had assoiled̛ him, he openyd a wyndowe, and knew him for emperour̛, and kist for Ioye. "Telle me," quod̛ the Emperour̛, "hast þou knoulache of̘ me yit, or doutist of̘ me?" "yis," quod̛ the heremyte, "I know þe now, þat thou art emperour; but as long as þou duelledist in synne, I coude not know the." "I pray the," quod̛ the Emperour, "lene me som clothis, and kever my body; and þen wolle I turne home, & loke if̘ any man̛ can̛ or wolle know me." "yis, my lord̛," seid þe heremyte; "suche clothis as I haue, thou shalt haue, and I trow to god thei woƚƚ know the; but, ser, I

merveiƚƚ what he is, þat occupietℏ thi dignite." When themperour̛ was I-clothid, he went to his paleis, and knokked̛ at þe yate. the porter openyd the yate, and knelid̛ doun̛, & seid, "ser, my lord̛, by what wey yede ye oute; for I haue here abide & I-stond long, & I cowde not se you?" "Knowist þou me," quod̛ themperour̛. "ye, my lord̛," quod̛ he, "and long haue ydon̛; But yisterday there come an harlot naked̛, & come to þe halle, & seid he was emperour." So hit was, þat the Emperour entrid in to þe halle. when knygℏtes and lordis saw him come, thei fille doun̛ on kne, eche man in his degre, and salowid̛ him, as þei aught to do to themperour. And þat oþer Emperour was in chamber with the lady, & herde a grete noise in the halle; [and] he commaundid̛ his chamberleyn̛ to go loke what hit was. Whan þe chamberleyn̛ had I-seyn̛ what hit was, he come rennyng vp agein, and seid to þe Emperour̛, "Sir, there is a feir̛ man in the halle, and seith he is Emperour; and he is like to you, þat there is no man in þis world̛ þat may know wheþer of you to be Emperoure." Then seid the Emperour̛ to þe lady,

"goth ye forth, and seth him, and telle me what it is." And the lady did̛ so; and when she saw him, [leaf 163, back, col. 1] She had so grete merveiƚƚ, þat no man wolde trowe hit. & sone she entrid̛ þe chamber ayen̛, and seid, "A! ser, what shal I sey now or do? Forsoth I note whethir of̘ you I shal take for my husbond̛, suche a liknes is atwene you two." Then spake the Emperour̛, and seid, "I shaƚƚ se him my self̘." When themperour̛ come to þe halle, and þei stode both to-gidre, þere was no man̛ cowde discryve wheþer of hem shuld̛ be Emperour. Then spak themperour̛ þat come doun̛ of þe chamber, "Dere frendis echon̛, withouten̛ doute þis is your lord̛, & your̛ Emperour, & þe same þat I made to be drawen̛ with hors, thougℏ non of̘ you had knoulache of him; and alle was for this skyle. Hit happid þat this man̛ bygan̛ to be so hy in hert, & so proudely, and therfore god put him oute of̘ his empier, tyƚƚ þat he had made amendis; and in this tyme I was commaunded̛ by god to occupie his stede, þat the Empire shuld̛ not perissℏ; and I am his aungeƚƚ, that haue I-be in the gouernaile and keping̘, as ye know, vnto þe tyme that he were reconsiled to god, & þat peas be made bytwene

god & him; and þerfore receiuetℏ him for your̛ lord̛." & so he vanysshed̛ fro hem. And themperour hily thonkid god, þat so savid̛ him; and aftir he was a devoute man̛, & faire endid his lyf̘.

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.