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

LAMPADIUS A WISE EMPEROUR.
(OF A KNIGHT WHO SAVED HIS LIFE BY STATING THREE INCONTROVERTIBLE FACTS. )

[ XXVII. ] HARL. MS. 7333.

[leaf 167, col. 1 (cont'd)]

Story.

Lampadius Reigned̛ a wyse Emperoure in þe cite of Rome, and̛ amonge al oþere thinges he was mersyfulle; and̛ for grete mercy he ordeynid̛ for a lawe, þat yf ther wer̛ eny trespassoure ytake, & browte afore the Iuge, þat couthe seye iij. trewe talis, so trew that no man mygℏt ayene-seye hem, he shulde be I-savid̛, & have his

eritage. so þere was a knyght, named̛ plebeus; & this knight enhabitid̛ in a woode, & þere he Robbid̛ or slowhe al men̛ that travayled̛ by þat way. And̛ when the Iustice or the Iuge hard̛ of him, he sente wacchemen̛ & spyeris to fecche him; & anoon̛ he was I-take, & browte afore þe Iuge. & þenne saide þe Iuge to him, "dere frend̛, ouþere thow most sey iij. trewe poyntes, þat shul be vnrepugnable, oþere elles þou shalt be dede." Þen̛ þe knyght avnswerde, "Sir," he saide, "late silens be made, that men̛ may her̛ what I shalle seye; &, sir, I shalle fulfille the lawe." "Sirs," quod̛ he, "this is my firste sothe worde, that ye know wel echone, þat I have ben̛ al my lyf a thef and̛ a traytour." "is that soþe?" seide the Iuge to oþere men; "may ye argu ayenst him?" "Nay, sir," quod̛ they, "for yf he had̛ be noo trespassoure, he hadde not be I-browte her̛; certeyne he myght not seye a trewer worde than this was." Þenne saide þe Iuge, "what is thi secounde point?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "it is this, þat it is displesing to me that I come here." [leaf 167, col. 2] "Sothely," seide al men, "þat trowe we wel." "Sey þe thirde point," seide the Iuge, "& then þou haste fulfillid̛ the lawe, &

savid̛ thi lyf." "Forsoþe," quod̛ he, "yf euer I may passe from̛ yow, I shalle neuer come her̛ ayene, withe goddis wille." Þenne seide þe Iuge, "sothely, þou hast saide wel, and wel I-savid̛ thi lyf; goo þerefor, & be a goode man, & trespasse no mor̛, with thi wille, ayene the Emperour." Þe knyght yede his wey, and̛ made a faire Ende.

MORALITEE.

Dere frendes, this Emperour is oure lorde Ihesu crist, the whiche hathe ordeynid̛ for lawe, þat euerye synner or Traytoure, þat is I-take thorow þe grace of god̛, and̛ browte afore a Iuge, scil. a discret confessoure, sey iij. sothefastnes, so trewe, þat no devil con sey ayene hem in þe day of dome; þen̛ with oute dowte he shalle have euerlastynge lyf, with the eritage off heuin̛. The furste trew worde is, & shalle be this, "I am a thef, scil. lappid̛ with swiche synne, and̛ swiche a cryme, and̛ I am̛ a grete synner." The secounde is, "that it is displesing to me þat I have grevid̛ god̛ so muche, for the whiche I am stressid̛ to come heþere." And̛ the thirde is, "þat if I may passe hens, by the wey of satisfaccion̛, I

shulde not then neuer torne ayene to synne." And̛ yf ye do so, with outen dowte ye shulle have euerlastynge lyf. Ad quam nos &c.

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

[leaf 54, back]

Story.

Lampadius reigned̛ in the Citee of Rome, that was right mercifuƚƚ; wherfore of̘ grete mercy he ordeyned̛ a lawe, that who that were a man-sleer, a Ravenour, an eveƚƚ doer, or a theef̘, and were take, and brought before the domesman, yf he myght sey iij. trouthes, so truly that no man myght agayn̛-sey hem, he shuld̛ have his lyf̘,

witℏ aƚƚ his heritage. ¶ There fille a chaunce aftir, that a knyght whos name was Plebeus, wente to the wode, and aƚƚ that come by the wode, he slougℏ, or spoiled̛ hem of aƚƚ that thei hadden̛. ¶ Whan the Iustice herd̛ this, he sente spies for to take hym; and whan he was take, he was brought before the Iustice. than the Iustice said̛ to hym, "Frende, thou knowest the law; sey iij. trouthes, or els without doute thou shalt be hanged̛ or I ete." ¶ The knyght said̛, "scilence, and I shaƚƚ fulfille the law." whan scilence was made, the knyght said̛, "Frendes, the first trouthe is this, that I shaƚƚ shew to you alle, that aƚƚ the tyme of my lyf̘ I have ben a theef̘, a manqueller, and a Ravenour." Whan the domesman had̛ herde this, he said̛ to hem that stoden aboute, "is it sothe that he saitℏ?" thei said̛, "yee, but yf he had̛ ben̛ an eveƚƚ doer, he shuld̛ haue not ben brought hedir, and therfore it is sothe that he said̛." ¶ Than the domesman asked̛, "Whicℏ is the second̛ trouthe?" he said̛, heryng aƚƚ, "it displeasetℏ me mekeƚƚ, that ever I come hedir." the domesman said̛, "forsothe we beleve the wele; telle vs now the third̛ troutℏ, and thou hast fulfilled̛ the law." ¶ he said̛, "the trouthe is

[leaf 55] this I shaƚƚ shewe to you; And̛ I myght ones scape, I shuld̛ neuer come to this place agayne with my good̛ wille." The domysman̛, when̛ he herde this, seide, "thou haste wisely fulfilled̛ the lawe, and̛ haste sauyd̛ thy lyfe. Go now therefore, and̛ from hensforwarde be a good man, and̛ wil no more offende agaynes god̛ ne the Emperour." then þe knyght wente, and Endid̛ his life in pease.

Reduccio.

[This paragraph split to add div3, moral]

Frendes, this Emperour is oure lorde Ihesu Criste, that ordeyned̛ this lawe, that Euery brekere of goddis grace, that is, a synner that dothe dedly synne, shuld̛ be brought before the domysman̛, that is to say, a discrete confessour, and̛ telle to hym the trouthe, so trewe, that the sayeng̘ atte day of dome mow not be agayne-seide; and̛ than, with oute doute he shaƚƚ haue Euerlastyng̘ lyfe, with aƚƚ the heritage of the kyngdome of hevyn̛. The firste trouthe is, I am̛ a thefe, that is, I am̛ suche a synner, and̛ wrappid̛ and̛ knytte in suche synnes; tellyng̘ hem oute to his gostly fadir. The seconde trouthe is, it displeasith me the waye of contricion̛, that I haue so mekille offendid̛ god̛, for the which I owe to come hiddere. The thrid̛ is, that if I myght ones scape, be the waye of satisfaccion̛, I

shaƚƚ neuer torne agayne to synne. And̛ if he do þis, with outyn̛ doute he shaƚƚ haue Euerlastyng̘ life. to the which bryng̘ vs that mercyfuƚƚ lorde Ihesu Criste! Amen &c.