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

MORALITEE.

DEre sirs, this Emperour is Crist; þe fair̛ douter ys the Euerlasting lyf in Ioye, þe whiche many desirithe, but few laborithe in Effecte to have it; and̛ ther-for seithe oure saveour, in the gospeƚƚ Multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi, This is to sey, many bethe I-clupid̛, but fewe I-chose. But yf ony wolle have this lyfe, he must furste Entre the gardyn̛ of this worlde, and̛ fight þere ayenste þe lion̛, scil. the deuel, and̛ ouercome him. Many enterithe, scil. as mony as bethe borne, but fewe fyndithe oute-goyng ayene,—& why?

for they beþe slayne in hit by dedely synne. and̛ þerefor, yf thow wolte be sekir, do as did̛ the knyght; entre into the forest, scil. ynto the holy chirche, and̛ cry þere to the lady-of solace, scil. the glorious virgine marye, þe moder of god̛, the whiche that is comforte of al that bethe desolate, in her nede, that wol conuerte to hir. The two damiseƚƚ, that comythe with basyng & towayle, ben the twoo vertues of the glorious virgine, scil. lownesse & charite, at the counseiƚƚ of whome thow most wasshe þi fete, scil. to putte fleshely affeccions in the bason̛ of holy doctrine, and̛ to make þe clene with the towayle of absolucion̛; & so þow shalt fynde the lady of solace, by whom̛ thow shalt fynde the Remedye. The clewe of thred̛ is the lawe of god̛, by the whiche a threde gothe oute, scil. þe vij. sacramentes of holy chircℏ; and̛ þerefore when thow shalt come firste in to the gardyng̘ of this worlde, bynde þe þred̛ in baptyme, when̛ thow forsakist the devil, & al his bostys, & pompis, & byndithe the to god̛; & so þou most goo forthe in to the worlde, scil. by lyne. for fro baptim þou most passe forþe by confirmacion̛, and̛ so forthe by oþere sacramentes, & with oute [leaf 170, col. 2] dowte, yf þou lese

this course, scil. goyng by lyne of sacramentes, certeinly þow shalt not fynde no goode passage oute, Quia mors peccatorum pessima, þis is to sey, þere is no thinge worse þan̛ the dethe of synneres. Also þou most be armed̛ ayenste the lioune, scil. þe devil; the armur̛ þat thow shuldest have ben the vij. werkis of mercy; the Oynement, that shendithe the tethe of þe lioune, is almis-dede, for as the Profet seithe, Sicut aqua Extinguit ignem, ita Elemosina Extinguit peccatum, þis is to sey, As water quenchithe fyr, so almisdede quenchithe synne; the whiche almes-dede is most confusion̛ to the devil. And̛ þerefore, yf þou arme þe þus, þow shalt smyte of the hede of the devil, scil. þow shalt put a-wey his power̛. Aftir this þe knyght sawe vij. trees. scil. þe vij. dedly synnes, of the whiche a wrecchid̛ man̛ takithe ofte tyme so muche, that he may not Rise, ne ber̛ it out to Receyve þe grace of god̛; but then comithe iij. men̛, that bethe kepers of this gardin̛, scil. þe Fleshe, the worlde, & the devil; and̛ they encomberithe a man̛, thorow diuersite of synnys, euer til tyme that the soule passe fro the body, and̛ then he is a-dreynte in the pitte of helle by gretnesse & wyte of synnys. And̛ ther-fore, yf

the wrecchid̛ man̛ be in pereƚƚ, & ouercome with synnys, late him crye to the lady of solace, scil. the blessid̛ lady mary, & then̛ late him seche the clewe of threde, scil. vertuys, þe whiche he be-hite in baptyme, & loste by synne; and thenne with oute doute, he shal fynde the vertus, & fynde passages, so that Criste, the Emperoure, shal yeve to him to wive his fair̛ dowter, scil. euerlasting lyf, in Ioye perpetueƚƚ. Ad quam nos &c.