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

[Declaracio.]

Frendes, this Emperour is our lord̛ Ihesu crist. The faire doughtir is the blissed̛ lyf, that is, everlastyng Ioye, that many desiren̛. ¶ But he that wille haue this doughter, first he must entre into the gardeyn̛ of this world̛, and fight agayn̛ the lyon̛, that is, the deveƚƚ, and ouer-come hym; but many entren̛, for aƚƚ

that are born̛ entren̛ into the gardeyn̛ of this world̛, but fewe fynde the comyng out, by cause thei are first slayn̛ by dedely synne. ¶ And yf thou wilte be siker, do as the knyght did̛, that come fro ferre countrees; Go into the forest, that is, holy chirche, and crie for the lady of solace, that is, the blissed̛ virgyn̛ marie, that is conforture of alle desolate, in every nede; ¶ For he that turnetℏ hym to her witℏ a pure hert, she is redy for to help hym. ¶ The two maidens, witℏ the basyn̛ and the towaile, are mekenesse and charitee, that are ij. maidens of the glorious virgyn̛, by whos counsaile thou shalt wassℏ thi fete, that is, to put away flesshly affeccions in the basyn̛ of holy doctryne, and make the white and clene witℏ the towaile, that is, witℏ the benefice of absolucion̛ and so shalt thou fynde the lady of solace, by the whiche thou shalt fynde remedie. ¶ The clewe of threde is the lawe of god̛, of the whiche gotℏ out the threde, that ben the vij. sacramentes of holy chirche. Therfore [whan first] thou entrest into the gardeyn̛ of this world̛, bynd̛ fast the threde in the baptyme, whan thou forsakest the deveƚƚ and aƚƚ his pride, and bynd̛ the alone to god̛, to be his servaunte; and so thou must go into the world̛, first by baptyme, the second̛ by confirmacion̛, the third̛ by confession̛, and so of the

other sacramentes. and witℏ out doute and thou lose this, thou shalt be in grete perile, and no good̛ goyng [leaf 54] out thou shalt fynde; for dethe of synners is worst. ¶ Also the behouetℏ to be armed̛ agayn̛ the lyon̛ witℏ the armour of cristen man, That is, the vij. werkes of mercy. ¶ The oynement, þat confoundetℏ the tethe of the lyon̛, is almesdede; For as the prophete seitℏ, as watir sleketℏ fire, so almesdede sleketℏ synne; the whiche is most confusion̛ of the deveƚƚ. And yf thou arme the thus, thou maist smyte of the devels hede, that is, his power of noying. ¶ Aftir this the knyght sawe vij. delectable trees to loke on, the whiche betoken̛ the vij. dedely synnes, of the whicℏ ofte sithe wrecched̛ man gadretℏ so grete a burthon̛, that he may not bere it, ne lifte it, that is, of his synnes, ne go fro grace to grace. ¶ Than come iij. kepers of this gardeyn̛, that are iij. enemyes, that is, the flessℏ, the world̛, and the fende. thise bryngetℏ a man in many synnes, and maketℏ hym to dwelle ther in, vnto the goyng out of̘ the gardeyn̛, that is, vnto the goying out of the soule fro the body; than is it drowned̛ in the pitte of helle, for the gretnesse of the burthon̛ of his synnes. ¶ Therfore thou

wrecched̛ man, yf thou be in suche perile, crie fast to our lady of solas, that is, to the blissed̛ virgyn̛ marie, that is more redy to help synfuƚƚ men and women out of the pitte of synne than thei are for to crie to her; for she is so good̛, and so fulle of mercy, that she woƚƚ leve none vnholpen̛ that crietℏ to her hertly, and is in wille to leve synne. ¶ And seke also diligently the clewe of threde, that is, the vertues the whiche thou behitest god̛ in thi baptyme, the whiche by synne thou hast lost; and witℏ out doute, yf thou fynde the vertues, thou shalt haue a good̛ goyng out of the world̛, [and] whan thi soule shaƚƚ go out of thi body, than shaƚƚ it go to the blisse of heven̛. To the whiche bryng vs our lord̛ Ihesu crist, that for loue of mannes soule wolde suffre his bitter passion̛, thurgℏ the praier of his dirworthe modir, and of aƚƚ seyntes in blisse! Amen.