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

GARDINUS THE EMPEROURE.
(OF THE ENCHANTED GARDEN.)

[ XXXI. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 169, col. 1 (cont'd)]

Story.

GArdinus was a wyse Emperoure in the citee of Rome, and̛ had̛ grete possession̛; and̛ he had̛ a faire gloriovs dowter, named̛ Eulopia; he had̛ also a faire gardin̛, that he lovid̛ muche. And̛

many come to wowe this Faire damiselle, to have hir to wyf, but as mony as come for that mater, thei shulde go into that gardin, or that thei shulde speke ony worde of that mater; but as mony as enterid̛ in, they come neuer oute ageyne, ne non̛ of hir frendes myght know where they bicome. Among al oþir þer was a knyght of grete name dwellynge in fer contrees, & his name was tirius; & he [leaf 169, col.2] thought to him selfe, "how may this be, that manye gothe to the Emperour, for to have his dowter, & entrithe in to his gardine, but ther is non̛ that comithe oute ayene? withoute dowte I shalle goo thedir, & know this merveilous cas." he yede to the palys, & then he was worshipefully Receyuid̛; and̛ aftir mete, the knyght spake to the Emperour, and̛ saide, "sir, my lorde, many men speke of the fairenesse of þy dowter, that þere nys non̛ in al the erthe that berithe Swiche a name, and̛ þerfor, sir, I am come to yow; yf it wer̛ likynge to yowe, I wolde have hir to wyf." then̛ saide the Emperour, "ye knowe the lawe & costom̛ of þis palis. I have her̛ a faire gardine, and̛ who so Euer shalle speke of that mater, he most

firste go in to þat gardine." "Sere," quod̛ the knyght, "this likitℏ me wel; neuer the les I wolde first aske of yow a bone, scil. that I myght have a syght of your dowter, and̛ speke with hir a fewe wordes." "I graunte," quod̛ the Emperour̛. so the knyght enterid̛ into the Chaumbre of the damiselle, and̛ salude hir reuerently; and̛ when he had̛ sen the grete fairhede of hir, he marvaylid̛, & saide, "Þou gentil damiseƚƚ, helpe me nowe at this tyme, for I am come from fer contree for thi love. but mony have come a-fore me to have the to wyf, and̛ aftir that thei enterid̛ the gardin, þey wer̛ neuer sene after that thei enterid̛; and ther fore I beseche yowe of counseiƚƚ & of helpe in this cas, that I may safly Entir in to the gardin̛, & passe oute ayene, with outen periƚƚ or harme." Þen̛ seide she to him, "sir, þow art come hvedir for me. I am she that is Redy to be couplid̛ with eny man̛, that my fadir wolle yeve me to; neuer the les þou askist heer̛ of me an hard̛ thing, scil. for to passe the gardyn̛ with oute periƚƚ, and̛ þerefore I shall yeve þe counseiƚƚ.

heer̛ be-sydes is a foreste, in the whiche is a passing feire ladye, the whiche is callid̛ the lady off solace; And̛ þerefor go to þis ladye, & she shaƚƚ yeve the goode Remedie in this cas. the knight went to the foreste, & cride, & seide, "wher is the lady of solace?" & he lokid̛ afer, & þere he sawe a fair̛ place; and̛ thidir he went, & set him downe in the myddis þereof. And̛ as he was ther sitting, ther come two faire ladijs; & on̛ had̛ a bason in hir honde, and̛ þe toþere a [leaf 169, back, col. 1] towaile; and̛ saide to him, "gode sir, the ladye of solace sent vs to yow, þat ye first wasshe youre fete, and̛ then go with vs to hir̛ palys." that knight wisshe his fete in the basyn, and̛ aftir wipte hem with the towayle, and̛ yede with the damiselles to the palys of the lady. And̛ when he was þere, he hadde grete marvayle in the werke of þe palyse, for he sawe neuer place a-fore so sotil ne so coriouse. And̛ when he sawe the ladye, he wonderid̛ hilye of hir fairnesse, in so muche that his hert Ranne into hir love. And̛ then when̛ he had̛ saide his eronde, that he come for, she answerd̛

ayene, & saide, "Der̛ frende, I am callid̛ the lady of solace, because that I helpe & socour manye in hir nede; and̛, sir, thow arte welcom̛ to me, and̛ I shalle fulfille thin askynge. take of me her̛ a clewe of threde, & what tyme that thowe shalt entre the gardyn̛ of the Emperour, bynde at the entering in of the gardin̛ the begynnynge of the clewe, & holde euermor̛ the Remnavnt of the clewe in thin honde, & so go forthe into the gardyn̛ by lyne; For yf thow lese the Remnaunt, þ[o]u shalt neuer fynde oute-goynge how thow shalt come oute ayene. Also þere is a passynge woode lyoune, þe whiche hathe slayne alle þat havithe I-come afore þe, and̛ þerefor thowe moste by y-armed̛, and̛ thin armure must be anoyntid̛ with goode onymentes; and̛ then þowe moste nedis fight with þe lioune, aftir tyme þat þou be enterid̛ in to the gardin; & what tyme þat þou shalt be ny depressid̛, & ouercome by him, asundr̛ the fro him; For when the lion̛ shalle see the, he shal come, and̛ in his mouthe take thi arme, or thi legge; and̛ then yf thin armure be wel anoyntid̛, then the Oynementes shal lose his tethe, In so muche that he shalle not mow fight ayenste the lenger; and̛ then drawe out thi swerde,

& sle him. And̛ euer holde the clew of thi threde in thin honde, for aftir that þou hast slayne þe lioune, þer shul come iij. men̛, the whiche men shul brynge the oute of þe wey, yf that thei mowe. And̛ therfore take goode hede, & be welle war̛ of hem, and̛ yf thow be in grete drede, calle to me, & I shaƚƚ socoure þe, but yf the mor̛ defavte [leaf 169, back, col. 2] be in thi selfe." when the knyght harde this, he was iocaunt & murye; he yede to the Emperour, & seide he wolde do the lawe of the palys. "Wel mot it be with þe!" quod̛ þe Emperour. the knyght armid̛ him, and̛ a-noyntid̛ his armur̛; and̛ when̛ he was at that gate of the gardyne, he toke oute the clewe of threde, & bond̛ it strongly to the dor̛; and̛ so he yede forthe, as by lyne. when the lion̛ had̛ sight of hem, he Ran̛ to him with a cruell enforsynge, but the knyght with al his myght stode ayenste him, & fovght; and when̛ he was wery of fitinge, & bigan for to torne fro the liounewarde, anon̛ the lion̛ come, and̛ toke his arme in his tethe, wher thorowe his tethe were lost, in so muche þat he

myght not helpe him selfe. when the knyght perceyvid̛ this, he drow oute his swerde, & smot at þe lioune with al his myght; & þe more that the lioune sette his tethe or his clawis in þe knyght, the mor̛ he loste him selfe; and̛ so at the laste the knyght smot of *his hede, and yede forthe; & he Ioyed̛ so moche of * [Words between *s repeated in MS.] the dethe of þis lioune, that he loste the clewe of threde. And̛ as he wolde have gon̛ oute of the gardyn̛, to wed̛ the douter of the Emperoure, he sawe vij. trees ful of levis, & faire in syght. And ther he tarijd̛, and̛ ete of the frewte, and̛ gaderid̛ so muche, þat he myght not ber̛ hit awey; and̛ then iij. men̛ come, and̛ browte him owte of the hye weye, and̛ there he fel downe in to a depe diche, and̛ ther he was nye dreynte, for gret weyte of his burdon̛. And̛ then̛ the knyght, seynge that he was nye dede, he cride with an hihe voyse, "O! lady of solace, I be-seche þe of socour̛, in my grete nede that I am nowe in!" And̛ anon̛ the lady come ny, & saide, "A! wrecche, ne seide I not to the, that yf thow lostist thi clew, þou shuldest not fynde out-goyng ayene? loo! I shaƚƚ helpe the oute of this diche;

& go then, and̛ seche in the gardyn̛ for þe clewe, til þou have foundyn it ayene." & so she vaneshid̛ aweye. Then when the knight was thus deliuerid̛ out of the diche, he yede abowte in the gardin, and̛ soute the clewe, & fonde it; and̛ than̛ he was I-lad̛ by the threde to þe dore [leaf 170, col. 1] of þe gardine ayene, and̛ yede to the Emperour. when̛ the Emperoure sawe him, he yaf to him his dowter to wyfe, be-cause that he had̛ so wysely ascapid̛ the peril of the gardin̛ and̛ the knyght lad̛ hir home to his owne contre, & endid̛ faire his lyf.

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.

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

[leaf 51, back]

Story.

Sardonius reigned̛ *in the Citee of Rome [omitted] , that had̛ a [o] doughtir, that hight Eulopia, that was right faire, and gracious to mannes sight; also he had̛ a faire yerde, that he mekeƚƚ loved̛. wherfore

many noble men come forto have his doughtir to wyf, for her fairnesse and gentilenesse; and aƚƚ that come, must go into the [that] yerde, before he shuld̛ wedde the doughtir. ¶ But aƚƚ that went into the yerde, come never out, ne no man wist where thei become. ¶ There was that tyme a famous knyght of ferre countre, that hight Tirius, that thought with in hym [leaf 52] self̘, "how may this be, that so many *ben̛ that [omitted] gone to the Emperours paleys, for to haue his doughtir, and aƚƚ that gone into the yerde [gardene] are never seen after! witℏ oute doute I shaƚƚ go to the paleys," The knyght said̛, "[and] [supplied from Cambridge MS, which omits *I shalle*] I shaƚƚ assaye that mervaile." ¶ The knyght went to the paleys, and was worshipfully resceived̛; and whan mete [the mete] was done, he said̛ to the Emperour, "My reuerent lord̛, many men speken̛ mekeƚƚ [omitted] of̘ the fairenesse of your doughtir, and of her goodnesse, and that she is so semly, for there is none like her in erthe; and therfore I am come to you, and [that] yf it liked̛ to [omitted] youre reuerent dignyte, forto have her to wyf̘." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "Frende, *is it knowen̛ [it is ought know] to you the law of the paleys? I haue a faire gardeyn̛, and he that wille haue

my doughtir, he [omitted] must go first into my gardeyn̛, or that [omitted] he wedde her." The knyght said̛, "this liketℏ me wele; but, lord̛, first I wold̛ [wole] aske you [of you] a peticion̛, that I myght ones se the maiden̛, and speke witℏ her a few wordes." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "I graunt you your̛ peticion̛." The knyght went into the Chambre, to the maiden̛; and whan he saw her, he *was a-marvailed̛ [merveylyd] of her fairenesse; and curtesly he saluted̛ her, and said̛, ¶ "O! goode maiden̛, help me now at this tyme, for your reuerence; for I am come fro ferre countrees. but many before me haue come, for to haue you to wyf̘, ¶ But first, aftir the statute of the paleys, thei wenten̛ into the gardeyn̛, and never aftir were thei seen. Therfore, yf it liked̛ you, I aske of you counsaile and help in this partie, that I may gone [go passim] into the gardeyn̛ suerly, and witℏ outen harme, and come out." ¶ The maiden̛ said̛, "my [omitted] dere frend̛, ye are welcome to me, and redy I am in aƚƚ thyng to *obeye to [be at] my Fadirs wille, for to yeve me to whom he wille. and ye aske me an harde thyng, to delyuere you from [fro the] perile of the gardeyn̛, and for to ascape [scape] it, that I may not do; But I shaƚƚ yeve you an holsome counsaile. ¶ here nere hand̛ is a forest, in the whiche dwelletℏ a faire lady, the whiche is called̛

the lady of solace, in *as moche as [also mych that] she grauntetℏ and yevetℏ to every man that is desolate an holsome counsaile in his nede, and solace. Go therfore to this forest, and of the lady of solace aske remedie of your peticion̛, and ye shuƚƚ fynde comfort." The knyght herd̛ this, and went into the Forest, Criyng *and saying [omitted] , "where is the lady of solace?" he loked̛ aferre [omitted] , and saw a faire place and a lykyng; and went thedir, and sette [leaf 52, back] hym downe in the myddes. and while he satte so, came in ij. faire maidens, of the whiche one had̛ a faire basyn̛, witℏ watir, the [that] other maiden̛ had̛ a towayle; and said̛ to the knyght, ¶ "O! goode sir, the lady of solace, lady of this forest, sent vs to you, that ye shuld̛ first wassℏ your fete, and than shuƚƚ ye gone withe vs to the paleys of the lady of solace." the knyght wasshed̛ his fete in the basyn̛, and wyped̛ hem witℏ the towaile, and went with the maidens to the paleys; and whan he entred̛ [had entred] , he mervailed̛ gretly [omitted] of the werk̘ of the place, that is [it was] so noble and soteƚƚ, for he had̛ never seen none so precious. and whan he saw the lady, he mervailed̛ of her fairenesse; wherfore he was ravisshed̛ in her love, and said̛ his erand̛. ¶ Than the lady said̛ to hym, "Frend̛, I am called̛ the lady of solace, in that I socoure

aƚƚ that be desolate, in her [ther] nede; and therfore thou art welcome, and I shaƚƚ fuƚƚ-fille thi peticion̛. ¶ Have here of me a clew of threde; and whan thou entrest the gardeyn̛ of the Emperour, bynde atte [at the] entre of the dore [dore with in] the begynnyng of the clew, and alway hold̛ the clew in thi hand̛, and so shalt thou go by the threde into the gardeyn̛, as by a lyne. and in what houre thou lesest the threde of the clew, thou shalt not fynde the goyng out of the gardeyn̛, but by a felle lyon̛ thou shalt lose thi lyf; and so did̛ aƚƚ before the. ¶ But thou must arme the, and *thi armour [thyn armes] must be anoynted̛ witℏ an oynement most able for this skille, for nedes thou must fight witℏ the lyon̛, after thou art entred̛ into the gardeyn̛. and whan thou art gretly oppressed̛ [by the lyone oppressyd] in the bataile, go fro hym; and whan the lyon̛ se [sethe] that, witℏ his tethe he shaƚƚ take thyn̛ arme [armour] , or thi fote; and yf thyn̛ armour be wele anoynted̛ witℏ the oynement, it shaƚƚ confounde his tethe, in so mekeƚƚ that he shaƚƚ not [not mow to] fight ayenst the no [omitted] more. ¶ *Than draw [But drawe out] thi swerd̛

and slee the lyon̛. in aƚƚ this way [alway] hold̛ wele [omitted] the clew of threde witℏ the; and after the dethe of the lyon̛, thou shalt fynde iij. men, that shaƚƚ lede the out of the way [right way] , yf thei mow; and therfore beware diligently of theire [her] sleightes. and yf thou be in grete nede, crie to me, and I shaƚƚ socoure the, but yf there be any [omitted] more defaute in [on] thi side." ¶ whan the knyght herd̛ [had herd] this, he was right glad̛, and went to the Emperour, and profered̛ hym self̘ to go into the gardeyn̛. the Emperour said̛, "that liketℏ [lykes] me wele." The knyght armed̛ hym, and anoynted̛ his armour [The passage included in the corr tags was written inadvertently twice in the MS, with several variations, which in some instances agree with the readings in the Cambridge MS.] [leaf 53] witℏ the oynement; [anoyntment] and whan he come at the entre of the gardeyn̛, he toke out [omitted] the clewe of thred̛ out of his purse, and bounde it fast into [at] the dore and went forthe, as by a [omitted] lyne, in to the gardeyn̛. and whan the lyon̛ saw hym, witℏ aƚƚ his myght he come to the knyght; and in as [also] mekeƚƚ as he myght, he witℏ-stode hym; And whan he was wery of fightyng, he withdrew hym a liteƚƚ fro the lyon̛. and anon̛ the lyon toke hym by the arme, wherfore his tethe of the

oynement were so glewed̛, in so mekeƚƚ that he myght not helpe hym self̘. ¶ Whan the knyght perseived̛ this, he drew his swerd̛, and witℏ aƚƚ his myght he went to the lyon̛; and the more the lyon̛ witℏ his tethe and witℏ his clawes touched̛ the [his] armour̛, the lesse he myght help hym self̘, for the oynement. the knyght perseived̛ this, and smote of the lyons hede, and went away fro hym; and was so glad̛ of the victorie of the lyon̛, that he lost the clewe of threde, and wold̛ have gone out of the gardeyn̛, for to *have wedded̛ [wedde] the Emperours doughtir. ¶ And as he went he saw vij. trees, fuƚƚ of faire leves, that were delectable [delitable] to the [omitted] sight; and he gadred̛ so many braunches of [of the] frute of the trees, that he myght not bere hem. Than come iij. men to hym, and [that] ledde hym out of the right way; and in the goyng out of the gardeyn̛, he fille in a depe pitte, and was nye drowned̛, for gretnesse of his burthyn̛ [burdone] , and so [saw] he shuld̛ haue perisshed̛; and cried̛ with an hie voice, and seid̛, ¶ "Allas! [A!] lady of solace, help me now in this grete nede!" anon̛ the lady was witℏ [at] hym, and seid̛, "O! thou wrecche, *I said̛ [sayde I not] to the, that yf thou lost the clewe of threde, thou sholdest never fynde

the goyng out of the gardeyn̛? [leaf 53, back] Lo! yit I shaƚƚ left the out of the pitte; and go seke the [in the] gardeyn̛, tille thou haue founde the threde, and than anon̛ thou shalt fynde the goyng out." Whan this was said̛, the lady was out of his sight. ¶ The knyght, whan he saw that he was delyuered̛ out of the pitte, he went about the gardeyn̛, *and sought [to seke] , and founde the Clewe of threde, and went by the threde tille he come at the dore of the gardeyn̛, [where he bond the threde; and went out of the gardene,] [supplied from Cambridge MS] and went to the Emperour. ¶ And whan the Emperour sawe this [hym] , he yaf̘ his doughtir to hym to wyf̘, by cause he had̛ wisely ascaped̛ [scaped] the travaile. The knyght than lad̛ his wyf to his owne countre, and ended̛ his lyf in pease.

[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.