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

Story.

POmpeius reigned̛ in Rome, that had̛ a faire doughtir, that hight̘ Aglaes. This doughtir had̛ ij. vertues passyng aƚƚ other [omitted] women of his Empire. The first was, she was faire and gracious to aƚƚ folke; The second̛ was, she was swiftest in rynnyng, that no man myght

over-take her by a grete space, but ever [that] she come first to the marke that was sette by [they ranne to] the Emperour̛. ¶ Whan he had̛ [omitted] perseived̛ thise ij. vertues in [of] his doughtir, he was right glad̛; and he [omitted] did̛ make a crie thurgℏ out his Empire, that yf any man wold̛ rynne witℏ his doughtir, and come rathest [rather] to the marke than she, he shuld̛ have her to wyf, witℏ infinite goodes; and yf any man ranne witℏ the maiden̛ [mayde] , and yf [omitted] she come sonner̛ to the marke than he, than shuld̛ he lese his hede. ¶ *There were [omitted] dukes, Barons, and knyghtes of the Empire *that herden̛ this [hard the] crie, and *anon̛ thei came [sone ther come mony] and profered̛ *hem to rynne witℏ the maiden̛ [the mayde to renne] ; so that eche man ranne witℏ the maiden̛ [mayde passim] one after another̛, and the maiden̛ [mayde passim] over-ranne hem aƚƚ, and so aƚƚ thei [omitted] losten her hedes, as the law wold̛. ¶ Than was there a man in Rome, that thought witℏ in hym self̘, "I am poore, and *no gentile man borne, and [omitted] of a [omitted] vile bloode brought forthe; and *the crie is [ther is a [cry]] made, that [omitted] yf any man [omitted] by any cautele *can over-rynne [ovircome] the maiden̛ in rynning, he shaƚƚ be promoted̛ vnto [to] grete richesse. ¶ And therfor [omitted] yf I may by any sleight or cautele over-come her, I shuld̛

not only [alle only] be promoted̛, but I myght helpe aƚƚ my kynrede." ¶ Than he ordeyned̛ hym self̘ thre [of iij.] cavteles; The first was a Garlond̛ of Rede Roses *and white, wele araied̛ [omitted] ; The second̛ was a Girdeƚƚ of silke, wele harneysed̛; The third̛ was a purse of silke, *sotelly arrayed̛ [alle sotely wrought] witℏ precious stones, and in the purse was [omitted] a balle of iij. colours, and on the balle was this scripture written, he that shaƚƚ pleye witℏ me, shaƚƚ never be fuƚƚ of my playe. ¶ Thise iij. he put in his bosome, and went vnto the palays gate, crying, "come, maiden̛, come, for I am redy to rynne witℏ the." ¶ whan the Emperour hadde herd̛ this [his] voice, he bad̛ his doughtir to *make her [rynne with hym. The mayde, whan she sawe hym, she dyspysed hym in her hert, and sayde, "Many noblemen haue I overcome, and nowe shalle I rynne, with such an harlot!" Anone the mayde made her] redy to rynne; and so [omitted] thei ronne to-gedre, and in shorte [a lytylle] tyme the maiden̛ ronne before hym.

This wyly man, whan he sawe that, he cast the Garlond̛ before her [the mayde] . The maiden, when she saw the Garlond̛, she stouped̛, and toke vp the Garlond̛ from the erthe, and sette it on her hede; and had̛ grete likyng of̘ the Garlond̛, and *taried̛ tille [so abode, that] this sligℏ man was ferre [ronne wele] before. [leaf 13] ¶ Whan the maiden̛ sawe that, she wept bitterly, and cast the Garlond̛ in a depe dike; and *than she [omitted] ranne swiftly after hym, and *over-toke hym, and lifte vp her right honde, and gaf̘ [omitted] hym a buffet, and badde hym, "abide, wrecche!" and said̛, "it is nought semely, that thi fadirs sone shuld̛ have me to wyf̘." and [omitted] than she ranne before hym right fast. ¶ Than sawe this sleigh man, and drew a Girdeƚƚ out of his bosome, and cast it before the maiden̛. She sawe the Girdeƚƚ, and toke it vp, and girte her witℏ the Girdeƚƚ and hadde so moche delite of the Girdeƚƚ, that he was before a grete way. ¶ The maiden̛, whan she sawe that, she sorowed̛, and gnewe [toke] the Girdeƚƚ witℏ her tethe, and brake it on iii. peces; and ranne after hym [omitted] strongly, and toke hym, and gaf̘ hym a [another] buffette, and said̛, "Trowest thou, wrecche, to over-come me?" and anon̛ she ranne before [afore] hym.

¶ This [The] Iogeler̛ was wyly, and cast the purse before *her. The maiden̛ [the mayde. She] saw the purse, and opened̛ it; and founde a balle, and radde the scripture on [of] the balle; ¶ That was this, who [He] that playetℏ witℏ me, shaƚƚ never be fuƚƚ of my playe. And she beganne to play witℏ the Balle, and so longe she played̛ witℏ the Balle, that the Iogeler̛ came before her to the marke; and so he had̛ her to be his [omitted] wyf̘.