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

Story.

CEsar was a wise Emperoure Regnynge in the citee of Rome; the wiche had̛ a forest, in þe whiche he made to be plontid̛ & sette many vynis and̛ trees. And̛ he made ouer this forest a stiward̛, named̛ Ionathas, a wise man̛ & a Redy; the whiche he chargeyd, vp gret peyne, that he shulde kepe wele switche thinge as he had̛ I-sette in that forest. And̛ this Ionathas entirid̛ into this office, and̛ kepte it wel & wisly, til a cas felle, that a sweyne enterid̛ into hit, and̛ wrotide, and̛ shent the yonge plantis, that wer̛ nulye sette. Anon̛ as the keper saw this harme, he hente of the Swynis tayle; and̛ þe swyne yede oute ayene, with a grete crye. Neuertheles hit com ayene the next day, and̛ did̛ mor̛ harme than he dud̛ afore; and̛ then Ionathas smote of his lyfte er̛; and̛ the swyne Ranne oute, with a gret crye. but yit, not withestondinge þis, It come ayene the thirde day aftir; and̛ then Ionathas smote of his right er̛; [leaf 175, col. 1] and̛ euer he Ranne ayene, with an orible crijnge, as he did̛ afore. but

yit it wolde not leve þere bye, but come a-yene in the Fourtℏ daye, and̛ did̛ moo ivelis; and̛ tho Ionathas tooke a spere, and̛ smote him thorow the ij. sidis; & sent the body to the Cook of the Emperoure, and̛ comaundid̛ that he shulde araye hit for the Emperours mete. And̛ when̛ the Emperour was sette to mete, he was servid̛ of that sweyne; and̛ thenne the Emperoure askid̛ of his sarvaunt, wher̛ the herte was þerof, for the lovid̛ the herte of euery beste more than he did̛ al the bodye. Aftir þenne the servaunt Ran̛ into the kechin, and̛ askid̛ wher̛ the harte was of the hogge; for he saide, the Emperoure askid̛ þere aftir. the Coke had̛ I-ete hit afor̛, for it was fatte & likynge; and̛ þerfore he bad̛ the sarvaunt sey, to the lorde that the hogge had̛ non̛ herte. And̛ the sarvaunt yede, & tolde the Emperour that the hog hadde noon̛ harte. "Þat may not be," quod̛ the Emperoure, "for ther is no best but hit have an herte; & therfore byd̛ him sende hit me, in peyne of lyfe." Þenne þei yede to the kechin, and̛ bad̛ that he shulde sende the herte, in peyne of dethe. "A!" quod the Coke, "sey to him, þat but yf I preve þat

þat I seye by good Resoune, ellis I put me to his wille & dom̛." when the Emperour̛ harde this, he assignid̛ a day of aunsweringe. when the day come, the coke come, and̛ saide with a gret woys afore alle men, "worshipful lordes, this day is the daye of aunsweringe; and̛ furst I put vn to yow, that the swyne had̛ non herte, ¶ and̛ þat by this Resoune; euery thowte comithe fro the herte, & þerefore what savorithe good̛ or evil, hit be-houithe that he think hit by the harte." "Al this is sothe," quod̛ the Emperoure. "And̛ now shaƚƚ I shewe by Resons, that he had̛ none harte; for he Enterid̛ in to your̛ foreste, and̛ þere þe forster kit of his tayle; and̛ ther-for̛, yf he had̛ had̛ an̛ [leaf 175, col. 2] harte, he wolde have thought on̛ that loste; but that he did̛ not, for he entired̛ in to the forest ayene, and̛ then the forster smote of his lyfte Er̛; yf he had̛ had̛ an̛ herte, he wolde have thowte on̛ that lost; but yit dude he not, for he come a-yene the thirde tyme, and̛ then̛ he loste his Right Er̛; and̛ yf ther had̛ be an harte on̛ him, he wolde have thovte on̛ that lost of the twoo Eris,

and̛ of the tayle; but he dude not, for he come ayene, and̛ dude so muche harme, that the forster slowhe him with his sper̛, & sent him to me to dyte for youre dynere."