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

Story.

Alexandir was a wyse Emperoure Reignynge in the citee of Roome; his possessioune was moche, and̛ amonge al oþer vertues that he hadde, he was large of his mete. And̛ he ordeynid̛ a lawe, that no man shulde at his borde Ete the blake syde of the playse, but al the white syde, withe outen̛ tvrnynge; and̛ yf enye man dud̛ the contrarie, he shulde lese his lyfe. but then he grauntid̛, that the trespassour shulde aske iij. bonys or he deyde, Of what thinge that he wolde aske, to save his lyfe, and̛ hit shulde be grauntid̛ to him. So hit happid̛ in a tyme, that ther̛ come an Erle to court, & his sone come withe him, and̛ they wer̛ of fer̛ contrees; & happed̛ [leaf 175, back, col. 2] as þei Sete at mete, the Erle was servid̛ with a plays, and̛ he had̛ goode wille to ete, & he ete the blake syde, and̛ also white. & anoon he was accusid̛ to the Emperour̛; and̛ the Emperour seide, he shulde be dede witℏ outen̛ delay, as law wolde. Þenne the Erles sonne seing this, knelid̛ afor̛ the Emperoure, & seid̛, "lord̛, for love of him that

dide on̄ cros, graunt me that I may deye for my fadir." "I assent," quod̛ the Emperoure, "for al is on to me, so þat on be dede." "sir," seyde the sone, "sithe I shaƚƚ dye, I aske the law of yow, scil. þat I may have iij. peticiouns or I deye." "yis," quod̛ the Emperour, "aske what thow wolte, ther may no man̄ denye hit." "sir," quod̛ he, "I aske firste to have youre dowter by me a nyȝt in my bed̛." The Emperour grauntid̛ that peticion̛, for lost of observaunce of the lawe; but hit was gretly ayenste his herte. So the yonge man̛ hadde hir with him al nyght, but he folid̛ hir not; and̛ þerfore on the morowe the Emperour was hilie plesid̛. Tho he askid̛ the secounde peticion̛, and̛ saide, "sir, I aske al your tresoure." the Emperour grauntid̛ hit, for he wolde not be founde contrarie to his lawe. And̛ then whenne the yonge man̛ had̛ his tresoure, he delte his anoon̛ to por̛ & to Riche, in so moche þat he wanne ther by the wille & the love of Eueri man̄. And̛ then he askid̛ the thirde petucion̛, in this forme, "sir," he saide, "I aske þe Ien of alle the men þat seye my fadir turne the playse, þat þei be pikid̛ oute." & so thowte þei on aftir anoþer, yf I seye so, myn yen shul be pickd̛ oute. so hit fel, þat þer was noon̛ that wolde seye that he sawe hit, scil. þat he sawe

the Erle turne the playse in the dishe. "loo! sir," quod̛ the yonge man̄," yife me nowe a Iuste dome." "Now for sothe," quod̛ the Emperoure, "siþe ther is non þat wolle seye it, ne noon accuser is I-founde, þere shalle noon̛ be dede." And̛ so he saveid̛ his fadris lyfe, and̛ was hilie comendid̛, and̛ weddid̛ the Emperours dowter.