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

MORALISING.

[leaf 176, col. 1]

DEre frendes, þis Emperoure is the fadir of hevin, that made this lawe, þat no man sholde turne the playse. by this plays we may vndirstonde wordly goodes, the whicℏ vs ouithe not to torne by the blak part, scil. not to fonge hem by avarice, or covetise, or falshed̛, but that we holde vs contente withe swicℏ as god̛ sent; & yf we do þe contrarie, we shulle be dampned̛. The Erle, that comytℏ withe his sone, is Adam, þe first fadir, þat come fro the felde of damask to the contree of paradyse; þe whiche soone turnde þe plays, scil þat he ete of the apple, by the whiche he was dampnid̛. thenne þe sonne of Adam, scil. oure lorde Ihesu Criste, profird̛ him to the

Emperour of hevene, for to deye for his fadir Adam̛; and̛ the Emperour of hevene grauntid̛ hit, that he shulde dye for his fadir Adam, scil. al mankynd̛. Neuertheles or he dide, he made iij. peticiouns, scil. for to have the dowter of the Emperour with him, scil. to have þe sowle with him in hevene; as is saide, Os. ¶ Desponsabo te michi, ¶ I shaƚƚ wedde þe soule to me. Þe secounde þat he askid̛, þe tresoure of the kyngdom̛ of hevene, vnde, Sicut disposuit mihi pater meus regnum, sic dispono vobis, ¶ As my fadir haþe ordeynid̛ the kyngdom̛ to me, so I dispose hit to yow. Þe þirdde he askid̛ alle þe yen of the accusers to be don̛ out, scil. he askyd̛, [There is a repetition here of a line, by negligence of the scribe.] that alle develis, þat excitithe men to synne, myȝte be shut fro the lyt of euerlastyng grace. And̛ so he savid̛ mankynde fro dethe, & browte hem to þe kyngdom̛ of hevene. Ad quod nos &c.