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

[ XXXVIII. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 175, back, col. 1 (cont'd)]

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.

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.