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

[ XLI. ]
SESAR A WISE EMPEROURE.
(OF AN EMPEROR WHO SUFFERED THE LOSS OF HIS EYE FOR THE SAKE OF HIS SON.)Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 178, back, col. 1 (cont'd)]

Story.

SEsar was a wise Emperoure Reignynge in the cetee of Rome; & he ordeynid̛ for a lawe, þat yf þere wer̛ eny man̛ þat defoulid̛ a virgine, he shulde lese bothe his yen. This Emperoure had̛ a sonne, that he louid̛ moche. hit happid̛ on̛ a certeyne day, as this yonge man walkid̛ by the citee, he mette withe a fayr̛ mayde, þe dowter of a certeyne wedowe; & he oppressid̛ hir, & foulid̛ hir in flesh. And̛ the Emperoure come to the cetee, and̛ þe forsayde wedowe mette withe him, knelyng vppon̛ hir knees, and̛ seide to him, "My lorde, do Right and̛ lawe, as thow haste ordeynid̛ þi selfe. for I had̛ but oo dowter, and̛ thi sone hathe defoulid̛ hir by oppression̛ and̛ strenght." þenne the Emperoure was hilie y-mevid̛ in mynde, & saide to his sone, "A! cursid̛ wrecche, whi hast thow don̛ a-yenste my lawe? Þou shalt have the law withe

outene dowte, as I have ordeynid̛." when worthi lordes harde þis, thei seiden alle with on̛ voyse, "lorde, þou hast but on̛ sone, and̛ þerefore it is not for the beste, þat þou do oute his yen." then seide the Emperoure, "Sirs, ye knowithe wel, þat I made the lawe, & he hathe broken̛ hit; & þerefor̛ sithe he þat is my sonne wolde breke hit, he shalle have the lawe." "A! lorde," seyde thei, "for his love that dide on̛ the crosse, doþ not so to youre sone; for that wer̛ aftir your discese a grete shame to vs, that we shulde have a blynde man to our̛ Emperour̛ aftir [leaf 178, back, col. 2] yowe." Þenne seide þe Emperoure, "Þanne shalle I a-swage the lawe in him, and̛ yitte fulfille hit, and̛ that in this maner. Myn ye is þe ye of my sone, & his ye is myn̛; and̛ þerefor̛ takithe oute on̛ ye of myn̛ hede, and̛ anoþere ye out of my sones hede, and̛ so the law shalle be kepte." kniȝtes yede to, and̛ dude in al poyntes as the Emperour comaundid̛, in so muche that men dradde hili the Emperoure after, for þe hard̛ dome that he had̛ yevin þer, & so stretlye I-kepte.

MORALITEE.

DEre Frendes, þis Emperoure is oure lord̛ Ihesu Crist; that ordeynid̛ for a lawe, that yf eny man̛ foulid̛ a virgine, he shulde lese his yen̛, þat is, the light of hevene. but the sone of the Emperoure deflourid̛ a virgine, scil. a Cristen man, þat foulithe his soule by synne; and̛ þerfor̛ the Emperoure Criste sorewithe, whenne þat þe wedowe, scil. consciens, pleynithe; & þerefore he for-soke his light in hevene, what tyme that he come dovne from̛ hevene, and̛ for oure transgression̛ & oure trespas putte him selve out from̛ the light of hevene, takynge the forme of a symple sarvaunt; and̛ not only did̛ oute one ye, but suffrid̛ al his body to be woundid̛ to dethe. And̛ so he wolle that þou, synner, suffre to have out an oþer ye, scil. to do stronge penaunse wiþ him for thi synne, that god̛ may seye that þou Gode may right [sic], "as I suffred̛ penaunce fore þe, Right so do þou, whenne þow art in dedlye synne." and̛ so, sir, þe lawe of the Emperoure may be kepte, and̛ þou be saf, and have þe empire of hevene. Ad quod nos perducat &c.