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

Story.

[leaf 180, back, col. 1]

FOlliculus a wise Emperoure Reignid̛ in the citee of Rome; the whiche ordeynid̛ for a lawe, that if a woman̛ dude avoutri vndir hir husbonde, þat the man shulde be departid̛ fro hir, & euer aftir he shulde be Redy with þe Emperour in bataile; and̛ yf so wer̛ þat he wan̛ þe victorie, he shulde have in the furste day of his victorie iiij. honoures, and̛ in the secounde day he shulde sustene iiij. hevynessis, þat he Enpridid̛ him not for the honours. So in thilke dayes þer was a knyght I-callid̛ Acheron̛, þe whiche hadde a fayre woman̛ to wyve; and̛ this woman̛ lovid̛ anoþere kniȝt, by weye of synne. hit bifel a cas, þat hir husbonde was I-Redden̛ to his contre, of the whiche Ridinge that oþere kniȝt had̛ certificacion̛; & so he come in, & lay by his wyf al nyght. And̛

in this place wer̛ iij. cokkes, that vsid̛ muche to crowe; And̛ as the lady laye in hir bedde withe the kniȝt, she harde the cokke crowe, and̛ she seide to hir sarvaunt, "what menitℏ this cok, that crowithe thus?" Þe sarvaunt answerid̛ in this maner, "the cok seithe in his songe, that thow dost thin husbonde wronge." then the lady seyde he shulde be dede; & so he was indede. Anon̛ the secounde coke began̛ to crow,—"what menithe this?" quod̛ the lady. & þe servaunt saide, "My felowe for his sothe sawe, hathe loste his lyf and̛ lithe ful lawe." "And̛ seithe he so?" quod̛ the lady; "Now for soþe he shalle lese his crowinge." The coke was dede Anoon̛; And̛ the lady was lede downe Anoon̛ Ayene; And̛ the thirde cokke crewe, with a gret voyse & a bolde. "Seye," quod̛ the lady, "in the develis name, what seithe he now?" And̛ the mayde avnswerid̛ in this maner, & saide thus, "seiþe the cokke, 'her̛, and̛ see, & sey nowte, þenne þu maiste have alle thi wille [sicthowte].'" [See note in paper edition.] Versus: Audi, vide, tace, si tu vis viuere pace. ¶ Þen saide the lady, "sle not that cok, by no wey." Aftir al this, þe kniȝt hir husbonde come home; and̛ or he had̛ be longe at home, [leaf 180, back, col. 2] he was certifijd̛ of the dethe of the cockes. He yede to the

Emperoure, and̛ askid̛ a devorce, as the lawe wolde. Þenne said̛e þe Emperoure, "thow most go with me in to bataille." "Ser, I assent," quod̛ he, "but I aske what sholde be to him that browte home the victorye." Þenne seyde the Emperoure, when the victor of the bataiƚƚ wer̛ come home, he shulde have in the first day iiij. worshipis; of the whiche this is þe first, he shalle be sette in a charr̛, & iiij. white hors shulle drawe hit to the palyse of the Emperour; The secounde is, þat aƚƚ his trespassours & Aduersarijs shulde folowe his chare behynde him, withe bounden̛ hondis & fete; The thirde is, that he shalle be cladde withe a cote þat is I-callid̛ Tunica iouis, ¶ and̛ alle men shul knele afor̛ him; and̛ the fovrthe is, that he shalle sitte that day be-syde the Emperoure. But the secounde day he shalle sustene þerfor iiij. hevinessis; For in the firste his cote shal be takin̛ fro him, & he shall be in Reputacion̛ as a fool. So withoute ony mor̛ of þis mater, he yede forthe to bataile, and̛ had̛ þe victorye; and̛ after took boþe honoures & dolours, as is

seide befor̛, lowely & obedientlye; For whiche grete lowlinesse þe Emperoure hilye avauncid̛ him, & he Endid̛ a fair̛ Ende, &c.