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

Story.

PElliculus reigned̛ in Rome, the whicℏ made a lawe, that yf a woman had̛ done advowtry vndir her husbond̛, yf he myght lawfully preve it, he shuld̛ be departed̛ from her, and afterward̛ be redy in every bataile of̘ the Emperour̛; and yf he had̛ the victory, the first day he shuld̛ have iiij. worshippes, and the second̛ day he shuld̛ suffre iiij. shames, lest he shuld̛ be over provde of his worshippes. ¶ There was that tyme a knyght, whos name was called̛ [omitted] Accaron, that had̛ a faire wyf̘; and she loved̛ another man inordynately. ¶ It befille [fille] ones, that this [the] knyght her husbond̛ went out of court [the cuntre] , for nedes that [omitted] he had̛ to do [be do] . ¶ Whan the [that] other knyght, Amasius, *that the lady loved̛ [omitted] , perseived̛ [saw] that, he come on a nyght to her house, that he myght fulfille his lust witℏ the lady. ¶ there were than [omitted] in the house iij. Cokkes, that certayn̛

tymes *of the nyght [omitted] crowed̛ [song] . ¶ whan the lady was *abedde, she [leyde in bedde, and] herd̛ the first Cokke synge. She said̛ to her maiden̛, [mayde] "what seitℏ the Cokke in his songe?" *"for sothe," she said̛ [The mayde seyde, "The cok seyth in his song, that] , "thou doest thi lord̛ wronge." She said̛ *to her maide [omitted] , "I *wille that [wole] the Cokke be slayn̛ anon̛;" and so he was. ¶ After that, the second̛ Cokke songe. the lady said̛ to her maide, "what syngetℏ this [the] Cokke?" "this Cokke seitℏ [She seyde "THe cok syngeth] , 'my felaw for his sotℏ saw, hatℏ lost [lore] his lyf̘, and lietℏ fuƚƚ lawe.'" the lady said̛, "I *wille that [wole] the Cokke have the quede; and for his songe he shaƚƚ be dede." ¶ The third̛ Cokke songe sone aftir that, and [omitted] the lady seid̛ to her maiden̛ [mayde passim] , "what seitℏ the Cokke ["in his song" added in Cambridge MS.] ?" she said̛, "the Cokke seitℏ thus, 'here, and se, and hold̛ the stille, and tha thou may have aƚƚ [omitted] thy wille.'" ¶ Than [omitted] the lady said̛, "I wille not slee that Cokke." and so that Cokke had̛ his lyf̘. ¶ After that, the knyght her husbond̛ come home, and

herd̛ playnly how the Cokkes were slayn̛. he went to the Emperour, and asked̛ a [omitted] devorce, [leaf 20] by cause his wyf̘ was founde [prouyd] in advowtrye. ¶ And whan the devorce was made, the Emperour said̛ vnto [to] the knyght, "now the behovetℏ [byhoues] , after the lawe, to go to my bataile." The knyght said̛, "it [That] liketℏ me wele, But what shaƚƚ the lawe yeve hym that hatℏ the victorye in [in the] bataile; that wold̛ I know." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "whan he cometℏ that is overcomer of the bataile, he shaƚƚ first have iiij. worshippes. the first worshippe is this [omitted] , that he shaƚƚ sitte in a chare, and iiij. white stedes shaƚƚ draw it to the paleys. The second̛ worshippe *is, that alle [is this, alle the] malefactours shuƚƚ folow his chare, and [omitted] her handes *shaƚƚ be [omitted] bounde be-hynde hem. ¶ The thirde worshippe is, that thei shuƚƚ do on hym *Iubiter̛ clothe [Iubiters clothyng] *of worshippe, and aƚƚ men shaƚƚ knele before hym [omitted] . The fourthe worshippe is this [omitted] , that day he shaƚƚ sitte by the Emperours side. ¶ But the second̛ day he shaƚƚ suffre iiij. diseases, that is, he shaƚƚ be taken̛ as a theef̘, and shamfully ledde [be led] to the [omitted] prison̛, and be dispoyled̛ *of Iubiter [Iubiters] clothyng, and as a fole he shaƚƚ be holden̛ of aƚƚ men [hem] ; *and so he shaƚƚ have [omitted] , that went to the bataile, and had̛ the victorie." ¶ The Emperour̛ seyng his

pacience [grete paciens] and meknesse, promoted̛ hym to grete richesse; and so in pease he [omitted] ended̛ his lyf̘.