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

FOLLICULUS A WISE EMPEROUR.
(THE STORY OF THE THREE COCKS.)

[ XLV. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

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.

MORALITEE.

God men, þis Emperoure is Crist. Þe Emperour made a lawe, that If thi wyf, scil. thi flesh, do avoutry, þou moste be departid̛ fro hir, scil. fro fleshely affecciouns; for by synne is a man̛ deply in-dreynt in dethe euerlastyng. for synne is not lyȝt, but it is hevy, and̛ weythe mor̛ than lede; for yf lede faƚƚ fro a grete heȝt, hit gothe downe no forþere but þriliþe a litle downe in to the Erthe, but synne in twynkelynge of an ye þrillithe þrillid̛ [sic] alle the erþe, and̛ Restithe not or it come to helle. helle is in the middis of the Erthe scil. in the centr̛ of the erþe, as seithe the Philesophir; and̛ þerfor̛ [leaf 181, col. 1] a man moste be ware of synne. and̛ þerefore god̛ wolle, þat as sone as the fleshe hathe I-done avoutrye by synne, þat thow putte thi selfe to the bataile of penaunce, and̛ sustene þere mekely that is I-putte to the; and̛ therfor̛ seiþ Matth. Jugum enim meum suaue est, et onus meum leue, þis is to seye, My yoke, scil. penaunce, is swete, scil. for it turnithe to swetnesse, & my charge or my burdyn̛, scil. commaundement, is liȝt. The knyȝt, that weddid̛ the wyf, þat dude þe avoutrye, and̛ slow the cockis, is þe sone of god̛; for he weddid̛ the soule, & the soule trespassid̛ vndir him, by the synne of Adam, the first fader. by the firste cokk that is slayne, vndirstonde

prophetis, the whiche prophesied̛ and̛ tawte aȝenst synne; as seithe Matth. Jerusalem! ierusalem! que occidis prophetas, et lapidas eos qui ad te missi sunt, this is to sey, Jerusalem! that sleist prophites, & steynist hem that bethe I-sent to the, whi dost thow so? The secounde cok þat crowithe bethe apposteles & martris, that wer̛ I-slayne for sothefastnesse; and̛ the thirde cok, that is not slayne, beþe prelates & prechovris that beþe now, that dare not, ne wolle not seye sothe, but plesithe al men̛; and̛ the mor̛ harm̛ is. The worthi kniȝt Criste, seinge so many wronges don̛ to him by synne in this cas, he suffrid̛ mekelye boþe honours and̛ hevinessis, as dude the kniȝt; for he satte in the chaire, scil. vppon̛ an asse, and̛ iiij. white horse drow hit, scil. iiij. cardinall vertues, that wer̛ euermor̛ withe him. The secounde honour̛ was, that alle his Ivel doers sholde folow, scil. a multitude of peple come bifor̛ Crist & behynde, seinge, Osanna filio dauid! benedictus qui venit in nomine domini! Þe sone of dauid make vs safe! blessid̛ be he that comyþe in the name of the lord̛! The þridde honour was, that he shulde be clad with the cote y-callid̛ tunyca iouis, þat was whenne þe iewis strewid̛ clothis & flowris in the weye. The ferþe honoure was, þat he shulde sitte at the table withe the Emperour̛, and̛ so dude he;

he satte in the temple of Jerusalem̛. but in tyme of passioun̛, scil. in good̛ friday, the four honoures turnid̛ in to iiij. hevinesse[s], for [leaf 181, col. 2] þere as he furst Rode vpon̛ an asse, aftirward̛ þei toke him, as he had̛ ben a thef; & þerfor he saide, Tanquam ad latronem existis, cum gladiis & fustibus comprehendere me, As to a thef ye come oute, with swerdes & battes to take me. Ayenest þe secounde honour, wher as they come & mette him so Reuerently, þey browte him shamfully to þe house of Kayfas, withe many Reprevis & scornes. Ayenste the thirde honoure, that he shulde be cladde withe the cote of iouis, þei spoylid̛ [him] of al his clothinge; and̛ ayenste þe ferþe, þey did̛ him vpon̛ the crosse, and̛ spette on̛ his face, and̛ buffetid̛ him. Loo! goode siris, what scornis and̛ Reprevis that our̛ lorde Ihesu Criste sufferid̛ for the sovle þat dude avowtrye. late vs þerefor̛ suffr̛ for his love penaunce in this worlde, that we mowe come to his blisse. Amen!

[ Second Version. XIII.] Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 19, back]

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.

¶ Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour is the Emperour of heven̛, that made a lawe, that yf a wyf had̛ done avowtrye, that is, thi flessℏ, yf it be in dedely synne, or have done avowtrye, thou owest for to be departed̛ from it, that is, from flesshly affeccions; For by dedely synne man is cast into helle. ¶ Therfore our lorde wille, that after thi flessℏ have done avowtrye by dedly synne, that thou put this self̘ to bataile of penaunce, that wilfully thou suffre none thyng that are put to the. ¶ The knyght, of whom the wyf had̛ done avowtrye, and slayn̛ the Cokkes, for sothe he was the sonne of god̛, that wedded̛ mannes soule; and she, by synne of our

first fadir Adam, was avowterer̛. ¶ The first cokke, that is slayn̛, are the prophetes, that prechen̛ ayenst synne. ¶ The Second̛ cokke are the appostels and martirs, that were slayn̛ for the trouthe. ¶ The thirde Cokke ar̛ prelates and prechours, that in thise daies dare not ne wille not sey the trouthe, but flattre the peple. wo shaƚƚ be to sucℏ at domesday! ¶ The knyght, that had̛ the worshippe, is crist; For whan crist sawe that so many evels were wrought by synne, he yaf̘ bataile to the deveƚƚ. ¶ The first day, that was on̛ Palme sonday, foure fold̛ worshippes were done vnto hym. ¶ First he satte in a chare, that was, vpon an asse; and iiij. [leaf 20, back] white horse were iiij. Cardenaƚƚ vertues, that aƚƚ way were witℏ hym. ¶ The second̛ worshippe was that, that aƚƚ the malefactours folowed̛ hym; that was the multitude of peple that was before and behynde, goyng criyng, "our lord̛ save vs!" ¶ The thirde worshippe was, that Iubiter coote was done on hym, that is, the Iewes casten̛ in the way clothes and floures, and did̛ hym worshippe. ¶ The fourthe worshippe was, that he satte at the Emperours table; so he satte

in Ierusalem amonge the doctours. ¶ But afterward̛ on good̛ friday, agayn̛ his iiij. worshippes thei didden̛ to hym iiij. diseases. agayn̛ the firste worshippe, that [he] satte on the Asse, They token̛ hym as he had̛ ben̛ a theef̘. Agayn̛ the second̛ worshippe, that thei comen̛ agayn̛ hym witℏ reverence, Afterward̛ thei ladde hym shamfully to Cayphas house. Agayn̛ the thirde worshippe, [that] thei did̛ on hym Iubiter cote, Forsothe thei dispoyled̛ hym of aƚƚ his clothes. ¶ Agayn̛ the iiij. worshippe, that he satte at the table of the Emperour, thei put hym on the crosse, and spette in his face, and gaf̘ hym buffettis, and eyseƚƚ and galle. ¶ Therefore suffre we here some payn̛ for his love, by the whiche we mow come to hym, whan we shaƚƚ passe oute of the world̛. ¶ Amen.