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

MORALITEE.

DEre frendes, þis Emperoure is oure lord̛ Ihesu Criste, that hathe iij. sonnes. by the firste sone we must vndirstonde angelis, to whome god̛ hathe yevin swiche confirmacion̛ and̛ grace, þat they may not synne; for aftir that aungels weer̛ falle don̛, god̛ so confermid̛ hem, that thei dwelle stille after, that þey myght not synne aftir. by the secounde sonne vndirstonde prophetes, to whom̛ god̛ yaf þe olde lawe of moyses; the whicℏ law was mevable, for it was chavngid̛ by the advent of Criste. And̛ to the thirde sone, scil. a Cristen man̛, he yaf iij. ieweƚƚ, a Ringe, a broche, & a clothe. By the Ringe we muste vndirstonde feithe, for that owithe to be Rounde like a Ringe, and̛ with oute eny ¶ twartynge; and̛ he that hathe the Ringe of feithe, withe oute eny dowte he shalle have the love of god̛ and̛ of aungles; and̛ þerefore seithe oure

savioure, Si habueritis fidem, sicut granum sinapis, ¶ &c. ut supra ut c ^w [sic], þis is to seye, yf ye have feithe, as the seed̛ or as the greyne of synevey, as is saide befor̛. and̛ þerefor̛ he that hathe þe Ringe of Feithe, vereliche he shalle have al thinges to his likinge. Also he yaf to the Crysten̛ man a [leaf 183, col. 2] broche, scil. the holy goste, in his herte; & þerfore it is seyde, Mittam vobis spiritum paraclitum, & suggeret vobis omnia quecumque dixero vobis, þis is to sey, I shalle sende to yow the holy gost, the whiche shaƚƚ shew in yow all goodis whicℏ I shall seye to yowe. And̛ ther-for yf we have the holy goste in oure hertes, withe oute dowte we shulle have al thinge that shall be prophitable to oure soulis. Also he yaf to [the] Cristin man̛ a presious clothe. the clothe is perfite charite, the whiche god̛ shewithe for vs & to vs in the cros; for he louyþe vs so muche, that he offirde him selfe to dye for vs, for to bringe vs to the place that we desire for to come to, scil. to heuene. and̛ therfor̛ who so wille sitte on the clothe of perfite charite, withe oute dowte he may be translatid̛. Ionathas may be callid̛ euery Cristen̛ man þat is fallyn̛ to synne. thenne his leman̛ metithe with him, scil. his wrecchid̛ fleshe, þat stirithe him to synne; and̛ than he lesithe the Ringe of feithe, that he Reseyvid̛ in baptisme; And̛ þenne the broche, scil.

þe holy gost, fleithe from̛ him, for synne; and̛ the clothe, scil. charite, is drawin̛ fro him as ofte tyme as he assentithe to synne; and̛ so the wrecchid̛ man̛ is lefte withe oute helpe amonge the wylde bestes, scil. the devil, þe wordle, & the fleshe; and̛ thenne it is gretlye to sorow. Þerfore, man, do as dude Ionathas; arys fro thi slepe of synne, for thow hast slepte to longe in the slepe of carnalite; and̛ þerfor̛ hit is wretin thus, ¶ Surge qui dormis, & illuminabit te Christus, þis is to sey, Arys þou þat slepest, and̛ Criste þe shalle liȝtny. Þenne whenne þoư ert vp Risen fro slepe of synne, and̛ art I-litenyd̛, & mayste see, entre in to the water that wolle have of the fleshe fro the boone, scil. penaunce, the w[h]iche putithe awey fleshelyche affeccions. Aftir he Etithe the frute of Sharpenesse, the whiche chaungithe þe cher̛, in maner of a lepr̛ man; as it is wretin of Crist, ¶ Vidimus eum non habentem speciem neque decorem, þis is to seye, We saw him not having shappe ne fairnesse. so of the soule, that is in bitternesse for his synnes; and̛ ther̛for̛ in figur̛ a sowle is seide to be blak, þoȝ hit be wel I-shape. Aftir he entrithe þe secounde water, that is I-callid̛ holly comunynge, that is aftir penaunce; and̛ þerfor̛ seithe oure sauioure, ¶ Ego sum fons vite; qui

biberit ex aqua hac, non siciet in eternum, [leaf 183, back, col. 1] this is to sey, I am þe welle of lyfe; and̛ he that drinkithe of this water, shalle not thirste. Aftir þat, he etithe of the fruyt of the secounde tree, the w[h]iche Restorithe al that was loste; whenne that he is glorefijd̛ in euerlasting lyfe, aftir that he hathe helide the kynge, scil. þe soule. & so he entrithe in to the shippe of holy chirche, and̛ gothe to his lemman̛, scil. his fleshe, & Rechithe to hir the water of contrucion̛, and̛ the frute of penaunce, and̛ of sharpnesse, for the whiche the fleshelyche affeccions deyethe; & so by penaunce he takithe of hit his lost goodes, and̛ so he gothe to his contree, scil. to the kyngdom̛ of hevene. To the whiche he vs brynge, that is kynge Euerlastinge! Amen.