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

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

[leaf 38, back]

Story.

Eulopius reigned̛ in *the Citee of [omitted] Rome, the whiche amonge aƚƚ vertues loved̛ mekeƚƚ [myche] love and acorde; and where *that was cissime and debate amonge any [as eny debate was] , he labored̛ for to make

accorde, that good̛ accorde shold̛ be had̛. ¶ There were that tyme ij. knyghtes, one of the contre of Baldok̘, and the other [tother] of lombardie, that loved̛ wele [omitted] to-gedre, and neither [nother] of hem sawe never other, but by messangers betwixe hem; so that the knyght of lumbardie, what so [maner] he had̛ of marchaundise *and of [or] other thynges there he dwelled̛, he sent by messangers to his felaw, the knyght in Baldok̘; and the knyght of Baldok̘ on [in] the same maner, aƚƚ the marchaundise in his land̛ that myght not be founden̛ in lombardie, he sent to hym. ¶ The knyght of lombardie on a tyme, as he laye in his bedde, he þought, "I have suche a frende in Baldok̘, to whom I have sent many giftes, and he to me gretter; I shaƚƚ go and se hym or that I dye." and so he went to the land̛ of Baldok̘, and come to the house of his felawe, that he had̛ never sene afore. ¶ The *knyght his [knyghtes] felaw, whan he herd̛ of his comyng, he was right Ioyfuƚƚ, and toke hym aboute the nekke, and kissed̛ hym, and wept for ioye, and said̛, "thou art welcome to me, half̘ my soule!" and [he] abode witℏ hym as longe as he wold̛. and whan he had̛ I-be [byd] there certayn̛ daies, he sawe a right faire maiden̛ [mayde passim] in his house; and anon̛ he was taken̛ in her love, in so mekeƚƚ [mych] that [omitted] he laye in his bedde,

and neither ete ne dranke. ¶ His felawe come to hym, and said̛, "¶ O! dere [omitted] frende, for what cause arte thou [thou thus] turmented̛ in thi soule?" he said̛, "there is a maiden̛ in thi [this] house, the whicℏ I love mekeƚƚ [so myche] , that I shaƚƚ dye but yf I have her." ¶ The other [tother] said̛, "take comforte *to the [omitted] , and be stronge, for yf ther be any in my house that thi soule desiretℏ, witℏ out doute thou shalt have her." ¶ Anon̛ he shewed̛ to hym *the women, to take her [alle the women of the hous, out take her] that he desired̛. than seid̛ the sike knyght, "amonge aƚƚ thise is not she that my soule lovetℏ." Than he shewed̛ to hym the maiden̛ that he loved̛. whan he saw her, he seid̛, "this is [same is] she, in the whiche is [leaf 39] my dethe and my lyf̘." ¶ The knyght said̛, "forsothe this maiden̛ is of a [omitted] noble kynrede, the whiche I have norisshed̛ fro her yongthe, that she shold̛ be my wyf̘; Neverthelesse thou arte come to me fro ferre countrees, for love that longe hathe ben betwixe vs; I shaƚƚ yeve her to [omitted] the to wyf̘, witℏ many richesse [rychesses] that I shulde resceive witℏ her, by the whiche aƚƚ [omitted] thi kynrede may be the better." ¶ The sike knyght, whan he herd̛ this, he arose [rose vp] anon̛ out of his bedde hole,

and said̛, "O! dere frende, god̛ quyte the, for mekeƚƚ [myche] thou hast done for me ofte sithes! how may I yeld̛ *the aƚƚ [omitted] the benefetis that þou hast done to me, vtterly I wote never̛!" ¶ Anon̛ he did̛ crie a grete fest for the weddyng; and there come many to the weddyng, and token̛ mete. ¶ Whan the fest was done, the knyght toke his leve, and wente to lumbardie witℏ his wyf̘, and grete richesse; wherfore he was made right riche, and aƚƚ his,--the whiche richesse he brought fro Baldok̘. and his wyf was wonderly loved̛ of aƚƚ, and brought hym forthe a faire sone. ¶ It fille aftirward̛, that the knyght of Baldok̘ come to grete poverte, in so mekeƚƚ [myche] that he had̛ not wherof̘ that he myght lyve. he thought, "it is better to me now for to goo to lumbardie to my frende, the [omitted] whiche I promoted̛ to grete richesse, and gaf̘ hym a wyf, and aƚƚ way loved̛ hym, that he may socoure me in my poverte, than for to lyve [leue here] in grete myserie and wrecchednesse." he went alone into lumbardie as a poore man, for he had̛ liteƚƚ to spende by the way; And whan he come into [to] lumbardie, he entred̛ a Citee, in the whiche the *knyght his [knyghtes] frend̛ dwelled̛ in [omitted] ; and whan he entred̛ the Citee, it was nyght,

and derke. ¶ he thought witℏ in hym self̘, "it is nyght, and my *clothyng is [clothes bene] nought precious for a knyght, and also I am bare foote. yf I go now to the house of my felaw, he shaƚƚ vnnethe have knowyng of me, for derknesse of the nyght; it shaƚƚ not be so." ¶ he loked̛ aboute, and sawe a parissℏ chirche; and wente into [to] the chircℏ yerd̛, and atte [at the] entre of the chirche he rested̛ hym. and as he lay and slept, ij. men foughten̛ to-gedre, and the [that] one slougℏ the [that] other; and he that slougℏ hym ranne out of the chirche yerd̛, and yode his way. ¶ In shorte tyme after, a grete clamour rose [was] in the Citee, and a rumour, that þe man-sleer was ronne to the chirche yerd̛ [omitted] . [Anone a multitude of peple ran to the chirche yarde,] [supplied from Cambridge MS] and founde [leaf 39, back] no man but the knyght, atte [at the] entre of the chirche liyng. ¶ One said̛ to hym, "where is the man-sleer?" he said̛, "I am he; take me, and hange me on the gebette." he said̛ thus, for he had̛ lever dye, than live in poverte. ¶ Thei layed̛ hondes on hym, and led̛ hym to prison̛. *The next [That other] day he was demed̛ to the dethe, and ledde to the galous; and many folowed̛ [folowdyn hym] , ¶ Amonge the whiche was the knyght, his felaw. and whan he had̛ enterly beholden̛ hym, he

said̛ witℏ in hym self̘, "what is this! witℏ oute doute this is my felaw, the knyght of Baldok̘!" *thei ledden̛ hym [That thei lede] to the galouse. ¶ Anon̛ he cried̛ witℏ an hie voice, "abide!" [Abideth] abide! [omitted] he slowe not the man, but it is I." Thei heryng this [that] , laied̛ hondes on hym, and brought hym to the galouse. ¶ Than was he there, amonge other, that slow the man, and thought witℏ in hym self̘, "I am gilty of the dethe, *and yf I suffre thise ij. Innocente knyghtes to [of thes ij. innocent knyghtes; and I suffre hem] goo to the dethe, it may not be but [but that] god shaƚƚ take some vengeaunce on me. It is better *forto [I] be aknow of my synne here openly, and take my penaunce, than for to suffre thise [omitted] Innocentes for [omitted] to perissℏ." Than witℏ an hye voice he cried̛, "spare hem! spare hem! for thei are Innocentes, and I am gilty, for I slow *the man [hym] witℏ myn̛ [myne owne] handes, and thei slow hym not; take me, and hange me on the gibbette!" ¶ Moche peple, whan thei herd̛ this, thei wondred̛; and [omitted] anon̛ thei laied̛ hondes on hym; *and aƚƚ the peple turned̛ agayn̛ witℏ hym, and the ij. knyghtes, and seid̛ to the domesman, "¶ Sir, we mervaile of this [And alle the peple merveylyd of thes] iij. men. The first knyght was aknow

that he slew the man; The second̛ said̛, nay, but he slow hym; The thirde seid̛, that the ij. knyghtes were Innocentes, and he hym self̘ slow hym withe his owne [omitted] handes; and therfore we are turned̛ agayn̛, to [for to] here a verrey dome [trouthe] , what is for to done of this thynge." ¶ The domesman seid̛ to the first knyght of Baldok̘, "¶ Frend̛, whi saidest [seyst] thou, *that thou [omitted] slow the man?" he said̛, "forsothe I shaƚƚ say you the [omitted] trouthe. I was somtyme a riche knyght, and a worthi man, and many I held̛ witℏ me, and I [omitted] susteyned̛; but witℏ in few yeres I come to grete poverte, in so mekeƚƚ [myche] that I have no thynge to spend̛, but seke my brede fro dore to dorre. therfore whan I thynk̘ on my ryalte [nobley] and richesse, and now considre my grete poverte, I had̛ lever than grete mede [goode] I were take [omitted] out of the [this] world̛; and [omitted] therfore I said̛, [leaf 40] I slew the man, that I shold̛ the rather [sonner] perissℏ and be dede." ¶ Than seid̛ the domesman to the second̛ knyght, "whi saidest [seyst] thou, that [omitted] thou slew the man?" he said̛, "forsothe I shaƚƚ shew the [you] the trouthe. this knyght promoted̛ me to grete dignitye and richesse, and gaf̘ me a wyf̘, ¶ wherfore I

love hym as mekeƚƚ [myche] as my self̘; therfore whan *he went [I saw him go] to the dethe, I cried̛ witℏ an hie voice, that I slow the man, that he myght be saved̛, and [and I] desired̛ for his love for [omitted] to dye." ¶ The domesman seid̛ than to the third̛ man, "whi seidest [seyst] thou, that [omitted] thou slow [slowyst] the man?" "¶ Sir [He seyde, Syr] , I shaƚƚ telle you the verrey trouthe. I slow the man, witℏ out doute; and whan I saw *that thise men went to dethe [thes. ij. go to the] , I thought in my hert, it may not be but that god̛ is rightfuƚƚ, and aƚƚ thynge seetℏ, and *wille somtyme [wole sone] take vengeaunce of [on] me, for [omitted] by cause I slow the rightfuƚƚ man; and also yf I shold̛ suffre thise Innocentes be slayn̛ for my dede, it shold̛ be to me a grevous synne. ¶ Therfore it is better now [omitted] to me to be a-know the trouthe before aƚƚ, and save the Innocentes fro [fro the] dethe, than *everlastyng to [everlastyngly] dampne my self̘. and therfore I said̛ the trouthe, that witℏ myn̛ owne hand̛ [handes] I slow the man." ¶ The domesman seid̛, "frend̛, sithen it is so, that thou hast shewed̛ the trouthe, and [that thou slow the man, and] hast saved̛ the Innocentes fro the dethe, thou shalt not be dede, but thou shalt have thi lyf̘, witℏ aƚƚ thi heritage." wherfore aƚƚ men praised̛ the domesman, that so mercyfuƚƚ [mercyfully] did̛ witℏ the man-sleer.

¶ Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour is the Fadir of heven̛. the ij. knyghtes are our lord̛ Ihesu crist, and the first Fadir Adam, [that] was made in the feld̛ of Damascene; and god̛ was ever witℏ out begynnyng̘, and shaƚƚ be withe out endyng. ¶ Messangers were betwixe hem, whan the Fadir said̛ to the sone and to the holy gost, "Make we man to our likenesse." ¶ But the knyght, that come to the house of the other, is Adam, the first Fadir, that was translated̛ fro the feld̛ of Damascene, where he saw a faire woman, that is, the soule, made to the likenesse of god̛, that Adam desired̛. ¶ God saw that, and gaf̘ hym the soule, that he made to his likenesse, witℏ aƚƚ the goodes of the world̛. ¶ Aftir this come crist to right grete poverte, whan he come downe fro heven̛, and toke our flessℏ; For foxes have dennes, and briddes of [leaf 40, back] heven̛ have nestis, but the sone of man hathe not wherto that he may lene his hede. ¶ he entred̛ the gate of holy chircℏ, that is, the wombe of that blissed̛ virgyn̛,

and there he nyghted̛ from the tyme of his Conception̛ vnto his birthe. ¶ In the meane tyme foughten̛ ij. to-gedre, that is, the flessℏ and the spirite; but the flessℏ slow the spirite, whan mankynd̛ synned̛ ayenst goddes biddyng, wherfore he was folowed̛ aboute the chirche yerd̛, ¶ That is, the devels wenten̛ about, and so prikked̛ and stongen̛, that aƚƚ mankynd̛ shuld̛ perissℏ. The other knyght profered̛ hym self̘ to the dethe for his brother, and for his frend̛, that is, oure lord̛ Ihesu crist, whan wilfully he seid̛ to the Iewes, "whom seke ye? I am he." Wherfore thei token̛ hym, and led̛ hym to the gibbette. ¶ The second̛ knyght, that was the trew frend̛. ¶ By this second̛ frend̛ we shuld̛ vndirstond̛ the appostels and martirs, that for goddes love suffred̛ the dethe; ¶ wherfore crist seitℏ to his disciples, ¶ "May ye drynk̘ of the chalice of payn̛ and passion̛ that I shaƚƚ drynk̘?" thei seid̛, "ye, yf we mowe." ¶ The third̛ man, that said̛, "in trouthe I slow the man," is every synner, that owetℏ to be a-know the trouthe in confession̛. So that the Innocent be not slayn̛ that is the soule and yf he thus be a-know the troutℏ he shaƚƚ have everlastyng Ioye.