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

AN OÞER MANER MORALITE.

By the Emperoure I vndirstonde a synner, that goþe in the forest of this worlde, seching vanitees, til tyme be that he come to holy chirche, wher that he is goodly recevid̛ by the prelat, yf that he wolle stonde to the maundementes of holy chirche. But manye of vs slepithe in holy chirche, as ofte as we dothe not the vij. [werkes] of mercy; but þey drede, as þe Emperour dude, for the voys that he harde; of the whiche voys hooly scrypture spekithe thus, Accipe! Accipe! Accipe! Take! take! take! by the first take vndirstondith þe benefetes of god̛, scil. whenne he yaf the a soule made to his owne likenesse; by the Secounde take vndirstonde grace of withestondynge of noynge þynges; & by the iij. tak vndirstonde þe sonne of god̛, that dide for the on̛ cros. Also holy scripture seithe, Redde! Redde! Redde! þis is to seye, yeld̛ the! yeld̛ the! yelde the! by the first yelde þow most vndirstonde to yelde thi dette, scil. a clene soule, as god̛ yaf hit to the, aftir wasshynge of the baptime; by the secounde yelde vndirstond̛ yeldyng of contrucion̛, confession̛, & satisfaccion̛; by the thirde yelde vndirstonde yeldyng euere a clene soule to god̛, withe al thi power̛. Also hooly scripture seithe, Fuge! Fuge! Fuge! þis is to

sey, fle! fle! fle! by the furst fle we mot vndirstonde to flee the worlde, for alle is sette in wickidnesse; by the secounde flee we mot vndirstonde to fle al synnys, for drede of peyne, & for presaunce of god̛; by the third̛ fle vndirstonde euer to flee & eschew peyne, þat we owe to have, & to do meritorye werkis. The first voyse shaƚƚ be in the day of dome; for hit shalle be saide to the, "I yeve to the day, for to wake ynne; and̛ I yeve to the nyght, for to Reste the in." The yerþe shaƚƚ sey a-yenest þe synneres, "I ber̛ þe; I norisshe the; I fede the; I cloþe the; I gladde the; and̛ withe diuerse kynde of bestes I fille thi borde." The water shalle seye ayenste him, "I clanse alle þi filþis; I brynge forþe diuerse kynde of Fishis for thi sustentacioun̛." The ayr̛ shalle speke, & saye, "I yeve to the thi lyfe; and̛ send̛ to the the blastes; and̛ diuerse kyndis of briddes to thi nede." And̛ thus shalle the voyse thretin̛ him, & Repreve him. And̛ the worlde shalle seye, "lo! howe he lovid̛ the, that made me for the, & not for the but for him selfe; take benignite, yeld̛ charite." The fyr shalle seye, "Of me þou haddist grete solace & helpe; and̛ but þow servy wel thi maker, of me þou shalt be brent." Water shal seye, "I yaf to the drynke, and̛ Refressheynge

a-yenste thin hete; and̛ but þou serve wel þy creatur̛, of me þou shalte be draynte." And̛ helle shalle sey, "of me þow shalt be swolowed̛." but the wrecche, when̛ he herithe aƚƚ thes voys in his herte, wolle [leaf 186, back, col. 2] not amende his lyf, & wol but, in al that he may, sle the childe, by costome of synfulle werkes. But the knyght, that openithe the letteris, buthe they that writithe þe vij. werkes of mercye to holy chirche, that the dowter, scil. þe soule, y-wasshe by confession̛, be yeven̛ in matrimonye to the childe Criste, þe whiche he desirithe euermor̛ to wedde; & so he leditℏ [her to] the Empire of hevene, &c.