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

Story.

DOlphynus reigned̛ in Rome, that had̛ but oo doughtir, that was right faire, and of her Fadir mekeƚƚ loved̛. whan he went ones to hunte, a chaunce fille, that he was departed̛ fro his folke, that vtterly he wist not where ne to what place to ride; but he was mekeƚƚ desolate, bicause he had̛ lost his meyne, and rode aboute [omitted] alone. ¶ And whan he had̛ ridden̛ aƚƚ day, and nyght come, he sawe before hym an house, to the whiche he rode a grete pace. and whan he come to the yate, he knokked̛. anon̛ as the lord̛ of the house herd̛ the knokkyng, he vndid̛ the yate, and asked̛ [asked him] whi he knokked̛? he seid̛, "it is nyght, as ye se, and therfore I aske harbrow, for goddes love." and was not a-know that he was Emperour. ¶ The other [tother] said̛, "Frende, I am the Emperours Forster, that dwelle here, and have the kepyng of this Forest, and therfore I graunte the harbrow, and I shaƚƚ yeve the to [for to] ete of the venyson̛ of this Forest." [leaf 41] The Emperour herd̛ that, and was glad̛, and entred̛, and was worshipfully resceived̛. ¶ The Forsters wyf was grete witℏ child̛, and nere the tyme to have [haue a] child̛. whan the Emperour was sette to souper,

the Forster served̛ hym worshipfully, and yit he wist not *that it [he] was his lord̛ the Emperour; ¶ And the Emperour fayned̛, and wold̛ no thyng shew hym of his persone. whan the souper was done, a bedde was araied̛. the Emperour went therto, and be-gan to slepe; and whan he was in his first slepe, he herd̛ a voice seiyng *thries thise [thes iij.] wordes, "Take! take! take!" and he waked̛ of his slepe, and mervailed̛, and said̛ witℏ in hym self̘, "what may this be? take! take! take! what shaƚƚ I take?" and sone aftir he fille on slepe, ¶ and herd̛ another [a] voice saiyng thries thise wordes, "yeld̛! yeld̛! yeld̛!" ¶ he waked̛ of his slepe, and gretly was hevyed̛; and seid̛ witℏ in hym self̘, "what may this be? ¶ First I herd̛ thries, take! and not I toke; and now thries, yeld̛!" and efte sones he slept, and herd̛ thries thise wordes, "fle! fle! fle! for this nyght is born̛ a child̛, that aftir thi disease shaƚƚ be Emperour." ¶ The Emperour, whan he herd̛ this, and was [omitted] wakened̛ of his slepe, he was astonyed̛ in hym self̘. he a-rose [rose] erly, and called̛ the forster to hym, and said̛, "Frende, I pray the, telle me yf thou *know yf [knowyst] any child̛ were born̛ thisnyght?" he said̛, "ye, sir, my wyf had̛ a child̛ this nyght." The Emperour seid̛, "shew me the [this] child̛."

[And so he dyd. The Emperour] [supplied from Cambridge MS] whan he had̛ seen the child̛, he saw a token̛ in the childes face, and seid̛ to the Forster, "knowest thou what I am?" "nay, sir, for I saw the never before this tyme, that I wote of [omitted] ; but thou semest a gentileman." ¶ he said̛, "I am the Emperour, thi lord̛, that thou hast this nyghte hosteled̛, for the whiche I thanke the." ¶ The Forster herd̛ this, and fille at [down at] his fete, and asked̛ mercy, yf he had̛ in any thyng offended̛ hym. The Emperour said̛, "drede the not, but thi sone, þat thi wyf brought forthe this nyght, I wille [wole] have hym [omitted] to norissℏ and to-morow [to-morne] , at this houre, I shaƚƚ send̛ messangers for the child̛." ¶ The Forster said̛ "a! sir, it is not semly, that suche a lord̛ shuld̛ norissℏ the child̛ [sone] of his seruaunt. never the lesse, lord̛, your wille be fulfilled̛; and whan the messangers come, I shaƚƚ take to hem the child̛." ¶ whan this was seid̛, the Emperour rode to his paleys. and whan he come [come home] to his paleys, he called̛ his seruauntes, and said̛ *to [leaf 41, back] hem [omitted] , ¶ Gothe fast to the forest [hous] , in the whiche my forster dwelletℏ, in

whos house this nyght I laye; and taketℏ [take] his sone, that [the which] his wyf̘ this nyght had̛, and slee hym [the child] by the way, vpon [on] payn̛ of dethe, and cast his body to houndes, and brynge witℏ you his hert; ¶ and but yf ye do this, I shaƚƚ condempne [comaunde] you to the most foule [foulest] dethe." thei seid̛, "sir, your wille shaƚƚ be done." ¶ Anon̛ thei wenten̛ to the Forsters house, and token̛ the child̛ of hym, and ledde it witℏ hem. ¶ And said̛ [thei seyden] , whan thei were passed̛, betwixe hem, "it is tyme that we fulfille the Emperours biddyng, for to sle the child̛, by cause we are nere the paleys." ¶ Thei toke the child̛, and wold̛ slee it. one of the messangers, whan he had̛ seen the childes face, was [he was] stered̛ witℏ pite; and said̛ to his felawes, "O! frendes, heretℏ [here] my counsaile, and ye shuƚƚ not for-thynke it. we shaƚƚ falle in grete synne ayenst [agayns] god̛, yf we slee this Innocent. ¶ here *are my [ben many] pigges; slee we one of *the pigges [hem] , and the hert of it *bere we [we shalle bere] witℏ vs to the Emperour, and we shaƚƚ sey, it is the hert of the lyteƚƚ child̛; and lette vs not shede the blood̛ of the child̛." thei seid̛, "this is a good̛ counsaile. ¶ But sey vs, what we shaƚƚ do witℏ the child̛?"

he said̛, "lappe [Kepe] it in [in the] clothes, and put it in some tree that is holow, and there we shuƚƚ leve it [hym] . and god, that no man may desceive, happely shalle delyuer the child̛ fro dethe, and save it." thei did̛ aftir his counsaile. the child̛ was lapped̛ in clothes, and was [omitted] putte in a hole of a tree. Than thei slowen̛ the [a] pigge, and drew out the hart, and bare it witℏ hem to the Emperour; and found̛ hym at [at the] mete. ¶ The Emperour said̛ *to hem [omitted] , "have ye fulfilled̛ my biddyng?" thei seid̛, "yee, sir, we have slayn̛ the child̛, and here is his hert." and shewed̛ hym the pigges hert. and he leved̛ it was the hert of the child̛, and anon̛ *cast the hert [he cast it] into the fire, ¶ Seiyng, "se the hert of hym þat shuld̛ reigne aftir me! Behold̛," he said̛, "what dremes ar, nought but vanyte and vayn̛!" ¶ The second̛ day aftir þat [omitted] the child̛ was put in the tree, an Erle went to hunte in that [the] same forest. whan the houndes ranne aftir an hynd̛, thei come by the tree in the whicℏ the child̛ was, *and feled̛ [thei felted] the savour of the child̛, and wold̛ no ferther rynne. ¶ The Erle sawe that, and mervailed̛ gretly [omitted] . he smote the horse witℏ the sporres, and come to the tree, and [he] loked̛ [leaf 42] in atte [at the] hole, and founde the childe; and

was right glad̛, and [he] toke it in his armes, and ledde it to his Casteƚƚ, and said̛ to the countesse, his wyf̘, ¶ "I shaƚƚ telle you good̛ tydynges [thynges] . I have founden̛ to-day [omitted] merveillously a faire child̛, in an hole of a tree; and [omitted] I gate never yit [omitted] a childe, ne [nor] thou never conseived̛ none. Fayne the therfore grete witℏ childe, and sey, that thou bare the [this] childe." "Sir," she said̛, "thi wille shaƚƚ be fulfilled̛ [done] ." ¶ Wherfore comon̛ voice was in [in alle] the countre, that the Countesse had̛ brought forthe a faire child̛; wherfore there was grete ioye. ¶ The child̛ wexed̛ [wax] , and loved̛ was of aƚƚ, and namly of the Erle and of the countesse. ¶ whan xvj. yeare was passed̛, *it fille that [omitted] the Emperour made a grete fest, to the whiche the Erle was called̛. and come atte [at the] day to the fest, and ledde the child̛ *witℏ hym [omitted] ; the whiche was that tyme a faire Squyer, and stode atte [at the] borde before the Erle, *and served̛ hym [omitted] curtesly. ¶ The Emperoure loked̛ enterly on the childe, and sawe in his forhede the token̛ that he sawe in the Forsters house; wherfore he was anon̛ stered̛ in hym self̘, and said̛ to the Erle, "Whos sone is this?" he said̛, "sir, it is

my sone." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "by the faithe that thou hast made to me, telle me the trouthe." The Erle sawe he myght not scape, and told̛ hym aƚƚ how he found̛ the child̛ in a hole of a tree. ¶ whan the Emperour herd̛ this, he called̛ his servauntis, as he had̛ ben̛ wode, the whiche he sent to sle the child̛; and thei come before hym. ¶ Than [omitted] the Emperour constrayned̛ hem by an othe, that thei shuld̛ sey the trouthe, what thei didden̛ witℏ the child̛. Thei said̛, "sir, we put vs in your grace, for pite stered̛ vs that we shuld̛ not sle the Innocente, but put hym in an hole of a tree. what fille of hym afterward̛ *we wote not [kan we not telle] , but we slow a pigge in the [omitted] stede of a [the] child̛, and yaf [toke] to you the hert." ¶ whan the Emperour had̛ herd̛ the trouthe, prively he said̛ to the Erle, "Frend̛, this child̛ shaƚƚ abide witℏ me." "Sir," he said̛, "thi [you] wille be fulfilled̛." and whan the fest was done, aƚƚ the gestes went home, and the child̛ left witℏ the Emperour alone. and that tyme the *Emperesse witℏ her [Emperours] doughtir was in ferre countre [contres] . ¶ The Emperour called̛ to hym the child̛, and said̛ to hym, "Frend̛, thou must go to the Empresse witℏ my lettres." he said̛, "sir, I am redy for to obeye to [to go at] your̛

wille in aƚƚ thyng." ¶ Anon̛ [leaf 42, back] the Emperour did̛ write lettres to the Empresse, that assone [also sone] as she had̛ seen the lettres, on payn̛ of dethe she shold̛ draw the child̛ atte [at the] horse-taile, and after that, hange hym on the galouse; and but yf this were done, he shuld̛ condempne her to the most foule [foulest] dethe. ¶ And whan the lettres were made and̛ sealed̛, he toke hem to the child̛, and said̛, "spede [Syr, spede] the fast, that thou were there." the child̛ toke the lettres, and put hem in a boxe, and wente his way a grete pace. ¶ And whan he had̛ gone ij. daies or three, at even he come to a Casteƚƚ of a knyght, and asked̛ hosteƚƚ mekely of the knyght. he [The knyght] sawe the child̛ was semly, and graunted̛ hym hosteƚƚ. ¶ The childe was wery, and laied̛ hym downe anon̛ on a benche, *and rested̛ [to rest] hym, and slept. ¶ The knyght, whan he sawe the child̛ slepe, he sawe behynd̛ hym a boxe, the whiche he opened̛, and found̛ the lettres of the Emperour, sealed̛ witℏ his seale; wherfor he was gretly tempted̛ for to open the lettres, and so he did̛ *fuƚƚ softly; [sotelly] ¶ And whan he had̛ redde the lettres, he found̛ that the Empresse, on payn̛ of dethe, shuld̛ put the child̛ to

dethe. the knyght made sorow [a grete sorow] , and seid̛ witℏ in hym self̘, "Allas! this were a grete synne, to do so semly a child̛ to the dethe! it shaƚƚ not be so." and [omitted] anon̛ he did̛ away the scripture, and wrote the lettre in thise wordes, ¶ "On payn̛ of dethe I bid̛ the, that thou take the child̛, and resceive hym that bryngetℏ the lettres, and anon̛ witℏ out delaye yeve our doughtir to hym, to be [omitted] his wyf̘, witℏ grete solempnyte; and whan the weddyng is done, have hym in worshippe, as our sone, in aƚƚ maner, and that he kepe my place, vnto I come to you." ¶ And whan he had̛ *done thus [wryten thes] , fuƚƚ softly [sotely] he closed̛ [selyd] the lettres [lettre] , and put it in the boxe agayn̛. ¶ Sone aftir this, the [omitted] child̛ waked̛ [wakenyd] , and [omitted] the knyght *that nyght [omitted] made hym grete chere. and the fourthe day after he come to the Empresse witℏ the lettres; and whan she had̛ redde the lettres, ¶ anon̛ she sent out *the messangers [a messangere] in euery partie, for *to pray [omitted] grete and smale, that thei shuld̛ be redy at a [omitted] certayn̛ day, to be at weddyng of her doughtir. and so it was done. ¶ whan the day was come of the weddyng, the child̛ wedded̛ the doughtir of the Emperour witℏ grete solempnyte, and held̛ the place of the Emperour, as the lettre

wold̛. and the child̛ bare [had] hym right wisely in aƚƚ thyng, and he was moche loved̛ and worshipped̛ of aƚƚ the peple. ¶ It felle [leaf 43] *sone aftir [on a tyme] , that the Emperour come to countre [the cuntre] . whan the Empresse herd̛ that, anon̛ she went agayn̛ the Emperour, witℏ her doughtirs husbond̛, and witℏ other multitude of peple. ¶ whan the Emperour sawe the child̛ lede the Empresse, he was stered̛ in hym self̘, and seid̛, ¶ "O! thou wikked̛ woman, whi hast thou not fulfilled̛ my biddyng? thou shalt be dede." ¶ "Sir," she said̛, "forsothe I have fulfilled̛ *aƚƚ that ye bade me [your wylle] ." he said̛, "thou liest. I wrote to the lettres, that thou shuldest put hym to *a piteous [the asperitous] dethe." She said̛, "sir, save youre *grace and [omitted] reuerence, ye wrote to me that I shuld̛ yeve your doughtir to hym, to be his wyf̘, and that ye bad̛, vpon [on] payn̛ of dethe. Se youre lettres." ¶ The Emperour, whan he *had̛ redde [rad] the lettres, *and had̛ founde [he fond it] as the Empresse said̛, he mervailed̛, and said̛, "hast thou yeven our doughtir to his [hym to] wyf̘?" She said̛, "ye, sir, a goode while a-go, *witℏ moche solempnyte [omitted] ; and, as I trow, youre doughtir is witℏ child̛." ¶ Than said̛ the Emperour, "O! lord̛ Ihesu, it is a grete folye to *man to wynce [wyrche]

agayn̛ thi wille. *Therfor sithen̛ [and therfor syn] it is so, thi wille be done!" and kissed̛ the child̛; and aftir his dissease the child̛ was made Emperour, and̛ wisely governed̛ hym, and ended̛ his lyf in pease.