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

Story.

Damascenus was a wyse Emperoure Reignyng in the cete of Rome; þe whiche ordeynid̛ for a lawe, þat yf Eny man̛ deliuerid̛ a virgine fro the honde of hir Ravissher̛, it shulde be in the wille of him that deliuerid̛ hir for to wedde hir, yf him luste; ne she shulde not be weddid̛ to noon̛ oþer man̛, withe outen̛ graunte & assente of him that had̛ takyn̛ hir̛ fro the hondes of the Ravisher. So hit felle in a tyme, that ther was a tiraunt namid̛ Pompeius, & he hadde I-Raveshid̛ a virgine, and̛ browte hir into a wilde forest; and̛ whenne he had̛ synned̛ with hir, he wolde

have slayne hir. ther come Ridyng by the forest a gentil knyȝt; and̛ whenne he harde the horible crie of a woman̛, he smote the hors withe the sporis, & Rode to hir. And̛ whenne he come, he sawe hir stond̛ nakid̛, save hir smokke; and̛ thenne he askid̛ of hir, "ert thow she that cridest?" "ye, sir," quod̛ she, "for this man̛ Raveshid̛ me, and̛ hathe taken̛ from̛ me my virginitee; and̛ now he wolde sle me, & he hathe thus nakid̛ me, for to smyte of myn̛ hede; and̛ þerefor̛, for the love of god̛, helpe me I pray yowe." thenne saide the teraunt, "sir, she lithe, for she is my wyfe, and̛ I fonde hir̛ in bordeƚƚ withe a-noþer man; and̛ þer for I wolde sle hir nowe." Þenne saide the knyȝt, "I trowe mor̛ to the woman̛ þanne to the, for I se opyn̛ signys in hir visage, that thow haste Ravishid̛ hir, and̛ Oppressid̛ hir withe mastrie; and̛ þerefor̛ I and̛ þerefor̛ I and̛ þerefor̛ I [sic] [leaf 187, col. 1] wolle Fite for hir." And̛ so thei foȝte to gedir, and̛ grevousely thei wer̛ I-woundid̛, but the knyȝt had̛ the victory, & that oþer fledde. And̛ thenne the knyȝt spake to the woman̛, "lo! woman̛, what I have sufferid̛ for the, and̛ howe I have savid̛ the; wolt thow now be my wyfe?" "ye sir," quod̛ shee, "that I desire ouer alle thinge, and̛ þerto I yeve the my trewthe." Þenne seide he, "her̛ be syde is my castelle; go thedir a-for̛, & a-bide þer, while I go to my frendes & kynne, for to purvey for the bridale to be made; for I wolle make a grete fest, for oure worshipe and̛ comfort." "sir," quod̛ she, "I shalle do as þow biddist." She yede to his castelle, and̛ þer she was worshipfulli Resseyvid̛; and̛ the knyȝt Rode a-bowte to his frendes, for to make al thing redy þerto. In the mene tyme þe tiraunt Pompeius come to the casteƚƚ, & prayde hir for to come, & speke withe him a worde at the yate; and̛ whenne she was comyn̛, he yaf hir so sotil wordes, & fair̛ bihestes, that she lete him in, & grauntid̛ to be his wyf. Afterward̛ the knyȝt come home, & he fonde the yate of his casteƚƚ stoken. He cnockid̛, but vnneþe he myght have eny aunswer̛; and̛ at the laste þe woman̛ come, and̛ askid̛ whi he cnockid̛ so? And̛ þenne he seide, "what! deer̛ love, whi makest þow hit nowe so straunge to me? late me come in, I pray þe." "Naye for sothe," quod̛ she, "þou shalte not come her̛ Inne, for I have him withe me that I lovid̛ furste, or I knew the." "Dameseƚƚ, have mynde how

thow yafe to me i feithe, for to be my wyfe, and̛ how that I savid̛ the fro dethe; & yf þou wolte not sette by thi feithe, loo! her̛ the woundes that I sufferid̛ for the, and̛ for thi love." A-noon̛ he caste of his clothis, and̛ shewid̛ to hir the woundis; but she wolde not loke on̛ him, but shutte fast the dor̛, and̛ wolde no mor̛ speke withe him. the knyȝt seenge the wronge, he yede to þe Iuge, and̛ þer he made a grete compleynte on̛ Pompeye þe tiraunt, & on̛ the woman̛. After that the compleynt was made, þe Iuge made hem boþe to apper̛ a-for̛ him; and̛ what tyme thei come afor̛ him, þe knyȝt seide to the Iuge, "My lord̛, I aske the benefice of [the law]. [leaf 187, col. 2] ye wit wel that it is law, þat yf a man̛ deliuer enye virgyne fro the hondes of hir Rav[i]sher, it is in the power̛ of the deliuerer to have the woman to his wyf after; and̛, sir, I have her̛ deliuerid̛ a woman̛ in the same case, and̛ þerefor̛ me semithe that she shulde be my wyf, yf that I wolde have hir. Also, sir, I chalange hir for a-noþer Resoun̛; she haþe yevin me hir feithe to be my wyf, and̛ vpon̛ that she Enterid̛ in to my casteƚƚ, and̛ many Richesses & worshipis she had̛ by me; and̛ I have Redyn̛ a-bowte, to purveye for oure mariage." Thenne saide the Iuge to Pompeye, "Der̛ frende, thow knowist welle that the knyȝte deliuerid̛ the woman̛ from̛ þi wickidnesse, & toke of the grete woundes for hir love; and̛ her̛ by thow knowest wel that she is his wyf, yf he wolle have hir. And̛ thenne aftir this saluacion̛, þou come to his yate, [and] withe thi faire flateringe deseyvedist hir; and̛, sir, þerefor̛ in this same daye I shalle se the honge in the Iubet." & thanne seide þe Iuge to the woman, "woman̛, thow knowist welle how that this man̛ savid̛ the fro dethe, and̛ toke the awey fro thi Ravissher̛, and̛ also thow yaf him feithe for to be his wyfe; and̛ so by double Resone thow shuldest be his wyf, scil.by the lawe, and̛ eke by the feithe that thow madest to him. and̛ now aftir this kyndnesse, þou hast consentid̛ to the wille of thi Ravisher, and̛ lete him entre in to the casteƚƚ of the knyȝt; and̛ þerefor̛ I deme the to be hongid̛ þis same day in the Iubet." And̛ so it was I-do in dede; and̛ al men̛ hilie commendid̛ the Iuge, that yaf to hem so Iust & so Ritfulle dome.