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

MORALITEE.

DEre frendis, þis Emperoure is the fadir of hevene; the wiche ordeynid̛ for a lawe, that yf eny virgine wer̛ [leaf 187, back, col. 1] Ravishid̛ by dedely synne, þenne he that deliuerid̛ hir shulde wedde hir to wyve. The woman̛, that was Ravishid̛ and̛ ladde into the forest, is the soule of man̛, þe whiche was putte oute of Paradys by the synne of Adam, & browte into the forest of this worlde, wher̛ [s]he livid̛ in grete wrecchidnesse, and̛ [was] deflowrid̛ by the Ravissher, scil. the devil; and̛ þerefor̛ it is wreten, ¶ Ierem. iii. tu autem fornicata es cum amatoribus multis, þis is to seye, he seithe, "for sothe thow hast do fornicacion̛ withe many lovers." And̛ this Ravisher, the devil, deflowrithe not the soule only, by lost of blisse, but also he wolde have slayne hir̛ in euerlastinge peyne. & þenne she cride witℏ an hie voyse; scil. the wrecchidnes and̛ the perille of hit was herd̛ with the knyȝte Ihesu Crist, ¶ or elles the crye was made what tyme that adam, oure first fadir, cride for Oyle of mercy, & whenne patriarkis and̛ prophetes cride for Remedye, seinge, O! domine, visita nos, O! lorde, come and̛ visite þou vs, þenne þe knyȝt, scil. Ihesu Criste, come don̛ fro hevene, & heilde bataille withe the Ravisher, scil. þe devil; and̛ thenne they two foute to-geder, that eyþere of hem was grevously woundid̛, scil. Crist in his fleshe, and̛ the devil in his lordshipe; and̛ þerfore saithe Isaye, Fortis impegit in fortem, et ambo conciderunt, ¶ þis is to seye, A stronge delte or fel in vp on̛ an oþer strong, and̛ bothe they fil doune to-gedir. Aftir this the woman̛, scil. the soule, tooke baptym̛, & bond̛ hir þer to Criste, whenne that she saide, Abrenuncio Sathane et omnibus pompis eius, I forsake the devil, and̛ alle his pompys; also whenne she seithe, Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem, ¶ I trowe or I beleve in god̛, fadir Almyti. Aftir that Criste ordeynid̛ for hir bridale, scil. þe vij. Sacramentes of holi chircℏ, of whiche he ordeynid̛ a stronge castelle a-yenste the deville and̛ al enmyes; and̛ þen̛ he badde the soule holde hir in the vertue of that castille, tylle tyme that he yede a-boute, to ordeyne for the bridale, scil. crist, þe dowtiest knyȝt, ascendid̛ vppe in to hevene in the day of ascencion̛, and̛ ther he ordeynid̛ for vs a dwelling place in euerlastynge [leaf 187, back, col. 2] ioye, that we myȝte be with him, aftir the daye of dome, in Ioye. But

in the mene tyme comythe the Ravissher, scil. þe devel. & he with his sotil cautellis & falshedes blindithe & disseyuithe þe soule, and̛ defoulithe hit by synne; and̛ so he Entrithe the castelle of þin̛ herte. And̛ þenne comithe to the yate the knyȝt, scil. crist; as the Gospelle makithe mencion̛, ¶ Ecce sto ad hostium, & pulso; siquis apperuerit michi, introibo ad eum, & cenabo cum illo, this is to seye, loo! I stonde at þe dore, & cnocke; who so euere opyn̛ to me, I shalle enter to him, and̛ I shalle suppe withe him. but wher̛ as the devil is, he may not entre, ne the wrecchid̛ man wolle not opne to cryst, by doyng of penaunce; and̛ Crist seinge that, castithe of his clothis, and̛ spoylithe him naked̛, & shewithe to the his woundes, that he sufferid̛ for the, for to make a man to have mynde what he suffrid̛ for̛ him. ¶ for ther was on him noon̛ helthe, from the toppe of his hede vnto the sole of his fote; as seythe holye writ, O! vos omnes qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte, si est dolor sicut dolor meus, This is to seye, O! ye al that goþe by the wey, herkenithe & seithe, yf ther be eny sorowe as is my sorowe. And̛ yit for al this, þe wrecchid̛ man̛ wolle not converte him, but ligge stille in synne; and̛ þerfore swiche wolle be demed̛ withe the Ravissher, scil. wiþ þe devil, to euerlastynge turmentes. And̛ þerefor̛ late vs opne the yates of oure hertes, by meritorye werkes, that Criste may entre into oure hertes, and̛ þat we come to the blisse þat neuer shaƚƚ mysse. Ad̛ quod̛ nos perducat &c.