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

MORALITE.

Seris, þis Emperour is þe Fadir of hevene, þat ordeynyd a lawe, that if ony woman̛, &c. scil. If ony sowle, þe whicℏ is spouse of

god, trespassid in avowtrye, scil. In eny dedly synne, Thenne hit schuld̛ be demyd to perpetuel prison̛ of heƚƚ. And þerfore, þou soule, if þou trespace in ony dedly synne aȝen þe wiƚƚ of þi lord god, þi spouse, þorȝ whicℏ synne þou art dampnabiƚƚ in to sucℏ a prison̛, Thenne behovitℏ the gretly to sorowe and wepe, For þou art þanne a-sundrid fro þe liȝt, and fro þe glorie of hevene above þine hed̛. The sone þat seitℏ, as long as I may have mete and drinke y-nowe, bitokenitℏ þe Riche and þe myȝty wordly man̛ of þis wordle, þe whicℏ in hire hertis, when prelatis and prechours spekitℏ to hem euerlasting liȝt and Ioye of hevene, thei sey, "Ȝe, þe whilis we may be heere, and have sucℏ solas and comfort as we have, we sette not bye oþer hevene, ne rekke we how long we bide in sucℏ derkenesse of synne, and of thraldom;" and þat is gretly to be sorowid. This stiward, þat heritℏ this lamentacion̛, ys our lord, that heritℏt the priueteis of [leaf 153, col. 1] our hertys, and lovitℏ contricion̛ for synnes. What doith he? He goitℏt to þe Fadir of hevene, and praitℏ for vs to be loosid fro þe hard blynde hertis, In so mocℏ,

that if we woƚƚ vs selfe be deliveryd̛ out of prison̛, we mow, And come to euerlastinge blisse, and þe liȝt above, Ad quam nos et vos perducat, &c.