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CEsar was an Emperoure Reignynge in the citee of Rome, þe whiche weddid̛ a faire semli damiselle; þe whiche damiselle was the kynges dowter of sirie, and̛ she browte forthe a faire
sonne. So when̛ this child̛ was come to age, he awaytid̛ [leaf 188, col. 1] and̛ caste him, in alle that euere he myght, for the dethe of his fadir, in so muche þat the Emperoure had̛ grete marvayle, and̛ come to the Emperesse, and̛ askid̛ of hir, yf that eny man lay bi hir mo thanne he, scil. the Emperour him selfe. And̛ when she harde thes wordes, she was hevy in herte, by cause that he had̛ suche suspecion̛ to hir; & swor̛ grete othis, that she was neuer comon̛ to no man̛ flesshelye, but with him aloone. And̛ thenne spake he, "Ne was not this yonge man getyn̛ by me?" "yis, sir," quod̛ she, "dowtithe hit not, for he is your lawefully bigeten̛ sone." Then̛ the Emperour̛ was amekid̛, and̛ saide to his sonne, "Son," quod̛ he, "I am thi fadir, and̛ I gate the into this worlde, and̛ of me þow come into this world̛, and̛ by wey of generacion̛ þou shalt be myn̛ heyr̛; and̛ þerfor̛ whi erte thowe a-bowte my dethe, that have norisshed̛ the vp with deynteys, and̛, per dieu, al that is myn̛ is thyn? leef, sone, thi wickid̛ purpos, and̛ sle me not, for yf þou do, it is a foule synne in the syght of god̛, and̛ hit wolle be awreke." ¶ Þe sone toke noon̛ hede to his woordes, but Eche day mor̛ þan̛ [other] he was abowte to kille his fadir. And̛ when̛ the fadir saw that, he yede
into deserte, & toke his sone withe him, and̛ a swerde; and̛ when he was ther, he saide to his sone, "sone, sle me her̛, for her̛ is a prevy place, and̛ þerefor̛ it is welle the lesse synne, & lesse shame to the, þanne yf hit wer̛ in an opyn̛ place." whenne the sone hard̛ thes wordes, he cast a-wey the swerde from̛ him, & knelid̛ a-downe a-fore him, and̛ mekly askid̛ mercy, for he saide that he had̛ trespassid̛ vnto him,—"& þere for̛, fadir, dothe to me fro hennys forþeward̛ as þe likithe." the fadir withe a grete gladnesse kiste him; and̛ aftir him Regnid̛ the sone, that mekly askid̛ mercye.
DEre frendes, þis Emperoure is oure lorde Ihesu Criste; The sone is ecℏ Cristin man; The Emperesse is holye chirche. But ofte tyme þe sone, scil. þe Cristyn̛ man̛, is froward̛, & contrarye to the wille of god̛, for he obeythe not to his comaundementes. Þenne Criste askithe of holye chirche. wheþer he be his sone or no; and̛ holy chirche seithe, "Ye, lord̛, for of me he Reseyvid̛ baptime, and̛ þere for̛ he is thy sone." and̛ þerfor̛ Criste
Enformithe vs, and̛ counseilithe vs, by prelatis and̛ prechovrs, to leve oure folijs and̛ synnys, and̛ that we be not contrarye to his werkes; and̛ he spekithe to vs, seyng thus, Reuertere, Reuertere, sunamitis, et ego suscipiam te, This is to sey, be thow tornid̛, be thow tornid̛ to me, thow synfulle soule, and̛ I shalle vnderfonge the. but the synner wolle not be bowid̛ by worde, ne be betynges; & þerefor̛ Criste bryngithe him in to a deserte place of this worlde, and̛ bryngithe with him the swerde of devine Rightwysnesse, scil. þat he deye for synne that is done; for yf synne hadde not ben̛, deþe had̛ neuer ben̛. Also þe fadir had̛ a swerde of power̛, by the whicℏ þe sonne of god̛ deyde; & þerfor̛ hit is wretyn̛ thus, ¶ Non haberes potestatem super me vllam, nisi Esset tibi datum desuper, Þow sholdest have no power̛ vppon̛ me, but yf it wer̛ yeven̛ the from̛ above. O! lorde, that ther buþ manye that dothe Crist ayene vpon̛ the crosse! And̛ þere for̛ do as dude the sonne of the Emperour̛, cast from̛ the þe swerde of wickidnesse, and̛ bowe the by penaunce byfor̛ god̛; and̛ thenne thow shalt fynde Remedye, grace, and̛ Ioye, and̛ the kyngdom of hevin aftir þi decesse. Amen!
CEsar in the Citee of Rome reigned̛, a fuƚƚ wise man, that toke a *faire maiden̛ [right fayre mayde] to wyf̘, the kynges doughtir of Sire, by the whiche he had̛ a fulle faire childe. ¶ The child̛, [whan he] [supplied from Cambridge MS]
was come to a [omitted] lawfuƚƚ age, he made sleightes and wyles, how he myght put his Fadir to dethe. the fadir mervailed̛ gretly [grete] of the sone, and went to the Empresse, and praied̛ her to telle hym, wheþer he were his sone, and goten̛ of hym. ¶ She herd̛ this, and was gretly greved̛, that he asked̛ suche a thyng of her. she affermed̛ witℏ an othe, that she was never knowen̛ of none [omitted] other man but of hym, and that he was his Fadir, and he is thi [omitted] lawfuƚƚ sonne. ¶ The Emperour herd̛ this, and mekely spake to his sone, and said̛, "O! good̛ sone, I am thi Fadir, that gate the, and [by me] [supplied from Cambridge MS] thou come into this world̛, by way of generacion̛, and thou shalt be myn̛ heire. why woldest thou sle me? and I have norisshed̛ the, and aƚƚ that is myn̛ is thyn̛. I pray the, cease the of thi [this] wikkednesse, and sle me not, for yf [and if] thou do, it is to the a [omitted] grete synne afore god̛." ¶ The sone toke [no] [supplied from Cambridge MS] hede to his Fadirs saiyng, but fro day to day his malice encreased̛; and strengthed̛ hym aƚƚ way to sle his fadir. ¶ Whan the Fadir sawe this, he went into a deserte place,
and ledde witℏ hym his sone, beryng a swerd̛ in his hond̛; and toke it to his sone, and said̛, "My sone, slee me here, for here is a prive place, and lesse sclaundre shaƚƚ be to the here to slee me, than in other [another] place." ¶ The sone herd̛ this, and anon̛ cast the swerd̛ from hym; and kneled̛ before his fadir mekely I-noughe, and asked̛ hym [omitted] mercy, Saiyng, to *hym, "have mercy on me [his fader "A! fader, have mercy on me, have mercy on me] , for I have synned̛, and do to me from hens forward̛ as it liketℏ the." ¶ Anon̛ the Fadir kissed̛ hym, and was right glad̛; and lad̛ hym witℏ hym to [home to] his paleys. and aftir the dethe of the fadir, the sone reigned̛; and so in pease [leaf 44, back] and rest he [omitted] ended̛ his lyf̘.
Dere Frendes, this Emperour is oure lord̛ Ihesu crist; The fadir is eche cristen̛ man; the Empresse is holy chirche. But ofte sithes the sone, that is, an eveƚƚ cristene man, [is] froward̛ and contrary to god̛, for he obeyetℏ not the comaundement. he asketℏ of holy chirche yf he be verrely his sone; and holy chirche aunsweretℏ, and seitℏ, "ye, sir, of me he toke baptyme, and therefore he is his sone." ¶ Crist by prelates and prechours
enformetℏ vs, that we shuld̛ leve synne, and that we be not contrarie to his preceptes; but he speketℏ to vs, and seitℏ turne to me, thou synnefuƚƚ wrecche, and I shaƚƚ take the. but the synfuƚƚ man wille not bow, for wordes ne for betynges; ¶ wherfore our lord̛ Ihesu ledetℏ hym in to deserte, that is, for his synne Adam, the first Fadir, was take out of paradice in to deserte of this world̛, and bare witℏ hym the swerd̛ of goddes rightwisenesse, that is, that he shold̛ dye for synne that he had̛ done; for yf synne had̛ not be done, dethe shold̛ not have ben̛. Now hathe the sone the swerd̛ of power, by the whiche the sone of god̛ shuld̛ dye; as it is written̛, thou shuld̛ not have power in me, but yf it were yeven to the fro above. ¶ O! how many are yit that crucifien̛ crist by her synne! ¶ Do þou therfore as the Emperours sone did̛; Cast fro the the swerd̛ of wikkednesse, and knele, that is, meke the, in the way of penaunce, and afore god, thou shalt fynde grace; and so in pease thou shalt ende thi lyf, and purchace the everlastyng kyngdome of heven. to the whiche bryng vs he, that for oure synne dyed̛ on the roode! Amen.