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

MORALITEE.

DEre Frendes, this Emperoure may be callid̛ eche goode Cristen̛ man̛, þe whiche owithe to be Emperour of him selfe; and̛ so he owithe first & furþermost and̛ principalli, to take

the wey toward̛ his owne contre, & þereto manfulli to laboure. what is contree? Certenly the kyngdome of hevene, wonne by the passioun̛ of crist. And̛ wher for̛ owe we to laboure þerefore? Certenlye to that entente, that we mowe have þere by helpe of soule; as is seide in the psalme, Saluum me fac, deus quoniam intraverunt aque vsque ad animam meam, This is to seye, lorde, make me saffe, for waters, scil. perilis of synnys, have enterid̛ to my sovle. the wyf is the fleshe, that ofte tyme holdiþe the soule in his dilectaciouns, for the whiche he may not come to the euerlastyng lyf; For wher is his conuersacion̛ but in the Empire of hevene? why thenne wolle not the fleshe lete him passe to that mury contree? For the fleshe is naturely a-yenste the sprite. Do þerfor̛ as dud̛ the Emperoure; huyr̛ payntours, scil. men of holy chirche, that conne paynte in the hede of thin herte two ymages, scil. contrucion̛, & confession̛, so that eyþere of hem have a wel I-polishid̛ glasse, scil. a consiens and̛ perseveraunce, the whicℏ perseueraunce amonge alle oþer vertues is I-crownid̛. & yf thow be-holde welle thes, þou shalt forȝite the wey of inpediment, and̛ thow shalt late þi soule passe frely. but allas! for ofte tyme while þat þe soule lyþe in þe way of penaunce toward̛ hevene, þere comythe

a servaunt, scil. a shrewde or a froward̛ wil, or a fleshli delectacion̛, that makitℏ foule the consienns and̛ the perseueracion̛, so that þe soule may not [leaf 189, col. 1] Se god̛, ne his owne periƚƚ. Do ther for̛ as dude the Emperour; yif hir a Gurdiƚƚ, scil. charite, with presious stonys, scil. lownesse & chastite; and̛ ofte tyme redde the superscripcioun̛, scil. but yf hope wer̛, herte shulde breste. This hope owithe to be Redressid̛ vnto god̛, þat yf þowe do penaunce, thow shalt come to þe lyf that euermor̛ lastithe; and̛ þerefor̛ seithe the Apostle, Spe salui facti sumus, This is to seye, Þorow hope we bethe I-made safe. And̛ yf we do so, with oute dowte we shulle come to the Euerlastinge lyf, bothe in fleshe & in soule, aftir the laste dome. god̛ graunte vs þat for his mercy! Amen.