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

FREUDERICUS A WISE EMPEROUR.
(HOW A WIFE WAS CONSOLED FOR THE ABSENCE OF HER HUSBAND.)

[LI. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

Story.

[leaf 188, back, col. 1]

FReudericus was a Emperoure Regnyng in the citee of Rome, þe whiche was longe with oute wyf and childe; but at the laste, at counseil of lordes and̛ of wyse men, he weddid̛ a faire damiselle, & dwelte with hir in an vnknowen contree, and̛ gete of hir a childe. Aftir that, he wolde have comyn to his Empyre, but he myght not have gete leve of hir ther to, but euer she wolde sey, that yf he yede, she wolde sle hir selve. And̛ whanne the Emperour harde this, he studied̛ muche, how that he myght beste goo, and̛ passe from̛ hir, with hir goode wille. he gate payntours, & he made to be paynte ouer hir hede ij. fair̛ Images; and̛ in the frounte of eyþere Image was I-sette a myrour, in the whiche she myght euery day biholde; & so she dude, & had̛ so grete delectacion̛, that she forȝat þe fervente desire that she hadde in hir lorde the Emperour. whenne the Emperoure sawe this, he yede his weye; and̛ aftir his going, a damesel, that was the ladies sarvaunt, yede preveli, and̛ made foule the glas, in so muche that the lady ȝede

aftir the lorde; and̛ whenne she had̛ founde him, she browte [him] aȝen̛ with hir. and̛ thenne the Emperour made muche sorowe in herte for that cas, and̛ studiyd̛ þerefor̛ by what weye, in al that he myght, how that he myght passe fro hir ayene. he purveyde him of a passing faire gurdil, sette aboute withe presious stonis, and̛ in the stonys he made thes wordes to be wreten, "yf hope wer̛ not, hert shulde breke." And̛ he yafe þis gurdil to his wyf, and̛ she toke hit Reuerentlye; & she sette so moche herte in fairnesse of the gyrdille, that she for yate the love of hir husbonde. whenne the Emperoure saw this, he yede prively fro hir to his contre, & þe wyf folowid̛ not aftir him, for as ofte as she was I-temptid̛ to go aftir him, as ofte she yede, and̛ lokyd̛ on̛ the gyrdil, and̛ she Redde on the scriptur̛, seing, yf hope wer̛ not, herte sholde tobreke. She thowte þer with to hir selfe, "yit I triste to [leaf 188, back, col. 2] see my husbonde, withe glorie & comforte." & thus she livid̛, vndir stedfaste hope & trist, by many dayes aftir.

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.

[ Second Version. XXXI. ]Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 44 back (cont'd)]

Story.

FReudericus reigned̛ in the Citee of Rome, that longe was withoute a wyf and child̛. Atte [at the] last, by counsaile of his wise men, he wedded̛ a right faire maiden̛ [mayde] of ferre countre, and witℏ her abode in that countre vnknowen̛; and on her begate [gate] children̛. ¶ Aftir that, he wold̛ go to his Empire, but of her he myght gete no leve; For [and] she said̛, yf he went fro her, she shold̛ [wolde] slee her self̘. ¶ whan the Emperour herd̛ this, he douted̛ gretly [omitted] , and studied̛ how he myght go fro her *witℏ her [omitted] wille. ¶ he hired̛ his [hym] payntours, and made hem paynt over [on] his [beddys] [supplied from Cambridge MS] hede ij. faire ymages, and in the forhede of eche ymage was put a glasse, [leaf 45] in the whiche his wyf myght every day loke, and have delite. wherfore the woman had̛ so grete delite in beholdyng of hem, that she forgate the love of her husbond̛. ¶ whan the Emperour perseived̛ that, he wente from her. But whan he was *gone from her [go] , there come a maiden̛ [mayde] prively, and defouled̛ the myrrour [mirrours] , in so

mekeƚƚ [myche] that the wyf aƚƚ thynges left, and wente aftir her husbond̛; and [omitted] whan she found̛ hym, she lad̛ hym witℏ her agayn̛. ¶ Than the Emperour sorowed̛ gretly; neverthelesse he studied̛ by what wey he myght go from her. ¶ he ordeyned̛ a [hym a] faire girdeƚƚ, and araied̛ it witℏ precious stones; and in every stone he did̛ write this reason̛, ¶ "were not hope stedfast, hert ofte sithe shold̛ brest [breke] ." this gurdeƚƚ he gaf̘ to hys wyf̘, and she gladly resceived̛ it; and [omitted] of the gurdeƚƚ she had̛ so moche delite, that she for-gate aƚƚ the love of her husbond̛. [Whan the Emperour saw that, priuely he went to his contre. And his wyfe folowed neuer after; but as she was in wylle to go after hire husband,] [supplied from Cambridge MS] so ofte sithes [omitted] she loked̛ on the gurdeƚƚ, and red̛ the scripture, "were not hope stedfast, hert ofte sithe shold̛ brest." ¶ Than she thought, "yit I hope to se my husbonde witℏ myrthe." and so she lived̛ longe, and ended̛ her lyf in pease.

¶ Declaracio.

My swete frendes, this Emperour may be said̛

every good̛ cristen man, that owetℏ to be Emperour of hym self̘; ¶ wherfore pryncipally and before aƚƚ thyng he owetℏ to take a way toward̛ his owne countre, and therfore namly for to travaile. ¶ Whiche is our countre? for sothe the kyngdome of heven, the whiche is goten̛ to vs by cristes passion̛. and whi owe we to travaile to that? forsothe that we may have endlesse helthe. ¶ The wyf is the wrecched̛ flessℏ, that ofte sithe beholdetℏ the soule in many delectacions, for the whiche the soule may not passe to everlastyng lyf, where is conversacion̛ and everlastyng Empire. and why wille not the flessℏ leve? for sothe for the flessℏ desiretℏ ayenst the soule. ¶ Do thou therfore as the Emperour did̛; heire payntours, that is, men of holy chircℏ, that can paynte in the hede of thyn̛ hert ij. ymages, that is, contriccion̛ and confession̛, so that eche ymage have a myrrour put in the face, that is, a naked̛ conscience and perseveraunce; for perseveraunce alone in good̛ livyng amonge aƚƚ vertues is crowned̛. for sothe yf thou behold̛ wele in thise myrrours, lightly thou shalt for-yete the way of Impedyment and lettyng, And so thou shalt suffre thi soule frely to passe. ¶ But allas

for sorow! for ofte sithes while the soule lietℏ in the way of penaunce toward̛ heven̛, cometℏ the servaunt, that is, foryetefuƚƚ wille, [leaf 45, back] or flesshly delectacion̛, and defouletℏ the myrrours, that is, conscience and perseveraunce, as ofte as it lietℏ in dedely synne, so that the soule may not se god̛, ne the perile of it self̘. ¶ Do thou therfore as the Emperour did̛; yeve her a gerdeƚƚ, that is, charite, witℏ precious stones, that is, mekenesse and chastite; and rede ofte the scripture, that is, ¶ Were not hope stedfast, hert ofte sithes wold̛ brest. ¶ Hope shold̛ aƚƚ way be had̛ in thi kynde to god̛, for yf I do penaunce here, my hope is to have ever lastyng lyf̘; and that is, that the apposteƚƚ saitℏ, ¶ By faithe we are made sauf̘. and yf we do so, witℏ out doute aftir the day of dome, the hert witℏ the soule shaƚƚ ioye in ever lastyng lyf. to the whiche brynge vs Ihesu crist! Amen.