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

Story.

GOrgonius was an Emperoure Regnynge in the cite of Rome; and̛ he had̛ weddid̛ to wyf a yonge gentilwoman̛, the whiche conseyuid̛, and̛ browte forthe a faire sone. And̛ whenne the childe was in age of xx. yer̛, the modir deyid̛; & he weddid̛ anoþere wyf, that lovid̛ not the Emperours sone, but she Reprevide him moche, & shewid̛ to him muche glowmynge cher̛. Whenne the Emperour saw that, he sent his sonne out of þe Empyr̛, for presaunce of his wyf; and̛ whenne the yonge man was put oute of the Empyre, he lernid̛ to be a phisicien̛, that myte be in eny place. Aftirward̛ hit happid̛, that his fadir, scil. the Emperoure, fel sike, ande was ny dede; but what tyme he harde telle that his sone was so good̛ a phisicione, he sent for him by letteris, that he shulde come withe oute delay. Þe sonne willing̘ [to] obey to the fadir, he come to him, and saw his vryne; and̛ thenne yaf him medesyne,

wherthorowe he was hole. Aftir that, the wyf of the Emperoure be ganne to be syke, in so muche that lechis had̛ grete mystir of hir lyfe. Whenne the Emperour hard̛ that, he praide his sonne, that he shulde hele his wyfe of hir sikenesse and̛ in firmite; and̛ the sone saide, "sertenlye, I wolle not putte to hir no medicinis." "And̛ but thow do," quod̛ the fadir, "þou shalte be exilid̛ fro my companye." Þenne saide the sonne, "fadir, yf thow do so to me, þou doste to me grete wronge; for þou knowist welle, that thow did̛ putte me for hir love out of the Empir̛, wherfor̛ myn absence was cause of thin infirmitee, and̛ of thi sorow; & thenne, whenne I come ayene, with a little helpe þou Receyvidist helþe, so hylie comfortid̛ þe. my presence was & is cause of hir infirmite, & þerefore I wolle not entermete me of hir, & whi? for I knowe welle, that the syȝte of me wolle greve hir, and̛ a leche may ofte tyme be deceyvid̛ also and̛ I coveite not, that eny thinge felle to hir bute good̛, that she putte [leaf 190, col. 1] blame in me." Þenne saide the fadir, "sone, she hathe the same seknesse þat I hadde." "ye, what þow," seide the sone, "thow hit be the same sekenes, hit is not the same compleccion̛; for that whiche I dude to the, þou heilde the þer withe wel paide, for my presence, and̛ the comfortable sygℏt, when̛ þou sawe me, þat þou gate helthe helde þe [sic]; And̛ þerfore it is beste that she late some leche dele with hir, that she wolde triste in̛; & so she may & shalle be hole."