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

[ LV. ]
CLIPODIUS A WYSE EMPEROUR.
(HOW A STEPMOTHER WHO WISHED TO FAVOUR HER OWN SON WAS FOILED.)Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 190, back, col. 1 (cont'd)]

Story.

Clipodius was a wyse Emperour reignynge in the citee of Rome, and̛ his possession̛ was moche; the wiche weddid̛ the dowter of a kynge, callid̛ kinge assireorum, & she was faire and̛ glorious in [leaf 190, back, col. 2] syght, and̛ browte forthe a faire sone; but she dide in hir childebed̛. And̛ aftir hir dicese, þe Emperoure weddid̛ anoþer woman̛, and̛ gate on̛ hir a childe; and̛ bothe childerin he sent to fer contree, for to be forsterid̛, & browte vp. so in a certeyne tyme, the wyf of the Emperour̛ saide to him, "sir, my lorde, hit is x. yere agoon̛ sithe I bare a sone, & sawe him neuer sithe I bar̛ him; and̛ þerfore I be-seche yow, þat ye sende after him, that I may see him, & have sum Ioye of my birthe." Þenne saide the Emperoure, "Dame, þou wot welle, that I gate a-noþer sone of my first wyf, and̛ he is with him; & þerfor yf we send̛ for the ton̛, the toþer must come also." thenne saide she, "sir, I assente." Þenne the Emperour sent for hem̛, and̛ thei come bothe. And̛ whenne thei wer̛ I-come, they wer̛ to syght of alle men̛ faire and̛ welle I-shapin̛, wel I-norsshid̛, & welle I-norturid̛; and̛ thei wer̛ so like, that vnneþe the on̛ mygℏt be knowen̛ from̛ the toþer with eny man̛, but onlye of the fadir. Thenne saide the wyf, "gode lorde, telle me whiche is my child̛, for soþely I know not wheþer of hem is myn̛?" Þenne he leyde his honde vpon̛ þe childe that he hadde with the firste wyf, and̛ saide, "lo! this is thi sone." And̛ whenne he hadde so tolde hir, she lovid̛ and̛ pikid̛, fedde and̛ tawȝte this childe, trowing that he had̛ be the same that she bare; & hilie dispisid̛ hir owne sone, trowinge that he was hir stepson̛. whenne the Emperoure sawe her gret vnkyndnes, that she wolde not love bothe y-like, he said̛ to hir, "woman, I have deseyvid̛ the; for that child̛ that thow norisshest so moche, is not thyne, þat oþere is thi childe, that þou lovist not." What dude she but lefte that childe, and̛ was a boute, in al that she myȝt, to plese that oþer. And̛ whenne the Emperoure

saw that, he saide to hir, "dame, I have yit deseyvid̛ the, for he is not thi sone; and̛ yit thow shalt not knowe more sekyrnesse of me, but I wolle that thow wite, that on̛ of thes Is thi sone, that thow bare." Þen̛ she knelid̛ downe vpon̛ hir knees, and̛ said̛, "lord̛, for his love that hinge vpon̛ the crosse, do tel me in certen̛ whiche of hem is my sone, withe oute cauillacion̛." "For sothe," quod̛ the Emperour̛, "thou shalt not know, vnto the tyme that thei come to hir ful age, by cause that I wolle þat þou love hem bothe I-lyke. For whenne I saide þis was þi childe, þou lovedest al him, & nothing [leaf 192, col. 1] [Leaf 191 is out of place. It should follow leaf 192.] the oþer; and̛ whenne I saide þat oþer was thi childe, þou tendeist al to him, and̛ dispisidist þat oþere; and̛ þerefor̛ I wolle, that thow love hem boþe i-lyke welle." and̛ so she dude indede, til tyme that thei come to hir lawful age, and̛ mannys degree; & thenne the Emperoure tolde hir in certeyne whoo was hir childe, wher thorow she was gladde, and̛ ful welle a-payde in herte.

MORALITEE.

DEre frendes, this Emperoure is oure lorde Ihesu Criste. Thes too childerin̛ beþe chosen̛ creatures, & wickid̛ creatours. the moder is .s. [sic] holie chirche, þe whiche norshithe boþe the goode & the eviƚƚ For god̛ wolle not that hit be certeyne to holye chirche, who is choson̛, and̛ who is not; For yf holye chirche knew it, she wolde love on̛, & hate the oþer, and̛ thenne charite shulde be distroyed̛, and̛ men̛ shulde live in discorde. but in the day of dome hit shalle be declarid̛, who is chose, & who is not chose; and̛ þerfor̛ late vs do so in this worlde, that we mowe be choson̛ vnto the fest that euer is newed̛, and̛ neuer wexithe olde. Ad quod nos perducat Rex vivens in secula! Amen.