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

Story.

POlemius was an Emperoure in the cetee of Rome, þe whiche hadde iij. sonnes, that he moche lovid̛. So as þis Emperoure laye in a certeyne nyght in his bedde, he thowte to dispose

his Empir̛, & he thouȝt to yeve his kyngdome to the slowest of his sones. he callid̛ to him his sonnes, & saide, "he that is the sloweste of yow, or most slewthe is in̛, shall have my kyngdom̛ aftir my discese." "Þenne shaƚƚ I have hit," quod̛ the Eldest sone; "for I am̛ so slowe, and̛ swiche slewthe is in me, that me hadde leuer late my fote brynne in the fyr̛, whenne I Sitte þer by, than̛ to withdrawe, & save hit." "Nay," quod̛ the secounde, "yit am I mor̛ worthi thanne þow; for yf case that my necke wer̛ in a rope to be hongid̛; and̛ yf þat I hadde my two hondes at [leaf 192, col. 2] wille, and̛ in on̛ honde þe Ende of þe Rope, and̛ in that oþer honde a sharpe swerde, I hadde levir dye ande be hongid̛, þan̛ I wolde styr̛ myn̛ arme, and̛ kitte the Rope, whereby I myte be savid̛." "hit is I," quod̛ the thirde, "that shalle Regne aftir my syre, for I passe hem bothe in slewthe. yf I lygge in my bedde wyde opyn̛, & þe Reyne Rayne vppon̛ boþe myn̛ yen̛, yee, me hadde leuer lete hit Reyne hem oute of the hede, than I turnid̛ me oþere to the Right syde, or to the lyfte syde." Þenne the Emperoure biquathe his Empir̛ to the thirde sone, as for the slowist.