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

Story.

FVlgencius was a wise Emperoure Reignyng in the citee of Rome; in the Empir̛ of whome þere was a knyght namid̛ sedechias; and̛ this knyght weddid̛ a fair woman̛, of þe kynrede of levi, but she was fon, & biter; and̛ in hir house dwelte

a serpente of longe tyme, in his cave. this knyȝt lovid̛ welle tornementes & Iustinges, and̛ he hauntid̛ hem̛ so muche, that he was I-come to grete nede & pouerte by hem̛; and̛ þerfor̛ he wepte, & made muche lamentacion̛. so in certen daye, as the knyȝt in his hevines walkid̛ by the cave of the serpente, he harde a voyse seing to him, "Whi erte thowe so hevy? do aftir my consaiƚƚ, and̛ thow shalt have consolacion̛." "yis, sir," quod̛ the knyȝt, "that I wolle do Redelye, withe conducion̛ that thow deliuer me from̛ this anger þat I dwelle in." thenne saide the sarpent, "I am a beste, and̛ I have her̛ in myn hole kytlingis, that I have browt forthe; & they bethe Rygℏt feble, for favte off noreshynge, and̛ þou haste mylke I-nowhe in thi house; and̛ yf thow wolte eche day serve my chylderin̛ of sufficeant milke, wherby we mowe be susteynid̛, I shalle make the to be avauncid̛ þerfor̛ vnto ful grete avauncement." when̛ the knyȝt harde thes wordes, he grauntid̛ to do as þe serpente seide, with oute faile. Anoon̛ he ordeynid̛ a vessel afor̛ hir hole, and̛ put þerin eueri daye milke, that the serpent withe his briddis myght licke hit oute; and̛ thus he norisshid̛ hem be mony dayes. And̛ with in shorte tyme the knyȝt [leaf 191, col. 2] was avaunsid̛ to his Richesses, and̛ grete dignite he hadde; and̛ his wyf hadde a faire sonne, & þere faylid̛ no thinge that he desirid̛ to have. hit happid̛ afterward̛, in a certeyne nyght þe wyf saide to hir husbonde, as thei laye on̛ bed̛, "My lorde, we be now Riche peple, & we han̛ yonge childerin̛, [the whiche lackyn] þe litle porcion̛ of milke that we vsyn to yeve to the serpente; for oure children̛ haue none, and̛ we haue longe tyme fedde þere with þe serpente & hir whelpes." Þenne saide he, "what yf she go thenne fro owre howse awey?" Þenne saide she, "I Rede thenne, that she and̛ alle hir whelpis be slayne; and̛ thenne we shuƚƚ be deliuerid̛ fro a grete servitute." And̛ the knyȝt ordeynid̛ a grete hamoure, and̛ yede to the hole, and̛ waytid̛ þere, whenne þat the serpent̘ wolde putte oute hir hede, to licke milke of the vessel; & whenne he saw hir hede oute, he smote in al the myght of his body to the serpent; but the serpente drow hir hede a-yene so appelye, and̛ so sodenlye, that the strook hitte al vpon̛ the vesselle. and̛ soone aftir this fals traytorie, that the knyght dude to the

serpent, he loste his childe, his goodes, and̛ al his dignites; and̛ that he was in as grete nede and̛ myschef as euere he was afore. And̛ whenne he sawe that, he seyde to his wyf, "Allas and̛ woo may be to vs bothe, that euere I dude aftir thi counsaille; for as longe as we norisshed̛ the serpente, we hadde alle goodes!" Þenne spake she, & saide, "I yafe the eville consaiƚƚ; but goo ayene to the hole, and̛ meke the to hir, & loke yf she wolle be graciouse to sende vs oure goodes a-yene." Þe knyȝt went a-yene to the denne, & wepte bitterly, and̛ prayde the serpente of grace and̛ foryevenes; and̛ he behite hir fro that day forthewardes, that he wolde serve hir as welle as he dude before, and̛ muche better. thenne seide the serpent, "Nowe I see thow erte a foole, for wherto prayst þou by movthe and̛ not withe þyne herte? For thow may not saye bute that the stroke of þe hamour̛, that felle vpon̛ the vesselle, sholde have smetin̛ me; & þerefor̛ I smothe þe a-yene withe oute faylinge, what tyme that I smote thi childe to dethe for the, & took al thi goodes fro the; and̛ so be cause of thin evil wille that thow mentist to me, and̛ also of the grevis that I dude to the ayene, þere may noo pes Regne betwene vs two." whenne the knyȝt herde þes wordes, he yede aweye, and̛ endid̛ a feble lyfe.