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

Story.

Pompeius was a wise Emperour, regnyng̘ in þe cite of Rome; And he lete make a proclamacion̛ þorȝ aƚƚ his Empire, þat he wold make a gret generaƚƚ feste, And þat aƚƚ poor̛ and Ricℏ shuld come to þat feste; For þey shuld̛ [not] only be wele y-fed, But also that þei shuld have many faire ȝiftis. whenne the bedeƚƚ hadde y-makid̛ this proclamacion̛, Ther lay by the wey too feble men, a blynde And a lame. Thoo þe blynde seide to þe lame, his felowe, "Woo be now to me and to þe, For how may we too do! The Emperour hatℏ makid sucℏ a proclamacion̛, þat he woƚƚ make a generaƚƚ feste, And who that euer comitℏ thedir, he shaƚƚ Fare wele of metis And drinkis, And also be avauncyd for euermore; And I am blind, and þou art lame, And þerfore neyþer of vs may come þere." "Ȝe," quoþ þe

lame man, "I shaƚƚ shew þe a goode wit in þis cas; and if þou wolt do after my conseile, þou shalt not repente. Now herken me; I am lame and feble, þat I may not goo, but I may see, And þou art strong and swifte of foote, but þou may not see. Take me vpon þi bak, and bere me, And I shaƚƚ teche þe the riȝte way, And so we boþe shuƚƚ come thedir." "This is a goode conseile," seide þe blinde man, "come vp fast vpon̛ my bak, and teche me þe riȝte wey, as þou seist, and so we botℏ shuƚƚ come thedir, I trowe, as þou seist," &c.