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

SOLEMIUS A WYSE EMPERORE.
(HOW A GUARDIAN RECOVERED HIS WARD WHO HAD BEEN LOST.)

[ LXII. ] Harl. MS. 7333.

[leaf 196, back, col. 2 (cont'd)]

Story.

POlemius was a wise Emperoure Reignynge in the sitee of Rome, þe wiche weddid̛ to wyve þe dowter of the kyng of tunyke; & þe womman̛ was fair̛, & gentill in shape; and̛ she conseyuid̛ & bare a faire sone. And̛ whenne lordes harde her̛ of, þey come Echon̛ aftir oþere to the Emperoure, and̛ askid̛ of him the childe to norishe. And̛ thenne the Emperoure seide to hem, "to-morow shaƚƚ be [a] turnament, and̛ who so of yow wynniþe þere þe victory, he shalle have my sone in his gouernayle, vndir this conducion̛, þat if he gouerne [leaf 197, col. 1] wele my sone, I shall highly avaunce him, and if he do not, he shalbe shamely shent." "sir," quod̛ thei, "this liketh wele to vs." So the thridde day aƚƚ were in the

turneament, & pleid; & among aƚƚ othir ther̛ was a noble knygℏt, and a hardy, namyd Iosias, and he gate the victory. & þerfore he toke the child̛, & bare him with him, & sent messangers home afore to his casteƚƚ, for to make aƚƚ clene, both ynward̛ and outeward̛, and also a bed in myddis of þe place, for the child̛. & he ordeined̛ also vij. craftis abowte it y-peynt, in the entent þat the childe myȝte, what tyme that he sholde be wakyd̛, beholde the craftis, and̛ the Riaƚƚ payntynge yn hem, and haue delectacion̛ in hem. Now beside þe bed̛ of the childe was a weƚƚ, and ouer the weƚƚ was a wyndowe, by the whicℏ ligℏt come yn; and a man was assigned̛ to kepe the key of the dor̛ of that house. But it happyd̛ in a tyme, þat þe lady lefte þe dor̛, of negligence; and̛ whan þe dore was y-lefte opyn̛, ther come a beer̛, and entryd̛ in to þe weƚƚ, and̛ bathid̛ hym in it, þorȝ whom aƚƚ the water was infecte witℏ venym̛, and then he ȝede his way. Anoon after come the lord̛ and the lady, and dronke of the water, and after hem come aƚƚ hir̛ meyne, and̛ dronke of the same, for grete hete of the ȝere; and as many as dronke þer of were

y-maad lepremen̛, scil. botℏ the lord and þe lady, and aƚƚ that othir meyne. And sone aftir ther come in at the wyndowe a gret Egle, and tooke the child̛ oute of his bed̛, and fly his way. And whan the knyȝt hadde perceyvyd̛ that, he bitterly wepte, and saide, "Allas! that euer I was borne, for nowe I am but ded, witℏ my wife and aƚƚ my meyne!" And as he was in sucℏ care and sorowe, þer com to him a lecℏ, and saide, "Do aftir my conseil, and þou shalt be hole. Thow most be latyn̛ blode, witℏ thi wife, and̛ aƚƚ thyne meyne; and after thowe most be bathid̛; and thenne I shaƚƚ leye a medecyn̛ to the; and thenne, whan þou art hole, þou shalt go by downys and by dalys, with aƚƚ thy meyne, for to seke þe childe, for it may not be but þat þe Egle hatℏ late him faƚƚ in some place." And̛ the knyȝt wroȝte in aƚƚ thes thinges, right̘ as the leche told̛ him; and when he vsyd̛ his medecyn̛, after that þei wer̛ latyn̛ blode, he was, witℏ aƚƚ his meyne, clensyd̛ of the lepre. And then he roode on his palfray, and̛ tooke iii. sqwyerys witℏ him, and̛ souȝte þe childe; and at þe last they founde þe childe in a valey. And̛ thenne the knyȝt was so mury in herte, that þer cowtℏ no man

telle it, and in his gret ioy he maade a grete fest, and [leaf 197, col. 2] so he brouȝt the childe to the Emperour, his fadir. And whenne þe Emperour sawe his childe in good̛ helthe, and in goode state, he commendid̛ hyely the knyȝt, and avauncyd̛ him to hye dignite, and a faire lyfe he endyd̛.

MORALITE.

Deere frendis, þis Emperour is the Fadir of Hevene. The childe is our lord̛ ihesu crist, whom manye desiritℏ for to norisℏ, whenne that they Receyvid̛ hir̛ comunynge; but he that pleyitℏ best, scil. doitℏ most penaunce, or best ouercomitℏ þe deviƚƚ, he shaƚƚ haue the childe ihesu in his hous, scil. in his herte. the knyȝt, that tooke þe childe, is a goode cristyn̛ man̛, that wele blessidly hatℏ fast aƚƚ the quadragesme. And þerfor do as dude þe knyȝt, scil. send̛ afore the messagers, scil. merytory werkys, to þe casteƚƚ of thyne hert, and it [shalle] be clansid̛ fro aƚƚ spottys of synne; and so the child̛ ihesu shaƚƚ lygge in the myddys of thyne harte. The weƚƚ is mercy, the whicℏ owitℏ euer to be beside ihesu, for he that is witℏoute mercy and charite, he may not norissℏ ihesu. But then ofte tyme þe wife, scil. þe flessℏ beritℏ the key of charite,

and levitℏ the door̛ opyn̛, by þe whicℏ a ber̛ entrytℏ, scil. þe deviƚƚ, and̛ puttitℏ venym̛ of synne in the weƚƚ of̘ mercy; and þerfore the wife, scil. the flesche or Resen̛, and aƚƚ membris that mynystrys to the venym̛ of synne, ben infecte. The wyndowe at þe whicℏ enteritℏ ligℏte, is the grace of the holy gost, by þe whicℏ a man̛ levitℏ, and is confortyd̛; and by this wyndowe enteritℏ an Egle, scil. the power of god̛, whicℏ beritℏ away ihesu fro thyn̛ hart. And, sir, if it be come to this poynt, þou hast gret cause to sorowe, as dude þe knyȝte. But what shalt þou do þerfore? Certenly send aftir a sotiƚƚ leche, scil. a discrete confessour, þe whicℏ shaƚƚ ȝive to þe good̛ conseiƚƚ, that þou and thyne meyne be latyn̛ blood̛, scil. þat þou leeve aƚƚ thy synne, by the vayne of the tunge, bifor̛ þi confessour; and þenne that þou be bathid̛ by teeris of compunccion̛ and contricion̛; and þenne þou myȝte receyve medicyn̛ of satisfaccion̛; and thenne þou shalt be clansyd̛ fro aƚƚ synfuƚƚ lepr̛; and then leepe vpon̛ the palfray of goode life, with iij. sqwyers, scil. fastyng̘, prayng̘, and almysded̛. And if þou do thus, with oute dowte þou

shalt [leaf 197, back, col. 1] fynde the childe ihesu in the valey, scil. in mankynde, and̛ not in an hille, scil. in pryde; and thenne þou may norissℏ þe childe in a dewe maner; for norisshing̘ of whom the Fadir of hevene shaƚƚ avaunce the in his kyngdom̛ euerlastyng̘. Ad quod perducat omnia bona concedens! Amen.

[ Second Version. XXXII] Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 45, back]

Story.

POlemyus [Remulus] in the citee of Rome reigned̛, a fuƚƚ wise man, that toke to wyf the kynges doughtir of Trunce, that *was a faire woman; the whiche [omitted] conseyved̛, and had̛ a faire sone. ¶ That herd̛ the wise men, and went to the Emperour, and [omitted] eche by hem self̘ asked̛ the child̛ to norissℏ. ¶ he said̛, "to-morow shaƚƚ be a turnement, and ye shuƚƚ aƚƚ be there; and who so dothe best amonge [of] you shaƚƚ [and shalle] have the victorie, and [he] shaƚƚ have my sone to norissℏ, vndir this forme, That [if] [supplied from Cambridge MS] he norissℏ wele my sone, and he shaƚƚ be promoted̛ to grete dignyte, or els I shaƚƚ condempne hym to the most foule dethe." ¶ "O! sir," said̛ the knyghtes, "this liketℏ vs wele." and on the morow thei were aƚƚ gadred̛ in [to]

the turnement, and plaied̛. and there was one [a] worthy knyght amonge hem, that had̛ the victorie, whos name was Iosias. anon̛ [And anone] he toke the child̛, and ledde it witℏ hym; and sent messangers before hym [omitted] to his casteƚƚ, and did̛ make aƚƚ clene witℏ in and witℏ out, and for to array the bedde of the childe, in the myddes. he [And he] did̛ paynte the [omitted] vij. artes aboute the bed̛, so that whan the child̛ *was waked̛ from [were wakenyd fro] slepe, he myght se the vij. artes, and have delite in hem. ¶ This knyght than [omitted] had̛ a vertuous welle beside *his bedde [the bedde of the childe] , in the whiche welle the child̛ was wont to be bathed̛. ¶ Aboue this welle alone [there] was a wyndow, by the whiche the sonne shone in; and one was assigned̛ to kepe the kaye of the welle, and that was the knyghtes wyf̘. ¶ It happed̛ ones, that the lady lefte the dore open, *and a Bere wente in [Ther was a bere that saw the dore opyne, and weny hym in] , and bathed̛ hym [omitted] in the welle, of whos bathyng [leaf 46] aƚƚ the watir was enfecte witℏ venyme. whan the Bere had̛ done, he wente his way; and sone aftir come the lord̛ and the lady, and dronken̛ bothe of the watir [welle] , and went out. and [omitted] aftir hem tasted̛ of the watir aƚƚ the meyne, for the weddir was hote; wherfore alle that dronken̛ of the watir were made lepers, as wele

the lord̛ as the lady, and aƚƚ other. never the lesse the lepre appered̛ not anon̛. ¶ But sone aftir entred̛ a grete Egle by the wyndow, and [And an egle] toke away his child̛ out of his bedde, and bare it awaye witℏ hym. and whan the knyght perseived̛ this, he wepte bitterly, and said̛, "Allas! allas! whi was I born̛? I am the sone of̘ dethe, and a lepre, and my wyf̘ also, and aƚƚ my meyne!" and whan he was thus in this [his] grete hevynesse and desolacion̛, there come to hym a leche, and said̛, "¶ Do ["A! do] aftir my counsaile, and after thou shalt not for-thynk̘ the dede. first thou shalt be lette blood̛, witℏ thi wyf, and aƚƚ thi meyne, and be bathed̛; and than shaƚƚ I laye to medecynes [other medycynes] . and afterward̛, *whan thou art hole [omitted] , thou shalt go by hilles and dales, witℏ aƚƚ thi meyne, for to seke the child̛; for it may not be but that the [omitted] Egle hathe lette the child̛ in some place falle from hym." ¶ The knyght wrought in aƚƚ thyng *by the counsaile of the leche [omitted] ; and whan he had̛ take medecyne after [after his] bledyng, he was made clene of aƚƚ his lepre, and his wyf, and aƚƚ his meyne. ¶ Than he went vpon his stede, witℏ iij. squyers, for to seke the child̛, and in a valeye [vale] he found̛ the child̛ hole and sounde; the whiche was more glad̛ of the fyndyng þan hert may

thynk̘, and for grete [omitted] ioye he made a grete fest, and so he ledde the child̛ to the Emperour. ¶ whan the Emperour saw the child̛, he was right glad̛, and promoted̛ the knyght to grete thynges; and so [omitted] ended̛ his lyf in pease.

¶ Declaracio.

This Emperour, frendes, is the Fadir of heven̛. the child̛ is our lord̛ Ihesu crist, the whiche many desire for to norissℏ, and namly in Esterne tyme, whan thei have resceived̛ contricion̛. Neverthelesse he that beres hym in the turnement, that is, he that dothe best penaunce, and over-cometℏ the deveƚƚ, shaƚƚ have the child̛ Ihesu to norissℏ. ¶ The knyght, that resceived̛ the child̛, is a good̛ cristen̛ man, that wele and holely hathe fasted̛ aƚƚ lenton̛. therfor do thou as the knyght did̛; send̛ for messangers, tho be meritorie werkes, vnto the casteƚƚ of thyn̛ hert, that it be clensed̛ of aƚƚ spottes of synne; and so the child̛ Ihesu shaƚƚ lye in the myddes of thyn̛ hert. ¶ The welle is mercy, that owetℏ to be beside [leaf 46, back] the child̛ Ihesu; for he that is witℏ oute mercy and charitee, shaƚƚ not norissℏ the child̛ Ihesu. ¶ But ofte sithe the

wyf̘, that is, the flessℏ, that beretℏ the keye of chastite, levethe the dore open̛, by the whiche ofte sithe the Bere entrethe, that is, the deveƚƚ, and puttithe venyme in the welle of mercy; and therfore the husbond̛ and the wyf̘, that is, the flessℏ, and reson̛, and aƚƚ the membres, that tasten̛ of that venyme of synne, are enfected̛, and made lepres. ¶ And the wyndow, by the whiche the light entred̛, is the grace of the holy gost, by the whiche a man livetℏ gostly, and is comforted̛. ¶ By this wyndow entretℏ an Egle, that is, the myght of god̛, that taketℏ away the child̛ Ihesu out of thyn̛ hert; and so hathe man grete herte and matir of sorowyng. what is than for to do? ¶ For sothe for to send̛ aftir a soteƚƚ leche, that is, a discrete confessour, that shaƚƚ yeve the counsaile for to blede, and aƚƚ thy meyne, that is, that thou put out alle thi synne by the vayne of thi tonge before thi confessour; and than shalt thou be bathed̛ by teres of confession̛, conpunccion̛, and contriccion̛ and after that thou shalt have a liteƚƚ medecyne of satisfaccion̛, and so thou shalt be made hole fro aƚƚ spices of the lepre of synne. ¶ Than assend̛ vp on the stede of good̛ lyf̘, witℏ iij. Squyers, that is, fastynge, praiyng, and almesse-dede; and yf thou do thus, witℏ outen doute

thou shalt wele mow norissℏ the swete child̛ Ihesu, for the whicℏ norisshyng the Fadir of heven̛ shaƚƚ yeve the ever-lastynge kyngdome of heven̛. to the whiche bryng vs that child̛ Ihesus! amen.