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

[Declaracio.]

worshipfuƚƚ frendes, this Emperour is our lord̛ Ihesu crist, that made this law, that no man shuld̛ wedde a woman, but yf he hade as moche as she, that is to sey, god̛ wille, and biddes that we be not wedded̛ to a woman, but to hym alone, for he is habundaunt in richesse, and for he is kyng of kynges, and lord̛ of lordes; ne that woman, that is, the godhede, take none but yf he be habundaunt in richesse, that is, in good̛ werkes and vertues. and the knyght that went by kyngdomes and Castels, for to seke a wyf̘ in richesse, ¶ Forsothe it is every worldly man, that gothe aboute the world̛ by dyuerse places, to be norisshed̛ in delites of

richesse. this woman, þat is, the flessℏ, wille not assent fully to man, vnto she have richesse, that is, delite of the flesℏ in dede. and what are the thynges that the flessℏ desiretℏ? forsothe for to ete wele, drynke swetely, and to grete delicate thynges, and for to haue no disease agayn̛ the flessℏ. ¶ But wrecched̛ man þynketℏ not before of thynges that are to come, but slow the [leaf 51, back] duke, that is, reson̛, that owetℏ to rewle the flessℏ. ¶ The armed̛ men, that kept the duk̘ on day, it are vertues that he toke in the house of baptyme, whan he forsoke the fende, and drew to crist. But the lyteƚƚ hounde, that berked̛ on nyghtes, is thi conscience, that aƚƚ way grucchetℏ ayenst vices. the conscience is slayn̛ whan the flessℏ is over-come in delites, and the sprite put vndir; and so is the duk̘ slayn̛, that is, reson̛, by the whicℏ man shuld̛ be rewled̛. ¶ But now it is to se, what is the voice that cemetℏ down̛ fro above? forsothe it is the voice of god̛, that speketℏ to synfuƚƚ men in holy scripture by ysae, that seitℏ, ¶ Wo be to you that risen̛ erly for to folow dronknesse, and that Ioynen̛ houses to houses, and are wise in youre sight! thise it are þat haten̛ the soules, and wedden̛ flesshly lust. ¶ Suche one

is gretely to drede; for the brid̛, that is, holy scripture, every day syngetℏ to vs, and to a synfuƚƚ soule that is, turne agayn̛, synfuƚƚ wrecche, that is, turne agayn̛, thou wrecched̛ soule, þat we may behold̛ the, That is, that I, god, be-holde þe, witℏ the fadir, and þe sone, and the holy gost, and that we may see the to our symylitude, in the same fairenesse that we made þe. ¶ But man contrarious to god̛, saveretℏ not þise thynges, but shetetℏ to hym an arow of synne, and in as mekeƚƚ as in hym is, he puttetℏ efte sones crist on the crosse, and reisetℏ vp to hym self̘ a Casteƚƚ of pride; and so the erthe of helle is opened̛, and suche one witℏ aƚƚ his synnes devowretℏ. ¶ Therfore studie we so to tame our flessℏ, and please god̛, that we may come to everlastyng mede. to the whiche bryng vs and lede vs the hie and myghty lord̛ Ihesus! Amen.