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

Story.

Ciclades regnyd̛ a wise Emperour in þe Cite of Rome, and ouer aƚƚ thingis he was mercifuƚƚ. And it happid, as he went onys by a forest, ther mette with him a poor̛ man. And whan þe Emperour

sawe him, he saide to hym with a grete pyte and mercy, "Whens art þou, frend̛?" "Sir," quoþ þe oþer, "I am your man, and borne in your londe, and fallyn in to gret myschefe and nede." "For sothe" quoþ þe Emperour, "and if I knewe þat þou woldist be a trewe man, I sholde avaunce þe to grette digniteys and richesses. And what is thi name, tel me?" "sir," quoþ he, "Lenticulus. And I be-hote you to be a trewe man; and if euer ye find ony othir with me, I woƚƚ bynd me to aƚƚ þe peyne þat ye woƚƚ deme." And when þe Emperour hurd̛ that, He avauncyd̛ him, and made him knyȝt, and stiward̛ of aƚƚ his empire. And when he was this i-hyed̛, he wex prout; and he defyed̛ hem þat were worthier þan he, and sette hem at nouȝt, and simple men & poor̛ men he spoiled̛. And yn a tyme, as he roode yn to þe forest, he commaundid̛ to þe foster, þat he shulde make an hunderitℏ depe diches in þe forest, and cover them with wele smelling̘ herbis, þat þe bestis myȝt faƚƚ in hem, If it happid̛ hem to renne out of þe forest. And þe foster dude as he commaundid̛. It happid̛ afterward̛, þat þis stiward̛ rood̛ to þe forest̘, to see þe diches; and as he rood̛, he thowte, "I am riche, and

I-maade a gret lord, and aƚƚ þe Empire is at my ledyng̘." And with þat prowde þoȝte he smot þe hors with þe sporis, and sodenlicℏ fel into on of þe deppist dichis, þat he ordenyd̛ to be made; and he myȝte by no way passe out, For he was corpulent and hevy. and soone after þis, þer stert in to þe same dicℏ an hungery lyon̛; and when þe stiward̛ sawe þat, he was hyely adrad̛. And then soone after, þer fiƚƚ in an Ape; and after þe Ape, a serpent. And whenne þe stiward̛ was þis wallid abowte with theise iij. bestis, he began to swete for drede. In þis same tyme þer was in the cite a poor̛ man, namyd̛ Gwido, and he hadde an asse, with þe whicℏ asse he wolde go euery day to þe forest, for to gader smaƚƚ wode; and laade his asse, and lede it to þe market, and selle it, and so susteyne him and his wife, for mor̛ hadde he not to lyve with. So this poore man come in a certeyne day to þe forest, for̛ to gadir stikkys, as he was wonyd̛. And when he come nye þe pitte, þer as þe stiward̛ was in, The stiward̛ cryde, and saide, "Sir, sir, come heder, and here me, and þou shalt like it for euer!" And̛ [leaf 198, back, col. 2] thenne gwido hering̘ þe voys of a man̛, he hadde grette wondir, and come ner̛, and said̛, "lo! I am heere; what art þou that callist me?" Thenne saide he, "I am," quoþ he, "the stiward̛ of þe Empire, and þorȝ chaunce I am faƚƚ her̛ into

þis dicℏe; and heere is beside me a lion̛, and an ape, and a serpent, and I ne wote of whom I shaƚƚ be furst devowryd̛. And þerfor, [for] the love of god̛, gete a long̘ corde, by þe whicℏ I may be drawyn̛ out; and y vndirtake, þat I shaƚƚ avaunce þe and aƚƚ þyne þerfore for euer. And but I soone be holpyn̛, I shaƚƚ be devowrid̛ by theise bestis." Thenne saide gwido, "Þat were harde to me for to do, for I haue not to live by, but þat I gadre wode here in þe forest, þat I seƚƚ; and if I go abowte þis erunde, I most thenne leve myne owne ocupacion̛; and̛ þerfore, if I haue not of you for my labour, it woƚƚ be to me and to my wife gret lost and harme." Then answerid̛ þe stiward̛, and saide, "By þe helthe of the Emperour, my lord̛, and by þe oþe that I haue maade to him, I shaƚƚ to-morowe avaunce þe and aƚƚ thyne to grete richesses, If þou wolt do so." quoth gwydo, "I shal do thi bidding̘." He went home, and fette a long̘ rope; and come to þe pitte, and saide, "Sir stiwarde, howe! looke vp! for I caste downe a long̘ roope here to the; and þerfore bynde it abowte þi mediƚƚ, and I shalle drawe þe vp." And þenne þe stiward̛ was glad, and̛ saide, "Late downe the corde;" and so he dude. And when þe lyon̛ sawe þe corde maade redy to take him oute, he stirte yn to it. And whenne gwido felte a grette weyȝt, he trowid̛ þat it hadde y-be þe stiward̛; and̛ vndir þat trust he drowe vp þe

lion̛; and when þe lion̛ was vp, he maad̛ a maner of ioiyng̘ to him, and þan he ran to þe wode. And thenne Gwido sent down̛ þe Roop aȝen. And thenne þe Ape stirte in to þe Roope, or corde, and so gwido drowe vp þe Ape in stede of þe stiward̛; and then þe Ape ran aȝen to þe wode. Thenne þe thirde tyme gwido late þe Roope go downe, and þe serpent stirte in to it, and was drawyn̛ vp as were þe oþer; and maade a maner of thonking̘ to þe man, and ȝede his way to þe wode. And thenne spake þe stiward̛ to him, "Deer̛ frend, nowe þou hast faire deliueryd̛ me of theise thre bestis, Nowe late þe corde faƚƚ, and I shaƚƚ come vp." the man late þe corde faƚƚ, and þe stiward̛ gurde him þer in, and was drawyn̛ vp. Whenne he was vp, he saide to gwido, "come to-morowe at noon to þe palys, and I shaƚƚ avaunce þe for euer." Thenne gwido was glad̛, and went home withoute ony stickys or wode. And whenne his wife sawe þat, She askid of him, whi þat he hadde not gaderid̛ stickis, wherby þat þei myȝte have hire sustynaunce that day. And thenne he tolde hire aƚƚ þe processe, as ys saide afore, How þe stiward̛ feƚƚ in to þe diche, and howe he deliuered̛ him, and howe he shaƚƚ receyve þerfore his meede on þe morow. And when she hadde hurde þes wordis, she was rigℏt glad̛, and saide, "Late vs nowe be mery, and in þe morowe

aryse, and go fecℏ our meede." On þe morowe gwido rose vp, and went to þe palys, an[d] knockid̛ at þe ȝate; and þe porter come, and askid̛ þe cause of his knockyng̘. And thenne saide Gwido, "sir, I pray you, for goddis love, go to þe stiward̛, and̛ [leaf 199, col. 1] telle him that here stonditℏ at þe ȝate a poore man, that spake with him ȝisterday in þe forest." And þe porter hiȝte for to do it; and ȝede to the stiward̛, and tolde him howe þat þer was a poor̛ man at þe ȝate, to abide hym, þat spake with him in the forest. And when he hadde saide þis message, þe stiward̛ baad̛ him go aȝen, and telle him, þat he lyetℏ in his hed̛, For þer spake noon̛ with him þere; and he sent him worde, þat he sholde go, þat he neuer sawe hym. And̛ thenne þe porter come to þe ȝate, and tolde to Gwido the answere of the stiward̛, and̛ howe he baad̛ þat he sholde hye him fro þe ȝate, vp peyne of worse; For he saide, þat he lyed̛ in his sawis. And whenne Gwido hurde þis, he wax riȝt hevy, and went home, and tolde his wife, Howe þat þe stiwarde saide. And thenne his wife, as a goode woman, comfortid̛ him, and saide to him, þat he sholde go an oþer tyme, and preve þe stiward̛. When morowe come, he rose, and went aȝen to þe palys, prayng̘ þe porter þat he shulde go aȝen, and say his erende. The porter saide, "I woƚƚ gladly, but I drede þat it woƚƚ not profite þe." He went to þe stiward̛, and shewid him þat þat þat [sic] þe poore man was comyn̛ aȝen. And whenne the

stiward̛ hurde þat, he went to þe ȝate in a grete anger; and þer Lenticulus þe stiwarde bette Gwido þe poore man so soore, þat he lefte him halfe ded̛. Whenne his wife hurde þis, she come with hire asse, and ȝafe þe stiwarde hire blessing̘ with þe lefte hond̛; and careyd̛ hom hire husbond̛, and spend̛ on him aƚƚ þat she myȝte gete, tiƚƚ he hadde his heltℏ. And whenne he was hole, he went to þe wode as he was wonyd̛ to do, for to gadery wode. And in a certayne tyme, as þis gwido was in þe wode, he sawe a lyon̛ afer, and x. assis afore him, and aƚƚ þe assis were chargyd̛ with diuerse marchandise; and þe lion̛ brouȝte aƚƚ to Gwido. Gwido drad̛; but when he hadde biholden wel þe lion̛, he knewe wel in hym selfe þat it was þe same lion̛ þat he savid fro þe dicℏ; and þe lion̛ wold neuer leeve him, til tyme þat aƚƚ þe assis weere comyn̛ in to his house; and thenne he bowid down̛ with his hed̛, and thonkid̛ him by his tokenyng̘. Thenne gwido openyd̛ þe Fardelys, and he fond þerin gret diuersite of goodis; and thenne he dude mak a proclamacion̛, þat if ony man̛ hadde I-lost x. assis with hire fardels, come to him, and þey shulde haue hem; but þer was no man þat wolde chalenge hem. And then Gwido solde þe marchauntyse, and bouȝt him tenementys and othir maner of goodis, þat he was y-maad a ricℏ man̛; and ȝit he vsid̛ þe wode as he dude afor̛, and gaderid̛ wode. Hit happid̛ in a certayne

day, as he went to þe wode, þat he sawe þe Ape, þe whicℏ he drowe out of þe pitte, sitting̘ in þe top of a tre, and with hire tetℏ and with hire pawis roggyd and Rent a-downe branchis and wode, in as mocℏ quantite as Gwido hadde nede of to charge with his asse; and whan þe asse was chargid̛, þe ape ran to þe wode. Thenne Gwido went hom, and come aȝen þe thirde day, and cutte a-downe wode; and thenne he sawe þe serpent come to him, whom he helpyd owt of þe dicℏ; and she hadde in hire mowthe a ston̛ y-colourid̛ with a threfolde colour, and she late hit faƚƚ in þe lappe of gwido. Whenne she hadde so y-don̛, she kist his feet, and ran to the wode aȝen. And thenne gwido hiely mervelid̛ of what vertu þis stone was, and went to a stoner, and saide to hym, "good̛ man̛, I pray þe teƚƚ me þe vertu of þis ston, and I shaƚƚ rewarde þe for þi meede." Thenne when þe stoner hadde I-seyn̛ þe ston̛, he saide to hym, "I shaƚƚ ȝive þe an C. marke for þis ston̛." "Nay," quoþ Gwido, "I woƚƚ not seƚƚ it, tiƚƚ tyme þat I knewe þe vertu þerof." Thenne saide þe stoner, "Þis ston̛ hathe iij. vertuys; the frust vertu is, þat who so euer have [leaf 199, col. 2] it, he shaƚƚ haue euermore ioy witℏ oute hevinesse; The secunde is, that he shaƚƚ haue habundaunce withoute defawte; The thirde is, he shaƚƚ haue liȝt withoute derkenesse; and þerto he þat hatℏ it shaƚƚ

neuer haue power to selle it, withoute þat he Receyve þerfor as muche as it is wortℏ; For if he do þe Contrary, þe ston̛ shaƚƚ come to him aȝen." And thenne gwido was glad̛ y-nowe, and saide, "in a goode tyme I drowe out þe bestis out of þe dicℏ." And by vertu of þe ston̛ he gate many and gret habundances of goodis, so þat he was a grete and a myȝty man, and gret was his possession̛. And withInne short̘ tyme, word come to þe Emperour, howe Gwido had a ston̛ of grete vertu. And þenne the Emperour sent to him, and bad̛ þat he sholde come to him. And when he was y-come, þe Emperour saide to hym, "Deer̛ frend̛, I hurde telle þat þou were some tyme in a gret pouerte, and nowe þou art a gret riche man, thorowe vertu of a precious ston̛; I pray þe selle to me þat ston̛." "Sir," quoþ Gwido, "I dare not do þat; For I am sikir of iij. thingis as long̘ as I haue þat ston̛, scil. to haue ioy withoute sorowe, habundaunce withoute defaut, and liȝt withoute derkenesse." And when þe Emperour hurde þis, he was þe moor̛ y-temptyd̛ to þe ston̛ then he was afore, and þerfor̛ he saide to him in þis maner, "Chese þe on of theise two, or to passe out of myne empire for euer, with aƚƚ þi kynred̛, or Ellys

to selle me þe ston̛." Then saide he, "sir, if it woƚƚ noon oþer be, do as þou wolt; Neuerthelese I woƚƚ warne þe of þe periƚƚ, scil. þat but þou ȝive me as mocℏ for þe ston̛ as it is wortℏ, douteles it woƚƚ turne to me aȝen." Thenne saide þe Emperour, "I shaƚƚ ȝive þe a M. marke þerfor." And whenne þat was payd̛, he tooke him þe ston̛, and ȝede hom, and tolde his wife of þe bargayne. And as soone as þey openyd̛ hire cofer, for to put in hire golde, þai sawe hire ston̛ afore hem, ligging̘ þerInne. And when she sawe it, she baad̛ him take it, and ber̛ it aȝen in aƚƚ haste þat myȝt be, þat þe Emperour put not to vs no treson̛ ne gyle. So Gwido dude in dede, and saide to him, "sir, ȝisterday I solde you a ston̛, and nowe I wolde se him aȝen." Thenne þe Emperour went to his tresour; and whenne he cowtℏ not fynde it, he was hevy, and come aȝen to him, and shewid not to him þe ston̛. Then saide gwido, "sir, hevy you not, for I saide to you þat I myȝte not selle you þe ston̛, no lesse þan I receyvid þerfore the trewe value; and so ȝisterday ye gafe me a M. marc for the ston̛, and þis day I fonde it in my chest, and her̛

I have him." And when þe Emperour sawe þe ston̛, he had gret mervaile, and saide to him, "by þe feitℏ þat þou art holdyn̛ yn̛ to me, telle me howe þat þou come to þis stone first." Thenne saide gwido, "sir, by þe feitℏ þat I am boundyn̛ ynne to you, I shaƚƚ teƚƚ you þe sotℏ. Your stiward̛, þat ȝe brouȝt vp of nouȝt, maade many depe dichis in þe forest; and so he feƚƚ yn on̛ of hem, and myȝte not arise out aȝen, for depnesse. After it happid̛, þat a lyon̛, an ape, and a serpent, feƚƚ in to him. And þat tyme I was poore, I vsid̛ þat tyme for to gadre wode in þe forest, and bringe it hom with myne asse. And as I was þer in a certayne tyme, for to gadre wode, the stiward̛ cryd̛ to me, þat I sholde drawe him out of þe periƚƚ þat he was Inne þere, [leaf 199, back, col. 1] and fro þe venymous bestis þat he was among̘; and̛ he saide þat he wolde þerfore auaunce me and aƚƚ my kyn, and swore gret othis to fulfille it, If I deliuered him; and̛ for þat bihest I caste downe a long̘ corde. I trowid̛ to haue y-drawe himselfe vp, and drowe vp a lyon̛; I drowe vp an ape, and thenne a serpent; and at þe laste I drowe vp þe stiward̛, þat som̛ tyme was namyd Lenticulus, no better than a begger. And þe lion̛ hatℏ sitℏ payd

me x. assis chargid with diuerse merchaundise; The ape ȝafe me as mocℏ wode as myne asse wolde ber̛; and þe serpent gafe me þis precious stone; and your stiward̛ gafe me so many gret wondis and strokis, þat he lefte me for ded̛, and I was borne home vp on̛ an asse." When þe Emperour hurde þat, he was hiely mevid in mynde aȝen þe stiward̛, and made him to come fortℏ, and fowle reprevid him. The stiward̛ stoode stiƚƚ like a beest, for he cowthe not denye it; and þenne þe Emperour saide to him, "A! wrecche, a! false begger! loo! vnresonabiƚƚ bestis as þe lion̛, þe ape, and þe serpent, haue thankid him, and rewardid him his meede for his meede! and þou, þat art a resonabiƚƚ man, hast, for his socouryng̘ þat he socouryd þe, ny bet him to detℏ; and þerfore, false wrecche, þou shalt þis day be hongid in þe iebet, and he shaƚƚ haue aƚƚ þi londis, and be stiward̛ in þi stede." And so it was in dede, for þe stiward was y-hongid, and Gwido was set in nis stede, and wan love of aƚƚ men, & in faire pese endid his life.