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

Story.

Donatus regnyd Emperour in þe cite of Rome; And he dude to be sette in þe temple iij. ymagis, And on of hem hadde a finger reching̘ to þe peple, And in his fynger a ryng̘ of golde; And

an oþer ymage a berd of golde; And þe thirde hadde a mantelle of purpure. whenne þes ymages were y-maade, the Emperour commaundid, vp peyne of detℏ, þat noon shold spoile hem, ne do hem harme ne wrong̘, scil. of þe ryng̘, of the berd, or of þe mantelle. Hit happid in a certayne tyme, þat þer come a tiraunt, namyd̛ Dyonisius; And he enteryd into þe temple, and stale þe ring fro the first ymage, þe berd fro þe secunde, [and] The mantelle fro þe thirde. Sone he was þerfore accusid, and brouȝt to-fore þe Emperour; And þer he was reprevid, as man þat I-spoiled þe ymagys, ayenst þe commaundement of þe Emperour. Thenne [he] saide, "sir, I may not excuse me but þat I enteryd̛ in to þe tempiƚƚ; But towching þe oþer crymys þat ye put to me, I answer̛ thus; the furst ymage put out his honde to me, as who saiytℏ, take of me þis ring̘ at my ȝifte, And þerfore I tooke the ring̘; And whenne I sawe þat othir ymage haue a goldyn̛ berde, I thougℏt to my selfe, I knewe þe fadir of þis ymage, And he hadde neuer no berde of golde, And it is no reson̛ þat he be hyer þan his fadir, And þerfore I tooke of him þe berde, for he shulde be lyke to his fadir; whenne I sawe þe thirde

ymage with his manteƚƚ, I thougℏt in myne herte, þat þe mantelle was good for me in wynter, And þe ymage hadde no nede þerof in wynter for colde, Ne in somer, for thenne it wolde be comerous, and þerfore I tooke away þe manteƚƚ, And nowe ye [leaf 201, col. 2] haue hurde myn Answere." And þenne saide þe Emperour, "Þou haste fouly answerid." And he saide to him, "sey why þou hast spoiled̛ þe ymagis, sitℏ I chargid þat no man shuld do it; Thyne owne mouthe hatℏ dampnyd the." And þerfore he smote of his hed̛, &c.