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

Second Version. 22.Cambr. MS. Kk. 1. 6.

[leaf 233 (cont'd)]

Lemicius regned in the Cite of Rome / the which, as he rode by a foreste, mete with a pore man & seyde to hym, "fro whens comyst þou & what art þou?" he seyde, "I come fro þe nexte Cite/ & I am your man" / The Emperour sayde, "if þou wilt be A good man & trew, I shaƚƚ promote the to richesse" / he seyde, "ye, lorde" / A-none þe Emperour made hym knyght, & sone he rose in-to pride / Wherfor he gadred to hym many of þe grete men̄ of the Empire & conspirid with hem þat he wolde vsurpe the Empire / Whan þe Emperour wist of þat / Anone he put hym out & aƚƚ þat helde with hym / & wolde no lenger let hym dwelle in his Empire,

but ordeynyd oþer in his stede, & gaf̘ hem his landes, & [leaf 233, back] aƚƚ her meuable goodys / whan thei harde / þat straungers had her goodes Thei conspirid a-gayne hem & prayed hem to þe feste & sette by-fore hem v. messes, & euery messe was venymed, & aƚƚ þat ete of þe messes were dede / The Emperour called̛ / his sones [&] seyde, "ye Are my fader, & gretely I am greuyd for your heuynes / I gyf̘ yow this counceiƚƚ / A lytiƚƚ kyngdome is here bysyde, not ferre fro yow, in the which is a weƚƚ of water of suche vertu þat if it be sprenglid̛ on the dede body It shaƚƚ leve agayn̄ / þerfor I shaƚƚ go to this kyngedome & gete me water of þis welle by þe whiche þe dede mow rise to lyf̘ / And anone he went to þe kyngdome & gate þe weƚƚ of the mayde / & went in to þe garden̄ & fonde þe weƚƚ: wherfor he made .v. pittes fuƚƚ depe, by the which þe water of þe weƚƚ ranne to þe bodyes of þe dede men, & Anone thei risen̄. And [when] this was sene The sone of þe Emperour led hem aƚƚ with hym to his fader. þe Emperour whan he saw hem he was gladde & for Ioy crownyd his sone.