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

(HOW AN UNGRATEFUL MAN REBELLED AGAINST THE EMPEROR, HIS BENEFACTOR.)

[ XXV. ] Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 36 (cont'd)]

Story.

LEnyncius reigned̛ in Rome, the whicℏ as he rode by a forest, mette witℏ a poore man, and seid̛ to hym, "fro whens comest thou, and what art thou?" he said̛, "I come fro the next Citee, and am your man." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "yf thou wilte be a good̛ man, and a trew, I shaƚƚ promote the to grete richesse." he said̛, "ye, lord̛." Anon̛ the Emperour made hym a knyght, and sone he rode into pride; wherfore he gadred̛ to hym many of the grete men of the empire, and conspired̛ witℏ hem, that he wold̛ vsurpe the Empire. whan the Emperour wist that, anon̛ he put hym out, and alle that held̛ witℏ hym; and wold̛ no lenger lette hym dwelle in his Empire, but ordeyned̛ other in her stede,

and yaf hem aƚƚ her landes, and aƚƚ her mevable goodes. ¶ Whan they herd̛ that straungers had̛ her goodes, thei conspired̛ ayenst hem, and praied̛ hem to the fest, and sette before hem v. messe; and every messe was envenymed̛, and aƚƚ that ete of the messes were dede. ¶ The Emperour called̛ his sonnes, and asked̛, what were to do of the dede? his Eldest sone said̛, "ye are my Fadir, and gretly I am greved̛ for your hevynesse. I yeve you this counseile. ¶ A liteƚƚ kyngdom̛ is here not ferre fro you, in the whiche is a fuƚƚ faire maiden̛, the whicℏ hatℏ a noble gardyn̛; In the whicℏ gardeyn̛ is a welle of watir of suche vertu, that yf it be sprynged̛ on the dede body, it shaƚƚ lyve agayn̛. ¶ Therfore I shaƚƚ go to this kyngdome, and shaƚƚ gete the watir of this welle, by the whiche the dede mow arise to lyf̘." ¶ And anon̛ he went to the kyngdom̛, and gate the wille of the maiden̛; and went into the gardyn̛, and found̛ the welle. wherfore he did̛ make v. pittes right depe, by the whiche the watir of the welle ranne to the bodies of the dede men; and anon̛ thei rissen̛. and whan this was done and sene, ¶ The sone of the Emperour ladde [leaf 36, back] hym and aƚƚ theym̛ to his Fadir. ¶ The Emperour, whan he sawe hem, he was glad̛, and for ioye crowned̛ his sone.

¶ Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour is the Fadir of heven̛. The poore man, that was promoted̛ to grete dignite, is lucifer, that of̘ nought was made, that is, of no matir. ¶ Therfore of that he was so proude, in so mekeƚƚ that he wold̛ be like god, ye, and more; and therfor̛ he was cast out of heven̛, witℏ aƚƚ theym̛ that consented̛ to hym, and man is promoted̛ to that dignyte in her stede. ¶ The fendes, whan thei sawe this, thei praied̛ Adam and Eve to a fest, whan thei eten̛ of the apple agayn̛ goddes precepte by her steryng, and said̛, ¶ What houre ye ete of the frute of this tree, ye shuƚƚ be as goddes. wherfore in this fest was mynystred̛ to hem v. messes, That is, of the v. wittes, the whiche aƚƚ accorded̛ to ete of the apple; and therfore aƚƚ thei were enfecte, for the whiche man died̛. ¶ This herd̛ the sone of the Fadir of heven̛, and was stered̛ to mercy, and descended̛ fro heven̛ into this world̛; and come to the maiden̛, that is, Marie, and there he found̛ the welle of mankynd̛, the whiche was Ioyned̛ to the godhede. ¶ Aftir this he did̛ make v. pittes, that is, v. woundes in his bodye, by the whiche ranne blood̛ and watir, that made aƚƚ mankynde to lyve agayn̛, that shaƚƚ be saved, and ledde home agayn̛ to the hevenly paleys. To the whiche brynge vs Iesu Crist! Amen.

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.