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

[leaf 37]

Story.

VOmias reigned̛ in Rome, that toke a faire m̛aid̛en̛ to wyf̘, the whiche conseived̛, and brought forthe a faire sone. ¶ wise men come to the Emperour, forto have [leaf 37, back] his sone to norissℏ. ¶ Than the Emperour sent out a messanger þurgℏ aƚƚ the Citee, that in whos house were founde fire and watir, shuld̛

have his sone to norissℏ. ¶ whan this was publisshed̛, many ordeyned̛ hem fire and watir. ¶ The Emperour did̛ crie also, that he that hadde the childe to kepe, and norisshed̛ hym clenly and purely, he shuld̛ be promoted̛ to grete dignyte, and els he shuld̛ be dampned̛ to wikked̛ dethe. ¶ Anon̛, while thei slept, come a Tyraunte, whos name was Eulopius, that sleked̛ the fire and cast watir out of the house. But amonge hem was a man that hight Ionathas, that aƚƚ nyght labored̛ that fire and watir shuld̛ not faile, but þat he shold̛ alway have bothe redy. ¶ whan morow was come, the messanger went aboute the Citee, to loke in whos house he myght fynde fire and watir; but whan he hadde gone aboute the Citiee, in the house aƚƚ only of Ionathas he founde fire and watir; and so the Emperours sone was yeve to hym for to norissℏ, vndir the forme aforseid̛. ¶ Ionathas toke the child̛, and hired̛ masons, that thei shold̛ enhaunse his Chambre witℏ morter and stone; and whan the chambre was redy, he called̛ to hym payntours, and made his chambre to be paynted̛ ¶ In this form. in the walle, on the right side, he paynted̛ x. ymages, and aboue the ymages this scripture was written̛, ¶ he that foulethe not thise ymages, shaƚƚ have a

golden̛ crowne of the Emperour; And yf he foule of [sic] the ymages, he shaƚƚ be condempned̛ to a foule dethe. ¶ Than on the dore he made to be drawen̛ a golden̛ chaier, and hym self̘ sittyng ther in, crowned̛ witℏ a crowne of gold̛; and aboue his hede was written̛, thus shaƚƚ be crowned̛, that wele norisshetℏ the Emperours sone. And whan aƚƚ this was made, ¶ Ionathas was ofte sithe tempted̛ forto defoule the ymages, but whan he redde the scripture, anon̛ he had̛ drede that he shuld̛ dye an eveƚƚ dethe; and so aƚƚ the temptacion̛ went a-way. and also whan he sawe written̛ over the ymages hedes the mede of the crowne, more and more he studied̛ for to worshippe the ymages, and forto kepe hem in fairenesse. And whan the child̛ was not wele norisshed̛, he ranne swiftly to the perisshyng of the Enemye; and whan he saw hym self̘ shold̛ be hanged̛, he dred̛ gretely, and aƚƚ the [leaf 38] defautes of the norisshyng, as to the child̛, he amended̛. ¶ But whan he sawe the golden̛ chaire, and hym self crowned̛ with a crowne of gold̛, and above his hede was written̛, ¶ Thus he shaƚƚ be worshipped̛, that wele and clene shaƚƚ norissℏ the sone of the Emperour, ¶ And than he had̛ so moche ioye of the picture of þe

Chaire, that aƚƚ his lyf aftir he norisshed̛ wele the child̛. The Emperour, whan he herd̛ this, he sent for hym and for his sone, and promoted̛ hem to grete dignytee.