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

[ XXXIV. ] Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 47 back (cont'd)]

Story.

DOmyciane reigned̛ in the Citee of Rome, that was a wise man, and had̛ many possessions. This Emperour had ij. doughtirs, one faire, a nother̛ [leaf 48] blak̘. ¶ he did̛ crie thurgℏ his Empire, that who so wold̛ wedde his faire doughtir, shuld̛ no thyng haue witℏ her but her fairenesse; And who so wold̛ his blak̘ doughtir to wyf, shuld̛ have aƚƚ his Empire witℏ her, after his dissease. ¶ And whan the crie was made, moche peple come to the Emperours paleys, and asked̛ the faire doughtir to wyf̘. The Emperour said̛, "ye wote not what ye aske, For, by the crowne of my hede, ye shuƚƚ nought have witℏ my doughtir that is faire but only her fairenesse; yf ye desire þe other doughtir, I shalle yeve aƚƚ my Empire witℏ her, after my dissease." ¶ The grete men, whan thei herd̛ this, thei wold̛ not assente to his saiyng. ¶ Whan the Emperour herd̛ this, he said̛ to hem, "Frendes, ye are many; and yf I graunted̛ my faire

doughtir to one of you, and not to another, there shuld̛ be betwixe you stryf̘ and debate. Therfore gothe, and make a turnement amonge you for her love, and he shaƚƚ have the victorie, shaƚƚ haue her to wyf." ¶ Thei herde this, and were glad̛; and wenten̛ and maden̛ not only a turnement but a bataile, for the maidens love; wherfore many were dede in the bataile, but one had̛ the victorie, and wedded̛ the maiden̛. ¶ whan the second̛ doughtir, that was blak̘, sawe that her sustir was wedded̛ witℏ so mekeƚƚ myrthe and gladnesse, she sorowed̛ mekeƚƚ, and every day wept bitterly. ¶ whan the Emperour herd̛ this, he came to his doughtir, and said̛, "O! my my dere doughtir, for what thyng is thi soule turmented̛?" She said̛, ¶ "O! my reverent fadir, it is no wondir that I thus sorow, for my sustir is married̛ witℏ so grete worshippe and gladnesse, and aƚƚ that shaƚƚ see me, shaƚƚ hate my felishippe; and therfore what is best to be done, vtterly I wote never." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "o! my dere doughtir, aƚƚ that is myn̛ is thyn̛, And thou knowest wele, that he that hathe wedded̛ thi sustir, hath no thynge witℏ her but her fairenesse; ¶ And therfore I shaƚƚ do crie by kyngdomes and castels, that who so wille wedde the, I shaƚƚ make hym a lettre vndre my seale, that after my dissease he shaƚƚ have my Empire."

Whan she herd̛ this, she was comforted̛. ¶ And whan the crie was made, of a persone of the Emperours, there come a gentile knyght that hight lambert, and asked̛ of the Emperour his blak̘ doughtir to wyf̘; and he graunted̛ hym, witℏ her grete ioye, and he wedded̛ her. And whan the Emperour was dede, he was [leaf 48, back] made Emperour.

¶ Declaracio.

Frendes, this Emperour is our lord̛ Ihesu crist, that hathe .ij. doughtirs, one faire, that is, the worlde, the whiche is fuƚƚ faire to many a man, and the other doughtir blak̘, that is, poverte or tribulacion̛, that few men desiren for to wedde. Neverthelesse a comon̛ crie is made, by holy scripture, that in the world̛ thou shalt no thyng have but her fairenesse, that is, the vanyte of the world̛, that sone passetℏ away, as the fairenesse of man. ¶ But thei that take wilfuƚƚ poverte and tribulacion̛, for the love of Ihesu crist, withouten̛ doute thei shaƚƚ have the kyngdom̛ of heven̛; as crist saitℏ, ¶ ye that have forsake aƚƚ thyng, and haue folowed̛ me, ye shaƚƚ have an hundred̛ fold̛ more, and ever lastyng blisse therto. Many noble men and grete, in a passyng nombre, come for the first faire doughtir, that is, for the world̛, and witℏ labour sechen it, and sometyme fighten̛ by lond̛ and watir, that is, whan thei putten̛ aƚƚ her studie in worldly thynges; so that for the world̛ many a man is dede, witℏ outen nombre. for alle that is in the world̛ either it is pride of lyf̘, or concupiscance of eyen̛, or concupiscence of flessℏ, for aƚƚ the world̛ is but in wikkednesse. but he that weddid̛ the faire doughtir, for sothe is he, that witℏ aƚƚ his desire and assent strengthitℏ hym for to wedde the world̛, and in no maner wolle leve it, as the Avarous man, and covetous man. ¶ But he that weddeth the blak̘ doughtir, is a good̛ cristen man, that for the love of the kyngdom̛ of heven̛ levetℏ aƚƚ worldly thynges, and dispisetℏ hym self̘ bodely,

and obeyetℏ to his souerayns in aƚƚ thynges. forsothe suche one shaƚƚ have the Empire of the kyngdom̛ of heven̛; to the whiche bryng vs Ihesu crist! Amen.