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

(HOW A POOR MAN BY SOLVING THREE DIFFICULTIES OBTAINED AN EMPEROR'S DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE.)

[ XXXV. ] Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 48 back]

Story.

Antonyus in the Citee of Rome reigned̛, a man right wise, that had̛ a faire doughtir, that hight Ierabelle, and was desired̛ of many. Neverthelesse she made a vowe to god̛, that she shuld̛ never take husbond̛, but yf he myght do .iij. thynges, ¶ That is, [fyrst] to chaunge the wynde fro the Northe in to the Est, whan her fadir wold̛. The second̛ was, to mete aƚƚ the Elementes, as vnto the brede and lengthe, and how many fete aƚƚ the Elementes conteyned̛. ¶ The thirde was, that he shuld̛ bere fire in his bosom̛, by the bare flessℏ, witℏ out brennyng [leaf 49] of his flessℏ. many grete men, whan thei had̛ herd̛ her vowe, they wold̛ not besy hem for to have her; and so she dwelled̛ many yeres in her maydenhode. ¶ There was that tyme in ferre countrees a gentile knyght, whose name was Plebeus, that on a tyme as he lay in his bedde, he thought witℏ in hym self̘, "I am but a poore knyght; yf I myght by any mean

have the Emperours doughtir, I shuld̛ not aƚƚ only be promoted̛ to richesse, but also aƚƚ my kynrede." than he went to the Emperours paleys, and knokked̛ at the gate. The porter asked̛, whi he knokked? ¶ he said̛, "I am a knyght of ferre countre, and plebeus is my name; and I am come for to have the Emperours doughtir to wyf̘." The porter said̛, "have kepyng̘ of thi self̘, and wete wele, that no man shaƚƚ have the doughtir of my lord̛ but yf he do .iij. thynges. ¶ One is, that he chaunge the wynde; mete the Elementes; and bere fire in his bosom̛ witℏ out hurtyng; and he that puttetℏ hym to thise thynges, and failetℏ, he shaƚƚ lose his hede." The knyght said̛, "before I come hedir I herde this processe, but witℏ outen̛ doute I shaƚƚ fulfille the peticion̛ of the maiden̛." ¶ Whan the porter herd̛ this, he lette hym entre; and [he] come, and stode before the Emperour, and asked̛ the maiden̛ to wyf̘. The Emperour said̛, "Yf thou wilte fulfille the peticion̛ of my doughtir, thou shalt have her to wyf̘." he said̛, "sir, I am redy to fulfille [hem.] iij. thynges there be that your doughter wold̛ have fulfilled̛. The first is, to chaunge the wynde fro þe northe into the Est; lo! I am redy for to prove that." The knyght had̛ an horse, that was wode; and yaf hym a drynk̘, by vertu of the whiche drynk̘ he was delyuered̛ of

his woodnesse. ¶ Whan this was done, he put his hede toward̛ the Est, and̛ said̛, "sir, behold̛ the wynde is turned̛ from the Northe into the Est." The Emperour said̛, "what is that to chaunge the wynde?" he said̛, "yis, sir, what is the lyf of man or of any best but a liteƚƚ wynde? for as longe as myn̛ horse was wood̛, so longe it was in the northe, for aƚƚ evels cometℏ out of the Northe. I yaf̘ hym a drynke, that his woodnesse shuld̛ cease, and now he hathe his hede in the Est, and is redy forto bere alle burthons. and so the wynde is chaunged̛ fro the northe in to the Est." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "forsothe thou hast wele proved̛ the first peticion̛; lette vs now se; for the second̛ peticion̛ is this, forto mete the .iiij. Elementes, after aƚƚe her divisions." ¶ "Se now, that I shaƚƚ clerely prove it." Anon̛ [leaf 49, back] he made his Squyer to light down̛ on the ground̛, and̛ he beganne to mete fro the hede vnto the fete, the lengtℏ and the brede, and the depnesse. whan this was don̛, he said̛ to þe Emperour, ¶ "Sir, leve me, there are not .vij. fete and an half̘ fully in lengtℏ of the elementes aƚƚ, and so many in brede." what is that to þe .iiij. elementes?" said̛ þe Emperour. ¶ The knyght said̛, "sir, it is wele know to you, that in man is .iiij. Elementes; and sithe I

have moten̛ the membres of my squyers body, so I have the Elementes; and so, as me semetℏ, is assoiled̛ the second̛ peticion̛." ¶ The Emperour said̛, "forsothe, right wele thou hast proved̛ it; go now to the thirde peticion̛." the knyght said̛, "I am redy to fulfille aƚƚ your wille." ¶ Anon̛ he toke a brennyng cole, and .iij. daies he bare it in his bosom̛, witℏ out brennyng or hurtyng of his flessℏ. ¶ This saw the Emperour, and saide, "Say me, frende, how may this be, for the other .ij. clerly I sey, but how it may be of the fire, vtterly I wote never." ¶ he said̛, "sir, my modir yaf me a precious stone, by vertu of þe whicℏ the fire may not noye me." the Emperour heryng this, was gretly glad̛, and said̛, "for sothe, wisely thou hast fulfilled̛ the peticions of my doughtir, and therfore thou shalt have her to wyf̘." and anon̛ the Emperour made a crie, that aƚƚ shold̛ come to the weddyng. and many come, and the weddyng was celebrate witℏ grete ioye; and so bothe thei ledden̛ and lived̛ in pease, and yelded̛ her soules to god̛.

¶ Declaracio.

¶ Dere frendes, this Emperour̛ is our lord̛ Ihesu crist. the faire and the glorious doughtir, that made the vowe, for sothe it is the grace of [the] hevenly kyng[dome], that no man may haue but yf he do .iij. thynges. ¶ The first is, to chaunge the wynde fro the nortℏ into the Est, that is forto sey, to chaunge his lyf̘ fro

wikked̛ into good̛, and that is to chaunge the wynde; as Job saitℏ, ¶ My lif̘ is a wynde. The second̛ is to mete the elementes. This metyng is nought els but the way of contricion̛ and confession̛, and forto se and mete, what and how mekeƚƚ thou hast trespassed̛ ayenst god̛. ¶ The squyer, that lay on the erthe, for sothe is thi body, that owetℏ to be meke to the spirite, as ofte as he wille mete it by way of penaunce; and so thou shalt fynd̛ . iv. fete, that is, the Fadir, the sone, and þe holy gost, and aƚƚ seyntes to thi plesaunce, after thou hast moten̛ thi way by penaunce; for it is a more [leaf 50] fressℏ ioye of oo synner that dotℏ penaunce for his synne, than of many other that nede no penaunce. the .iij. is to bere fire. This fire is goddes grace, that savetℏ man from brennyng of synne; for whi? oure modir, holy chirche, yaf̘ vs a stone, that is, cristendom̛, by vertu of the whiche we shaƚƚ have the faire glorious maiden̛, that is, ever lastyng lyf̘. to the whicℏ bryng vs that noble and blissed̛ Emperour Jhesu crist! Amen.

Second Version. 28.Cambr. MS. Kk. 1. 6.

[leaf 236 back (cont'd)]

[A]ntonius in þe Cite of Rome regned, a man right wyse, þat had a fayre doghtur þat hight Ierabelle, & was desyryd of many. Neuerþeles she made a-vowe to god þat she wolde neuer take husband̛ / but he myght do .iij. þingys / þat is, to change þe wynd̛ fro þe northe in to þe est Whan þe fader wolde. The second was, to mete aƚƚ þe elementes, As vn-to þe brede & le[n]gthe, & how meny fete þe elementes conteynyd̛ / The .iij. is he shold̛ bere fir̛ in his bosom̄ by þe bare flesshe with out brynnyng̘ of his flesshe // Many grete men whan þei herd her̛ a-vowe þei wold̛ not byse hem for to haue hir̛, & so she dwellyd̛ many wyntris in hir̛ maydyn̄-hoode / Ther was þat tyme in ferre contres a gentiƚƚ knyght, whos name was plebeus, þat on a tyme as he lay in his bedde he þought with-in hym-self, "I am A pore knyght; If I myght by eny wey haue þe

Emperours doghter, I shold not aƚƚ only be promotyd to riches, but also aƚƚ my kynred̛" / Than he went to þe Emperours pales & knokkyd at þe gate / The porter askyd whi he knokkyd̛; he seyde, "I am a knyght of ferre contres, plebius is my name / I come for [leaf 237] to haue þe Emperours doughtur to wyf̘" / The porter seyde, "haue kepyng̘ of þi-self̘, & wite wele þer shaƚƚ no man haue þe doughter of my lorde, but if he do .iij. þinges / On̛ is to change þe wynde / mete þe Elementes / & bere fyre in his bosom̄ with-out hurting̘, & he þat puttyth hym to do þes .iij. þinges & faylyth he shaƚƚ be put of̘" / The knyght seyde, "by-fore I com̄ heder I herd̛ þis processe, but with-out dout I shaƚƚ fulfiƚƚ þe peticion̄ of þe mayde" // Whan þe porter herd þis he lete hym entr̛, & [he] come & stode by-fore þe Emperour, & askyd þe mayde to wyf̘ / "If þou fulfiƚƚ þe peticion̄ of my doughter, þou shalt haue her to wyf̘" / he seyde, "syr, I am redy to fulfiƚƚ hem // .iij. þingis þer be þat your doughtur wold̛ haue fulfilled̛ / The first is, to change þe wynde fro þe northe in-to þe este / lo! I am redy for to proue þat" / The knyght had an hors þat

was woode, & gaf hym a drynke by vertu of þe which drynke he was delyuerd of his wodnes / Whan þis was done he put his hede toward þe Este and seyde / "behold̛! for þe wynd is fro þe norþe in-to þe Este" / The Emperour seyde, "what is þis to changyng̘ of the wynd̛?" / he seyde, "yes, syr. What is þe lyf̘ of man or best but a lytiƚƚ wynd̛? As long As myn hors was wode so long̘ it was in þe northe, for aƚƚ euyƚƚ comytℏ out of þe norþe / I gaf hym a drynke þat his woodnes shold̛ cese, & now he hathe his hede in-to þe Este, & is redy to bere aƚƚ byrthens, & so þe wynd̛ is changyd̛ fro þe northe in-to þe Este" / The Emperour seyde, "forsoþe, þou hast wele prouyd þe firste peticion̄, let vs now se for þe second peticion̄ is þis for to mete aƚƚ þe elementes after aƚƚ her deuysons" / "Se now, I shaƚƚ cle[r]ly proue it." / Anone he made his squyer to lye doun̄ on þe grownd̛, & he bygan to mete fro þe hede vn-[to þe fete] þe lengthe, þe depnes. whan þis was done he seyde to þe Emperour / "Sir, leue me, þei are not .vij. fete & an half̘ fully in þe lengthe of þe Elementes, & also many in brede" / "what is þis to þe .iiij. Elementes? seyde þe Emperour / The knyght seyde / "Syr, it is

wele knowe to you þat in A man are .iiij. Elementes, and seth I haue mote þe membres of my squyers body, so haue I þe Elementes, & so, As me semyth, is a-soylyd þe second peticion̄." The Emperour seyde, "forsoþe / Rigℏt wele þou hast prouyd it. / Go now to þe .iij. [leaf 237, back] peticion̄" / The knyght seyde, "I am redy to fuƚƚ fiƚƚ your wyƚƚ" / Anone he toke a brenneng̘ cole & .iij. dayes bare it in his bosom̄ with-out hurting of his flesshe / This sawe þe Emperour, & seyde / "Say me, frende, how þis may be, for þe toþer .ij. clerly I sye, but how it may be of þe fyre vtterly I not" / he seyde, "Syr, my moder gaf̘ me a precious stone by vertu of þe whiche þe fyre may not noye me" / This Emperour heryng̘ þis was gladde gretely & seyde, "forsoþe, wysely þou hast fulfilled þe peticions of my doughter & þerfor þou shalt haue her to wyf̘" / And Anone þe Emperour made a cry þat aƚƚ sholde come to þe weddyng̘ & many come & þe weddyng̘ was celebrate with grete Ioy, & so bothe lyued in pees, & yeldyd her soules to god.