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

[Declaracio.]

What̘ wordly man̛ sekis thes thre, or any of̘ hem, that is to saye, a fayre woman̛ for lechery, or dignite or vayne glorie, or golde and̛ syluer for couetise, but if̘ he loke deligently in what bedde hym behouys to lye, with a grete studie he shaƚƚ fle such thinges. for in the beddes hede stondith the bere, that is, dethe, þat spareth no man̛; as it is saide in Ose, I shaƚƚ come to hem as a bere whos whelpes are take awaye, that of grete Ire spareth no beste. no more dethe dothe man̛. The wolfis arne his kynsmen̛, or the kynges mynystres, or Euyƚƚ Executours, that taken aƚƚ þe goodes of þe dede, and̛ deuouren̛ hem, and̛ of the dede they makyn̛ no force. The wormys fretyn̛ the body; and̛ the serpentes arne the deuyls, that beryn away the soule of þe wicked̛ man̛, and̛ punyshith it with dyuerse tormentes; as it is saide in ecclesiastice, when the wicked̛ man̛ deietℏ, he shaƚƚ take to his heritage serpentes, bestes, and̛ wormys. The wicked̛ man̛ is deuyded̛ into iij parties when he deieth. the serpentes, that ben deuyls, shaƚƚ bere a-way his soule; the bestes, tho ben bestiaƚƚ men that leuyn bestially, shaƚƚ bere away his goodes; and̛ the wormys aƚƚ only shaƚƚ bere away his Careyn̛, and̛ resseyue it. whereof̘ an Ensample. It happenyd̛, that a lorde mette with the berers of a dede monke, an vserere, and̛ his pense. the lorde askid̛, what they bare? they seide, "the [leaf 59, back] body of the man̛, and̛ his pens, that he toke to vs." the lorde seide, "not so,

for he was my man̛; but ye and̛ wormys shaƚƚ haue his body, and̛ I shaƚƚ haue his pens; and̛ the deuyls shaƚƚ bere away the soule." Therfore we that wil haue a place of reste, withoute disese or noye, lete vs assende vp with Gauter by the goldyn̛ laddere; of the which the fyrste staffe is contricion̛ of herte, the second̛ staffe is trew confession̛, the thrid̛ staff̘ is trew satisfaccion̛. if̘ ye wil go vpon̛ these iij staves of the laddere, we shuƚƚ come to the Ioye and̛ reste of̘ Euerlastyng̘ life, where is no disese. Amen.