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

[ XLVI. ]
(THE ADVENTURES OF GAUTER IN SEARCH OF A KINGDOM.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 58 back (cont'd)]

Story.

Some tyme there was a man, that heght Gauterus, þat sought a place and̛ a state where he myght aƚƚ wey Ioye, and̛ haue no disese in his fleshe, ne in his herte; and̛ this sought he longe, in goyng̘ aboute. Atte laste he fownde a fayre ladie, whose housbond̛ was dede; and̛ saluted̛ here fayre. Than the lady askid̛ hym what he soughte? he answerid̛, and̛ saide, "lady, I seke a place and̛ a state where I may aƚƚ way Ioye, and̛ neuer more sorowe." The ladie saide to hym, "be myn housbond̛, and̛ thou shalte haue aƚƚ necessaries." and̛ shewed̛ hym halle, and̛ Chambre, and̛ many othere goodes. ℏe askid̛ hire where he shuld̛ lye on̛ nyghtes? and̛ she shewed̛ hym a bedde, a-boute the which bedde were on that oo partie wulfis, and̛ on the tothere partie wormys, and̛ on the thrid̛ partie were serpentes, and̛ on the fourte side were beres. þan Gauter seide, "how long̘ shaƚƚ I be with the, and̛ where shaƚƚ I haue suche richesse?" The ladie seide, "my housbond̛ is dede, and̛ atte laste thou moste deye; for the bere shaƚƚ sle the, and̛ I wote nere the fyrste nyght or after; and̛ than̛ wolfis, wormys, and̛ serpentes shaƚƚ deuoure the." to whome Gauter seide, aƚƚ [leaf 59] othere thinges are good̛, but the bedde feris me; for I wolde not for aƚƚ the worlde lye in such a bedde." Than̛ Gauter wente away from̛ thense, and̛ come to a kyngdome where the kyng̘ was dede. and̛ men of the kyngdome sayden to hym, "be oure kyng̘, and̛ þou shalte haue aƚƚ goodes. se a paleys! se a Chambre!" and̛ amonge othere they

shewed̛ to hym such a bedde as he sawe be-fore, sette a-boute with the forsaide bestes. Than Gauter saide, "shaƚƚ ought̘ thes bestes noye me?" they answerid̛, and̛ seide, "the bere shaƚƚ sle the, and̛ the othere bestes shaƚƚ deuoure the, as it is done to othere kynges; but we wote not when." and̛ he saide, "swich a kyngdome is perelous, and̛ the bedde is lothe to me; and̛ þerfore I go hense." than he wente forthe his way, tiƚƚ he come to a place where he fownde an olde man̛, sittyng̘ atte fete of a laddere, þat was sette to a walle, the which laddere had̛ iij staues. The olde man askyd̛ what he sought̘? Gauter seide, "A stide where I may aƚƚ wey Ioye, and̛ no disese suffere." The olde man seide, "if̘ thou go vp on the walle by this laddere, thou shalte fynde what thou sekes." Gautere wente vp, and fownde what he had̛ longe sought.

[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.