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

[ XLIX. ]
(THE WOLF AND THE SWINE.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 60 (cont'd)]

A lewde man on a tyme askid̛ a clerk, "What Ioye is in Paradise?" the clerk̘ saide, "there is such a Ioye, that In euer sawe, ne neuer herd̛, ne assendid̛ in mannys herte, that oure lord̛ hatℏ ordeyned̛ to his louers." Than saide the lewde man̛, that lovyd̛ wele houndes, be cause of̘ huntyng̘, and̛ hawkys, and̛ othere wordly games, "Syn̛ aƚƚ Ioye shaƚƚ be there, are there any houndes or hawkes?" the clerke seide, "god̛ for-bede, þat houndes or hawkes shuld̛ come in so mery a place!" Than saide the lewd man̛, "forsothe, if hawkes and̛ houndes were there, I shuld̛ þe more desyre to go to swich a place, that is so fuƚƚ of Ioye." The clerke answerid̛, and̛ seide, "the lyoun̛ on a tyme made a feste, to the

which he called̛ many bestes, and̛ gafe hem dyuerse and̛ sondry fleshes, and̛ many othere delites; and̛ when the feste was done, the bestes wente home to here owne places. It happenyd̛ that the wolf̘ fownde a swyne in the way, Etyng̘ draffe and̛ drestes. then the swyne saide to the wolfe, "from̛ whense comes thou?" he saide, "from the noble feste of the lyon̛; was not thou there?" the swyne saide, "no." "were there not," saide the swyne, "many fayre messes, and̛ many delites?" the wolf̘ saide, "yis, forsothe, þey were fayre, and̛ wele arayed̛." The swyn̛ saide, "was there any draffe or drestes?" The wolfe saide, "a! thou cursed̛ wrech, what̘ askes thou? God̛ forbede, that in so worthy a feste shuld̛ be so foule a mete!" On the same wise there be many in this worlde, that desyren̛ and̛ seken̛ but draffe and drestes, that is, lecherie, and̛ lustes of this worlde, and̛ delites of the fleshe; of̘ which osee saithe, the Prophete, god̛ loued̛ the childryn̛ of Isareƚƚ, and̛ they tokyn̛ hede to othere goodes, and̛ louedyn̛ draffe of grapes, or beuerage, [leaf 60, back] that is, they lovedyn draffe of lechery, And̛ othere flesshly lustes, more than the grete Ioye of paradise; therfore they come neuere to the londe of the be-heste. no more shaƚƚ swich men and̛ women come to the Ioye of paradise, that louyn̛ more draffe and̛ drestes, that is, lustes and̛ lykynges of the flesshe, but they amende hem or they deye.