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

[L.]
(FABLE OF THE ASS AND THE SWINE.)Addit. MS. 9066.

[leaf 60 back (cont'd)]

Story.

The asse sawe ofte sithes, how draffe, drestes, and̛ benes, pese, and̛ brede, was gyven̛ to the swyne; and̛ they Etyn̛ faste, and̛ traueylid̛ not, but when̛ they hade Etyn̛, they leide hem downe and slepte. The asse thought̘ in hym self̘, and̛ seide, "the swyne are wele at ease; they Etyn̛ and̛ drynkyn̛, and̛ wirke not̘; and̛ I swynk, and̛ laboure aƚƚ day, and̛ litiƚƚ Ete. I shaƚƚ fayne me seke." and̛ did̛ so, and̛ seke he lay stiƚƚ. that sawe his mayster, and̛ priked̛ hym for to ryse; and̛ he wolde not, but groned̛, and̛ sorowed̛, and̛ laye stille. Than̛ saide his mayster to his wyfe, "the Asse is seke." she seide, "sithen̛ it is so, lette vs gyfe hym̛ good̛ mete, brede, and̛ branne, and bere to hym watyr." and̛ so they

didden̛. but the Asse Ete fyrste but a litiƚƚ, and̛ afterward̛ Ete Enoughe, and̛ was made fatte; And̛ seide to hym selfe, "I haue a good̛ worlde Atte laste!" the hogges were made fatte; then the mayster sente for the buchere, with his axe and̛ his knyfe, for to sle the hogges; And̛ when the buchere was comyn̛, he slowe the hogges. That sawe the asse, and̛ was aferde, leste they shuld̛ slee hym, when he were fatte; And̛ seide in hym selfe, "for sothe, I had̛ leuer laboure, and̛ haue myn olde life in swynke and̛ in swete, than be thus slayne, as the swyne are." and̛ he wente oute of the stabiƚƚ, and̛ skipped̛ be-fore his mayster; that toke hym, and̛ putt hym to his olde laboure.

Declaracio.

The swyn be-tokyn riche men and̛ women, þat Clothen hem selfe wordly, and̛ Etyn̛ and̛ drynkyn̛ deyntethly, and̛ shynyngly, and̛ trauayle not. for sothe such are clerkes, and̛ swyne of̘ the deuyƚƚ, in which Entryn̛ vnclene sperites, that casten̛ hem in the see, and̛ drownyn̛ hem in the bitter peynes of helle. The asse, vppon̛ the which Criste rideth, is the rightwisman̛ and̛ woman̛, that is in good̛ laboure, and̛ studie bothe in cloyster and̛ in felde. Therfore it is better to laboure, and̛ to lede a laborers life, with the rightwisman̛, than wrechidly to be slayne with þe swyne, and̛ perische with the wicked̛ man, of the which spekith Iobe, they ledyn̛, he saythe, theyre dayes in lustys and̛ lykynges, [leaf 61] And̛ wele fare, And̛ in a poynte gon̛ downe to helle. god̛ kepe vs þer fro, and̛ bryng̘ vs to the blisse, þat neuer shaƚƚ haue an Ende! Amen.