ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Production Note Project Unica Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign 2015r 7 ] 7 ■ ( H RECORD OF ANCIENT ftISTORIES, I Entituled in Latin, GESTA ROMANORUM. l.i pifcourfing of jfundry Examples, for the advancement of Virtue, and the abandoning of Vi Jofe his head: and if he overtake her, then (hall I wed her Cunto him. : " And when the Emperor had told him all the peril that might fall in the winning of her, the kn ght voluntarily granted to abide that jeopordy. Then the knight provided him three balls of gold againit the running. And when they had begun to run a little fpace, the young lady overrun him : Then the knight threw forth before her the firft ■ - .ball of gold, and when thedatnlel faw the ball, fheftooped and took it up, and in the mean while th knight gót be-f fore her, but that availed little, lor when ihe perceived it,4 Gesta Romanorum. Ihe ran fo fait, that in ihort fpace (Tic got before him again: and then he threw forth the iecond ball of gold, and fhc (looped as before and took it up, and in that while the knight got before her 3gain : which this young damfel feeing, con-(trained her felf, and ran fo fait, that (he ioon h ad him at an advantage again, and was afore him again: Now by that time they were nigh the mark where they fhould abide, wherefore the knight threw forth the third ball before her, and fhe (looped down to take up the ball; And while (he was taking up the third ball, the knight ot before her, and was firit at the mark And thus was file won. The MORA L. By this Emperor is underilood the father of heaven, and by the damiel is underilood the foul of man, with whom, many devils defire to rim, and to deceive her throu h their rentatiens. but fhe withilandeth them mightily, and over-Cometh them : And when he hath done his word, and may rot (peed, then makes he three balls ofgold, and caiteth them before her in the three ages of man ; that is to lay, in youth, ip man-hood, and in old age. In youth the devil cadeth the ball of letchery before her; that is to fay, the defire of 'he ftefh ; nevertheleis, for all this ball, often-tmies man overcometh the devil, by acknowledging of his fin to God by hearty repentance, and an amendment of life The iecond hall, is the ball of pride, the which the devil caiteth to man in his man-hood ; that is to lay, in his middle age : but this ball man oftentimes overcometh, as he did the firit:: but let him beware of the third bail, which is covetoufneis. that the devil caiteth to man in his old age, which is dreadful: for except a man may overcome this ball, with the other two he (hall loie his honour; that is to fay, the kingdom of heaven. "For when a man burn-eth in covetoi'inefs, he thinketh not on ghoillyriches { for ever his heart is fet on worldly goods) and reckoned not of prayers, or of wel doing, and thus loieth he his hen tare, to the winch God hath bought him with his precious blood: Unto the which our Lord |efus bring us all inn rtilOUMENT As God allotted) diverte men, diverie callings andeftat of l.ymg m this world io ,s every man tryed by t of hfe and dottrine,. whether his radice agree with h profeflion, in Ptoht.nghirnfelf,. without pendice to , thers, wherein if he io hold himielf f > Son the heavenly Father hath planted a tree fuch treafure m the life that (hall beevcrlaiting f heavcn TheGesta Ro m a norum. *• The Second H ISTORY. THere reigned fome time in Rome a wile and mighty Emperor, named Anlelim, whodid hear in his arms a fhield ot lilver, with five red roles. This Emperor had three Ions, whom he loved much. He had alio continual yar with the king of Egypt, in which war he lolt ail his temporal goods, except a precious tree. It fortuned after on a day, that he gave battel to the fame king ot Egypt, wherein he was grievoufly wounded,- neverthelels he obtained the victory, notwithstanding he had his deadly wound: wherefore while he lay at point of death, He cal--j led unto him his eldeft fon, and laid, Vly dear and well-beloved ion, all my temporal riches are fpent, and almoif nothing is left me, but a precious tree, the which Uandeth in the midit of mine empire : 1 give to thee all that is under the earth, and ahove the earth, of the lame tree. O my reverend father, quoth he* 1 thank you much. Then laid the Emperor, call to me my fécond fon A* non the eldclt Ion greatly joying of his father’s gift, called in his brother; and when he came, the Emperor laid, My dear Ion, I may not make my teftamenty (6r as much as l have (pent all my goods, excepta tree which ifandeth in the midft ot mine empire of the which tree, I bequeath to thee ail that is great and final) Then anlivered he. and laid, My reverend father,- I thank you muçh. Then laid the Emperor, call to ms my third Ion : and fo it was done, And when he was come, the Emperor laid,my dear fon, 1 muff die of thefé wounds, and J have only a precious tree, ot which I have given thy brethren their portion, and to thee I bequeath thy portion, tor I will that thou, have of the faid tree all that is wet and dry. Then iiid his ion, father, I thank you. Soon after the Emperor had made his. hequelt, he died. And Ihortly after, the eldeit fon took pollellion of the tree. Now when the fécond Ion heard this, he came to him, faying, my brother, by what law or title occupy you this tree? Dear brother, quoth he-, I occupy it by'this title, my father gave me all that is under the earth, and above of the faid tree by rea-lon therefore the tree is mine. Unknown.to thee, quoth the’ fécond brother, hegave unto mcaii that is great and f mall of the faid tree, and therefore 1 have as great a right in the laid tree as you. This hearing the third fon, he came to them, and faid, my weil-bciovedbie?|ireh, ifboboveth yon not to ftriv*e for this tree, for I have As much right in this tree as you : for by the law you wot the hut will 'and tel fiaient ought to Hand : for of a truth he gave me ot the6 GeSTA RO'MAK05'Ji,i* Gui tre;> a!.1,hatis wet and dry, threat force,' rauic. But for as much as your words are oi 2, * and mine alfo, my counfel is, that we be ion : for it is not good nor commCKuaole that , . diflention ihould be among us. Here bcfide dwelleui a 1 g full of rtaion, therefore to avoid ftrite, let us €° t0 and each of us lay his right before binr and as he fhall judge, let us Hand to his judgment. Then laid his brethren, thy counfel is good; Wherefore they went all three unto the king of reafon, and each of them feveraily fhewed forth his right unto him, ay is laid before. When the king had heard the titles, he rehearfed them all again (everaJly • firtf, faying to the eldeli fon thus, you fay, quoth the king, that your father gave you all that is under the earth, and above the earth, of the laid tree And to the iecond brothtr he biqueathed all that is gre 't and Imall of that tree. Ana to the third brother he gave all that was wet and dry. And with that he laid the law to them, and faid, that his will ought to Ifand. Now my dear friends, briefly I fatisfy all your requefts: and when he had thus faid, he turned unto the eldelt brother, fayinp. my dear friend, if you litf to abide the ji’dj nient ol right, it behoveth you to be letten blood on the n.. ht arm. My Lord, quoth he, your will fhall be done. Then the king called tor a diicreet phylician, com-tnanding him to Jet him blood. When the eldeltSon was thus letten blood, the king faid unto them all three, my dear friends, where is your father buried > I hen anfwered they, and laid, forlooth, my Lord, m iuch a place. Anon the king commanded to dip in the |Z bury the bo°dy AndSS& &k ,rd s« >>e i-d is clear water. His fervants fulfilled all ^ ,Waiht> with ed : and when they beean to u ifh »i* conimand- •way. 'V hen the5kingfawf AP°duVaniihedclea« It behoveth that thou be letten Wane!*'6 *uthL lec0ndl°H, '» ben laid He, my Lord vl! ,? ,? a’ a,s th>' b™ther was. 3non he was don^unto likeas hT{ * h|? be lulfilled* And And when they began to wSh* lher WaS iiJ things, fbed away, Then faid the kfm> to theZ^w1^ Mood vani-tfice to be letten blood likcwlie J th,rt,11on> « behoveth Wllt" He answered, and laid MyGesta Romanorum. 7 My Lord, it pleafêth me well fo to be. When the youngcfl brother was letten blood, and done unto, in all things as his brethren were before, then the king’s fervants began to walh the bone, but neither for walhing nor rubbing might they do away the blood of the bone, but it ever appeareth bloodly When the king faw this, he laid, It*appeareth openly now that this blood is of the nature of the bone: thou art his tru (on, and thele other twd be baitards I juoge thee the tree for evermore. The MORAL. Dear friends, this emperor betokeneth our Lord Jefus Ghrift, which bare a fhield of filver, with five red roles ; that is, his body, that was io fair, fo clear, and more radiant than any lilver, according to the Plilmift : ‘Spe-* ciolus forma prae filiis hominum ; ’ that is, he w .s more fair of fliape than all the children of men. By th< le five roles, we underhand his five wounds which he lufftred for mankind. And by the king^of Egypt, we underhand the devil, agaînft whoiÆhedought all the time of his life, and at the lah he was {lain for mankind. Neverthelefs before his death he made his tehament to his three fons. By the firh, to whom he >jave of the tree all that was under the earth, and above the earth, we underhand luch mighty men, and others of all eitates in this world, as are not .contentu^ their callings, feek ambitioufly the fub-verfion of, othersr, to magnify and exalt themfelves. By the lecond fiavpto whom he gave all of the tree that was great and fmall, we underhand fuch worldly wife-men in this world, which in their lubtilty attempt to win or lofe all. By the third fon, to whom he gave all that was \yet and dry of the tree, we underhand every good chrifti* an prince, noble-man, magiitrate, or meaner perfon in e-very common-wealth whereloever*-which efhewingall ambition and covetoulhels, holding himfelf content with the providence of God, and in his own calling, laboureth truly to do ood unto ail men ; yea, though himfelf fulhin injuries, fuffering now lolace, then care, now riches, then poverty; yet receiveth ail this thankfully, to have this precious tree bequ athed thus unto them. This tree is the tree of paradile, that is, everlahing joy, which is given to us all, if we take it thankfully. This every man ob-taineth not, therefore it behoveth them to go to the king of realon ; that is, unto the father of heaven who know-cth ail things. The firit fon was let blood, and in his blood the bone was laid. By this bone we (hall underhand our ftrong faith in Ghrilfs merits, and by the lively and8 Gesta Romano-rum* fru:tfuj fap of good works proceeding out of the fame, which are rare dungs to be found in thole that leek their own pr »ate gJn, who when they are let.blood by the {¡¡urp lance of God’s juftice, and it be eitab l/hed with divine predication, and made dry with the lun or outward profeilion yet being waiht with the water or fwelling pride, malice., envy, and fuch like; then the faith in Gnfill’s merit is as though we had not received it, ■and the lively and fruitful.1 lap of good works, hath np power to tarry up. n it, but vaniiheth away. And thus it faret'i >vith fheic other two, the firftand tecond Ions, but the thir ion, being contrary unto the other in protdlion am practice of lift and manners, be he magistrate ur mean jperfoij, the bone of Inch a penon will ever be firm ol faith in himlelf, and towards others. From Inch a man’s bone the blood of lively truits (to himfelf and all others profit* able) yvillncverk'r walked away with the wan r ol wretched* nefs, but the mote it is dryed in the fun of true tryal, he better it ts. Such re the true children of < od, oi whom dur Lord Ipeakethihus ‘ Ye which have loriaken all things *f°r me;’ that is, ye that have forfaken the w. y ol iin, ‘ fhall receive an hund ed times n Ofe; ’ that is, ye (half not only receive the tree of p-radiie, but allo the heritage Of heaven. Thele other two are ballards, bccaule what they promiled in fheir baptilm, they wrought all the contrary throu h their wicked living; and therefore he that peurcth to obtain the jpys of heaven, mult abide liedfaftlv in the proieftion and pr-flipe of good life and manners, and then by Ghnit he ihall obtain the tree of paradilt. Unto Amen he -nn^US’ 'vho ^«hand teigneth for ever. And r 1 . JH,E ARCJUMENT. * Son tor ued flSul man’ that he ,ent his onty begotten Son to redeem him out of the captivity of the world S reft with hint m the joys of heaven. Tk ;»» The Third HiS T O RY. f «med whe.reforc he defired gready m knowuZ U 1° ch*PJ|y*- young belt, to -he intent thatVmiihttheth! k)Ved her perfect charity. h fortuned 1? thereby grow to more li birciGf.sta Romanorum. $ ! bird the Emperor took with him, and cloied her in a veflel of glals.^ 'Ihe^dam of this little bird followed unto the Emperor’s palace, and flew unto the hall where her young one was. But when fhe faw her young one, and could not come to her nor get her out, ¡he returned again to the forteft and abode there three, days, and at thelaik (he came again to the palace, bearing in her mouth a worm, called Thumare; and when ihe came where her young one was, Ihe let the worm fall upon the glafs; by virtue of which worm, the glafs brake, and the yonng one Hew forth with her dam. When the Empefor ¡aw this, he praifed much the dam of the bird, which laboured io diligently to deliver her young one. The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor is the Father of heaven, which greatly loveth them that live in period love and charity. This little bird taken from the forreit, and cloied in the glafs, was Adam our Fore-father which was exiled out of paradiie and was put into the glafs, that is hell. This hearing the dame ot the bird, that is the Son of God, he defcendetl from heaven unto the forreit of the world, and lived there three days, bearing with him a worm, that is m3n-hood, according to the Pfalrmit, 11 am a worm, and * no man.’ This rmn was (lain among the Jews; of whofe fcnood, the veflel eternal was broken, and the bird went out, tlift is, Adam went forth with his dam, the Son of God, and flew to heaven, THE A RGUM EN T. A clean fpirit and undefiled ioul is the daughter of God, io dear unto him, that he bellows her not upon the rich man w mting wiidom, but upon the poor man that is wile and liveth in his fear ; which if ihe at any time tranlgrefs by frailty of lieih, then fteketh fhe tor recovery of her health by the medicine of amendment of life: inch a foul ¡hall be elpouied to Chrilt, and live with him in the world to come everlaitingly. The Fourth HISTORY. CJOmetime reigned in Rome a worthy Emperor and a O v/ife, which had a fur daughter and gracious in the fight of every man ti is Emperor bethought him on a-day, to whom he might give his daughter in marriage, reafoning thus, if I give my daughter to a rich man, and he be a fool, then is ihe 11j 1 r; but it 1 give her to a poor and a wife man, then may he get his living by ins wiloom^IO Gesta Romanorum. _____________ Ther! was at ,h3t'“bS wife which came tho’ I put forth m petition before your high nets. T e Emperor faid, .peak on. Then laid, Socrates, My Lord ye have a daughter whom I dehre above all thing . Emperor anfwered and faid, my friend, I fliall give thee my daughter to wife, on this condition, that if fhediem tiy fellowfliip, after that (lie is efpoufed to thee, thou lhalt without doubt lofe thy head. Then faid Socrates, upon this condition, I will gladly take her to my wife : The Emperor hearing this, called all the Lords and dates of his empire, and made a great fealt at their wedding. And after the lead, Socrates led home his wife to his own houfe, where they lived in peace and health a long time. But at laft, this Emperor’s daughter fidkened to death al-moii: When Socrates perceived this, he laith to himfelf, Alas, and wo is me, what (hall I do, and whither (hall I flee, if the Emperor’s daughter that is my wife fhould die ? and for forrow this Socrates went to a forreft there beiide; and wept bitterly. '1 lien while he thus wept and mourned, there came an aged man having a ltalf in his hand. And aiked him why he mourned ? Socrates anfwered, and faid, I efpoufed the Emperor’s daughter, upon this condition, that if ihe die in my fellowfliip, I fhould lofe my life: now ihe is fickned to death almoil, and 1 can find no remedy nor help, and therefore I mourn. > Then laid the old man, be of good comfort, for I fliall help you if you will do after my counlel. In this forreft be three herbs, if you make a drink of the firit for your wife, and of the other two a plaifler, and if you life this meoicmal drink and phifler ,n due time, without doubt ye fhall recover her per Lit health. Socrates did all that the old man had taught him. And when his wife had nfe I while that medicinal drink and philter within ih , a n,c was pcrfedlly whole of all her lie ndS Ao I T Emperor heard that Socrates hi forecover^¿1«*■? t* promoted him to (treat honour. ,ec°ve™ bn "ifc, he . The MORA L. Deai friends, the Emperor is our Lord Tefus Chrift l * daughter io fair a»d fo gracious is th/oJi j ,1IS fimditudfc of God, which is fnl? „1 !e lou!’ made to the him and of his Angels, while he if nn^n^ *£e %ht of . m her own proper deannefs. This fou^Gol blUa,b.ldeth give it to a rich man, but to a n0Or- Would not is made of the llime of the earth " 2t iS’ a man that This -Gesta Romanohum. ii This Socrates is a poor man : forwbyr every man com-eth poor and naked mto this world from his mother’s belly and every man takes his foul in wedlock; upon fuch condition, that if fhe die-in his fellowfhip, by deadly fin, without doubt he lhall lofe eternal life. Therefore, O thou man, if thy wife ficken through frailty of ttelh, unto this (in, do then as Socrates did, go into theforreft, that is, the Church of Chrift, and thou (halt find there an old man withflltafF, that is a diicreet preacher, which ihall miniiter unto thee thefe three herbs ; whereof may be confected the medicine of thy recovery unto health The hrft herb is acknowledging of fin : the fécond is repentance: and the third is newnefs of life, according to ti e will ol v>od. If thele herbs be u fed in a piailler, the iinner without doubt (hall receive his health, and his loul Shall be delivered from fin, and afTuredly .he ihall receive everlaihng life : Unto the which bring us our ‘-ord je fus Chrilt. THE ARGUMENT. Many foolifh idiots of the world, who How In abundance of worldly wealth and pomp, thinking they Ihall live here always, artl iboureu unto by the preachers of God’s word, and admoniihed of their momentary felicities, and to prepare th'emfeives in beltowing well their lhort time here, to enjoy the bieffing of everlaitingfelicity in the world to come. The Fifth HISTORY. SOmetime there reigned in Rome a mighty Emperor, and a wife, named Frederick, who had one only Ion, whom he loved much. This Emperor when he lay at point of death, called unto him his l'on, and laid, dear Ion, I have a ball of gold, which I charge thee, on my blcifing, that thou anon after my death ihall give to the verieit fool thou canft find. Then laid his fon, My Lord, without doubt your will ihall be fulfilled. Anon this young Lord afur the death of his father, went and fought many realms, am? found mart y wretchlels fools: hut becaafe he would perform his father’s will, he fought till became to a realm where the law was fuch, that every year a new king was chofen, who had the ruling of the realm for one year only, and at the years end he was depofed, and exiled into an liland, where he hnilhed his life in miiery. When the Emperor’s fon came to this realm, the mw king was chofen with great honor. And brought unto his rcg..l feat with much mufick, and great reverence. And when the Emperor’s ion law that, he came unto him, and faiuted him12 Gesta Romanorum. iui me iuc UU'C wii>F uiwu ..... iwered he and (aid, my father charged me on his de tubed, that I fhould give this bail to the molt fool tn.it l could find : wherefore I have fought many realms, and have found many fools, but j more iool th .n thou J never found: for it is not unknown to thee, that thou (halt reign but a year, and at the year’s end thou (halt be exiled hi* to a place, whereas thou (halt die a miferabie death wherefore I hold thee for the molt fool that ever I found, for as much as for the lordihip or a year, thou wilt lo wilfully loie thyielf: and therefore J give thee this ball. I bin faid the king, without doubt thou iayeit truely, and therefore while I am now in full power of this reaim, 1 will fend before me great treafure wherewith I may iultain myfelf from a miferabie death, when I am exiled, and put down. And fo this was done: and at the year’s end when he was exiled, be lived there in peace and quietnds, and- afterwards dieJ a good death. ,. , Dear friends, this Emperor is the Father of heaven, the which bequeathed the ball, that is worldly riches to fools and idiots, who favour nothing but what is earthly. This Emperor’s (bn is a preacher or dilcreet minilter, that travelleth about to many realms and lands, to ihow unbelieving men and fools their peril. The realm wherein no king might reign but a year, is the world •_ fnr u,hnfr, i;„. The MORAL. ‘ -f'-tnne, m whole etn-'» Wl1» by art let up an imaiieft if Gesta Romanorum. 13 image in the inidft of the city of Rome: which image ftrctchcd out his arm and his forcmoit finger; whereupon ilood this poly written in Latin, ( Percute hie,) ifrike here. This image after the death of the phityfopher, ilood a long time, and many great Clerks came for to read the iuperlcription thät was on the finder, but none underftooj it: wherefore the people wondered much. At lall, a long time after, there camp a llrange Clerk out of a far country, and when he faw the image, he read the fuperi'eription,Strike here. And then upon a day when he law the fhadow of the hand he took a mattock and broke up the ground under the hand where the (hadow was, according to the un-derfhnding of the Iuperlcription, and anon he found an houfe all of marble, underneath the ground, wherein he found lb much riches, lb many jewels, and fo great marvels as he never law before. And at lall he faw a table ready covered, and all manner of things neceffhry thereto let thereupon. He further beheld, aud faw a carbuncle into the hall that lighted all the houfe: and againlt this carbuncle on the other fide Itood a man holding a bow in his hand, and an arrow ready to fhoot. The Clerk marvelled much when he faw all thefe things, and thought with himfelf, if that I tell this forth, there will no man believe me, and therefore I will have ibmewhat of thefe goods in token thereof. And with that he law a knife of gold upon the table, the which he took, and would have put in his bofom, but then the archer Quote the carbuncle, and brake it, whereby the whole houfe was ihadowed and made dark s and when the Clerk perceived it, he wept bitterly, for he knew no way to get out, for as much as thehouie was made dark through the breaking of the carbuncle. And that dnrknefs abode there for ever after. And fo the Clerk his life there in that darknefs. The MOR A. L. , ™ Dear friends, this image thus Handing betoken* t»v vil, which iaith evermore, flrike her?;' that is, feck , worldly riches, and not for heavenly treafure. -Th« “ that digged with the mattock, doth betoken t wife-men of this world, aä evil difpofeJ pier Jaw, crafty attorneys, and other wicked yoi-. be ever fmitin:;, what by right, and what by wfong', fiMfat they may get the vanities of the world; and in their butting they find great wonders : th t is, they find ¡¡herein the delights of this world, wherein many men rejoice. The carbuncle that giyeth light, is the youth of man, which giveth12 him of g tell i Iwer bed, coul havt four but to a fore muc loie the whi fori froi An was ter' 1 wh ani En tra lie kii etl ha di yc th ce lis w h< 1 1 rA GESTA RoMANORITM. plveth hardinefs to rake their pleafure in worldly rich The archer with his arrow, is death, which layes watc Sni man To flay hitn. The Clerk that took up thekmfc aga ni , --worldly man that coveteth ever to have betokeneth every worldly mnn tnar covtrein cunu nave Su things at his will, till death finiteth^he carbtmcle ; that is, the youth, It fyeth he wrapped in uicua.r,.................— 'T‘ /W oftentimes he dieth. Therefore ftudy we to flee the world, and its vain delights, and then we ihall be lure to win Amen. Id, ana its vain . „ cverlaftilig life : unto which Ghnft Jeiusbni.g us all. i THE ARGUMENT. We are here generally put in mind, that the devil befieg-ing the world, our champion Chriit ¡elus is ready to take our quarrel into his own hand who delcending and laving us from the invalion, and circi mvention of fatan, is yet accurfed for us, as a trfenlgreilor, and is content to fuffer death for our full [unification. The Seventh HISTORY. N Rome dwelt fometime a mighty Emperor, named — Titus, who ordained in his days luch a law, that what i knight died in his empire, fhould be buried in his armour, and whofoever preliuned to fpofl any kni ht of his armour after he was de^d, ihould die without any gain-laying. It befell after few years that a city of the empire was be- ’ fieged ol the Emperors enemies, and was in danger of lofing, for none that were in the city could defend them-felves by anmanner of policy wherefore reat lorroW and lamentation was made throu hout the city. But at laft, within a few days, there came to the city a young knight, well-favoured, and valiant in feats ol arms, whom the worthy men of the city beholding, and under-Jtanding his prowets, cryed to him with one voice, O thou molt noble knight, we befeech thee to help ns now nueed’ ,-or you may lee this citV is like w. be Jolt. Then he anfwered, and faid, firs, ye fee I have no ar~?Vr’ kut.1 ha£lj I would defend your city fcrliitH Gr'nh a mi£hty man °1 city, he faid to him now - “-Veid OIV^ime a valiant who now io dead and buried within the city: and if it nle-Te sas a ss ' lj,d the a,m°“r in the grave/But there Ze fomeGesta Romakorum. 15 fome men of the city who envied him, beeauie he had obtained the vuftory, and accufed him to the judge, faying thus, Sir, a law was made by the Emperor, that whoioever defpoiled any dead knight of his armour, ihould die. This young knight found a dead knight, and took away his armour: therefore, I beieech thee, that thou proceed in the law againfthim with equity and juftice, in giving him ^ fevere puniihment for fo offending the law. "when the judge heard this, he made the knight to be taken : and when he examined of this his trefpafs againft the law, he faid thus, Sir, it is written in the law, that of two harms the leaft is to be chofen. It is not unknown to you that the city was in peril to be loft, and had I not taken this armour, I had neither faved you, nor thi-s city ; therefore me-thinks you ought rather to honour me for this good deed that I have done, then thus fhamefully to reprove me ; for l am led as he that is ready to be hanged. AHo, good Sir, another thing I may alledge for mine excufe : he thatftealeth or robbeth violently, purpofeth not to reftore the thing which he ftealeth ; but it is not thus with me, for though I took the armour of the dead knight for your defence and fafeguard, when I had obtained the victory I bare it again to the fame place, stad to the dead knight, \ whofe it is by the law. ^ Then faid the juftice; A thief that breaketh a houfe, that he may fteal and bear away fuch as he can find, although he bring again that he hath taken, I alk of thee, if that the breaking of the houfe be lawful, or not ? The knight anfwered, Sometime the breaking of the houfe may be 1 good, whereas it is made in a feeble place, which would ' caule the mailer of the houfe to make his wall ftronger, that the thieves after break not by force the walls fo lightly, for avoiding of more harm. Then faid the judge, if the breaking of the houfe be good, neverthelefs in that breaking, violence is done to the Lord of the houfe And fo, though thou didft reftore the armour of the dead knight, neverthelefs thou didft wrong the dead knight in taking away of his armour. The knight faid, I have told you that of two harms the leaft is to be f chofen, and that harm where through great goodnefscom-cth, ought not to be called harm, but it ihould rather be called good. For if an houfe within the city were on fire, and began to burn, it were better that three or four houfes thereby ihould be thrown to the ground, than that they ihould be let on fire alfo, whereby all the city ihould be burned: right lb if the armour of the dead knight had not been taken, the city had been loft. And12 i6 Gesta RomaNoruMc him And when the judge heard that he anfwered fo Well, of i and fo reafonably, he could give no j iuigm^nt ag unit him* tell But they who had acculed this knight, flew him : for whole Iwe death there was great weep ng throughout nil the city bed and his body was honourably buried in a new tomb, cou The MORAL. . hav Dear friends, this Emperor is the Father of heaven, fou and this city is the world, which is beiieged of the devil and but deadly fin, and as many as were withil the city to a were all in peril to be lofi. This young knight that came for* to the city is our Lord fefus Chrifl, who had not the arm- mu our of humanity till he went to the rave, that is the ioh wombofthe virgin Mary, by the annunciation of theangel, the faying, ‘ The Holy Ghoft fluii light on thee, &c * o, wh thou (halt conceive and bear a Son.’ And thus in the womb for pf the virgin he took the armour of the dead knight, that in' is the man-hood of Adam our fore father, and laved the Ar city, that is, the world and mankind ; by ! is blefled paf- wa Con that he (offered on the crofs: and put the armour a- ler gain into the grave, when his blelled body was buriedi but the citi er>s envyed him, that is, the ews acculed him , to Pilate, faying, 4 If thou fufler him thus, thou art not Cefars friend : We have a 12W, and after the law he an oughttodie,’ ohn 19 12 And thu our Lord lefns thrill fr ofÌls Rennes was condemned to the death of the crols, and after afeended up to heaven ; whither he bring us i : all. Amen. ** g f . .THE ARGUMENT. h: L if ‘°1fntC3t!0.Il wicked worldly men is here detefted. di' the finn^°Udn-Ce °f,G°d a?d hy hÌS Srac5ous ^VOur, y. l S’vered ,°Vr of thraldom of fin, unto J. the liberty of life everlaiting, * c< rrm • T,hr KiShth H 1 ST O R Y. li X»S rci?rled ionVime Rome a mighty Emperor 1 ; h fhe fliould be call into a perpetri nVÌfo^Th^ bei"g a!ive> - time a knight that had afoir if?! There was at that *ed adultery, her hufband beinoci ° b'* W'Ìe’ 'who commit* therefore by the law the was puffn "T WÌth chi5d’ tune fhc was delivered of a faij fbi ThP ri^MIn 3 ihortJ till he was feven years old ^hild gréw uni \ìlflìy: \h’ch whe" the child dheard "hJ feftdaily wtTf •Mother, why weep ye thus " An? u fa,d ro her, <* thus perplexed ? Then S rwim cai|le are yol I ^vegreat ca„fc ----•*.....— _____ head?Ì Gesta Romanorum. 17 Keads are people walking, and the fun ihineth in clearnefs, -and we be here continually in iuch darknefs, that I can neither lee thee nor thou me : Alare, that ever I conceived thee. Then laid the fon, fuch joy as you (peak of, I »er ver faw, for Ì was born here in this darknefs thereforè-if I had meat and drink enough, I would live here all my life : Therefore mother weep not, but be chearfull. This lamentation that was between the mother and the (on, the Emperof’s Reward heard that flood above their heads, whereof he had great compalTion and went to the Emperor, and kneeling, befought him of his grace, that 'he mother and the fon might be delivered out of prilon The Emperor as a mercifull lord, granted that they should be delivered : neverthelefs if they trefpafled fo in time to conte, they (hould be punifhed with double pain. And after (he was delivered, ihe lived joyfully. The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor is the Father of heaven, that made this law, that what married woman ; that is, what foul that is cfpoufed to the I ord, and doth commit adultery» that is, doth worihip ftrange gods, ihould be call into the prifon of hell : therefore the (infull lòdi hath great cadfe to weep, for (he is debarred from light, that is, from ther S joys of heaven. Herfons that defired meat and drink, are the weàlthy wicked worldlings, that fay to the preachers that preach unto them the joys of heaven, that while we may live, and have all the folace of the world we defire no other heaven. The Reward that heard their lamentation, is the Lord fefus, who knowing all the privities o£ * our forrowfull and repentant hearts lor our (ins, befought the father of heaven for us, that we might he delivered from the prilon of fin, and lo come to everlafting life s " unto which he bring ns all. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. Chrift proclaimeth the joyfull feaft of heaven, whereto the I lame; that is, the poor preachers of the gofpel, having their fight, or knowledge in God’s word, fupported by ; the blirid laity: and each mutually comforting other, » they , approach unto the proclaimed feafl of perpetual I felicity. The Ninth HISTORY. Sometime in Rome dwelt an Emperor, named Pompey, who above all other things was merciful. This Emperor proclaimed throughout all his Empire a great lead, £ • andx8 Gfsta Romanorunt. ^ and that poor and rich ihould come to the feaft: and W£°T him focver came to that feait, fbould not only be well ied» but of l alio he fhould have great gifts. _ tell When the herauld had warned all manner of men t® fwe comet© this feait, at that time there were two poor men bed lyipg by the way, the one bcinp. lame, and the other blind« cou Alare, mperor hath proclaim- fou ed a feait, and whofoever cometh thither, ihall not only but be vi ell fed, hut alio ihall have great gifts ; and I am blind, to5 and thou art lame: how ihall we do ? Then faid the lame for man to the blind man: I Ihall give thee good couniel, if mu thou wilt do after me: I am lame and feeble, and may not iof< g0} nevert’nclefs I can fee, and thou art blind, but (hong: tbe »nice thou me upon thy back, and bear me, and I ihall di- wh re<5> the right way, and thus we ihall both come to the fpr Emperor’s feait, Then laid the blind man, Let it be fo ; get thou on my back, and I ihall bear thee, and guide Al thou me. And fo they did and came both to the feait, w3 and received great rewards, and after ended their lives itt tel peace. The MORAL. ' . Dear friends, this Emperor is our Saviour Jefus Chriil * that prpclaimeth a lead ; that is, the joys of heaven : J unto the which joys he calleth all mankind, and forfaketh tr fjo man that will come unto him. This lame man betoken« ji( eth the poor miniiters of the gofpel, which wanting world* kj )y wealth, live by the providence of God. And this blind ct man betokeneth the lay men who know not the right way h; to heaven. It behoveth the blind man ; that is, the lay- ji- men, to bear the lame man : that is the miniiters of the y gofpel, fuibininp and feeding them with the duties of the tI church : and the miniiters in God’s caufe are bound to teach c, anc‘to inform us in the way to heaven ; whereas we ihall li only have a feait, but alfo great reward and joy. Unta” v, ^hich God bring us all. Amen. h k THE ARGUMENT. *] ■f^^ven and hell are here compared to two cities: to thef*<* i cttiys aretwo contrary ways. To heaven (which is the cny of all heavenly treaiure and feheities) a narrow ^°,kec-.’, cr-‘>gy,and pamfulway, having three enemies the devd the world and the fleih. To hell ( beW iS city, or hnk of iorrow aud iadnefs) afairwav broad pLm, and ea y having three guides; that ™ wUteSl SSfc ”*"**«** eyafanJconcupign^f& TheCesta RoMwontJM. 19 The Tenth HIST t R V, Sometimes in Rome dwelt a<> Emperor named FolUealoi, who was very wife and merciful in all his works. This Emperor builded in rhe eaft a noble city, wherein he put all his treafure to he kept. Unto this city the Wiy was ilony, full of brambles and (harp th >rns, and three k 1 ghts were armed ready to fight with them that would come ro that city. Therefore the Emperor ordained, that whofoevef overcime thefe knights, Should enter the city and t^k- at his will of the Emperor’s treafure Aftqr that, thi« Emperor did make in the north a city, wherein he ordiined all manner of pain, forrow, and tormenting lor mal fiitors, to which was a broad way very dele&able, grOwmgfull of roles and fair lillies, and in their way .were three knights, ever waiting if any man canle towards the city orthe north, to lerve him with all manner of delicates and neceffary provifion. And if it fortuned that any mm did enter within that city, the culfome was fuch, that the people would bind him hand and foot, and call him into prifon, there to abide the lenience of the judge. When this was cryed throughout all the Empire, there Were two knights dwelling in one city, one named Jona-thas, who was a wile min, the other called Pirrhus, who was a fool; neverthelels, there had continued between them great love. This fonathas Paid to Pirrhus, dear friend, there is a common cry made throughout all iands, that the Emperor hath made a city in theealf, wherein he hath his treafure, and Whofoever may enter that city, ilia!) take what he will, therefore let us go thither. Then faid Pirrhus, Thy counfel is good, let us go The wife knight faid, if it be lo, that thou wilt follow my counfel, I pray thee that faithful friendfliip may continue between ns, and in token oflove thou 'hal drink my blood, and I will drink thine, on this condition, that neither of us leave other on this journey. The foolilh kni iht laid, It pleafeth me right well, whereforethey were both let blood, and each of them drink others blood. When this was done, they went forth together on their journey ; and when they had gone three days journey towards the city where the treafure was, they came to a place where we're two ways, one (harp and ftony, and lull of thornes, the other lair and plain, and full of delights. Then faid the wife knight to his fellow, Dear friend, here are two ways, one (harp, and thorny; neverthelefs, if we go this way we ihall come to the city that is fo rich, and we (hall have that we detire. Then laid the foolilh knight to hi‘s fellow* I wonder greatly at you, B 2 that*2 *© Gesta Romangrum. • h\n that you will fpea'k fuch thin, s, lor 1 will rather believe d mine eyes than your words. I lee here openly, and fo tell do you, that here is a hard way, and full of thorns : and as I have heard, there be 4hree champions armed in this hL wav ready to fight againlt all men that go towards the citv ’ f the cad; and therefore I will not go that way r but hereis (as you may fee) another way, plain, and eafy to walk fol in. and in tins way there are three knights ready to ferve h.r us and give us all manner of things delightful for us : ♦o and therefore by this way will I go, and not by that other for way Then laid the wile knight, certainly, if we go by that * we (hall be led into the city of the north wherein there is no mercy but perpetual pain and forrow, and there we (hali be taken and bound, and call into priion. Cer* w! tainly, laid the fooliih knight, this is the ready way and foi as I believe, it is more profitable than the other way. Then t'rc went they both forth the fair way, and anone three knights Ai met with them, which received them courteoufty for one w; night, and gave them all manner of things that were plea* tei fant to them. And on the morrow they took, rheir journey forth toward the city . and when they were within the city, anone the Emperor’s officers met with them, and iv: . faid, friends, why came ye hither, in fo much that ye ar knew the law of this city is lo cruel of a long time hereto* E fore: lurely ye fhall be ferved after the law. Anon they tr took the wife knight, and brought him, and put him into lit priion; and after that, they took the looliih knight, and ki bound him fail, and call him into a ditch. Soon after it ct befell that the judge came to the.city, to give judgment on h; them that had trefpafled the law and anone all the prilon- d ers were brought before the judge, among w horn thele two y knights were brought forth, one from priion, and the other tl from the ditch. Then laid the wile knmht to the judge c. My reverend Lord, I complainoi my fellow that is guilty h of my death for when we two came to the two ways l ^wS°-,the ??e, \ett0 uCUy °i ^ eail> aild the other h totlns city, i told him al the peril of tfiis city, and the re- ward of that other city, but he Would not believe me W iaid to me on this wife, I will believe my own eves’ hettei than thy words and becaufe he was my fellow I would not let him go alone in this way : and thus «me I S him wherefore he is the caufe of my death. Then fautthe fooliih knight 1 complain that he is the caufe of mv death“ for it i? not unknown to you all, that I ate a fvJi S u * wife man, and therefore he ihould not lo lioKH^ and hea • lowed my lolly . ft, if he tad haveGesta Romanorum. 21 have followed him, and therefore he is the caufe ofmy death. Then faid the judge to the wile-knight, becaule that thou with all thy wifdom lb lightly confentcdfl: and fol-lowedit the will of the fool, and his fooliih works: and thou fool becaule thou didit rejedt the counfel and advice of the wife, and wouldlt not believe him: I give judgment, ye be both hanged for your trefpafs. And lo it was done. Wherefore all men praiied greatly the judge for his difcreet judgment. - The M ORA L. 'Dear friends, this Emperor is Almighty GOD, and in theeali is the city of heaven, wherein is treafure infinite; and unto this city is a hard way, and full of thornes; that is, the way of repentance, by which way full few walk : tor it is hard and ffrait, according to the holy fcripture, lay«, ing thus,< Arita eft via quae ducit ad vitam.’ It is a Urait way that leadeth to evcrlalting life. In this way are three armed knights; that is, the devil, the world, and the flefh, with whom, it behoveth us to fight, and to obtain the victory before we may come to heaven. The fecund city that is in the north, is hell: and to this accordeth the fcripture, faying thus, ‘ Ab aquilone ponitur ornne malum: ’ Out of the north cometb all evil. Certainly to his city the way is plain and broad, and walled about on every fide with all manner of delights : wherefgre many men walk by this way. The three knights that give to e-very man going this way what thing them pleaietb, are thele, pride of life, covetoufnefs of the eyes, and concu-pifcence of the flefh : in which three the wretched man dc-ljghteth, and at the laft they lead him to hell. This witty knight betokeneth the foul, and the fooliih knight betok-eneth the flefh, which is always fooliih, and at all times ready to do evil. Theie two are fellow's and knit in one; for either of them drink others blood; that is they fhail drink of one cup, either of joy or pain, which they fhai| have after the day of doom. The foul chocleth the way of repentance: and in as much as fhemay {he-ftirreth the flefh to do the fame. But the flefh never thinketh what fhali come after; and therefore fhegoeth on in the delights of this world, and’ileeth the virtue of repentance. And thus the foul after death is caff into hell, and the flefh is calf into the ditch ; that is, into the grave. But w hen the judge comcth ; that is, our Eord fefns Chrift, at the Jaff day, to judge all mankind, •hen the foul fhali complain upon the flefh, and the fiefh tfponthe foul; But when the judge that cannot be deceived v '12 gg^j^ta-ssns vhitb bring us our Lord jeius Chrilt. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. The foul of man being pulletled oi the princely territory of Daradife. was by the devil provoked to hn againft her creator, and tor ihe iatm tranigrdhon (being thence into the wide world exiled) hdt that heritage : but by Chrilt’s blelfed death and paflion, was reitored unto a more happy heritage oi everialting teliuty. o ■ The Eleventh HISTORY THcre dweh fometime in Home a mighty Emperor, named frcdrick, which had no child but one ontly daughter to whom the Emperor after his dccale, bequeathed all his Empire. This nderltanding an earl that dwelt there befiue, he came to this young lady, and wooed her, and provoked her to (in aii that he might; whereby this young lady in Hu rt procefs ol time, inclined to the earl, ai d this earl anonel y with her, and defiled her and alter that he drave her from her heritage, and exiled her out of the empire, where!» ic ihe made great lamentation, and fled into a realm there belide, where ihe daily wept and mourned. it befel after on a day, that while ihe fat mourning by the high-way fjde, there came riding by her a fair young knight upon a horle, who came towards her a great pace, and very courteoully fainted her, alking her the caufe why ihe mourned fo lore ? Then anfwered (he, and laio, My reverend i-ord, I am an Emperor’s daughter, descending ot royal blood my lather is dead, who left me all his empire, becauic he had no other heir ; And after his deceafe an Earl there befide, deceived me, defloured my virginity, and after that he put me out oi my heritage, fo that now I tain to beg my bread Irom door to door, and this is the caufe Ot my lorrovv. Then fajd the knight, fair damlel. I have great companion on thy beauty and thy comlinefs: there-iore if thou wilt grant me one thing, 1 will fight for thee again! the earl and will allure thee the vidfory. Then Said (lie, al ice, good bir, 1 have nothing that I may give unto v,ubut my left. And 1 aik nomore of theeigkni«ht but that thou wouldft be my wife, and love ro man fo"much •»«*• Tfc« tad Ihe. .«*««4«, te iSSb ly,Gesta Romanorum* 23 ly, and more it 1 might, I hen laid the knight I will that you do nothing tor me, but if it fortune me to 'die in the fight for thee, and obtain the victory, thou (halt take my bloody ihirt and hang it upon a beam in thy chamber, and this thou (halt dolor two caules. The firlt is, that when-loever thou beholdelt the Ihirt, thou (halt weep for me. The fecond is, that whatioever man comes to woo thee to be his «ite, thou lhalt then hatliiy run into thy chamber and there beholding my bloody Ihirt, think, heartily within ielf thus : The Lord of this ihirt diedTor my love in battle, by which he recovered my heritage : Lod turbid that I ihouid take any other man after his death. Then laid ihe, reverend tir, all this I (ball fulfil, by the grace ot God. And when the knight heard this, he ellayed to light againlt the faid Earl and obtained the viótory, and the Lari was overcome and lied, afid this young lady was brought, and received again into her heritage Nevertheless', the' knight wasdeadly wounded in this battle, .whereof he died: but ere he died, he bequeathed his bloody Ihirt unto this dam-lel, defiring her to keep her promile. When this young lady heard of his death, ihe wept lore, for in his Ihirt was wrought thus, Think on me, and hav» in mind, Him, that to thee wasi-> kind. Anon when Ihe had received this Ihirt, ihe hanged it upon a beam in her chamber : and as oft as ihe beheld it, (he wept bitterly. It betel not long after, that the ltates of the empire came to her, and delired her to take an huiband ; but then ihe went to her chamber, and beheld the bloody ihirt, and waxed iorrowiul, and faid oftentimes, VVo and alace, thou iufleredit death for my love, and thou alio rccoveredit again my heritage; ijod forbid, that 1 ihouid take any other man but thee. And thus Ihe anlwered every man that came to her and lo they went away dilappoinfod of their purpoie, and ihe end“ ed her life in reit. The MORA L. Dear friends, this Emperor is the father of heaven, and bis daughter is the foul oi man, made to the iim'Uitude of God, to whom he gave and bequeathed the empire of pariglie, But there came the carl ; that is the devil, and pro. voked her to fin, when (he cat ot the apple, and laid to her thus, ‘ In what hour ye eat of this apple, yc lhall be God’s. Wherefore we breaking God’s commandment were exiled 13 4I 24 Oesta RomanoruM. out of paradife, to five in this world in great wretchednefit, hin as the fcripture faith, ‘ In the Iweat of thy face thou ftialt of ea‘ th bread.’ But then came a fair young knight, and a tel! ffrong; that is, our Lord efus Chriit, who had compaihoa fw< upon mankind, and taking upon him our flefh and blood, be< gave battle to the devil, and overcame him : and thus co von he again our heritage. Therefore Jet us do as this ha young lady did, let us lay this bloody ihirt; that is, the foi xcmqmberance of the j alTion of Chrift, on the beams of our bu hearts, let us think how our Lord [efus flied his precious to blood for us. And if any man ; that is. if the devil or any foi other, would ftir us to fin, let us think prefcntly on the mi paflion of Chrift, laying thus, 1 will take none other.but lol thee who halt fhed thy blood for me: and thus /hall we th win everlafting file. Unto which bring us all the Cod w! cfgiory, Amen, fo ^ THE ARGUMENT- U e are here generally advcrtifed of honouring thefabbath te £?yn, ow for the redeeming ol time, to be occupied m gnoitJycontemplation, is profitable to the foul and body. -AJlo preachers pf God’s word oftentimes for faying w amnlif ^>urchr1r i,lLwl11-, we bellow our talents in the ai „ Uhfyina of faith, and furthering oi one another with f- *•lrwu“01 «—i I N ,iThe Twelfth HISTORY. named Apolmu,‘"STrd.W I n‘‘^ Emperor on the morrow follow* ing fent meflengers to the image ( as before he was ac-cuftomed ) to know and underhand who had rrelpailed againfl the law. And to them then faid the image, lift up your feyes and behold what is mgraven in my tore-head. And when they looked up they law this poiie written, 4 Times he'changed, and men become worle and wore: 4 For he that will lay the truth llrcil have his head broken. Therefore go ye forth to your Lord, and tell him all that ye have heard and ieen. The meflengers went forth and tola the Emperor all they had heard and ieen. Then laid the Emperor, arm yourielves and go to the image, and if that you find any man that hath menaced or threatened to hurt the image bind him hand and toot, and bring him unto me. Then went the meflengers forth to the image, anti faid to it, tell us the truth, if any man hatii threatened thee, and we (hall revenge thee anone ? Then faid the image, take the fmith Focus, for he is the man that will not honour the nativity of the Emperor. Straight way the mefienger led forth the fmith before the jEraperor and there examined him, why he kept not the day of the Emperor’s nativity in reverence and honour, accordingto the law ? Then anfwered the irnith, andfaid, reverend Lord, Ibefeech you, that you will hear mine excuie : and if 1 anfwer not reafonably to all manner of points that ye (hall alk me, I will yield me fully to your grace. Then faid the Emperor, I will hear thee, and that which is right, that will ldo. Then faid the fmith 1 muft have ei ht penqe every day in the week and that! cannot get without great labor: and therefore I may not keep that day holy-day more than o-ther days. Then laid the Emperor why mult thou have thele eight pence? Then laid the fmith I am bound to pay daily two pence, and two pence l lend, and two pence I lole, and two pencil ipend. Then laid the Emperor, tell me more exprefly of tflefeeight pence. Then laid thefmitb, l am bound every day to pay two pence to my father, for when l was young he daily Ipcnt two pence on me, Which I am hound to pay him again for his fuflentation: and twopence lloie on my wife. Then (aid the Emperor, why lofelt thou that two pence on thy wife Then laid he, tyhere law ye ever a woman but ihe had one of thele proper* ties; either Ihe was wilful and contrary to herhuiband, or hot of compleduon t And therefore that 1 give her, It: hir of tel iw be co ha foi bu to fo mi ■ ( io: th w fo fr A w i te in ai E ti 11 k e h d y ti c li V f 16 GESTA RoMANORt/M. And two pence I lend to my fon, wl’c,r^ltL ^,ay pay me ed, that when I come to age and poverty, he,^ yrPipend two pence again, like as 1 do my father. A^o I ‘penrt two pence on myielf in meat and drink, , anfwered enough. Then laid the Emperor, Thou half an we ed well and wifely. Not long after the Emperor ¿‘cd and thus imith Focus was cholen to be Emperor, bccatde he fpent his eight pence fo wileiy and fo profitably • and thus be ended his life in peace and reft. , »■ The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor is our blefled Saviour Jefus Cirri It, which ordained by his holy law, that ever man ihould keep holy the fabbath day. This Virgil that made that image, is the Holy uhoft, who eftabliihed among us preachers to teach virtues, and reprove vice, and they fhould not ipare the poor nor the rich. But now if a preacher ihould fpeak the truth againit any man, he ihall be threatned by the-enemies of Cbrift; that is, by evil men, th t neither love God nor man. W herefore the preacher may fay now a-days, that pofie which was written in the fore-head of the image: ‘Times be changed irom i— good to evil, and men be daily worle : for wholo would fpeak the truth now a-days, ihall have his head broken/ | j Therefore it is needful they be armed ; that is, preachers ought to be armed with vertuous examples of good life, and then they need not fear; becaule they have the truth of God to ftand by them, according to the Apoltle’s faying, ‘If God be for us, whocan beagainft us?’ By this fmith Focus, is uneteritood every good chriftian man, who daily fhould (pend his time in redeeming of every hours travel, with fome profit corporal or lpiritual: and then ought he to be preientec! beforethe heavenlyemper» or. 1 his Focus paid two pence to his father, and lo we fhould pay to our father of heaven two pence; that is, ho» nour and love, tor when we were the children of wretch» edncls, and in bondage, Almighty God lent down to the earth his ion to redeem us, according to St. John the E-vangelilt, laying, ‘ God loved the world io weft, that he gave his only begotten Son for the ialvation of the world. Alio this Focus lent two pence to his Ion; that is everychriitian nran ought t° lend to the Son of God, our LorJ jelus Ghrilt true and unfeigned faith, fruitful good works and deeds m our life, and he will repay us again at theday of doom with his heavenly merev when louland body lhaii be glorified. And that hiSU j mayGeSTA RoMANOUtm. 27 jnay be provfcd by that text of Elay, laying ‘ A Child is born to us.* This Focus loll two pence 10 his wife his wile betokeneth the fleth, upon whom thou loteft two pence; that is unlawfull love, and confent to fin, becauie the tie!h is contrary tothelpirit, and is ever fubjecitofin ThisF cus allb (pent two pence on himlelf; by the firit penny ye ihall underlland repentance, whereat the Angels in heaven do greatly rejoice: by the fecond penny, ye (hall underlland pertedl perteverance and amendment of life for he that a-bideth unto the end, ihall be faved. And he that ipendetht ^ well thefe two pence, (hall obtain evcrlalji; g life. Unttt which bring us our Lord Jeius Lhrilt. Amen, THE ARGUMENT. Man being blind through fin, and either by infirmity of frail Hcfh, or fuggellion, treipalfing with evil and lewd company, though God of his mercy be favourable unto him in his life-time, by realon of the foreiaid refpe&j yet if he aecultomably walk on forward in his worldly wickednefs, his wiltud blindneis Ihall not excuie him, /', but accufe him in the day of judgment, molt grievouiiy to have offended God in abuling his mercy ottered, and therefore the lei's worthy to have the reward of the limple foul, that repentantly and with modelty iivcth to the. V fruition of everlaiting bliis. The Thirteenth HISTORY* Sometime in Rome dwelt a noble Emperor, which a-monglt all other virtues loved belt mercy ; whereiore he ordained a law, that every blind man ihould have an ^ hundred (hillings by year, of his trealure. It befell on a d?y, that certain men came to a tavern to drink wine, and after that thefe men had litten in the tavern three days, the fourth day they were greatly in debt for the wine ; wherefore the vintner came to them, and demanded money for ihis wine. Then faid one of the drinkers, firs, the Emperor hath made fiich a law, that every blind man (hall have an hundred (hillings of his trealure: therefore let us call Jots among us, and to whom the lot falleth, let his eyes be put out, and fo may lie go to the Emperor’s palace, and get an hundred (hillings to dilcharf>e us. Now this counlel Iked them well, fo they call lots, and the lot fell on him that gave the couniel, and his fellows immediately put out his eyes. And when he was blind, he went to the Emperqr’s palace and aiked an hundred (hillings oi the Reward according to the28 Gesta Romanorum. the Emperor’s decree Dear friend, laid the fcw«' , / didft fee with both thine eyes a while hnce. tl deritandeft the law amils. For the law is mai that are blind through infirmities, or by an(J but the other day thou hadft thy fight m the tavern, nd haft wilfully loft it. Therefore go to tht tavern again to thy fellows, and dilcharge there what thou owelt, for here getteft thou not a farthing. Then went this wretched man forth, and told his fellows of the ftewards anfwer, and with that came in the vintner, and defpoiled them of tneir cloths, and beat them, and thus d/ove them with Ihameoutot tnc city: And lb they were never after feen there. The M ORAL, 1 Dear friends, this Emperor is our Saviour Chrift, who or dained a law, every blind man (hould have an hundred ihill-ingsof his trealure. The blind man feetokeneth every linner, who iinneth through infirmity, or the entiling of the devil, the world, and the fiefh, and fhall receive an hundred (hillings, if he be inwardly repentant of his fins : 'that is, he iha.ll have an hundred times more joy, according to the. feripture faying, ‘ye fhall receive an hundred times more joy, it ye repent and turn from fin, and all ye fhall have everlafting life. Theis men that came to the tavern to drink wine be Tinners, who oftentimes come to the tavern ofouradverfary the devil, to drink of his carnal appetites ; that is, they there confumc and walte away ali ipiritual virtues, which they received when they received the facra-rnent ol baptifm, where the devil our enemy, dcfpoileth them of all their good deeds that ever they have wrought before. 1 hey call lots ; that is, they caft among them the eultom ol fin, and this lot of fin falleth on iuch as are un-thankful and mercilefs : and luch a man wilfully hecometh blind; that is, he hecometh wilfully a foui (inner, like Judas, that betrayed our Mard without any fuggeiiion or mticing and therefore fuch men fin molt grieyouf-Jy. \\ hen they come before the fteward ; that is before the prelates of the Church, they can hardly obtain an ahurance of heaven, becaule they be not in the right way to leave , their lin. Therefore let us ftudy with all «re >°‘ P|eaJe (j0t i 1 Jat wc may obtain everlafting Innllii1« h 1S aid ye1" itoreIora11 thofe that live modeitly, Uwo w“ich “■* « the29 Gesta Romanorum. THE ARGUMENT* , A certain vow ef love being between the foul of every faithful chriitian and jei'us Chrifi, wears toconfider the merciful and gracious covenant of God toward the faithful, and to be careful of this covenant: and we are to ftudy to perform our vow, fo as we at the prefixed day of promife being undefded, may thereby purchafethe promised place of everlafting glory, prepared for all them that feek the glory of God, and their louls health. The fourteenth H I S T O R Y. IN Rome fometime dwelt a mighty Emperor, named Phi-lopunus, who had one only daughter, who was fair and gracious in the light of every;man, who had to name Aglae$. There was alfo in the Emperor’s palace a gentle knight that loved deprly this Lady. It befel after on a day, that this knight talked with this lady, and fecretiy uttered his deiire unto her. Then fhe laid courteoufly, Seeing you have uttered to me the iecrets of your heart, I will likewise foi your love utter to you the iecrets of my heart: and truely, I fay, that above all others, I love you the beft. Then faid the knight, 1 pnrpofe to vift the holy land ; and therefore give me your truth, that this feven years you fhall take no other man, but only for my love to tarry for me fo long: and if I come not again by this day feven years then take what man you like belt. And likewife I premife you , that within this feven years I will take no wife. Then laid fhe. This covenant pleafeth me well. When this was laid, each of them was betrothed to other, and then this knight took his leave of the lady, and went to the holy land. Shortly after, the Emperor treated with the king of.Hungary for the marriage ofhis Daughter. Then came the king pf Hungary to the Emperor’s palace to fee his daughter : and when he had feen her, he liked marvelous well her beauty and behaviour, fo that the Emperor and the king were accorded in all things as touching the marriage, upon the condition that the damf'el would confent. Then called the Emperor the young lady to him, and faid, O my fair daughter, I have provided for thee that a king fhall be thy huiband, if thou lift to confent: therefore tell me, what anlwer thou wiltgive to this ? Then faid fhe to tier father, It pleafeth me well. But I entreat one thing, if it may pleafeyou to grant me, and this it is, I have vow'ed to keep my virginity.andnot to marry thefe feven years: therefore, I beieech you for all the love that is between your gracious father-hood and me, that ye name no man to bemy huiband§0 Gesta Romancetnvf. till thefe fever yesTS be ended, and then I fhall in all things to fulfil! your will. Then laid the Emperor, fith it is fo that thou haft thus vowed, ' will not break thy vow: but when thefe feven years be expired, thou fhalt kavr the king of Hungary to thy hufband. Then the Em- r ' * A 1 * I - • *- a, *1,/. TJnnn-iirtt nrot?Jr\«v ne Hint* or rtuunaiy iu *»•> n«wa»iv» * reror lent fo ft his leSer, to the king of Hungary, praying kfm If" might pleafe him to ftay feven years for the love of his Ha" hter, and then he fhould freed without fail. Herewith the king was pleafed, and content to itay the 1>r And^vfhen the feven years were ended five a day, _th« young lady flood in her chamber window, and wept fore faying, wo and alace, as to morrow my love promifed to with me again from the Holy and ; and alio the king ©f Hungary to morrow will be here to marry me, according to my Father’s promife : and if my love come not at a c r-tain hour, then I am utterly deceived of the inward love I Vear to him. When the day came, the king hailed toward the Emperor with a great eirneitnefs to marry his daughter, and was royally arrayed in purple. And when th- king was tiding on his way, there came a knight riding by him, to whom he faid, dear friend, whence art thou ? and whence comeft thou? the knight anfwercd, and faid. i am of the Empire of Rome, and now am lately come from the Holy Land, and I am ready to do you the heft fervicc 1 can. And as they rode talking by the way, it began to rain fo fail that all the kings apparel was fore wet. Then laid the knight, My Lord, ye have done foolilhly, for as much as ye have not brought with you your houfe. Then faid the king, Whyfpeakeft thou fo ? My houfe is large and broad, and made.of flones and merrer : How fliaJl I then bring with me my houfe ? Thou fpeakeft like a fool. When this was faid they rode on till they came to a deep water, and the king fmote his horfc with hisfpiirs, and leapt into the water, fo that he was almofl drowned. When the knight Caw this, and was over on the other fide of the water without peril, he laid to the king, Ye were in peril and therefore ye did foolifhly, becaufe ye brought not with you your bridge. Then faid the king, thou fpeakeft Strangely, my bridge« made of lime and flone, and contained! m length more than half a mile : how fhould I then lvar av u Tm yi hu6geJ Ther/f°re thou fpeakelt foolifh-Jy . \\ ell, faid the km ht, my fooldhnefs may turn thee to ».(dom When .he king h,d ridden a lh.li See he sfked the knight, what time of day it was ? Then faid the knight,Gesta Romanorum. 3t knight, If any nun lift to eat, it is time of the day to eat : and therefore, my reverend Lord, I pray, take a Modicum with me, for that is no difhonourto you, but 'great honour tome before the itates of this Empire. Then laid the king, I will gladly eat with thee. They fat both down in a fair vine-garden, and there dined together, both the king and the knight. And when dinner was done, and that the king had waihed, the-knight faid to the king, My Lord, ye have done foolifhly, for that ye brought not with you your father and mother. Then faid the king, What fayelk thou ? my father is dead, and my mother is old, and may not travel: how (hould I then bring them with me ? Therefore to lay the truth, a foolifher man than thou art, did I never hear. Then faid the knight; every work is praifed at the end. When the Knight had ridden a little further, and was nigh tha Emperor’s palace, he aiked leave to go from him, for he knew a nearer way to the palace, to the young lady that he might come firlt, and carry her away with him. Then faid the king, I pray thee tell me, by what place thou purpofeft to ride ? Then faid the knight, I fhall tell you the truth: this day [even years I left a net in a place, and now I purpole to vilit it, and draw it to me : and if it be whole, then will I take it to me, and keep it as a precious jewel: if it be broken, then will I leave it. And when he had thus faid, he took his leave of the king, and rode forth ; but the king kept the broad high way. When the Emperor heard of the king’s coming, he went towards him with a great company, and royally received him, cauiing him to fhift his wet cloths, and to put on | frefh apparel. And when the Emperor and the king were fet at meat, the Emperor welcomed him with all the chear and lojace that he could. And when he had eaterf, the Emperor aiked tidings of the king, my lord, faid he, I (hall tell you what I have heard this day by the way. There came a knight to me, and reverently faluted me: and anon after there fell a great rain, and greatly fpoiled my apparel. And anon the knight laid, Sir, you have done foolifhly, for that you brought not with you your houfe. Then faid the Emperor, what cloathing had the knight on? A cloak, laid the king. Then faid the Emperor, furely that was a wile man, for the houfe whereof he fpake, was a cloak, and therefore he faid unto you, that you did foolilhly, becaufe ypu came without your cloak; for if you had brought with you a cloak, your (loaths had not been fpoiled with rain. Then faid the VJne Fifteenth HIS TO RY. Sometime dwelt in Rome a noble Emperor, named A* gias which hid retained unto him a knight, named Gerard, which was a worthy warrior, neverthelels hewas as meek as a lamb in tlv* Emperor’s court > but in the field he was like a lion. This Emperor had a fair daughter, wjiom the ilrong and mighry Ear) of PeleAer carried by force away, and defiled, which more difpleafed the Emperor then the crying of her away. Therefore he called unto him his counlel, and (aid, dear friends, the violence done to me in devouring of my daughter, is not unknown to you, and therefore I purpole to give battle to the Earl: wherefore, I pray you be ready at a day, that ye may proceed with me in battel. And they laid, Sir, we be ready to live and die with you in battel. When the appointed day of battle came, they met on both Tides, and a cruel fliarp conflict was profecuted on both iides, and almoA all on the Emperor's part were ilain; and as the Emperor himlelf was forcibly ailailed, the knight Gerard put himlelf among the enemies before the Emperor efcaped, and the knight abode and flew the Earl, neverthelels the knight had divers wounds notwithstanding this, he abode itill till the blood ran down to his Ipot: and when the enemies faw the Earl was Ilain they fled, and the knight with his people followed on the chair, till they came to the place where the Emperor’s daughter was, and led her with him. And thus with triumph and v-ftory he returned again to the Emperor. For t .e winch vidory, and re-obraining of the Emperor's daughter, he was greatly praifed of all the people. Not long alter, it befe.l that this knight had a fuit in the Em-peror s court, therefore the knight came unto the' Em-reror, and prayed him meekly to be favourable to h s caufe, and furthermore deftred him to do realon touching his honeA demand. on loucn, When the Emperor had heard him F» „«.11' j . , • judge, and laid, Sir, our wil Is t^ you 1,1° ” “ unto this knight. And when the kniiht heard l*qU,,ty cryed with a loud voice, alace alacf d thl6’ h« of fuch an Emperor ? Thou wS f a ,’ u evf hc^ thy head fliould have been fmit’ten off andTin'i^ own perfon, and none other man' put mv Flf L J*n mine dy for thee, and faved thee: and now Zu IL J^°Parj another man to be judge in my caufe • ^ °%ned w« to,, and with tltaiword the knight ¡S’ *ffaU!’hU ... 1 tloathsG ESTA Rom A NORUM. 35 eloathsSr ihewedthe wounds that he had received inthe battel, unto all the men that were there prelent, and ibid, lo, what have I fuffered for thee, O Emperor, I did put np other man in my Itead : and now thou afligneft another man in my caufe. Soothly, I fay to thee, that I never lerved fuch a Lord before. When the Emperor heard this, being almoit confounded inhimfelf, be laid, O dear friend, all .that thou fayeit is truth: thoufavedit me from death, thou didit re-obtain my daughter again, and for my fake thou haft fuffered many wounds : verily, it is right that I in mine own per-fon comedown and make an end of thy cauie, fo as may be to thy content, and to mine honor. And'then the Emperor laboured very bnftiy in his matter, and inkde thereof an end, according to the knights requeft: wherefore all men greatly commended the Emperor. The MORA L. Dear friends, this Emperor may be called every chrifli-an man, or elie ail mankind, which had a fair daughter that is to fay, the foul made to the GmiJitude of God /Tire Earl betokneth the devil, which carrieth away-and deflour-eth by fin the foul of man, through eating the fruit of the forbidden tree: wherefore all mankind was in thraldom till aftrong and valiant knight came and put himfelf on the crofs to fuffer death, as a redeemer of mankind from the devil. For if that had not been, we had all been partakers of thraldom everlaftingly, and this knight reduced and re-obtained the lonl of man unto the church, wherefore he fuffered many great wounds in his body. And now this knight; that is, our Lord Jelus Chriff, hath a manner to do among us: that is, to find in us perfcbl faith, wherefore he calieth on ns daily, that we would be ready at all times: laying thus, in Apocalyps e 4 Lo, I (land ‘ at the door and knock : If any man will open to me, I * will come in and iup with him.’ But many men do as the Emperor did, the which appointed the knight another judge than himfelf; for now a-days there be fome men that will do no repentance for the love of him, which affigned no other man but himfelf to fight for us. And therefore again ft unthankful perfons it fhali be (aid thus: lo, he fuffered for us on the crofs, difpoiled of all his cloathing, and fhewed to us all his wounds that he-luffered. Be wc therefore thankful unto God for ail his graces, and be content that we may fuffer for his love fome iorrowfui repentance, for he that luff'ereth pain for the love of God C 2 ill36 Gesta Romanorum. in this life, fliall receive an hundred times more reward in the life everlaiting. Unto the which our .Lord Jelus Chrift bring all mankind. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. The foul of man is here warned to eichew the pleafant baits and fubtle crafts of the devil, that fhe yield not to his allurements, left he get the vantage of this mortal courle from her, and bereave her of her joys in the life to com£. The Sixteenth HISTO RY. THcre dwelt fometimei in Rome a wile Emperor named Pompey, which had a virtuous daughter, named Aglas. This damfel had many endowments above all o-tber women in that empire. F’jrft, (he was fair and gracious in the ih'ht of every man : alfo (lie was fwitt in running, fo that no man might overtake her by a right race. When the Emperor underltood thele two properties in his daughter, he was right joyful: wherefore he proclaimed 'throughout all his empire, that what man, poor or rich, would run with his daughter, fhould have her to wife with great riches, if he could over-run her, and come fooner to the mark than (he: and if (he over run him, and comeiooner to the mark than he, his head ihould be Imit-ten off. When the (fates of that empire, as Dukes, Earls, Bar-rons, and Knights, heard this cry, they offered themfelves one after another to run with her, but ever this young ' lady over-run them all : wherefore they loll their heads according to the law. That time there was a poor man dwelling in Rome, which thought in himfelf, I am a oor man, and come of poor kindred, there is a commonpcry made, that what man foCver can out run the Emperors daughter by any means, (hall be promoted to great honor, and riches: now therefore, if I might over-run her by any manner of way, 1 thould not only be promoted to great honor, but alio all my kindred. Then this poor man provided himfelf of three things, whereby he might win her. Ftrif, he made a garland of red roles and white Secondly, he mad a rich girdle of filk cunnim ly wrought-Thirdly, he made a purie of filk, imbroidered with precious (tones, and within the purfe was a hall of three col-orus, and upon this hall was written this pofie, * Who glayeth with me, frail not he weary of hiy play ’ Then put he thefe three things in his bofome, and went forth to the palace gate,crying,and iaymg.Gome forth lair lady, forGesta Ro M A NORUM.' 37 for T am ready to run with you and to fulfill the law in all things. . When the Emperor heard this, he commanded his daughter to run with him. This young lady went to the chamber window, and when fhe faw him, ihe defpifedtiim, and faid, I haveovercome mim' worthy knights, and now muff I run with a churl ? Neverthelefs, I will fulfill my fathers commandment. Anon the d-imfel arrayed herfelf to run with him. And at the lafl they run together, and within fhort fpace the damfel got far before him. When the juglcr faw this, he threw forth his garland of flowers before her And when the damfel beheld and law it (lie (looped down and took it up, and fet it upon her head, and that while the jugler went before her. But when this young damfel law this, (he wept lore, and for fiyrrow (he threw the garland into a ditch, and ran after him, and at lafl fhe overtook him and lift up her right hand, and gave him a buffet, faying, Abide, thou wretch, itbeieem'-eth not thy fathers fori to have m? to wife. And then this lady did over-run him, and went before him a~great fpace. And when the jugler faw this, he took the girdie out of his boforne, and threw it before her. And when Ihe faw that, fhe (looped down and took it up, and girded her therewith, and the while the jugler gat before her a-gifn. Now when fhe faw that ihe was vexed, and took the girdle, and with her teeth tare it in three pieces, and then threw it from her : and then fhe. ran fail after him, and at the lafl overtook him, and then fheguve him a great blow, faying, O wretch, thinkelt thou to overcome me ! And with that fhe ran before him again. The Jugler wasflie and fubtile, and kept the purle till they were near the niark, and then he threw it before her, and anon fhe Hooped down and took it up, and opened it, and took out the ball, and read the pofie, i Who playeth with me, (hall * never he weary of my play. And fhe began to play,’ and continued fo long in playing, till that the jugler was before her at the mark. And thus he won the Emperor’s daughter, The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor is our Saviour Jefus Chriit, and his fair daughter is the Soul of man, which was made clean by the efficacy of baptiim, and was alio fwift in running : that is, in vertue, while fhe was in her deannels fo that no deadly fin might overcome her. This jugler that is fo fubtiland crafty, is the devil, who ftudieth day G 3 and3$ * Gest a Romanorum. and night to deceive innocents. He provideth him of three thinp-s: Firft, of the garland, which betokeneth price: for why a garland of fldwers is not let upon the arm, nor upon the foot,but upon the head, that it may be (een: fo pride would be feen. Wherefore S. Auguitine faith, * When thou feed a proud man. fear not tp call him the « 0f the devil.’ Do thou therefore as the maiden did, be angry at thy fins, and cafl off the garland of pride into the ditch of repentance, and (o (halt thou give the devil a buffet, and overcome him. But when this jugler ; that is our golfly enemy the devil, feeth himfelfovercome in one fin, then he returneth and tempteth a man in a“ notheriin, and cafteth before him the girdle of letchery, And alas, there be many girdled with this girdle of letchery ; againfl which girdle fpeaketh St. Gregory, faying * Gird we cur loins with the girdle of charity ; for who-‘ foever is girt v/ith this girdle, fliall not lofe the hope of * life.’ Then caileth this jugler; that is, the devil, the purfe with the ball- The purfe that is open above, and dole under, betokens the heart, which evermore fhould be clofe in the bottom againff earthly things, and open above to heavenly joy : and the two firings that open and fhut the purfe, betoken the love of God, and of our nigh-hour: the ball which is round and moveable to every part of its difference, betokeneth covetoufncfs, which movcLh ever both in young and old, and therefore the pofie was true that was written on the ball, * Wholo playeth with * j£at 7 wifh. covetoufncfs, ‘ fliall never be jittis-‘ fied. Therefore faith Seneca, ‘ When all fins wax old then covetoufnefs waxeth young.’ Therefore let us take heed that we play not with this ball of covetoufnefs and then without doubt we fhall obtain through the mcr- i'r ? A' bue-ls tha. ihall never end. Unw the which he bring us that Ihcd his precious blood *r! TrHE ARGUMENT. The preaching of God’s word and every good graver is a lweet foundmg melody in the ears 5f God InA hath a promifed reward of God • vet ther,» °d’ an i then ilirred up in us iotne 1« thereof ^0 r edverfary the devil, and we are hinHrJl .• U £ by the providence of God godlv nre r.a ,lm^» “ptd forth, which with thehook ofcSls word1C£ be* fent Ram our Jofl felicity, snd fo remove r the A 7? K fouls as were reduced ahd led away, into it" foy/hl ■ 4 and I Gesta Romanorum. 39 an a perpetual fellowihip of the bleflhd angels of heaven. The Seventeenth HISTORY. SOmetlme dwelt in Rome a noble Emperor, and a wife named Theodoiius, which loved greatly the inufick, ofithe harp and likewife the paitime of hunting. It befcl upon a day as this Emperor hunted in a forreft, he heard a fweet noil'e of a harp, fo that through the fweetnefs the^.of he was almoft'raviihed of his wits- wherefore he fought about the forreft: to find that melody, and at the lait heefpied at the end of the forreft a poor man fitting befide the water, playing on a harp full fweetly. Then laid the Emperor, good friend, proceedeth this melody from thy harp, or no? The poor man anf.veredand faid, my reverend Lord, I ihall tell you the truth, here befide this water, my wife, my child, and I, have dwelt thefe thirty years, and God hath given me fuch a gilt, that when I play on my harp, I make fuch melody, that the fifties of this water come out to my hand, fo that therewith my wife, my child, and I, have been fuftained in great plenty. But, alace, fometimes on the other fide of this water there cometh a whiftler, and whiftleth fo fweetly that many times the fifties forfake me, and go to him % therefore my reverend Lord, I crave your help againit this whiftler. Then faid the Emperor, I ihall give thee good help: I have here in my purle a golden hook, which I will give thee, take it, and bind if fait to the end of a rod, and put a worm upon the hook, and caft thy rod into the water and play upon the harp; and when thou perceiveit the fiih to bite upon the bait, draw them up to the land with that hook, and then his whiffling ihall not avail. When the poor man heard this, he rejoiced greatly, and did as he had taught him. And when this poor man began to play upon his harp, the fifties came to the bait, and he took them up with his hook, and lived there by in better eftate long time, and at the lait ended his life in peace and reft. The MORAL- Dear friends this Emperor betokeneth otir lord Jefus Cbrift, which greatly delighteth to hunt the foul of mankind in the forrelt ; that is, the holy Church. He loveth aliothe melody of the harp,that is,he loveth muchthem that teach the holy word of God. This poor man that fat by C 44-0 Gesta Romanorum. hewater-fide.betokeneth.the Prelats of the church,and the preachers of the word of God, which ought to be always relident in their charge, and not in the world ; that is, they (hould not fet their delight on v orldly things. 1 he preachers ought to have the h85 r P of holy feri ptorc, wherewith they may praiie and lion0 O r God,and alio therewith draw out of this world iinners. Therefore faith the PL? Imiit thus, ‘praife the Lord, upon the harp ; ling to the Lord with a pfalin of thanklgiving,’ Plain) 98. 6. But now a-days the preachers may fay, Alace, for when I preach &nd teach the holy ferinture, the devil cometh and whiitleth lo fweetly, that thefinners draw to him, and will not hear the word of God: but they turn themfelves only to the delight of (in. The devil deceiveth alio mankind by divers ways. Firfl, in the time of preaching he maketh fometofleep: and them that he cannot make to deep, he maketh them to talk and clatter; and them that he cannot make to clatter, he maketh them fo dull that they cannot underitand what the preacher iaith: and them that he cannot beguile by thele means, he putteth into them buiiuefs, and cauieth them to get out of the Church : Behold how many ways the devil hath to deceive mankind and to hinder the work of God. And therefore every Prelat, and every preacher °Ui5m-t0 have theSoldcn hook °f God’s word again!! this whiffling, by.which they may draw iinners out of this Tr1ht. When the Emperor perceived this, willing to plealchis wife, he exiled' his fon out of his empire. And when the ion was exiled: he went and lludied phyiic, fo that within (hort time he was a lkil£ul*nd a cunning phyfician, It befell not long time after, that the Emperor his father h-kned, and was almoilat death’s door : wherefore when he heard that bis ion was fogood aphyiician, he fent for him by letters, praying him, that he would come to him without delay. Now the ion willing to obey his father s convmandiTient, in all hade came to him: and when h.e had felt his pulles, ne difeerned the firknefs, and minidred pbyiic to him, whereby he fhortly recovered. Not long after, the Emprefs Ins ftep mother began to Fall lick, and many phyiicians laid, (he would die And when the Emperor heard this, he lent to his fon to help her of her iicknefs. Thenfaid his fon, certainly, lather* I will lay no hand on her. Then the Emperor began to wax wroth, and faid if thou wilt not obey my command- ment, thou (halt henceforth depart mine empire, Fiislon anfwered, and laid, it you do fo, dear fatlrer you uo un-l riahtly. for well you know, that you exiled me out of your empire through her fuggeftion, and mine abfencr was cauie of your fid-tnels no w my pretence is ca fe of hers, r.or ufe any ph'lc unto her, oftentimes phyhaans are deceived in thcle pAients ; therefore I dare lay no hand on her or if it, would lortune her todie, men would judge; I that my phylic were the cauie thereof." * ''S./J?'' ■ . ' ' ■>. 54 Gesta Romanorum. Then faid the Emperor, She hath ftfvery fame ficknefs that I had. His Ion aniwered, and laTcl, I hough me have the {’ante very licjtnets, nevcrthelcis you are not both of one coniHtutioh : for whatloever I did to you, you were therewith content: and when you law (tie come within the palace you rejoiced at my coming, and was greatly pleated with the light of me that you begat; but when this my itep-m< t er law me (he was-angry and took her corly at her heart, and therefore il i fhould but [peak to her, her forrow would much more increale; and ii I fhould touch he/ ihe would Be in a r-ge. Alio a phyfician proiiteth little, except the patient take plealure in him. Now none can cure hero! envy. And when he lud Jpokcn his niind, he took hisleave and departed thence. , • Jli ■ .... ; . The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor betokeneth every chriltian man which is married to Chriit in baptifrn of regeneration, for then the ioul is made the fpoufe of Chriit, on whom our Saviour begetteth a fon. that is, the knowledge of his word and will. But when the child grew to ten years of age, of to fome increale ¡it virtue, his mother chriltiani-ty died, then virtue departed from youth, and afterwards the chriltian man his father matched himielf with another woman, the ilep-mother ofrthe fame youth'named ignorant envy, which in no wife could affect the Emperor’s ion of knowledge ; wherefore ihe cauled him to be banilhed into a itrange country, from his father and her both. It happned that the good chriltian man being over-ruled by his wife, failed, lick, and fendeth for his fon, that is knowledge of God’; word and will, to cure him as his phylidi-sn, who dutifully performeth the lame. But his (tep-mother falling lick at the light of the Emperor's ion, though the chriltian man her hufband labours to him to cure her as a good phyheian of her foul; yet fne not liking his good endeavour to win her from ignorant envy of the truth, is very hardly healed of her lickneis, but oftentimes dieth !n ber ignorant envy and willull wickednels, without any ",ope of health or life unto eternal lalvation, lo that the pbyucian comes thither too late. THE A R GUM'/NT. [efus Clnilt the Son of God ou< n to he cherifhcd and follred in our hearts by faith and good life, which is taken front us when we are riot thankful to him for his graces. W herefore the preachers of God’s word, as goodGesta Romanorum. 55 jvoOd phyficians, are lent unto us, for to admonilh and warn us to perlevere in amendment of life, andconllant hope in Chrift’s merits; and fo to harbour him in our hearts, as he may thereby bellow on us the promotion ©f heavenly bills, x The twentyfifrh HISTORY. Sometime there dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperor, named Folenus, who took to wife the king’s daughter of Germany, a fair lady and a courteous, which within {hort time conceived and bare a fon. When the child was born, the Hates of the empire came to the 1 mperor, and every one of them beiought the Emperor to have ¿he bringing up of his 1'on. The Emperor antwered, and faid, to morrow. Hi all be a turney, and there you (hall all be, and which of you doth bell, and obtained the vi&ory, he (hall have the keeping of my Ion : t*nd if he train him up well, 1 ihall promote him to great dignity and honour: andif-he do the contrary, he (hall die theiouleH death that can bethought. Then faid they, moll reverend Lord, all this plealeth us well. ' On the morrow, when every man was come to the turney, the Hates Jolted vahently: but at length came a valiant knight, named Jelias, who fo couragioully bare himlelf there that he obtained the viftory. And immediately after the turney was ail done, this loll as took the child, and led him home with him. And becaufe the Emperor’s ion fhould be received with Hate in this country, he {lent before his cable, and commanded his officers, that they KwMtoyaUy $rov^e.M him, and that the child’s lodging (honld be m the mu U of the cattle: and alfo that the ieven Iciences ffioulo be put rayed about the child’s bed, That when the chnd waked^ut of his Heep, he might ly in Ins bed and behold thelame. The knight had a whollome well by the child s bed HcL, wherein he ufed to bath himlelf, and the knight s vafe.bare-the key of the well, and there was a window thereat the iun might comfortably lbme upon him. It.fetumed upon a day, that the lady left open the the window through negligence: which being done, thither cai^abear^ and feeing the window open, went to the wel!vartd bathed hm therein : of whole bathing, the well avoided pfttV, thro H the greatlieat which was at time in tl\£ hunted bear, v 1 M by whofoever drank df that water, waxed leprou> w >ll»‘ -ffiert time after, So it fortuned that the ford and the Lot,y with all the houlhold, by drinking o( the wuur of nut well became lepers, notwithltanding it appeared not pre D 4 un*J56 Gesta Romanorum. fently. Not long after, it fortuned that there came a great eag)e in at that window where the Fmperor’s ion lay, and bare th. child away out of the cradle. Now when the Lord of the caitle heard this, he wept bitterly, and laid, Alace, alace, wo is me, wretched creature, that ever I was born; what (hall I do? now I am the fon of death, for 1 am become a lothfome leper, and fo is my wife with all my houlold : alio the Emperor’s ion is loft and gone. Now while he thus mourned, there came to him a phy-fician, and laid, Sir, if you will do after my counfel you lliall not repent you. Firit it behoveth you, your wife, and all ycur houfhold, to be let blood, and after that, to be bathed and clean wafhed and then 1 will apply to you my medicine : And when you are whole, then fha.ll you an 1 your honihold walk up to the mountains, and feek the Emperor’s ion, lor the eagle hath let hint fall in lome pia.e. Then the Lord followed the advice and count’d thus given by the phyfician: and forthwith he and all hist houiho'd were let blood, ami received the medicine, and within a ihort time after were heal and found When they weretbus herded, betook his horfe, accom; aided with three men, and rode forth to feek the child, and at the jail he found him whole and found lying in a valley, whereat he greatly rejoiced. And incontinently with great Joy and gjadneis, he led the child home to the Emperor his father. Now when the Emprror faw his fon in good health he was right glad, and promoted him to great honour. And la after he had long time lived there in noble iiate, he after enued his Idem peace and reft. The MORAL. he7v?n ,?n c’ t]LS Emperor betokencth the Father of aven : his Son betokeneth onr Lord fefus Chrift, to [c£many men defire, at luch a time as they re-foment of his death and paffion. He nourifh- 'tiy 'JSy life h W '1?1 • "i5,h ithe dcv,i] a,nd overconicth hirg ¡»7,god.,y 1 r- Th,s kn,fiht that took this child with him ciokcpctha goodchriitian man, that evermore abllaineth » ‘T .4°** good to all men. Therefore do we as the knight did, lend mcilengcrs before to prepare •mdmahe flean the caitle of our hearts for jtfus to dwell ¿Vein 1 lie well betokeneth mercy, which ought to be next our Loro: for v.botocver is without mer y, and truth m-17 n >1 ncur 1 (h,the blefled.child Jefus ; but it happened ¿ft Jhat ihe knight « wit£: that is, the « o;-man, bearoth ?nc key of mercy, and oft leaveth that well open, and .r ■ 1 ■ , tlienGesta Romanorum. then cometh the bear ; that is the devil, and leaVeth his loathfome filth in the well of mercy, and whofo talteth thereof, (hall be infedted with» the leprolie of fin The window wherein the fun ihined, is the grace of the Holy Ghoft, by whom men are comforted gholtly. By this window the eagle cometh in; that is, the flying affe&ions of the wicked world, carrying away the knowledge of God from vis, unto the yale of ignorance and fecurity, and then Ynan hath great caufe to weep ; but what ihall we do when the child is gone, but fend for a fkilful phyiicim ; that is, a difcreet minilter ot the word of God, which ihall pive him goodcountel to let him blood and all his houihold ; that is to put out fin through acknowl dging thereof, and reconciling himielf with earned repentance unto his heavenly father. 'lhep rpult he bath himfelf with tears of contrition and compundtion of heart, and after that, take the medicine of amendment of life, and fo live pure and clean from all maimer of fin ; and when he hath done thus, he mnii leap on the palfray of good perfeverance from evil, and r'cfe forth with the three men; that is, falling from evil, praying to God, and well defrving towards men: and then Without doubt he ihall find the child [efus in the valiey of humility, and noton a hdl, that is pride. And if ye do i-this, doubtlefs, ye ihall have power to nourlfh that bleffed Child Jefns, for whole nourishing the Father of heaven Ihall promote him unto everlalting joy. Unto the which joy he bring us that ihed his precious bood for us. A-men. Chriit the giver of everlafting glory hath proclaimed a like joy and bjifs in heaven, as well to the poor as to the rich : but the rich oftentimes coveting all, lafeth the prerogative which the poor in heart enjoy by the providence of God ; Yet as he is a rii hteous God, Ho ordaineth botli for the rich and poor, in fuch fort, that if they will, they may together joyfully be fatistied with the great plenty of his abundant graces. The twentyfixth HISTORY-metime dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperor named - ulgentius, which, governed his people nobly, and loved them lo iguch, that he made proclamation throughput all nations, that whofoever would come to him, rich pr poor, at a certain day, (hould havetheir petition whatsoever it were. When the mighty men heard this, they THE ARGUMENT, were58 Gesta Romanorum., were glad, and came at the day affigned, and every mat! put forth his petition to the Emperor, _ immediately their, petitions were granted and fulfilled, in lo much toat a great part of tlie revenues of the empire was dihributetj among them. Then every man was joyfull and went home again, and took polleffion of fuch lands and caltles as the Emperor had given them. _ . Straightway after, the poor men in the Emperors domt-J nions gathered them together, and laid, A cotnmon cry^ h was made, that whofoever came to the, Emperor's palacej m fhould have whatfoever he allied, 1 he rich men have bccn.1 a,i there lately, and obtained their petitions ; therefore goj h we now, and try if we may obtain any good bl the Emper- ; m ort ]vow this couniel liked them all, wherefore they went ; to the Emperor’s palace, and tbete they put forth their,' petitions' according to the proclamation. " J When the Emperor h -,d heard them he faid to them, dear ! friends, 1 have heard all your petitions, and it is true that * my proclamation was, that every man indifferently lliould come and have their petitions : but the rich and mighty ;: men have been here before you, to whom 1 have given alt;' that i had, fave only the royalty of my Lordihip, and lo have I nothing left to you. Whereto the poor men ladlyi replyed, Moll gracious Soveraign have compaffion on us and let us not go away empty, for we know well that it isn our own default that we came not rather wit,h tfiefe other ■ rich and mightÿ men : hut lith it is lo, we crave your grace that we may obtain fomewhat by the which we may live. Then (aid the Emperor, good friends, though 1 have g» 1 yen moil of my lands, rents, tenements and cailles, to the ] rcIVmen that came before you: ncverthelefs I have kept A ilill in my own hands the Sovereignty and dominion over ] j them, and that 1 dp give you, and lo they (hall be your lcrvants, and be obedient to you all.. And when the poor men heard this, they greatly thereat rejoiced, and kneeled , clown to the Emperor, and thanked him, laying, Lo, though we be come late,t yet we be Lords over all tftefe o-ther. And with this, they took their leave and went Home again. Rut when the rich and mighty n en heard that, thejl were greatly moved, and ordained a common parliament ernong themfclves. And tints it was Ipoken among them, Alace, alace, how may we lerve them that ion.etime were but pcakmts, and our lubjeds in all mantnr of things, and now they be made Lords over us r Therefore go, we p)l with one allant to the Emperor, and pray him, for re-drels. When this was laid, they forthwith went to th Emperor*Gesta Romanorum Emperor, and faid to him, reverend Lord, what may this paean, thofe that were our f'ervants ere while, be now our Lords! We befeech your highnels that it may not f Then faid the Emperor, My pood friends, I do you no [ a wrong, for my proclamation was common, that whatfoever you aikctj of me, you ihould have your petition, and you alked only of me lands and honours, and all thole I have granted you to your own delires, infomuch that I have , kept nothingfor my fclf. and yon were well content at your going hence- Now alter that came the iimple and poor jnen, and-alked of me fome boon according to my proclamation, and 1 had nothing to give them, but only the So-veraignty and dominion over you, which 1 kept in my hands: and when the poor men cryed fo tome, I gave them the authority over you, yet I lee not that you can blame me therefore : for l give you all the wealth that I had. Then laid they: O dear and gracious Lord, we pray you, let us have your help and advice in this lb dangerous a caie> The Emperor anlwered, and faid, firs, if you will follow mine advice, I fhall give good and profitable coun-fcl. , Then they faid, Wp be ready to fulfill whatfoever you advife us for our profit. 'r Then (aid the Emperor, My loving friends, you have received of me both lands and tenements, and alio plenty of honours and preferments, the which by my counfej, you fhall impart to the poor men. that they may grant unto you the loveraignty, and that-dominion which they have. When the mighty men heard this, they willingly 1icondelcended to impart their goods among-the poor men, and they as willingly gave ihem again the authority over them, like as they had of the rich men.. And thus were they both contented, and the Emperor was greatly com-mended of all the people, becaule he io wiiely contentedf both parties, Jcfus Chriil, which made a proclamation by his prophets, ¡patriarchs, ApoUtes, and preachers, that every man both t ■ poor and rich Ihould come and alk everlasting joy, and I without doubt they fhall obtain their petitions. But tfie l rich and migl)ty men alkfor no other 'hing bur worldly honour, and tranfitory riches: yet this world ihall pals, 'f all the covetoufnels thereofr wherefore he gave them be fo. The M O R A;L. Dear friends, by this Emperor is underfiood our Lord fo60 Gfsta Romanorum. fo much of worldly wealth, that he had nothing for hi Pelf according to the fcriptures, ‘ The birds of the heav * have neits, and the foxes of the earth have caves • b ‘ the Son of Man hath nothing in the earth where he m * put his head,’ iVi3ttV» B. 20. The poor men be t meek in heart, of whom the Lord fpeaketh, faying, ‘ble * fed be the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom * heaven,’ Matth. $.3. So it fhall feem that they hav loveraignty in heaven above the mighty men of the world therefore thefe rich men ought to impart of their tempo al riches with the poor men, according to the fcriptur' * Make you friends with riches of iniquity, that when y * fhall want they may receive you into everlaUing habitati ‘ ons,’ Luke 16. o. And according to Job 4. 9. ' C iv * alms of thy fubftance, If thou haft but a little be not ‘ afraid of giving a little alms.’ And thus ye attain unto th kingdom of heaven. Unto the which I befeech almighty God bring us all. THE ARGUMENT. The Emperor of glory, Chrift Jefhs, hath two datigh ters, the one fair, the other foul the fair is riches; the foul is poverty and trouble; 7'hefair daughter is defired of many t ie foul of few ; lor that loveth the world regardetb only the vanities thereof, but he that loveth God, will fuffi all perlecution and trouble for the obtaining of him. The twcntyfr.venth HISTORY. IN Rome fometime dwelt a noble Emperor, named Do-mitian, which had two daughters, the one of them was paling fair, but the other foul and ill-favoured : wherefore h proclaimed throughout all hisempire,that whofo would tak$ his fair daughter to wife, Ihould have nothing with hd& but her beautifull and comely perfonage : but whofo would marry his foul daughter (hould have all his empire after his deceafe. Now when this proclamation was made, there came many Lords that defired to marry his fair daughter- To whom the Emperor aqfwered thus, firs, ye wot not what ye dciire , for if ye marry her, ye lhall have nothing with her but her beautiful and comely perfonage and furthermore, if I give her to one of you rather than a-nother, you will grudge; therefore, if ye will needs have her, and forlakc my foul daughter, you fhall juft fori her: and he that winneth her, fhall marry her. 1 Then thenobles and ftatestd the empire greatly rejoiced and for the love of that beautiful damlel, they would not Only juft, but fight alio : fo they let a day of battle, andGesta Romanorum. 61 many worthy mem were fiain on both fulcs; neverthclefs, one obtained the viftory, and efpoufed that fair lady. The fecond daughter which was foul and ill-favoured, feeing her fit’er lo bellowed with great folemnity, wept daily ; therefore the Emperor her father' came to her, and laid, dear daughter, why mournell thou thus ? Alace, dear father, quoth Ihe, it is no wonder though I mourn, feeing my filter is married with great honour and gladncfs, and every man is joyfull of her, and no man careth for ,!\my company; therefore, dear father, what fhall I do, I , know not, Then laid the Emperor O my dear daughter, ’ all that is mine is thine: and it is not unknown to thee, that he that married thy lifter had nothing with her but her beautiful corps : and therefore I fhall proclaim in mine own perfon throughout mine Empire, that what man will marry thee, 1 (hall allure him the Empire after my deceafe by letters patent. Then this young lady, though (he was foul and ill-favoured, neverthclefs Ihe rejoyced greatly in the promife of her lather. Shortly after the proclamation was thus made, there came a proper and young knight yrhich efpoufed the lady, and after the death of the £m-peror, he leafed upon all the empire, and he was crowned Emperor, and ihe Emprefs: and ?fter that they lived together along time in peace ar.dreil. I U The M O R A L. Dear friends, this Emperor betokeneth our Lord Jcfus Chrilt, which had two daughters, the one fair and the o-ther foul: The lair daughter betokeneth the world, which is full fair and deleftable to many : The foul betokeneth poverty and trouble, whom few men delire to marry with, Meverthelefs a proclamation was made by the holy ferip-ture that wholo would have his fair daughter, that is, the world, fhould have nothing with her but her fairneis; that is, the worldly vanities, which fade and fall away like as the beauty of man ; but wholo will marry the foul daughter; that is, will voluntarily receive poverty and trouble for God’s love, without doubt he fhall obtain the empire of heaven, according to the feripture laying, Ye that have < forlaken all things for my love to follow me, ihail have * everlaftinp life, Many nob*/ 3ntl worthy men have jufted Tor the fur daughter: that is, have fought and travelled by fea and by land in this world for covetoulneis of worldly fichest and at length there be many fiain ; for there is nothing here but pride of life, covctouiiiels of the eyes, and of the flefli62 Gesta Romanorum. fle h, wherethrough thefe grievous iins all the world is pu to great damage and mifchief: So he that married the (a daughter; that is, the world, is he that lettethali his a fections and whole defire upon the wretchednefs and vani-tiesol this wicket! world, and will not by any means for fake this vain world, like a wretch. But he that marrieth the foul daughter; that is, the good chriltianman, which for the love of the kingdom of heaven, and the everluitin joys thereof, forfaketu all this worijd : and not only doth thus, hut alfo defpifeth himielf, obeying the true and e-verlaiting God in all things« fuchamtn certainly (hall obtain the joyful and happy Empire of heaven. Unto the which bring us our Lord Jelus. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. ' / ^ A Devotion, prayer, and than’tfgiving unto God for his gifts is a fweet founding mufic, deleHable In the ears of God : we are hereby warned after our rirlt offending,. not to return to our vomit with the dog, nor after wafhing’ ■wirj^the fow, to wallow in‘the myre; no, rather let us bath ourfelves in the well of forrowful and hearty repen-jj tance, in perfeverance in good life, that we may live with it Chrift in everlaiting joy and biefs.. The twentyeight HISTORY. IN Rome fometime dwelt a mighty Emperor, named Amdromicha, the which above all things loved mufic. This Emperor had within his palace a well of l’uch virtue that whofoever were drunk, by drinking the water thereof, (hould incontinently become freih again, and be delivered from all kind of dizinefs. There was alfo dwelling in the Emperor s court a knight, named Ydrony, whom the Emperor loved much: but oftentimes he would be drunk, which vice the Emperor hated above all things. And when this knight perceived himielf drunk then would he go to that well and drink, of that water and fo refrdli himielf, fo that whatioever the Emperor laid to him, he would anfwer him fo reafonably, that no drunken-nels might be Teen in him : and for his witty anfwers he was greatly beloved of the Emperor. Nevert: elefs, his fellows,fought to draw the Emperor’s love from him. It fortuned on a day, that this Emperor vtnt to the for-red, where he heard a Nightingale ling right pleafimtly. Oftentimes atter he would ri e early in the morning and ijmetimcs from his meat, and walk into the wood to hear her lweet long : wherefore many of his men laid among thenileivcsGesta Romanorum. 6^ felves,. Qur Lord deli ghteth fo much in the Nirbtiimals long, that he reckoned* nothing our profit, iniornuch that through two things his love i& withdrawn from us • tha* is, by Ydrony the knight, and by the fweet lontr ¿f the Nightingale ; then faidan old knight that was among them iirs, quoth he, if you will, follow my couniel, 1 fhall deliver you of the knight Ydrony, and of the Nightingale without hurt or death. Then they anfwered/and laid* Whatfoever you advife us to do, we (hall ftraightway ful-If fill it with all our hearts. When this knight*heard this within a while after chanced to efpie this knight Ydrony drunk; wherefore he locked fait the well, fo when theknigbt Yedrony came to refrefh himfelf, he found the well fait locked. > Now the Emperor had a great bufinefs to treat of, wherefore in great haft he iept for his knight, becauie of his great wifdoni, to have his counfel. And that when he came before the Emperor, he was fo drunk that he could not move his tongue, neither had wit, reafon, nor undemanding to anfwer the Emperor to his matter. But whon the Emperor faw this, he was greatly vexed, for as much as he hated that vice: wherefore he commanded anon, that from that day forward he fliould no more be feen within his land, upon pain of death- Thishearinghis foes, they rejoiced and (aid nntotheold |* knight. Now we be delivered of this knight Ydron: there is no more to do, but that we find a way alio to be deliver-' edofthe Nightingale, in which the Emperor delighteth fomuch. Then laid the old knight, Your cars ihaU hear, and your eyes fiiall fee, this Nightingale fhall be deltroy- ed fiiortly. Not long after, this old kniglv. efpied that the Nightingale ufed to fit upon a tree even above the aforelaid well, whereas her mate came and coupled with her: Nev erthelefs in the abfence of her mate, ihe took often another mate, and coupled with him. When file had thus done, then would ihe defeend to the well to bath berfelf, that when her mate came, he fhould feel no evil favour orfeent of what ihe had done. When the knight had feen this, on a time he locked the well, and when the Nightingale would have defeended to bath herfelf, after the coupling with the other mate, file found the well clofed : wherefore ihe flew up into the tree again, and mourned lore in her manner, and left her fong. Then came her mate, and faw that he had done a- gainft her nature, he returned again, anu m fliort tune brought<4 G ESTA ROMANORUM. brought a multitude of Nightingales, which flew his nn and tare her all in pieces. ' And thus was the wife knight put away, and the Nightingale (lain, and the Emperor put from his pleafures, and diiappointed of the great comfort he was wont to have. The MORAL. Dear friends this Emperor betokeneth our Lord lefus Chrifl, which loveth greatly the fong of devotion : for when we pray, we fpeak unto God; and when we read, God fpeaketh unto us The well that was in the palace,. betokeneth acknowledging our fins to God: therefore if any be drunk with fin, let him drink of the well of nc-| knowledging of his fins, and without doubt he fhaJl b«J fafe. | ThisYdronybetokeneth every man that wilfully returneth again to fin after his acknowledging of fin, like as a dog that maketh a vomit, and cafteth up the meat that he hath eaten before, and afterward when he is hungry, cometh and eateth it again. Neverthelels, if a ¡nan that hath thus finned will drink of the well of acknowledging his fin, he'v flaail receive his ghoftly itrength. The Nightingale that fat on the tree, betokeneth the foul that fitteth on the tree of holy do&rine. And her long betokeneth the foul that fitteth on the tree of devout prayers to God But this foul doth cotnmitjevil, as oft as fhe confenteth to fin Ncverthelefs, if fhe run to the well of acknowledging of fin, and bath her in the water of contrition, God (hall love her, But her foes, that is, the fiends of hell, feeing this, that God is merciful, they flop the well of acknowledgement of fin; that is, they would withdraw us from dutiful acknowledgement, and from due reconciliation of our (elves between us and God, and between us and man without fhame and dread oF repentance, not to declare our fins. And thus through the temptations of the devil our adverfary, many have been exiled and put to deatn everlaffingly. And therefore 4 lludy we to bath our fouls in this life in the acknowledge- j tnent of our fin, with the water of contrition : and then we (hall be lure in the world to come, to have joy ever* ’ lading. Unto the which God bring us all. Amen, ' THEv Gesta Romanorum. 65 to the bird, fweet bird, I have Curtained thee many a day» what wilt thou give me now in my delolation to comfort me? Remember thy felf well, how that thou art the creature of God, and io am I alfo, and therefore help me now in this my great need. When the bird heard this, fhe flew from his bofom, and tarried from him three days, but the third day (he came again, and brought in her mouth a precious ftone, and laid it in the knights bofom. And when flie had fo done, fhe took her flight and flew from him again. The knight marvelled at the ftone, and at the bird, and forthwith he took the ftone in his hand, and touching his gins and fetters therewith, and prefently they fell off. And then he arofe and touched the doors of the prilon, and they Opened, and lo he elcaped, and ran fart to the Emperor’s palace. When the keeper of the prifon perceived this, he blew his horn thrice, and raifed up all the folk of the city, and led them forth, crying with an high voice, lo, the thief is gone, follow we him all. And with that he ran before all his fellows towards the knight: and when he came nigh him, the knight bent his bow, and ihot an arrow, wherewith he ihot the keeper in the lungs, and flew him, and then ran to the palace, where he found fuceour again!! fhe law. The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor betokeneth our Lord Je-fus Chrift, who ordained a law, that what innocent; that is, what perfon impriiotied wrongfully, and mightefcape and come to the palace in his heavenly habitation through' repentance and true amendment of life, ihould find per-\ petual fuccour and help. This knight betokeneth every One that is innocent, andaccufed by envy or malice un-juitly, taking grief for his prefent eftate. The keeper of I this prifon betokeneth the devil, that keepeth fuch a man i hard bound by iin,andferveth him with riches and delights | of this traniitory world, that he ihould not eicape from ; danger. The bird that fingeth fo fwectly, betokeneth the voice of heaven, that faith to the eppreifed, ‘ Turn a-' ‘ gain now turn again, thou prifoner that is, turn again . thou oppreifed, and I will receive thee to grace : i’or (when mankind was in thraldom to fatan in the prifon of f hell, then came there a bird, that is the God-head, bearing with him a rtone, that betokens our Lord Jefus v hrift^ according to the holy Scripture-faying, ‘ I am a ftone. \ The Soul of Chrift deicended with the God-nead, and «brought with him all mankind out of the priioft or hell:- E 2 thefc-66 Gest a Rom a norum. unto all righteoufneis cleannefs. The venomous dragop, that beareth the fire, betokeneth the flefh of man, which fer.reth the fire of covetoufnefs, which burnt our forefather when he eat of the forbidden aplc. The venomous benft that poiioned the men, betokeneth the fiend of hell, which for the molt part have deftroyed all mankind. The hates of the city, betokeneth the patriarchs and prophets,which beiought God of count'd and remedy, that mankind might be laved and anon it was 'counlelled for the beft remedy, that a lyon ; that is, Chriit. fhould be^ be nailed upon the crofs, according to the Scripture, fay-,s ing thus, ‘ It was requifite that one man fhould die ‘for the people leaft all (left fhould perifh,’ Then took they Chriit,and hung him on the crofs : for the which the devil dreadeth chriftian people, and dares not come nigh them. And thus, by the grace of God, chriftian men (hall come to everlafting blefs unto the which bring us the lamb of God,which ihed his precious blood for us. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. 1 Her? is iignified the thraldom of man unto fotan, by fin till / Chriit the Son of God deicended with the power of theho-fi ly Ghoit, to fee him at liberty, and put him in pofieffi-1 ■ on of the palace of everlafting felicity. The tlvrtyeth. HISTORY. THere dwelt fometime in Rome a mighty Emperor, atid a merciful named Menelay, .who ordained luch a law that what innocent perfon was taken and put in prifon, if he might elcape and come to the Emperor’s palace, he fhould be there lafefrom all manner of accufations againlt him in his life time, It was not long after, but it befell that a knight was accufed, wherefore he was taken ami put in a itrong and dark prifon, where he lay a long time,' and bad no light but a little wilidow whereat leant light fbone in, that lighted him to eat fuch fimple meat as was brought him by his keeper: wherefore he mourned greatly,/1 and made forrow that he was thus fait (hut up from the , fi^ht of men. Ncvcrthelefs, when the keeper was gone, there came daily a Nightingale in at the window, and fung full Iweetly, by whole fong this wofull knight was oftentimes fed with joy: and when this bird left off tinging, then would (lie. flie unto the knights bofome, and their this knight fed her many a day of the victuals that God lent him. It befell after upon a day, that the knight was greatly defolate of comfort: neverthelefs, the bird th-»t fat in his bolome Fed upon kernels of nuts, and thus hefaid toGesta Romanorum. 65 ture of God, and io am I alfo, and therefore help me tarried from him three days, but the third day (he came again, and brought in her mouth a precious ftone, and laid it in the knights bofom. And when fhe had fo done, \ fhe took her flight and flew from him again. The knight marvelled at the done, and at the bird, and forthwith he took the ftone in his hand, and touching his gins artd fetters therewith, and prefently they fell off. And then he arofe and touched the doors of the prifon, and they opened, and fo he efca'ped, and ran fail to the Emperor’s palace. When the keeper of the prifon perceived this, he blew his horn thrice, and raifed up all the folk of the city, and led them forth, crying with an high - voice, lo, the thief is gone, follow we him all. And with that he ran before all his fellows towards the knight : and when he came nigh him, the knight bent his bow, l and fhot an arrow, wherewith he {hot the keeper in the lungs, and flew him, and then ran to the palace, where he found fuceour again!! jhe law. fus Chrift, who ordained a law, that what innocent; that is, what perfon imprifoned wrongfully, and might efcape and come to the palace in his heavenly habitation through' repentance and true amendment of life, ihould find per-\ petual fuceour and help. This knight betokeneth every One that is innocent, andaccufed by envy or malice un-juitly, taking grief for his prefent eftate. The keeper of “ this prifon betokeneth the devil, that keepeth fuch a man i hard bound by fin,andferveth him with riches and delights } of this traniitory world, that Ire ihould not efcape from | danger. The bird that fingeth fo fwectly, betokeneth the J voice of heaven, that faith to the oppreiled, * Turn a-■ ‘ gain now turn again, thou prifoner that is, turn again | , thou oppreffed, and I will receive thee to grace: for ,| iwhen mankind was in thraldom to fatan in the prifon of j| hell, then came there a bird, that is the God-head, bear-| ing with him a {lone, that betokens our Lord fefus v hrift^ according to the holy Scripture-faying, ‘ I arn a ftone. V The Soul of Chrift dcfcencted with the God-head, and brought with him all mankind out of the prifon of hell v # Dear friends, this Emperor betokeneth our Lord ]e- The MORA L. E 2 there-68 Gesta Romanorum. therefore iiany of us be in the prtibn of worldly oppreiTioni touch we our fins with the (lone ; that is, with the virtue! of our Lord Jefus Chriit, by acknowledging our fin ini faithful prayer, and by true contrition ; and then without doubt, the chains of our oppreffion, with the (lone (hall he broken, and fall from us, and the door of heavenly grace (hall be opened, and we (hall obtain help and fuc-cour in the palace of heavenly habitation. And if the keeper of the prifon; that is,the devil,which is the blower of j the horn of pride, lechery or covetoufnefs, ftir in us any fins, then turn we towards him manfully, and (hoot at! liim'the arrow of conilant faith in jefus Chriit, by trucJ and unfeigend repentance, and without doubt he (halt flee from ns: and then by the grace of almighty God, we may obtain the palace of heavenly bleis, where we| lhall behold the king of all glory. Unto the which bring] us our Lord jefus Chrift, Amen. THE ARGUMENT. A poor man exalted to dignity, is here admoniihed not j to be unthankful, and to render evil for good ; but e-f ven to the moftfimple ones to be gratefull for any benefit, clfe furely God that gives thcethis promotion, willf* make the bruitifh creatures of the earth thine enemies, and depofc thee from thy dignity ; and he that hath helped thee, be he never fo bafe, may in the end have better favour with God and man than thy felf: wherefore be warned of ingratitude by this example, and know thyielf, thy God, and thy friend. The Thirty one HISTORY. | Sometime there dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperor, na«‘ med Ebolides, it fortuned on a day that this Emperor walked into a great forreft to take his p]eafure,wherehe met f'uddently with a poor man: and (ofoon as this emperor law him, he was greatly moved with mercy, and faid, Rood friend, whence art thou ? My fovereign Lord, quoth he, I am your fubjedt born in your land, and am now ill great poverty. Then {'aid the emperor, if I knew that thou wert true in every thing, I would promote thee to great riches ; therefore tell me thy name. My Lord, quoth he, 1 am called Lentulus, and I promife you to do you true fervice; and if I do otherwif'e, I fubmitmy felf unto ail manner of punifimient that you can put me toi M hen the emperor heard that he promoted him inconti nentiy to great riches, and fhor'ly after he nude him a knight, and Reward of his land. And when he was thu ex*Gesta Romanorum 6o exalted to honour, he waxed very proud, infomuch that he dilpiied both Ins iupenors and inferiors. Not long after thisSteward rode by a forreft, where he met with the forrelter and charged him that he would make an hundred pits in the ground, and cover them with green grafs ar.d (Vnall boughs, that if wild beafts fortuned to go to the forrelt that way, they might fall in, and fo being taken he brought ^to the Emperor. The forrelter anfwered and laid, Sir as you have laid, it (hall be done. Not long alter, it f fortuned that this (teward rode to the forreft again, to fee if thefe pits were msde : and as he rode, he bethought himfelf how wealthy a man, and how mighty in power he was made, and how molt men in the empire obeyed him, and were at his command. As he rode thus thinking, he faid to himfelf, there is no man gfeater than X : and with that hefmote his horfe with the ipurs, and fpddenly he fell into one of the deep pits that he himfelf had or-1 dained before for the wild beads, and.for the great deep-nefs thereof, he could not rife again by any manner of means wherefore he languifhed in great perplexity, and * itraightway came after him a fierce lion,'and fell into the fame pit, and after the lion an ape, and after-the ape a- ier- I pent. When the Steward was thusbelet,.with the bealfo he was exceedingly afraid.t- ’ * T^hen was at this time'dtvellingin the city a poor man, named Guy, that had no richCs, lave only an all*, whereon daily he carried dicks and wood that fell from trees, and fuch as he could get in the forreft, and thole he brought to the market and fold them : and in this -vile fuitained himfelf and wife as long as he might. It fortuned that this poor Guy went to the forreft as he was wont, and as he came by the dee£ pit, he heard' a.man cry and r lay; O dear friend^ wh^t~ art thou ? For Gods fake help me, ahd I fhall recpmpcnce thee fo well that thou lhalte-ver after be the better.7When this poor Guy heard that it was the voice of a man, he rharvellcd greatly, and hood Hill on the pits brink, and faid, lo, good friend, I am come, why haft thou called me ? Then laid the knight, dear friend, I am a ftewanfof all the emperors land, u.n£ ¡¡. I thifs by fortune I am fallen into the pit, and here be with me three bealts ; that is a lion, and ape, and an horrible letpent, which I fear molt of all, and I wot not of which I of them I (hall be devoured : therefore, I: pray thee, get a long rope wherewith thou mayeft draw meout^ of this deep pit, and I will make rhee rich for ever hereaiter : lor ¡A if I have not help, I fhall be devoured of tncie cruel * bealts.yo Ge$ta RomanoruM. Then faid this poor Guy, I may full ill at this time i tend to help thee: for I have nothing to live on, but th I gather wood, and carry it to the market to fell, wher with I am futtained : neverthelcf?, I will leave my purpofed labour, and1 fulfill thy will: and if thou reward me nc‘ it will be great hindrance tome, and to my poor wife Then the' iteward made a great oath, and laid I will pror mote thee and all thine to ¡great wealth. Then faid Guy, If you will perform your promife, I (ha il do what you command me. mad with that he went again to the city, and bought there along rope, and came to the pit again and faid. Sir,Steward, lo here I let down a rope to thee, bind thy felf about the middle (therewith, that I may pull tfiee up. Then was the iteward glad, and faid, goovj friend, let down the rope : and with that he calt the end of the rope down into the pit. And when the lion law 7 it, he caught the rope, and held fait, and Guy drew up the lion, weening in himlelf he had drawn up the iteward : and when he had fo done, the lyon,thanked him In his man* ncr, and ran to the wood The fecond time that Guy let down the rope, the ape leapt to it, and caught it fait; arid when he was drawn up, he thanked Guy in his manner, and ran to the wood. The third time he let down the rope, he drew up the ferpent, which thanked him, and and went to the wood. Then the ltewart cryed with a high voice, O dear friend, now I am delivered of theie three ravenous beads, let down the rope to me that I may come up. Then this poor Guy letdown ^he rope, and the ftewr ard bound himlelf fait about tfie middle, and Guy drew him up. And when he was thus holp out of the pit, h faid to Guy, as followeth: < . • j.., ' Come to me to morrow to the palace, and then I wil rfcward thee. Then poor Guy rejoiced thereat, and wen home without any reward. Then his wife demanded c him, why he gathered no wood whereby they might live that day ■ then told be her of the event as it befell, hov the iteward fell mtotbe pit (and alio the lion,the ape and the ferpent) that he had made in the laid forreft. and how h ’ had holpen him out with a rope, and faved him from bein devoured,of the three venomousibeaits: and that he ihoulc, go to the ltewart and fetch, his reward on the morrow When his wife heard this, fhe rejoiced greatly, and faid; It' (hall be1 fo,; pray you rile to morrow at a due hour, an f to the palace and receive your reward, that we may h comforted thereby So in the morning Guy arofe, and went to tl)e palace, and knocked at the gate: then came th Sorter, ajvd alkcd the caufe pf his knocking: I pray the luothGesta Romanorum. 71 ^uotli this Guy, go to the Steward, and fay to him, That there abideth a poor manat the gate that ipake with him yeiterday jn the forrelt:. The porter went and told the (reward as the poor man had laid. Then laid the fteward, go you agan ahd tell him, that he lieth, for yefterday 1'pakc I withno man in theforreft; and charge him that he go away and trouble me no more. 1 ne porter went and told poor Guy what the iteward \ had faîd. and charged him to go away. Then was this poor Guy forrrowful, and went home : and when he was come home, he told his wife how the iteward anfwered him. His wife comforted him in all that lhc might, and faid, go you again and prove him thrice. Then on the morrow this Guy aroie, and went to the palace again, praying the porter to do his errand once again to thp Iteward. The porter anfwered, and laid, gladly would I do the errand, but I fear me fore it will be to thy hurt. Then went he in, and told the Iteward, that . this poor man was again returned. When the Iteward heard that, he went out and all to beat poor Guy, and left him in peril of death. When his wife heard this (he came with her ats, and led him home as the might, and all that the had the ipent on Chirurgions and phyiicians to help him. And when he v/as perfectly whole, he went to the forrelt as he was wont, for to gather (ticks and (mall wood tor his living. And as he went in the forrelt, he law a lion driving before him ten aliès, that were laden with rich jewels and merchandife. This lion drove forth the ailes before Guy, which feared him fore, left he (hould have devoured him ; neverthelefs, when'he beheld the lion better, he knew well that it was the tame lion that he drew out ot the pit. This lion left not Guy till all the atTes with the merchandife were entred into his yard, and then the lien did him obeyfance, and ran to the wood. Then Guy fearched the fardels, and found great riches therein : wherefore he made proclamation in divers churches, if any man had left i’uch goods, he Ihould have them again but there was none.that challenged them. - And when Guy fawthis, he fold the goods, and bought therewith a houle and land, and fo was made rich : neverthelefs he-Went to the forreit as he did before. And ss he was in the fnf-reit gathering wood, he elpied the ape on the top ot a tree, breaking boughs buiily with her teeth and daws, and throwing them down, fo that in ihorttimc Guy had loaded his als. And when the ape had fo done, the vein her way, and Guy went home. Now Guy on the morrow72 Gesta Romanorum. went to the forreft again, and as he fat binding his faggots fce law the ferpent that he drew out of the pit, come toward him, bearing in her mouth a precious ftone of three colours, which (he let fall at Guy’s feet : and when (he had thus done, Ihe kifled his foot, and went her way. Then Guy took up the {lone, and marvelled greatly of ' what vertue it might be : wherefore he rofe up and went to a jeweller, named Peter, and laid, dear brother, I pray thee, tell me the vertue of this precious ftone, and I {hall reward thee for thy labour. When this jeweller had well beheld and underftood the nature of the ftpne, he faid, good friend, if thou lift to fell the ftone, I ihall give thee an hundred marks for it. Then faid Guy, I will not fell the ftone, till thou tell me truly the virtues thereof. Then laid the jeweller, without doubt, this ftone hath three virtues : the firft virtue is, that whofoever beareth this ftone about with him, ihall have joy without forrow : the fécond virtue is. that he ihall have plenty without want: the third virtue is, he Ihall have light without darknefs ; and it hath alio another virtue, that no maft may fell it but for as much as it is worth, and if he do the contrary, the ftone returneth again to the firft owner. When Guy heard this, he was right joyful and laid to himfelf, in a good hour I drew |nele beafts out of the pit. Nof Jong after, it befel that this Guy by the vertue of the ftone was made palling rich, and bought great poftclfions and livings, wherefore in a while he was made knight. It was not long after, but thé emperor had knowledge how Sir Guy had a ftone of inch vertue : wherefore he fent for fir Guy, commanding him to come to hint in all halte, and lo he did. And when fir Guy was come to the emperor, the emperor laid to him, ÏWy friend, I have heard fay, that lometime thou wert in great poverty, and row thou art made rich by the vertue oi a little ftone. therefore, I pray thee, that thou fell me that ftone. Sir Guy anfwered, and laid that maÿ I not do: for fb longvas I have that ftone, 1 am lure oi three things ; that is, of joy without for-içow, plenty without, want, and light without darknefs. ; r When the emperor heard this, he had a greater de-jijre to buy the ftone then he had before, and laid to dum, ¡Sir Guy, of two things thou mull chufe one: that is, whether thou wilt lorlake this empire, and all thy kindred, t)r;elie iell me the ftone, Then laid Sir Guy Guy, My Lord, if it mult needs be thus, be it at your will. Neverthelefs, I {hall tell you the property of this (tone, if you pay not for it as it is worth, without doubt, it will come to me again. Then the emperor laid Surely I will give lufhcient, for thou (halt receive of" me therefore a thoufand pound, and lo it was done. $ir Guy received the money, and went home On the morrow early he opened the coffer, and found \ the Hone, and then he told to the lady his wife, how he had found in his coffer the Hone which he had Ibid to the emperor. Then faid his wife, good, Sir, haite you unto the emperor again, and give him the Hone, left he be difpleafed, and through malice repute fomc deceit in us. Then went Sir Guy again to the emperor, and faid to him, Lord yefterday I {old you a ftone^ which if it pleaie you I y/ould fain fee. The emperor went for this ftone to the treaiury, and found it not : wherefore he was right lor rowful, and’eame again, and told Sir Guy, how it was loft, Then laid Sir Gtiy, My Lord grieve you not, for I told you yefterday, that I might not fell it; exeept I had the value thereof; and yefterday I . received a thoufand pound of you therefore, and this day I found it in my coffer again and therefore if I had not brought the ftone again, peradventure you would have fhewed me your heavy countenance. And with that he fhewed forth the ftone, whereat the emperor marvelled greatly and faid Sir Guy, by the faith that thou oweft to me, tell me how thou cameft by this ftone, Then faid Sir Guy, by the faith that I owe to you, I ihall tell you the very truth as touching the ftone. Your fteward that is fo promoted of nought, caufed many deep pits to be made in your forreit and it fortuned that he not long after fell into one of them himfelt, and through the deepnefs thereof could not rife again. It chanced alfo the fame day, that a Lyon, an Ape, and a Serpent, fell into the pit with him, at which time I was a very poor man, and took great pains for my living : 2nd as 1 walked into the forreft with mine afs to gather wood, he cryed to me for to help him out of the pit, and fave him from death, for there were in the pit with him three venomous beafts •• that is, a lyon, an ape, and a foul ferpent, and then he promifed me by his word, to promote me. and all my kindred to great riches ; which when J heard, I was right glad, and let down a rope unto him, luppoling to have drawn him up74 Gesta Romano rum* iip and haled a lyon, and after that an ape, and af $er that a ierpent, at the lail your Iteward. The lyon gave me ten alles laden with merchandife, the ape gave me as much wood as mine afs might bear, and the Ierpent gave, me this ftone that I have fold you. But your fteward beat me and wounded me fore for my good will, that I was bom home upon mine afs. When the. emperor heard this his heart was moved greatly a-gainft the iteward, wherefore he examined him of that ialle dead: b.uthe was dumb, and would notfpeak, for io pauch that he could not deny his ingratitude. ;| Then faid the emperor, O thou wretched creature, unrealopable beads, as the lyon, the ape, and the ierpent, rewarded him for his good deed, and thou art a realbnable man hait almoit beaten him to death, that faved thee, and took thee out of the pit; therefore for thy falihood and wickednefs, I judge thee to be hanged this day on the gallows,, and all thy goods and lands J, grant to Sir Guy: and alfo I pr-dai,n that Sir Guy fhail occupy thy place, and be rhy fteward : and fo it was done. When Sir Guy was thus rewarded by the emperor, and made iteward, he was well beloved of every man as he lived, and at lait ended his life with liononr and peace. The MORAL. This emperor betokeneth the father of heaven: the poor man betokeneth every man that comcth into this world, and at lait is promoted to great riches and worldly honour, as the Pfahniit iaith ‘ God, lifteth the poor man out of the myre ’ But many luch men neither know God northemlelves, butcauie deep pits to be made ; J that is unkindneis, and malice, they ordain againjj iim- j pie men, into the which pits the devil oft caufeth them to fall according to the text in Ecclefiafticus, Who mak-eth a pit for another man, himfelf falleth therein. Which text was well proved by Hainan, whocaufed the gallows be iet up for Mardocheas, but was hanged thereon himfelf. This Guy that went daily to the forreft with his afs to gather wood, betokens every juft and godly man fearing God in the forreft of this world: his wood that-he gahereth, betokeneth his faith and his good works, which he carrieth upon his afs, human endeavour, whereby his foul may have joy, and live in the tabernacle of heaven. And as the fteward, the lion, the ape, and the ferpent fell intp the pit: fo a finful man falleth into the pitoflm: but the lion of the tribe of Judah; that isj Gesta RomanoruM; 75 Jelus Chrid, defccnded with him,‘as oftentimes as the jinner hath will to come to grace : therefore iaith the Pfalmiif, ‘ I am with him in tribulation. This Guy draw-eth up the lion; that is, mans ioul out of the pit, by the cord of virtues : he draw up the ape alfo ; that is contrary will to reaion, that he.may obey to reaibn : for fof all manner of beads, the ape is mod like toman ; rignt as among all the drengths of the foul, difcretion ought to be linked with reaion and to obey reaion. He drew , up alfo a .Jfcrpent, by which is to be underdoo'd repentance, for two caufes : for as the lerpent beareth in his mouth venome- and in his tail medicine : right lo repentance beareth at the beginning bittcrneis to thé doer, yet it is fweet and medicenable unto the foul at the end ; and therefore every jud man (hould draw to him the ierpent of repentance. Then at the lad he drew up the iteward from the pit of fin, according unto Chrid’s laying, v I * am come not only to call the righteous, butfinners to re-‘ pentance.’ Alfo it was written, that Seneca the philo- Î fopher taught an emperor many laws and virtues of truth, and at laH, as this Iteward did, he bought the death of Seneca. Alio Chrilt gave! power to Judas to work miracles as he did to the other difciples, yet he betrayed him at r lad , right fo, now-a*days many children of Belial delight : Ï more to do harm than good, fpeciilly to them that would indrr.a them perfectly both for .the foul and body. The lion gave to the jud and- godly poor man ten adds laden with merchandiie; that is, our Lord jetus Chrid gives unt® every righteous .man ten command- . < , ments charged with the virtues;by which he groweth to I the riches of heaven. The ape alio gathered him wood, as oft as the jud man worketh the fruits of faith ; for , wood nedarily is profitable for two ules ; that is, to make fire, and build houles. Eveir fo charity rejoiceth God and angels in heaven, according to the fcriptue : more joy is among angels for one tinner that repenteth crc-Charity alio raifeth the houfc ofheaven againlt the com- , ing of the foul. The ferpért arlfo gave him a done of , three divers colours which betokeneth our Lord Jems ( Chrid, whom we feek by repentante. 1 lierefore laith ( S. Icromin his lecond table thus, ‘ We Ihould repent * us after oüf (hip-wrack, b hat Chrid is the itonc. may . be proved by himfblf, faying,4 I am a living done. Ghnit . hath three colours, whiah betokeneth the po wer or the Father, the wildom of the Son, and the humility of the hplyGhod. Therefore whoio may get this precious done (hall haye the Empire of heaven, joy without iurrow, plenty76 Gesta Romanorum. plenty without want, and light without dirknel's. Unto which light bring u? our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. By the nativity of Chrid proceedeth joyful gladenefs to the world, and falvation unto mankind ; yet is nun un-■„thankful unto God. contrary to hispromife madein bap-tilin. We are warned in all worldly tempeds continually to cleave to Chrid by faith an .1 hope, to continue in well-doing, and to wiihltand the nulaceof the devil The preacher of Gods word are fent of God to confound the devil by found dodfrine and good life. Life and death is fet before men : we ought.then to chofe that life that may be ior our everlalting comfort- ■ 1 i !,<• ,;c-’ hi "ox • -;-i The Thirtyfecond HIS TO RY. • Sometime there dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperor, named Anielm, who had married the kings daughter of .Jerufalem, a fair lady and gracious in the fiditofe-yery man ; but (he was long time with the Emperor ere ihe bare him any child ; wherefore the nobles of the Empire were very iorrowful becaufe their Lord had no heir of his own body begotten. Till at lad, it befel that this Anielm walked after lupper, in an evening, into his garden, and bethought himielf that he had no heir, and how the king of Ampluy warred on him continually, tor ■© much as he ha,d no ion to make defence in his ab-fence ; therefore he was Iorrowful, and went to his chamber and fiept, 1 hen he thought he fiaw a vifion in his ileep, that the morning was more clear than it wont to be, and that the moom was much paler on the one fide t an on the other. And after he faw a bird oftwo colours and by that bird flood two beads, which fed that little bird with their heat. And after that came many mo beads, and bowing their breads towards-the bird, went their Way : l hen came there divers birds that lung lo iweetly and pleaiantly, that the.Empferof awaked. .n * e ^o^ning early this Anielm remembred his vifion, f., ?0R^re^.mucb whit it might fignify ; wherefore he called unto him his philofophers, and alio the dates of ^ his dream’ charing them and if u 1knific?UWi thereof> uP°n Pa>n of death : ninmiu l 0,d h,ni the t«rum interpretation thereof, he re-lT EreatreJward,V Then faid they, dear Lord, aid we ^ declare unto you what it nina th Than ‘he En^eFor told them from the begin-1,1 g to the ending, as u is afoxeiaid. When the philo- ipphersGesta Romanorum. 77 lophers heard this with glad cheer they aniwered, and fa^d hr, the vmon that ye law betokcneth good, for the empire ihall be clearer than it is. The moon that is more pale on the one fide than on the other, betokeneth the Emprefs, that hath loll part of her • colour through the conception of a fon that ihe hath conceived. The little bird betokeneth the fon that ihe fhall bear The two bealts that fed this bird, betokens the wife and rich men of the empire, which (hall obey the fbn. S, Thefe other *. bealts that bowed their breads to the bird* betokens many other nations that ihall do'him homage* Thefe birds that fang fo fweetly to this little bird, betokeneth the Romans, who fhall rejoice and fingbecauie of his birth. This is the very interpretation of your dream. When the Emperor heard this, he was right joyful. Soon after that, the Empreis travelled in child birth, and was delivered of a fair fon ; at whole birth there \va9 great and wonderfull joy made. When the king of Am* pluy heard this, he thought in himielf thus, lo, [ have warred againit the Emperor all the days oi my life, and now he hath a fqn, who when he commeth to full age, will revenge the wrong which I have done againit his father: therefore it is better that I lend to the emperor and befeech him of truce and peace, that the fon may ,j have nothing againit me when, he cometh to man-hood * When he had thus faid to himielf, he wrote to the emperor, befeeching him to have peace. When the emperor faw that the king of Ampluy wrote to him more for fear than for love, he wrote again tgphim that if he would find good and fufficient iureties to keep the peace, and bind himielf all the days of his life to do him fer-vice and homage, and to give him yearly a certain tribute, he would receive him to peace. When the king had read,the tenor of the emperor's letter, he called his council, praying them to give him coun-iel how he might brtit do as touching this matter. T nen faid they, it is good that ye obey the emperor s will and commandment in all things. For firit, ib that he d cured «mi furfur finr fhp neace. to this we aniwer tnus \£78 Gesta RoManorum. ' together. All .hi,^11 "K ,St» fiSi hTiitS’ita W.. h= nant and compadt were fealed, the king furniihed a fair Slip, wherein he might fend his daughter with many noble knights, ladies, and great riches unto the emperor, for to have his Ton in marriage. And when they were fading in the fea, towards Rome, a fiorra aroie fo extreamly and fo horribly, that the fhip brake upon a rock, and ! they were all drowned, faveonly the young lady, which fixt her hope and heart lo greatly on God, that me was faved: and about three of the clogk the tempeft cealed, and the lady drave forth over the waves in the broken fhip, which was cafi: up again but a huge whale followed after, ready to devour both the fhip and her. Wherefore this young lady when night came, fmote fire with a ffone, wherewith the fhip was greatly lightned, and then the whale durft not adventure towards the fhip for fear of the light. At the cock crowing, this young lady was fo weary of the great temped and trouble of (he fear that Hie Uept, and within a little while after the fire fur-cealed, and the whale came and devoured the virgin. And when (he awaked, and found-herfelf fwallowed up in the whales belly, (he fmote fire, and with a knife wounded the whale in many places: and when the whale felt himfelf wounded, according to his nature, he began to fwim to land. There was dwelling at that time in the country near by, a noble Earl, named Pirris. who for bii recreation walking on the fea fiiore, fawthe whale coming towards the land; wherefore he turned home again aud gathered a great many of men and women; and came thither again, and fought with the whale, and wounded him very fore: and as they fmote, the maiden that was :n his belly cryed.with an high voice, and faid, gentle friends, have mercy and compifiion on me, tor I am a kings daughter, and a true virgin from the hour of my birth to this day. When the Earl heard this, e wondredgreatly and opening the fide o,f the whale,-found the young ady, and took her our.- And when Hie was thus delivered, flic told him forthwith whofc daughter fre was, ana now flie had lolf all her goods in the* fea and how fhe fhould have been married unto the emperor’s Ion And when the Earl heard this he was ve?yJJ and comforted her the more, and kept her with him till theGesta Roma norum. (he was refrefhed. And in the mean time he fent m JJ gets to the emperor letting him to know how the kino'« daughter was laved. KU1&S Then was the emperor right glad of her fafety and coming, and had great companion on her, fayinr a . geod maiden, for the love of my fon thou haft (¿’fFerS much wo : nevertheleis if thou be worthy to be his wife foon fhall I prove. And when be had thus (aid, he cauf ed three vellels to be brought forth : The firft’made of S pure gold, well befet with precious (tones without, and , within full of dead mens bones, and thereupon was in-graven this pofie, Wholo choolcth me, (hall find that heievereth. the lecond veliel was made of fine iilver filled with earth and worms, and the fuperlcription was thus, Whoio choofeth me, (hall find that his nature defir.eth. The third veliel was made of lead, full within of precious ltones, and thereupon was infculpt this pofie Whoio choofeth me, fhall find that God hath difpofed I for him. Theie vellels the emperor fhewed the maiden, and faid, lo, here daughter the be rich vellels, if thou 1 I choofe one of thefe wherein fs profit to thee and others, then (halt thou have my fon. And if thou choofc that wherein is no profit to thee, nor to any other, foothly thou (halt not marry him. W hen the maiden heard this, Ihe lift up her hands to God, and laid. Thou Lord, that f knoweth all things, grant me grace this hour (o to choole, > that I may receive the emperor’s fon. And with that ihe beheld the firft veliel of gold, which was ingraven royally, and read the fuperfeription, Whofo choofeth me &c. Saying thus, Though this veliel be full precious, and , made of pure gold : never-tbeiefs I know not what iswith-r in; therelore, my dear Lord, this yellel will I not choofe. And then beheld (lie the fecond yellel that was of pure fil- j S ver, and read the fuperfeription, Wholo choofeth me, fhall find that Jhis nature delireth. Thinking thus within hefleif: If I choole this veil'd, what is within: I know not, but well I know there fhall I find that nature defireth, and my nature deiireth the lull of the fieflj, and therefore this vclfel will I not choole- , I When ihe' had leen theie two vellels, and hrd , H t given an anfwer as touching them, ihe beheid the third ( r veflel of lead, and read the fuperfeription, Whc'o chool- , W ' eth me fhall find that God hath dilpoled- Thinking . within herfelf, this veliel is not very rich, nor outwardly | precious, yet the fuperlcription laith, W hofo chooieth me, £ (hall find that God hath dilpoled: and without doubt (go Gesta Romanorum. God never difpofeth any harm: therefore by the leav of God thisveffel wilU choole When the emperor heard this, he lard, O fait maiden, open thy veffel, for it is full of precious {tones, and fee if thou haft well chofen or no. And when this young lady had opened it, (he found it full of fine gAld and precious ftones, as the emperor had told her before. Then laid the Emperor, daughter, becaufe thou haft wi(ely chofen, thou fhalt marry my fon. And then he appointed the wedding-day, and they were married with great folemnity, and with much honour continued to their lives end. The MORAL. This Emperor betokeneth the father of heaven, who was long time without a natural fon, therefore many men were in danger of perifhing in hell. The emprefs conceived when the angel Gabriel laid, ‘ Lo, thou lhalt 4 conceive, and bear a child.’ And then the firmament began to clear when this little child lightned the world with his birth. The moon begah to was pale, when the face j of the virgin Mary was overfhadowed by virtue of the j »t the grace of the holy ghoft, and not only her face was thus fhaddowed, but alio her body, for fhe was conceived with child as another woman, wherefore Jo-feph would have forfaken her privily and gone away. This little bird that came from the one fide of the moon betokeneth our i-ord Jefus Chrift who at midnight was born of the virgin Mary, wrapped in cloaths and laid in the ox*ftall. The two bealts betokeneth the ox and the afs that jofeph brought with him, which honour- J ed him in his birth. Thefe other beafts that came . from far, betokeneth the ox and the als that Jofeph brought with him, which honoured him ?in his birth. * Theie other beafts that came from far, bstokeneth the fhepherds in the field, to whom the angel fa d thus, 4 Lo, I (how you great joy. The birds that lung fo fweerly, ' betokeneth rheangels of heaven, which fungathis birth i this joyful long, ‘ Glory be to God above, and peace to men on earth.’ The king of Amphiy, which held war againft the emperor, betokeneth all mankind that were contrary to God as long as they were in the devils power. Rut immediately, when our Lord fefus Qirift was born, he boweo himfelf to God, and beiought him of peace when ic received Ins baptifm: tor at our baptiim we promifed ' to ■C^£sta Romanorum. 8i to draw only to God, and forfake the devil and all his pomp The king gave his daughter in marriage to the Emperor’s fon ; Right lo every* one of us ought to give his foul in marriage to God’s Son ;for.he is always ready to receive our foul as his fpoule, according to the fcripture, faying thus, ‘ I will marry thee tome. But ere our loul may come to the palace of heaven, (he mull lail by the fea of this world, in.the Ihip of good life: but oftentimes there arileth tempelt in.the fea ; that is, trouble of this world, the ' temptations ol the flefh, and the luggeftions of the devil arileth fuddenly, and drowneth the vertues that the foul received, in baptifm ; neverthelefs, yet falleth ihe not out of the lhip of charity, but keepeth herfeiffurely therein by faith and hope. For as the apollle faith, ‘ by hope webefaved.’ For it is impolTible to be laved with out ’ hope or faith. The great whale that followeth the maiden. , betokeneththe devil which by night and day lyeth in wait f • to overcome the foulby him therefore do we as the maiden I did, imite the fire of charity and love out of the Hone; I that is Chrill, according to this laying, ‘ I am a (tone, [ and certainly the devil fhall have no power over us. Many men begin well, as did the maid, but at lail they be ( weary of their good works, and fo they deep in fin- And J anon when the devil perceiveth this, he devoureth the pinner in his ev l thoughts, delights, confent and works. Therefore if any of us feel ourfelyes in luch ways under the power of the devil, let him do as the maid did, imite the devil with the knife ofbitter repentance, then kindle the fire of charity, and without doubt, he fhall calt thee on the land ol good life. The earl that came with his fervants to flay the whale, betokeneth a difereet preacher, which dwelleth bende the I fea; that is, befide the world, and not in the world ; I that is, not drawn to worldly delectation, but ever is ready I with good words of holy fcripture to kill the devil, and to ( deltroy his power. We mult all cry with anJ“8h voice, t as the maiden did, acknowledging our fins, and then fhall I we be delivered from the devil, and nouriihed with ver-tuous exerciie. . i The Emperor fheweth this maiden three veflels; that is, D ¡ God putteth before man life and death, good and evil, and which of tbefe be cholen he fhall obtain. Therefore* jf faith Solomon, ‘ Death and life is let before man, choole i which him lift. And yet man is uncertain whether he will i choofe life or death. By the firlt veiiel of Gold full of dead mens bones, is F withSt G ES T A Romànorim, underflood mighty worldly rich men, who liiine likegol outwardly in riches and pomp of the world ; neverthelefs. within they be full of dead mens bones: that is the works they have done in this world be dead in the fight of God through deadly (in. Therefore if any man choofe fucfi a life, he (hall have that bcdelerveth; that is, Inch men be like unto tombs that be white, and royally painted and arrayed without, and covered with cloath of gold and iilk, but within there is nothing but dry bones. By the fécond velfel of filver, we ought to underftand fome jultices, and wife men of this world, who fhinc in fair fpeech, but withinthey be full of worms and earth ; that is. h eir fair fpeech ihall avail them no more at the day of judgement, than the worms of the earth, and peradventure lefs ; for then (hall they fuffer everlafting pain, If they die deadly fin. By the third veffel of lead full of gold and precious ftones, we are to underftand afimple and poor life, which the chofen fouls choofe that they may be married to our bleiled Lord Jefus Chrift, by humility and obedience^ and luch men bear with them precious ftones : that is, faith and lier fruitful works pleafing to^ God : by which at ithe judgement day, they be efpoofed to our Lord Jefus Chrift, and obtain thé heritage of heaven. Unto the which bring us our Saviour Jefus Chrift that died ôn the croîs, Amen. THF, ARGUMENT. Man by batifm promifed to li ve»in the fear ofGod, and for-fake the devil. Chrift forroweth for our fins ; he required dutiful fervice of us at fix lèverai ages, but we are always unready for him ; yet the mercy of God is fo favourable towards us‘ that he fpareth us even till the laft age of man, vouchfafing, if then we repent u.t, and call for grace, believing in his mercies, to Ireceive us intothe throne ofhis heavenly grace. The Thirty third HISTORY COmetime there dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperor, na ^ med Calapodus, who took a fair lady to wife They were not long together before that this Emprefs concei-ved and bare him a Ion, and a goodly child and a fair. M hen he was of a age, he was fct to fchoof, and when he came to twenty years of age he dciired his fathers heritage, faymg, dear father, you are an old man, and may not govern your Empire: therefore if it plea fe you to SLIT’ “jW bi,‘° W Th.n anfweLl ,h Emperor, and faid, Dear ion, I dread me fore that when theIi 4 G ESTA RoMANORUM. B3 the Empire is in thy power, thou wilt not fulfill my will or my deiire. Then anfwered the Emprels (for fo much as lire loved her Ion better than Iter huiband) and faid, my Lord, that cannot be, for thou haft but one fon: therefore, as I believe, he will fulfill thine intent in all* things: This Empire may help him well, and therefore it is belt to grant him the Empire. Then anlwered the Emperor, and laid, I will tirft have oi him a letter obli-catory, that whenl'oever he doth any thing againft my will, that then I will difpoie him from the Empire without any contradiction. The ion granted this, and did make the obligation, and fealcd it. And when this was done, this young Emperor waxed fo proud, that he feared neither God nor man, and did very much harm. But his father luffered it patiently, for he would be corrected by no man. Now at laft there fell a great dearth in the Empire, fo that many men died lor want of food This old Emperor was all alone himfelf, and began to have need ; wherefore he went to his fon for to have fome maintain-ance, which his ion granted, and fuffered for a time. But within ihojrt time his father began to wax Tick, wherefore he called his foil, and prayed him to give him a draught of his tnuft. His fon anfwered, and faid, that will 1 not do, for my muft is not good for your complexion. Then laid the Kmperor, 1 pray thee, fon, give me a draught of thy wine. His fon anfwered, and faid, that he fhould have none, for my wine is not yet fined, and if I touch it, it will trouble, and therefore I will not broach it till it be cleared and fined- Then faid his father, give me fome of the third tun. That I will not do, quoth he, for that wine is not good for a fick man. then his father prayed him heartily for a draught of the fourth tutu Then anfwered he, and laid, thereolget ye none, ior it is feeble and without any fullination, and fuch wine is .not good for you, for it is not comfortable. Then laid his lather, now, good fon, give me of the fifth tun. will I not, quoth he, forthattun is full of lees and d eg and fuch is not fit for men, nor Icarcely for hogs When his father faw he might get nothing of him, a”erh * perfectly well, he went to the king oflerufalem, a made his complaint of his fon, and (hewed him obligatory, which his fon had made, whereby is might put him out of his empire wlt^°L1t any Sain" ^ 2* When the king heard this, he called the hmpeior s ion toanl'wer his father- And when he came, he coi^^n^t84 Gesta Romanorum. 3nfwer to his father with any reafon ; wherefore the king pnt him out of his empire, and fated his father therein again : and fo he continued all the days of his life. The MORAL. This Emperor betokeneth our Lord Jefus Chrift, acor« ding to that faying, 4 Is not he thy Father that hath ‘ brought thee up ? He hath made thee, &c. Dent. 22. v. 6. The ion betokeneth the man to whom he gave all the empire of this world, according to the Scripture. * Heaven hath he given to our Lord, and earth to man.’ Mankind made an obligation with our Lord Jefus Chrift when he received the facrament of baptifm, wherein he promifed to ferve him truly, and forfake the devil, and all his pomp and vain glory. This Emperor began to wax lick on a day; that is, our Lord Jefus Chrift is troubled as oft as aChriftian fin'neth and breaketh his commandments, wherefore he thirds greatly for the help of our fouls, and then he alketh a draught of the firlftun; that is, he afketh of man the firit age of childhood to be fpent in his fervice; but innocently the wicked child anfwereth and faith, I may not do fo, for my childhood is mufty ; that is, it is lo tender and young, that it may not attempt fo foon to ferve God ; which is manifefty againft the truth the child of one day is not without fin. For S. Gregory in his dialogue faith, ‘ The children of five years of age 4 drive out lpints from the bofoms of their fathers.’ Then when God feeth that he cannot have of the molt of his child-hood, then delireth he wine of the fecond tun. Then anfwereth the wicked youth, and faith, That his wine is apt to ferve God. And when (iod'may not have of the fecond tun, then asketh he of the third tun ; that is the third tun of his youth. Then anfwereth the wicked young man, and faith, 'he wine is very itrong and mighty, and therefore his youth ought to be fpent about many deeds on this world, and not in good life, which would make him feeble and weak. When God feeth he may not have of this tun, he asketh of the fourth tun. And then an-iwereth the wicked man in his man-hood, and faith * that aged men are feeble, and may not fait, or .*> any*hard repentance; and if he did, he fhould be the caule of his own death Then asketh our Lord of the fifth tun ; that du®6:’ when,hc,lli?peth’ and may not go within u -the wickred old-man excufeth himlelf, and i’S’f n VanC 18 L00 feeble to S‘ve fuch a feeble man: for iKaW falt °neJdauy> 11 were time on the morrow to make tu» grave. And when our,Lord feeth he may not have , theGesta Romanorum. 8c the fifth tun, then alketh he of the fixth tun- that is when a man is blind, and may go to tin no more, yS dehreth he of fuch a man drink ; that is, help for-his foul : but the wretched man lying in difpair, faith, alas, alas, wo to me, bacaule I i*rved not almighty God my maker and redeemer, here in times pail, while I was in youth and in .prosperity ; now there is nothing left but only the lees and dregs of wretchednefs : therefore what fhali it avail me now to turn toward Cod ? but for fuch men we ihould lament. Neverthelefs, God is merciful, that though he might have no fervice of man in all his time, yet he is content to have the lees of his tun ; that is, the good will, though he doth not ferve him otherwife, and fo fhali his good will Hand in Head of Godly life. For in what hour the finner doth repent him of his lin from the bottom of his heart, he fhali be forgiven, As Ezekiel witneiTeth but there be many that will give no wind, nor no other thing to him; wherefore C.hrift fhali complain to the king oi Jerufalem ; that is, to the Cod-head at the judgment day, and then as he is God and man, (hall hie give a fentencc definitive againft fuch men, faying, ‘ Ihnvehungred anc * ye gave me no meat : 1 have been naked, and ye cloath * ed me not; I have thirlled, and ye gave me no drink. Lo, thus fhali he rehearle to thee the fruits of thy faith And when this is done, then fhali fuch men be put to e verlafting pain, and the juitinfp everjaiting bleis. Unt< the which bring us our Lord Jelus Chrift. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. Man being captived by fatan, the world refufeth to dp ro him, till the God-head of the heavenly father, bearmj an earneftaffection unto him, did elpouie him, ant cm brAre him within the bofom of inward and entire icvt adventuring what he might to let all mankind at i berty, ye grudgeth the world that we ihould alway ferve our God, and forfake her : but to eichew all iuc malignity, we are taught in this biftory. The Thirty fourth HISTORY. N Rome dwelt fometime a mighty Emperor, name ju Anthony, under whole reign the rovers of the lea na taken prifoner a mighty man s fon of another region* brought him to this Emperor’s prilon being b • "When this young man was thus in prilon, he in con n wrote to his father for his jranfom ; but he won v ther pay his raniom, nor fend him any thing o comfort him. This when he heard, he wept h 3 I86 Gesta Romanorum, wonld not be comforted for the unkindnefs of his father ‘'This Emperor had a fair daughter, which vilited every day the prifoner, and comforted him afmuch as fhe might wifhing him to be merry. To whom the prifoner anfwer-ed, and laid, how fhall I be merry? or how may I joy, thus to ly fail bound in prifon from the light of man? and notwithlfanding this, it grieveth me moll that my father will not pay my ranfbm. When the maiden heard this, fhe was moved with pity, and laid, dear friend, I am Tory far thee, and therefore if thou will grant me one thing, 1 (hall deliver thee from thine anguilh and pain. "What thing is that ? quoth he. That thou wilt take me for thy wife. Then faid the prifoner, I promife you furely to fulfil your requeil and defire : and for the more ail’ur* ance, I plight yon my troth. When he had lo done, fhortty after the damfel delivered him out of prifon, and fled away with him home to his fathers houfe. When his father faw the fon and the maiden together, heaiked the caufe why he brought the maiden with him r Then faid his fon, Sir, this damlel delivered- me out of prifon and therefore fhe (hall be my wife. Then faid his father, I will not conient that Ihe (hall be thy wife, For two reafonable caufes, which I ihnll forthwith fhew thee. The firlt is this, it is not unknown to thee that the Emperor her father might have had for thy deliver-in ce great plenty of riches, and forafmuch as fhe was un-xue to her own father, and true to thee, it leeraed well hat thou Ihouldelf not trull long to her : for being falfe o her own father, it is to be feared ihe will not be true o another man. The lècond reafon is this, the caule why he delivered thee out of prilon, was neither for pity nor or love, but for carnal lull that fhe had to thee. For at hy deliverance ihe made covenant with thee to be thy /lie, and had of thee thy troth, and had accompanied mh thee: therefore fon, faith he, it is no icalbn that ae mould be thy wife. The maiden anfwered to thefe objections, and faid, As 3r the firlf realon that thou layeit againll me, that 1 îould be untrue to my father, that is faife : for my fa-aer had plenty of riches, and thy fon is but poor, and îeretore I help him for pity, and for none other caule, nd neverthelels thou art his father, wouldft not pay his inlom, that be might be delivered out of prilon. Lo, arthis caule I have delivered him : therefore I am kinder u than thou that art his cwn father, and he is more -holden to me then to thee. Unto the other reafon, whereasH / iGesTA RoM ANORtJM. 87 whereas thou fayed, that I delivered him becaufr nf r* / nal Juft. I anl wer, and fay plainly, nTnot trUC?b', for all manner of.carnal love is cauM.of llrenmh and beuV ty; but thy fon is neither (trong nor beautiful, for his lmpnlonment hath taken away his ftrengtb and hemtv for by the pain he hath had in prilon, he is brought low! and mad? unlulty toHport, and therefore pity only moved me to deliver him, and not carnal lult. Then 'aid the fon, dear father, forafmuch as I was in peril of death and wrote unto you to pay my r.Wom, that 1 might he delivered, and you would not help me: but:this gentle damfel for pity hath laved me from death, and delivered me out of prilon, therefore furely fhe (ball be my wife. So forthwith he married her with great honour, and with her ended his life. . • The MORA T . Dear friends, this Emperor betokeneth the Father of heaven. The young man that was taken with the pirats of the lea, betokeneth all mankind, which was taken with the devil, by the (in, of our fore-father Adam, and was cHt into the prilon of hell with great lorrow and pain. His father would not ranfom him, that is, the world do nothing for him. This fair, daughter betokeneth the God head, which came down from heaven, and took man hood of the virgin Mary, and fo made a gholfly marriage between him and man : and upon this condition he delivered Ojaukind out of the prifon of hell, when he came from heaven, and forfook the feliowihip of angels for to dwell with us in this wretched vale of tears. But the father, that betokeneth the world, gmdgeth ever again(t him, and would not luffer that t.he fool of man ihC/t«d»'become the fpoule of felns Chvilt, tut that he (hot.ld always lerve him, and ihould forlake our Lord. Therefore if we follow the world and its vanities, certainly we ftiatl rail in to the (nareof the «^eyil. From the which defend us our-blefied Saviour jefus Ch'rift. Amen. , T H E A RGU MENT. It is the ordinancce of God, that no mag, {hall labour for worldly promotion by covetoufnefs andI faLn00a, nor by deceit, or other evil courier’. Man forhisfir.t tranfgreflion ihould have been adjudged to perpetual torment in hell, had not the Ion ot God voluntary o fered himlelf to the deaih, to fave mankind, and dettroy Satan his enemy, fo that thereby he might live witfi him in the habitation ot heaven everlaltingly.88 Gesta Romakorum, The Thirtyfifth. HISTORY. Sometime in Rome there dwelt a noble emperor of great lively hood named Alexander which above all vertues loved the vcrtue of bounty, wherefore he erdained a law for great charity, that no man under pain * of death fhould turn a place in his tiifh at his meat, but only eat the white fide, and not the black ; and if any iiian would attempt to do the contrary, he fhould fuffer death without any pardon : but yet ere he died, he fhould alk three petitions of the emperor what him lift (except his life which fhould be granted. It befel after upon a day, that there came: an Earl and his fon of a itrange country to fpeak with the emperor': and when the Earl was fet at meat, he was ferved with a plaice, and he which was an hungry, and Had appetite to his meat, after he had eaten the white fide, he turned the back fide, and began to eat thereof; wherefore ftraightway he was accufed | to the Emperor becaufe he1 had offended againft the law. ■ Then faid the Emperor let him die according to the law I without any delay. I _ "When the Earl’s fon heard that his father fhould die, j immediately he fell down on both his knees before the l Emperor, and faid,'6 my reverend Lord, I muft humbly l intreat you, that I may die for my father. Then faid the i Emperor, it plcaieth me well fo that one die for the of-t nC* i^ten *a*d tho Earl’s fon,Sith it is fo that I muff die, I alk the benefit of the law: that is, that I may have three petitions granted ere I die. The Emperor anfwered, and ‘ »ru’ asrk.what th<™ wilt, there (hall no man fay thee nay. j J hen laid the ypung knight, my lord, you have but one daughter, ¿»ich I delire of your highnefs, that fhe !may lay one night with me before I die. The Emperor ; granted it for fulfilling the law though it were againft .his will Nevmhelefs, this knight devoured her not as at that night ¡ therefore he greatly pjeafed the Fmperor.The iPet!,IO£ ,s thls> 1 ask all thy treafure. And im-: Sf Itl,e. EmPer°r granted, beca'ufe he would not be a,hr.eak^r law And when the Earl’s fon had ' Pwnnd ^fn EmjjerOr’s treafure, he imparted it both, to «HI* iLch»,^, mcai,s Whereof he obtained their ‘that alt'rh5- ^.Jird Petition is this, I ask, my Lord! 1 jr_ri heir eyes may be put out incontinent that faw mv i?Vh-e bla^.ride.of the pM*”. Wherefore the2 f. „ c rr!ac^e mquifition immediately, who it was that faw : Earl turn the black fideol the plaice. And they that faw himGesta Romanorum. 89 4iim tern the plaice bethought them andfaid within them-(elves, If we acknowledge that we law him do this tref-pafs, then ihall our eyes be put out: and therefore it is better we hold us (till, And fo there was none found that would acculehim. When the Earl’s fon law this, he laid to the Emperor, My lord, quoth he you lee there is no man accufcth my father: therefore give me rightful judgment. Then laid the Emperor, foralmuch as no , man will acknowledge that they faw him turn the plaice, ^therefore I will not thy father ihall die. Lo, thus the Ibn (aved his father’s life, and after thedeceafe oithe Emperor married his daughter. Dear friends, this emperor betokenth the father of heaven, which ordained a law that no man fliould turn the black fide ol a plaice; that is, there fhould no ni3n labour for riches and promorion by covetoufnefs and falfe hood. The Earl that came to the Emperor,betokneih Adam our forefather, who came out of the land of Eden, and turned up the black fide of the plaice,when he ate of the ap-. e pie of the forbidden tree wherefore he fhould have been \ condemned to everlalting death : but his Son that betoken-eth our Lord Jefus Chrift, he touk the flefh of Adam, and profered hinifelf voluntarily to die for him : and 1 If*the Father of heaven granted that he fhould go down to die for mankind • • r Neverthelel's, before he died asked three petitions or his Father of heaven, The firfi was this, that he might have by him his daughter, which betokeneth the ioui 01 man, and bring her into the bofomof heaven, according ¡t to the words of Holea, laying ‘ 1 will wed her to my-(elf.* The iecond petition was this, all the emperors treafure of heaven, according to the feripture, Like as In « t-hp fi.Epr d;fr,r>fp for mp. fo I dlfpofe for VOU. 1 nfi The MORAL.po Gesta ììomanorum. God’s goodncfs they are again made abjetf by hit The devil worketh deceit in his members agaijnft th godly, Chrilt came down from heaven, to minilter th water of eternal life unto man, and by his death an paiTion to revive our fouls, which before were dead, unto the firm (late of eternal felicity, and to purchaltf happinefs with his precious blood. The thirty iixth HISTORY. IN Rome there dwelt fometime a mighty emperor, named Leoncious who on aday rode to a forrell to dif-port himlelf, where he met iuddenly with a poor man, to whom he faid thus, friend what art thou ? And whence corned thou ? My Lord quoth he, 1 am come from the next city, and 1 am your man. Then laid the emperor, thou ieemeil poor, therefore if thou be honeit and true, I will promote thee to great riches and honour. Then anlwer-ed the poor man and faid,My Lord, lpromiie you faithfully to be true as long as l live. The emperor anon made him a knight, and gave him great riches. When he was thus promoted, he waxed fo proud, that he thought j himlelf more able to be an emperor than bis Lord : wherefore he made fuggeition to d vers )ords of that em- Sire that he might ulurp and take upon him throu h rength of them to be emperor. When the emperor heard this, anon he exiled him, and all thole that were contenting to him, fo that they lived abjetfls in great wretched-pels and lorrow : and then the emperor ordained other men in their head and gave them all the poifciTionsof thefe traitors. And when the b.miihed men heard that ftrangers had taken pofleflion of their lands and goods.anon they confpir-ed again them, and thro treaion requeued them to ban- . quet. And they as innocents thinking upon no fuch treafon, came at the day afljgned, and were ierved with five poifoned melfcs, whereby as many as tailed of thole diflies died incontinent. When the emperor heard this, he was greatly moved, and ailembh d his counfel, to enquire what was belt to be done for this treaion, and for death. Then faid the emperor’s Ion, iv y lord, 1 ant your ion, and you are my father and therefore 1 fhall give you good counfej, and profitable to all men, Not'far hence is a little nation, wherein dwelleth a fair maiden, and a gracious in the II; ht of every man, which hath an orchard, wherein is a well the water whercol is of Inch venue that if it be calt upon a dead man, llraightway he (hall live again, and recover his life. Therefore, my lordGesTA RoMANORUM. 91 lord, I fhall defceml into that nation ; and ieek that water whereby they that were fl un at the banquet may be reitor-id again to life. And when the emperor heard this he greatly rejoiced, and faid thus, ion thy counlel is eood And ftraightway the emperors fon, went into the faid nation, and fell in conceit with the maiden, infonmeh that he entered into the garden, and availed to talk the water of the well. And when he had (o done, he made five deep trenches in the ground, in which the water ran till it came where the dead man lay buried . hereupon when the water touched them they aroie from death to life. Then the emperors fon with great joy led them unto his father. And when the emperor law this, he was right joyfull, wherefore he crowned his Ion with a laurel urown in token of vidtory, and fo he ended his life in red and peace. . _ The MORAL Dear friends, this emperor betokencth the father of heaven, the poor man that was promoted betokeneth Lucifer that was exalted of nought, and enthroned in the empire of heaven with great joy and clearneis ; but thro* his pride he thought he might be made like unto Almighty God.and not only like him but more thenAlmightyGod wherefore the Father of heaven exiled him, and all them that conlented to him, to hell and in his place, man was 'jfitalted to great joy and honour The devil feeing this, it much grieved him that man ihould come to fuch glory and honour, and bade Adam and Eve to a banquet, when they did eat of the apple againd Gods command and counfelled them thus, faying, ‘ In what hour ye eat of this ‘apple, ye (hall be like gods, knowing good and evil.’ rAnd at this,curfed banquet they were ferved with five me! fes that were po foned; that is, their live wits accorded 1 eating of th e apple, wherefore man was infedied and died. This hearing the emperor-s ion, L'hriit Jelus, moved with mercy, he came down from heaven into this world,and ac-. quainted him fo well with the bleiled virgin Mary, that he toundin her the well of manhood,and conjoyned it to bet .e God-head, according to the feripture, \l am the well ot life; who drinketh of me fhall never third ’ After tna., he buffered to be made five trenches in the ground; that 9s, five wounds in his body, out of the which ran bot blood and water, whereby all mankind was railed irom death to life, and led them up into the palace of heaven. Unto the which bring us our bleiled Saviour Jems Lin Amen. •i- inGesta Romanorum the argument. The Father of heaven extendeth his goodneis divers way towards frail man, yet lie taketh contrary ways, livi in fpiritual fornication : for the which being exi from the fcate ol felicity, he is compelled to lea niilerable and painful life. But being reconciled by th death of his Saviour he repoilelfeth the heritage o, heavenly felicity. The Thirtyfeventh HISTORY. Sometime in Rome there reigned a mighty emperor, named Dunifanus, in whofe empire there dwelt a gen*.| tie knight that had two ions- One of his ions matched himfelf apainft his father’s will with a common harlot.The knight hearing this exiled his fon from him, and when he was thus exiled, he begot on this woman a ion: and I foon after that he waxed iick, and in penury : wherefore he fent meifengers to his father, befeeebing him of his mercy. This hearing his father, he took companion and ruth on him, wherefore he was reclaimed from ba-rifhment. And when he was thus brought again to his fathers grace, he gave his child which he had by the com? non woman to his father who kindly received, and nourifhed him as his fon. When the other ion heard this, he laid to his father, father,quoth he, it feemeth t4 me that you are out of your right mind, which I will prove by good reaibn. For he is out of his right mind that receiveth a falfe heir, and nourifheth him, whole father hath endamaged and grieved him before. Now my brother which begat this child hath done you great injury, when he married the common woman againit your will and commandment, therefore' me thinketh that you are out of your right mind. Then anfwcred his father, and faid, becaufe, thy brother is reconciled to me, thou art envious, and thou art unkind to thine own brother, willing to put him from thy fellowihip for evermore; but foothly no unkind man (hall have mine heritage, except he be reconciled, and yet thou .never reconciled thy felf to him for thine unkindnefs : for thou mightelt have reconciled thy felf to him, but thou wouldeit no‘ therefore of mine heritage getteli thou no part. The MORAL. I Dear friends, the father of thefe two brethren, be tokeneth the f ather of heaven,And his two Ions betoke 1 th1 GeSTA RoMANORUM, O'? the nature of angels, and the nature of man: for man was married with a common woman or harlot, when he ate the apple againit the commandment of God /wherefore | he was exiled by the father of heaven, and put from the joys of paradife. The ion of the common woman betokeneth mankind. This knight's ion, that is Adam, lived in great mifery, for after his fin he was put front joy into this wretched valley of tears and weeping according to the fcripture, ‘ In the fweat of thy brows « thou (halt eat thy bread. But after by the pailion of Chriit he was reconciled. But the other fon, that betokeneth the devil, was ever unkind, and grudged day-ly againit our reconciling, laying, thus by realon of fin we ought not to come unto the heritage of heaven. Unto the which bring us our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen. , THE ARGUMENT. We ought in every vocation and calling to believe our felves* juitly, and to ufe the poor man with equity « we mult not injure rich men. The mighty men are I to be honoured, and not defrauded of their dignity and eftate, being men of iincere life. They that do contrary to the meaning of dutifull behoof herein, are worthy of everlafting death. ' The Thirty eight HISTORY. C Ometime there dwelt in Rome a mighty emperor, nam-•O ed Donatus, which did make three images, of the which one held out his hand flraight unto the people, and had on his finger a ring of gold. The fecond image > had a beard oi gold. And the third had a mantle ot gold. Commanding upon pain of death »that no man mould take away from theie images, the ring, the beard, nor the mantle. > . , „o. - It befell afterward upon a time, that one Diony e a tyrant, came unto the temple, and took away the ring from the firlt image, the beard from the fecond, and the mantle from the third. And when lie had thus done, he was forthwith acculed unto the emperor,an . before him, and briefly examined of that £ the defpoiled the images againit the emperor see mmd tnent i Then anlwered Dionyfe, and laid as ■ » My reverend Lord, is it lawful to am we ^ hej,j ‘When I entred into the teniae, the t thou (halt ^be honoured in heaven. And it thou keep well the emperor’s fon, thou (halt lit in a chair of gold, crowned with a crown of gold. And it that thou nouriih him not well, without doubt thou (halt be in danger of tor-,ment in hell. From the which prelerve us our bleifed I' Saviour Jefus, F THE ARGUMENT. \ The ioul of man efpoufed unto Chriil, the flefh procur-eth the fame to lin. The •. hnftian foul by faith with-I ifandeth temptation. The redemption ot mankind from fin and death. The deceits of unthankfull hearts. The fpirits health, The defers ot the flefh After a pure repentance followeth perpetual joy and felicity both ot foul and body. I The fourtieth HISTORY. N Rome dwelt iometime a mighty emperor, named Menelay, which had wedded the king’s daughter of Hungaria, a fair lady and a gracious in all her works, and ipecially (he was mercifull. On a time as the emperor lay in his bed, he bethought him that he would go viiit the holy land. And on the morrow he. called to him the empre-is his wife, and his only brother, and thus he faid. dear lady, I may not, nor will not hide from you the lecrets of my heart: I propoie to vifit the holy land, wherefore 1 ord-iin thee principally to be lady and governeis over all mine empire, and a!I my people : and under thee I ordain here my brother to be thy iteward, for to provide all things that may be profitable to mine empire, and to my people. . , Then laid theemprefs, lith it will no otherwtie he, but that needs thou wilt go viiit the city of [erufalem, I I11 be as true 23 any turtle that hath loft her mate : ior as believe, ye lhall not efcape tldmce with your life. The emperor anon comforted her withiutr weros, an^98 Gèsta Romanòrum. kiifed her, and after that took his leave of her and all Cithers, and went towards the city of Jerufalem. And anon after the emperor was gone, his brother became fo proud, that he oppreffed poor men, and robbed rich men ' and he did worfe theu this, for he dayly ftirred the emprefs to commit fin with him. But ever fhc anfwered again as an holy and devote woman,and faid I will, quoth flie,never confcnt to you nor to any other, as long as my Lord liveth. "Neverthelefs, this knight would not leave her with this anfwer, but when he found her alone made, he his complaint to her, and itirred her by all the ways that he could to fin with him. When this lady faw that he would not ceafe for any anfwer, nor would not amend himfelf; when fhe faw her time, fhe called to her three or four of the worthieft men of the empire and laid to them thus, it is not unknown to you, that my Lord the emperor ordained me principal governour of this empire ; and alio he ordained his brother to be fteward under me, and that he fhotild do nothing without my counfel, but he doth all the contrary : for he opprefleth greatly poor men, and Jikewife robbeth the rich men, and yet he would dimore then this, if he might have his intent ; wherefore I command you in my Lords name, that you bind him fait, and calt him into priion. Then faid they, foothly, he bath done many evil deeds iince our Lord the emperor went, therefore we be ready to obey your commandment : but in this matter you mult anfwer for us to our Lord the emperor. Then faid fhe, dread ye not, if my Lord knew what he had done, as well as I, he would put him to the fouled death that could bethought. Immediately thefe men laid hands on him, and bound him fait with iron chains, and put him in prifon, whereas he lay long time after : till at laft it fortuned, there came tidings that the emperor was coming home, and had obtained great renown and vitfiory. When his brother heard of his coming he faid, Would to God,my brother might not find me in prifon : tor.it he do, he will enquire the caufè of mine imprilon-ment of the emprefs, and fhe will tell him all the truth-now I moved her to commit fin : and fo for her I fhall have no favour of my brother but fole my lite; this knoW 1 weh, therefore it (hall not be fo. Then fent he a mef-K'ngcr unto the emprefs, praying her that fire would vouch!afe to come to the priion door, that he might Ipeak a word or two with her.GtRSTA RoMANORUM. QO he^oUl?havWCaT& ? i"”’ T' »I him, what rte woumnavc. He anlwcred, and laid, O ladv havr mercy upon me : for if the emperor mv hrntW La * in pnfon, then ihall I die without remedy. H *’ d ™C Then faid the emprefs, if I might know that thou wouldcit be a good man, and not love folly, thou fhouldft ;nnd grace. 1 hen did he promife her affurcdly to betrue, I and to amend all his trelpafs. When he had thus pro-L £ j emPr.y£ delivered him anon, and made him to I be bathed and (haven, and apparelled him worthily according to his itate: and then (he faid unto hint thus, now, good-brother, take thy iteed and come with me, that we may meet my Lord. He anfwered, and faid, lady, I am ready to fulfill your will and commandment in all things. And then the emprefs took him with her, i * and many other knights,and fo rode forth to meetwith the ['* emperor. And as they rode together by the way, they faw a great hart run before them, wherefore every man with fuch hounds as they had, chafed him on horfe-back, fo that with the emprefs was left no creature fave only the emperors brother : who feeing that no man was there but they two, thus he faid unto the emprefs, lo, lady, here is beiide a private forreit,- and long it is ago that 1 fpake to thee of love: come now and confent unto me that J may ly with thee. ¥■ Then faid the emprefs, Ah ! fool, what may this be ? I Yefterday I delivered thee out of priion upon thy premife in hope of amendment, and now art returned to thy folly again ; wherefore I fay now to thee, as 1 faid before, ; there ihall no man do fuch thing with me, fave only my Lord the emperor, which ought of very duty for to oo. Then laid he, if :hou wiit not confent to me, I ihall hmg thee here upon a tree in this forrelf, where no man ihall find thee, and thou fhalt die an evil death. The emprels anfwered meekly, and laid though thou fmittelt on my head, or put me to death with» ail manner of tormen , thou fhalt never have my confent to fuch a fin. When he heard this he uncloathed her ail lave fmock, and hanged her up by the hair upon a. tr?e7. ty d her iteed before her, and fo rode to his >. » and told them that a great hob of men met him,an the emprefs away from him: and when fie had to this, they made all great furrow. \ to It befell on the third day after, tli re carne ,, >,e hunt in that forfeit and he rode beating t.ie 'J tjii Unk.tr.jieh a fox, whom his 'bounds lollqwe •’ ’^ey ■ Gs ^ ’ ____________ioo Gesta Romanorum. they came near the tree where the emprefs hanged. And when the dogs (melt the favour of he r, they left the fox, and ran toward the tree as fall as they could. The earl feeing this wondred greatly, and fpurring his hofi'e followed them till he came where the emprefs hanged. When the earl haw her thus hanging, he marvelled greatly, for fo much as ihe was right fair and beautiful to behold, wherefore he faid unto her in this manner wife, O woman who art thou ? Ahd of what. country ? And wherefore hanged thou herein this manner i The emprefs that was not yet fully dead; but at point ready to die anfwered and laid, I am quoth (lie, a drange woman, and am come out of a far country; but how came I hither God knoweth. Then anfwered the earl, and faid whofe horleis it, that dandeth by thee, bound to this tree ? Then anfwered the lady, and faid, that it was hers. When the earl heard this, he law well that fhe was a gentlewoman, and come of noble linage, wherefore he was rather moved with pity, ind faid unto her, 0 fair lady, thou feemed of gentle blood, and therefore 1 purpole to deliver thee from this mifehief, if thou wilt go with me, and nouriih my fair young daughter, and teach her at home in my cadle : for I have no child but only her: and if thou keep her well, thou lhalt have at1 good reward for thy labour. Then laid fhe, as far as I can do, or may, 1 (hall fulfill your intent. And when die had thus promiled him, he took her down off the tree,and led her home to his cadle, and gave her the kcepTg of his young daughter that he loved fo much : and (he was cherifhed fo well, that die lay every night in the earl’s chamber, and his daughter with her: and in the chamber every right there burned a lamp, which hang between the emprefs bed and the earls bed. This lady behaved her fo gently, that fhe was beloved of every creature. There was at that time in the earl’s houfe a deward which much loved this emprefs, and often Ipake to her of his love. But die anfwered him again, and (aid, know ye, dear friend for a certainty, that I will never love any man in fuch a manner wife, but only him whom 1 am greatly bound to love by God’s commandment. Then laid the dewaid, Then thou wilt not cor,lent unto me ? Sir, quoth (he what need you any more to afk luch things? the vow that 1 have made, i will truly keep and hold by the grace of God. And when the fteward heard tins, he went his waj in great wrath and anger, thinkingGesta -Rom a norum. i0i ing within him (elf, If I may, I (hall be revenged on Itnt c • ? It befell upon a night within fhort time after, that the earl’s chamber door was left unihut, which the Ue-vard had anon perceived and when they were ail ailcep, he went and elpied by the light of the lamp, where the’em-prefs and the young maiden lay together, and with that he drew out his knife, and cut the throat of the eari’s aughter, and put the bloody knife into the cmpreiles and (he being afleep, and nothing knowing thereof, to the intent that when the earl awaked, he fhould (ee the knife in her hand, and that he fhould think that (he had cut his daughters throat, and fo (he would be put to a ihamefnl death for this mifchievous deed And when the damfelwas thus ilain,and the bloody knife in the emprels hand the countels awaked out of her deep,anf! by.the. light of the lamp law thehloody knife in the emprujs hVnd. where fore ihe was aímofl out of her wits, and laid to the earl.O my J-ord, behold in yonder ladies band a wqndulull thing, , , , . . a Then the earl awaked, and looked towards tne cmprei-fes bed, and law the bloody knife, as the countefshad (aid, wherefore he was greatly moved and cried to tier, and ¿aid, Awake woman out of thy deep - what thing is this that I fee in thine hand ? Then the emprefs through his "cry awaked out of her deep; and ¡n her waking the knife fell out of her hand : and with that (he looked by her, and found the earl’s daughter dead by her fide,and all the bed befprinkled with blood ; wherefore with ¿n high voice ihe cryed, and laid, alas, alas, "and wo is me, my lord’s daughter is flain. , . , Then cried the countefs unto the earl with a pitious voice, and faid. O my Lord, let this deviliih woman be put to the fouled death that can be thought, which thus hath (lain our only child. ...... . Then when the co.m.eU had knoieth faid to the emprefs in. this wife, Jin. no ■am-hter that thou, mifchievous woman, haft f ‘ 7 :r' in thy with thine own hands; fori law the b V ^ hand, and therefore thou (halt die a foi de.th. l £ U d the earl in this wife, O "PJ*^wt I dread God greatly, 1 wou ej-,vered thee from hang-lword in two parts .. tor 1 a- htcr nevertheless, ing, and now thou halt flam my 8 ’ thy way for me thou (halt have no harm, ^ thee here out of this city, without any delay. for it afirr102 Gesta Rôm ANÔRUM. after, this day, thou (halt die a moil cruel death, Thenarofe this woful emprefs, and put on hercfoaths, and after leapt on her palfray, and rode toward the eait alone, without any fafe conduft: and as (he rode toward the ealt alone, without any fafe conduct : and as fhe rode thus mourning by the way, (he efpycd on the left fide of the way a pair of gallows, and (even officers leading a man to the gallows to be hanged : wherefore fhe was moved with great pity, and fmote her horfe with* her fliek, and rode to them, praying them that fhe might' redeem that mifdoer, if he might be laved from death by ft any means. Then faid they, lady, it plenfeth ns well that you redeem him. Anon the etnprefs accorded with them, and payed his ranfom, and he was delivered. Then faid fhe to him, nbw, my good friend, be true ; unto me till thou die, fith I have delivered thee frotn death, ' r , \ Un my foul, quoth he, I promife yon evejr to be true. And when be had thus faid, he followed the lady {till, till they came nigh a city, and then faid the emprefs to him, good friend, quoth fhe go forth thy way afore me into the city, and fee thou take up for an honed lodging, foi there I propofe to red a while. Her man went forth as fhe commanded, and took up for her a good lodging f and honed, where fne abode a long time. When thé men of the city perceived her beauty, they wondfetj greatly, wherefore many of them craved of her tihlaw-full love-, but all in vain, for they might not fpeed in any wife. It fortuned after upon a day, that there came a {hip full of tnerchandife, and arrived in the haven of that city. When the lady heard this, fhe faid unto her for- . vant, go to the {hip, and fee if there be any death there lor my ufb. Her fervant went forth to the Ihip, where* as he found very many fine deaths : wherefore he prayed the mailer of the ihip, that he would come into thè -city and lpeak with his Jady. The milder granted him, and fothe fervant came home to his lady before,and warned her of the coming ofthe mailer ofthe- ihip. £oon after rhb mailer of ttie fhipcameand fainted the hdy courteonf! ♦ . and the lady received him according to his degree, praying him that fhemight have for her money fuch cloatfis usmight beforher wearing. Then he granted that fhe fhoiild have a-ny that liked her, and loon they were agreed : whereforfe the fervant went immediately again with fhe mailer of the ‘ fhipGESTa RoMANORUM, 107 , ip for cloath. And when they were both within on fhip board, the maiter laid to the ladies fervant my dear £iefud’t0 th!f f would cjper. my mind, f I might trulfc to thee: and if thou help me, thou (halt have a great reward. Then anfwered he, and laid, I fhall, quoth he, be (worn to thee to keep thy counfel, and fulfill thine intent as far forth as I can. j" T hen laid the maiter ol the Ihip, I love thy lady more then I can tell thee, for her beauty and feature is fo excellent, that I would give for the love of her all the gold that I have ; and if I may obtain the love of her through thy help, I will give thee whatsoever thou will delire of me. Then faid the maiter of the ihip, go home to thy lady again, and tell her that 1 will not deliver to thee the cloath, except ihe come her felf: and do thou but bring her to my ihip, and if the wind be good and fit, then I propofe to lead her a-way. Thy counlel is good, quoth the ladies fervant, therefore, give me fome reward, and i fhall fulfill thy defire. Now when he had received his reward he went again to the lady, and told her, that by no means the maiter of the (hip would deliver him the cloath, except Ihc came her felf. The lady believed her fervant, and went to the ihip. Now when ihe was within the ihip-board, her fervant abode fwithout- When the maiter faw that ihe was within the (hip, and the wind was good, he drew up the fail, and (ailed forth. When the lady perceived this, thus ihe laid to the maiter, O maiter, quoth (fie, what reafon, is this that thou halt done to me . the mailer anfwered and faid, madam, certainly it is fo, that I mutt needs ly with thee, and afterwards eipoufe thee ©good fir, quoth ihe, Ihave made a vow, that I will never do fuch a thing hut with him unto -r bound by right, and by the law. Sooth ly qu . ’ « you will not grant me with your good wil , you outintothe midit of the *nd an evil death. If it be fo, quoth (he, • *“ tvn «cam. ^____ confent, or elie die ; firit I pray thee, to prepare a private uiace m the end of the ihip, whereas I may fulfill thine and alio, I pray thee, that I may iay intent ere I die ; anu anu, * ---, my prayers unto the father of heaven, that he may have mercy on me. The maiter believed her, wherefore he did ordain her a cabinet in the end of the ihip, wherein $ie kneeled down on both her knees and made her prayers, laying on104 ' Gesta RoManorum, on this wife, O thou, my Lord God, thou halt kept trie from my youth in cleannefs, keep me now that I be not deiloured, fo that I may ever ferve thee with a clean heart and mind : and let not this wicked man prevail with me, nor any other the like wickednefs come nigh me. When (he h id ended her prayers, there arofe fuddenly a great tern pelt in the fea, fo tyitthe (hip burdall to pieces, and all that were therein periihed lave the lady : and (he caught a cable and faved berlelf, and the maiter caught a hoard of the ihip, and laved himfelf like wife: never-thelefs, ihe knew not of him nor he of her, for they were driven to divers coafls. The lady landed in her own empire near a rich city, where (he was honourably received : and ihe lived fo holy a life, that Gpd gave her grace power to heal fick folks o! all manner of diieafes , wherefore there came much people to her, both crooked, blind and lame, and every man through the grace of God, and her good endeavour, was healed, wherefore her name was known through divers regions Neverthelels, (he was not known as theemprefs. At the fame time the Emperor’s brother ( that had hanged her by the hair) was fmitten with a foul le-profy. The knight that flew the Earls daughter, and put the bloody knife in her hand, was blind, deaf, and bad the palfie. The thief that betrayed her to the maiter of the (hip, was lame, and full of the cramp. And the mailer of the ihip, diilraught out of his wits. When the Emperor heard that lo holy a woman was in that city, he called his brother, and laid to him thus, RQ we, dear brother, unto this holy woman that is dwelling in this city, that (he may heal thee of thy leprofy. Would to God, O noble brother, quoth he, that I were healed. Anon the Emperor with his brother went towards the city. Then when the citizens heard of his coming, they received him honourably with proceffion,. and all provifion fitting his eltate- And then the Emperor enquired of the citizans, if any Inch holy women were among them, that could heal lick folks of their dif-caies? the citizins anfwered, and laid, that inch an one there was. Now at the fame time was come to the fame city, the knight which flew the Earls daughter, and the thief which ihe laved from the gallows, and the mailer of the ihip to be healed of tlicfe difeaies. Then was the emprefs called forth before the Emperor, but ihe mulled Her lace as well as ihe could, that the Emperor her husband fliould not know her : and when ihe had fo done, ihe Gesta JIomanorum, 105 Jhe ialuted him with great reverence, as appertained to his (tate, and he began in like manner, limns? thus O good lady, if thou lilt of thy kindnefs to heal my broi thcr of his leproly, alk of me what thou will, and 1 lhall grant it thee tor thy reward. When the empreis heard this', the looked about her and law there the Emperor’s brother a foul leper: She law there alio the knight that flew thr Earl’s daughter, blind and deaf: the thief that the laved from the gallows’ lame : and alfo the mailer of the (hip dillraught out of his wits, and all were come to her to be healed of their maladies, and knew her not; but though they knew her not, lhe knew them well. Then laid the unto the Emperor thus, my reverend Lord, though you would give me all your empire, I cannot heal your brother, nor none of thefe other, except they acknowledge openly what great evil they have done. When the Emperor heard this, he turned him towards his brother, and laid unto him, brother, acknowledge openly thy lin before all thofe men, that thou mayefi be healed of thy iicknefs Then anon he began to tell how he had led his life : but he told not how lie had hanged the Fmprels in the forreft by the hair of the head moil dilpightfully. , When he had acknowledged all that him lilt, the empreis replyed, and laid, foothly. my Lord, I would gladly lay on him my medicine ; But I wot right well it is in vain, for he hath not made a full comeluon. 1 ns Emperor hearing this, he turned toward his brother, and laid in this wile, What evil iorrow, or other unhappy wretchednels is in thee: feelt thou not how thou art a foul leper i Therefore acknowledge thy fin truly, that thou mayeft be whole, or eile avoid my e vermore. Ah! my ^Wha 3 m^uid .he Emperor. Then anfweted "hi, brother , and a • * 7 the ioul. Nevertbelefs, the wretched fklh p¿,nctPa,,y'? the (bul to fin : but the foul that lovctí things, withitandeth that temptation callith'm habov>al1 power: that is, reafon, will^JMgWcffi ence, and maketh them to impriion the Hdh that is dilobediertt to the ioul, in the priion of true re™ t. J!’ unto the time it obey reafon in all things. And thus hi hope of mercy he Urtneth again, to whom thé holy Writ-l.?r ,a'oh,,CUírieíl be íhe man that hnneih in hope, ^nd at the )ait the ioul inclmeth tothefieifi; and ktteih him out cL,1?' repentance, and waging him from the tilth ol tm and arreyeth him with good virtue, and mak-eth him leap on the palfray ol charitable humility, and lo nddeth forth to meet our J-otd with the lacrafice of thanklgiving. Rut alas oft the (inner trcfpalfbth againft holy icripture : wherefore the heart; that is, the luft of the flefh, arifeth before him, and after runneth great hounds; that is, evil thoughts: and lo long they chafe, till the body and the foul be left alone, and then the flefh flirreth that pure foul, being the fpoufe to almighty God : but the pure and undefiled foul that is fo Well beloved with God, will not forfake Our Lord, and confent to fin; wherefore the wretched flefh full oft difpoiletb her of her cloathing ; that is, of ali her vertues, and hangeth her up by the hair on an oak ; that is, on luifs and delights ; and there (he hangeth till the good Earl cometh 5 that is a difereet preacher in the forreft ol this world, to preach and teach the word of God: then he taketh her down, and leadeth her forth to the church, to nourifh his daughter; that is, to nourilh confcience with fruitful faith. Ihe Earl had in his chamber a lamp; ritrht Idr every dilcreet preacher (hould have before him the lamp of holy Scripture whereby he may fee both the grievance and profit of the foul in learning of virtues,’and putting away of vice. The Itewnrd that ftir* reth her to fin, is nought elle but pride of life, which is fteward of this world, by whom.many men ae eanv ed. But when the foul that is lo well beloved with Chrift, will not confent unto the fin of pride, then1 t.h this evil lie ward the knife ol ««rente, where«* he (layeth the Earls daughter; *h« 'hath cordii'g to the Scripture, faying, Gold an ‘ blinded the eyes of judges, and hath ovtfth ro^ ^ ‘men, lo that equity and righteoufheis niig< f but flood afar, and turned their backs, ibis lady ^ re*io8 Gesta Roma norum. redeemed a man from death ; that is from everlafling death, which he had delerved by deadly (in. Therefore do we as this lady, fmite we our horfe , that is, our fleih, with the (purs of repentance, and fo ride we forth in all hade to fave our neighbour from the link of deadly fin, to help him both bouily and ghoitly, as Solomon iaith, ‘ Wo be tp ^hat man lying in deadly fin, that hath ‘ no man to lift him out thereof:’ Therefore awake thy neighbour, and help him ‘ For a brother that is holpen ‘ of another, is like a fure city : and if he give him but ‘ a cup of cold water in the way of help, he (hall not * lofe hisreward.’ But m my now a-days be very unkind, as was the thief which deceived the lady, after that (he had faved him from hanging. The matter of the (hip betokeneth the world, by whom many men be deceived But neerthelefs, as oft as a man taketh on him voluntarily the charge of charity, and o-beying unto the commandments of God, and forfaketh the world, then breaketh he the (hip. For it is inipoffible to pleale God and man, and the world, all at one time. When this lady had efcaped the tempeft of the fea, (he went to a city ; that is, the loul after the troubles of ♦his world, went to the holy life, and there (he healed all manner of tick folk, that is, ever-y man that is troubled in his foul: that is, infected with divers (ickneis, thofe this lady healed through holy life But they could not be healed till they had firit confefi'ed their fins unto the emprefs, the church of God, and then (he heal-eth them by repentance and amendment of life: yet all this while was the emprefs unknown to her husband; that is, the church wandreth in the wildLrneis of this wicked world, until God by miraculous means made her known unto him and (o led her home by vi&ory and triumph in the truth, unto the heavenly habitation of eternal reit and glory. Unto the which almighty God bring us all for his Ions fake. Amen. THE ARC, U M ENT. Every fupream magiftrate, and other infer or, is to be honoured and reverenced. Every true Chriltian man ought to conlider his duty herein. And every falie Chriltian perverting the ways of the godly, the reward of iuc1i is hid up in hell; but the juit (hall inhereit the blellcd life cverlait tig. TheESTA RoMANORUM. The fourty firft HISTORY. I-_• Martin dwelt alfo a knight that was Reward of the empire and uncle unto the emperor which envied this Fulpemius itudy ng day and night how he might bring the emperor and this youth to debate. Wherefore the' (tewarthon a day went to the emperor and laid My lord, quoth be I that am your true lervant, am bound in duty to warn your highnefs, if I hear any thing that toucheth your honour ; wherefore I have luch things that I mu ft needs utter in fecret to your majelty between us two. Then laid the emperor, good friend, lay on what thee lilt. My molt dear Lord quoth the Reward Fulgentius your cou(in,and ypur nigh kinfman, hath defamed you wonderfully and fhamefully throughout alj your empire, faying, that your breath ltinketh, and that it is death to him to ferve you your cup. Then the emperor was grievoufly dilpleaied, and almofl: belide himfelf for anner, and faid unto him thus; I pray thee, good friend, tell me the very truth, it that my breath itink-eth, as he faith. My Lord, quoth the Reward, ye may believe me, I never perceived a Iweeter breath in my days then yours is. Then faid the emperor, I pray thee, good freind, tell me how I may bring this thing to good proof. The Reward anfwered, and laid, my lord, quoth he, ye ihall right well underhand ?the truth, ♦„ morrow next when he lerveth you of your cupiio Gesta Romanorum. doth him no good, fo grievous unto him is the (finking breath of my mouth. T hen laid Fulgentius unto the iteward, truly, that perceived I never till now; but what think you of my breath ? I pray you tell me the very truth, quoth the fteward, it dinketh greatly and foul. And this Fulgentius believed all that he faid, and was right iorrowfull in his mind, and prayed the deward of his counfel and help inh s woful cafe. Then faid the iteward unto him, if thou wilt do my couniel, I iha'l bring this matter to a good condufion : therefore do as 1 fhall tell thee. I counfel thee for the belt, and alfo warn thee, that when thou ferved my Lord the emperor of his cup, that thou turn thy face away from him, fo that he may •not fined thy (linking breath, until the time that thou had provided thee of fonie remedy therefore. Then was Fulgentius right glad, and l'ware to him that he would do by his counfel. Not long after tbefell that this young man Fulgentius ferved his lord as he was wont to do, and therewith fuddenty he turned his face from his lord the emperor, as the iteward had taught him. And when the emperor perceived the avoiding of his head, he (mote this young man Fulgentius on the bread with his foot, and faid to him thus, O lewd varlet, now I fee well that it is true that I have heard of thee, and therefore go thou anon out of my light,that 1 may fee thee no more n this place, and with that this young Fulgentius wept ful) lore, and avoided the place, and went out of his iight- And when this was done,the: emperor called unto him thedeward,and faid how may 1 ride this varlot from the worlds that thus hath defamed me? My mod dear Lord, quoth the deward, right well you (hall have your intent : for here beiidc within thefe three miles, ye have brick-makers, which day-lymake great fire to burn brick, and alio they make lime therefore, My Lord, lend to them this night, charge them upon pain of death, that whoioever cometh ty them fird in the morning, faying to them thus, My lord commandeth them to fulfill his will: that they take him, and caff him into the furnace, and burn him: and thisn ght command you this Fulgentius, that he early in the morning go to your work-men, and that he alk them whither they have fulfilled your will which thee commanded, or not? And then iliull they, according to your commandment, cad him into -the lire, and .thus Jhall he die an evil death. Surely quoth the emperpr thy counfel is good therefore call to me that varlet Fulgentius. And when the young man was come to the emperors preknee, he faid V. 1Gesta Rom a norum. m faid to him thus, I charge thee upon pain of death that thou nie early m the morning, and go to the burners of lime and brick, and that thou rile before the fun rife ' three miles from this houfe, and charge them in thy behalf, that they fulfill my commandment, or elfe they ihall die a molt fhamefull death. Then fpake this Fulgen-tius, My Lord, if God fend me my life, I ihall fulfill your will, were it that I fhould go to the worlds en(l. When Fulgentius had this charge, he could not fieep for thought, that he mud arife early for to fulfill his lords commandment. The emperor about midnight fent a meifenger on horfe-back unto his brick-makers, commanding them upon pain of death, that whomever came to them firft in the morning, faying unto them (as is before rehcarfed) they fhould take him and bind him, and caff him into the fire, and bum him to the bare bones. The brick-makers anfwered,and laid, It fhould be done. Then the meflenger returned home, again, and told the emperor that his commandment fhould be fulfilled. Ear y in the morning following Fulgentius arofe, and prepared him towards his way: and as he went he heard a bell ring to fervice, wherefore he went to hear fervice: and after the end of fervice, he fell afleep, and there he flept along time, fo foundly, that the prieit nor none other might' awake him. The fteward dehnng inwardly to hear of his death, about two of the clock he went unto the work men, and faid unto them, firs, quoth he, have ye done the emperors commandment or not. 1 he brick-makers anfwsred him, and laid, no, truly, we have not yet done his commandment, but it »nall be done : and with that they laid hands on him I hen cryed tiie fteward, and laid, good firs, fave my hie, tor the emper-or commanded that Fulgentius fhould be put t0 death. Then faid they, the meflenger told us not io>, but he faylnga^you'Slid" we fhSuV^ke him, and burnt, Fulgentius came to them, ‘ ?y’8 foothiy’ have you done my Lord s coraman ' ^ anj tej[ laid they, and there go ye again to Pj ’ tejj me him fo. Then fiid that commandment. W e Wra came lo us firft in upon pain of death, hat «M ^ that uc fhould the morning, irnd faid hke astp ; be{yre t;ite came take him and call him into the L • -- t^cI 12 G ESTA RoMANORUM. thefteward, and therefore! he took his leave of the workmen,and went again to the palace. When the emperor law him, he was almolt diftra&of his wits for anger, and thus he laid, haft thou been with the brick-makers, and fulfilled my commandment ? Soothly, my gracious lord, I have been there: but ere I came there, your commandment was fulfilled. How may that be true? quoth the emperor. Jforlboth laid Fulgentius, the ftewajrd came to them afore me, and laid that I ihould have laid lo they took him, and threw him into the furnace: and if I had come any looner fo would they have done to me ; and therefore 1 thank God that hath preierved me from death. Thin laid the emperor, tell me the truth of luch queltions as I iha 1 demand of thee. Then laid Fulgentius to the emperor, you never found in me any falihood . and therefore I greatly wonder why ye have ordained luch a death for me i for well ye know that 1 am your own brother’s ion. Then laid the emperor to Fulgentias, It is no wonder, for that-death I ordained for thee, thro* counfel of.the fteward, becaule thon didft defame me throughout all my empire, laying, that my breath did ftink lo grievoufly, that it was death to thee : and in token thereof thou turnedlt away thy face when thoulervedft me of my cup: and that I faw with mine eyes : and for this cattle I ordained for thee luch a death, and yet thou fhult die, except I hear a better excule. Then anfwered Fulgentius, and laid Ah dear Lord, if it might pleafe your highnefs for to hear me, I fhall fhow you a fubtil and deceitful! imagination. Say on, quoth the emperor. Thelteward, Fulgentius, that is now dead, came to me, and laid, that ye told unto him that my breath did ftink, and thereupon he counfelled me, that when I ferved you of your cup, I fiiouid turn away my face; I take God to witnefs, I lie not When the emperor heard this he believed him, and ('aid, O my nephew, now 1 lee through the wile judgment ol God, the itevvard is burnt, and his own wickednels and envy is fallen on himfeif: he ordained this malice aguinft thee, and therefore thou art much bound to Almighty God, that hath preierved thee from death. < The MORAL. Dear friends, this emperor betokeneth every fupream magiitrate . and fulgentius his nephew, betokeneth every trueChriftian man which ihould ferve them with faithfull loyalty, like as Fulgentius, lerved the emperor at his cup,Gesta Romanorum. cup, wherefore he ihall be greatly lovJ j fteward betokeneth every he (haU fjd of,Go.d* This God.. This (toward betokeneth °f as Cain, which oftentimes turneth the heart of riaV*ma-r* ft* v faying, that his bre^hrVnketlt That is that the life of this magiilrate is not acceptable to God or man, which is againlt the leripture, which faith* ‘ ilUtgenrt, and ye h?11 not be jud8ed-’ But oftentimes th Chn,mn u 10USaPe°P C’,aceule righte°us men, wherefore they ihall be cait into the everlafting fire of hell, where is wailing, weeping, and miiery without end. But the righteous (hall aicend to everlafting life. Unto the which bring us our Lord Jefus Gfariit. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. Tyrants and ungodly perlons walk without knowledge of the truth, till they come to the church of God. The wicked perlecute the godly : but as they are preferved by the mighty providence of God, lb they ought not to fleep in fin. A figurative lpeech of three feveral meanings, vkz- Take, yield, and (lee. The fignification thereof.:, The forty fecond HISTORY. THere dwelt fometime in Rome a mighty emperor, named Delphinus, which had no children, fave only a daughter which was a fair creature, and well beloved of her father. As this emperor rode one day a hunting in the forreft, fuddenly he rode out of his way, and loit his men, wherefore he was greatly dilcomforted, lor he wilt not whether he rode, nor in what place he was : till at lait when he had'thus ridden all thcday alone, in the even' ing he faw a houi'e, and thither he rode a great pace, and knocked at the gate immediately the good man of the houie heard him, and a iked thecaqfeof his knocking, and what he would have ? dear friend, quoth the emperor, lo it is night, as ye may lee: therefore I defire ot you lodging, for the love of God. When he had thus find the good-man of the houfe (unawares that he was the emperor) anfwered and laid) Good friend, quoth he, 1 am the emperors forreller and have plenty of venmfion,and other visual for you. When the emperor heard this, he was right glad in his. mind; nevertheleis he told him not that he was the emperor. Then the forreiler opened t..e gate and received him as kindly as he could, and fa him to (upper, and ierved him worrh.ly And when he had log,U4 Gesta Romakorum. ped, the forreiter brought him to his chamber, and when time he was lent to bed. In the fame night, it befell that ' the forrelter’s wife did travel of child in another chamber hard by, and! was delivered the fame night of a goodly fon. And as the emperor lay in his bed, fleeping-him teemed he heard a voice, faying to him, thrice theie words take, take, take. And with that he awoke, and ' '* • marvelled greatly what it might be, faying to himfelf thus A voice biddeth me, take, take, take. What ihall I take i ? And immediately he fell alleep again. And the fecond ‘ time he heard a voice laying unto him thefe words, yield, yield, yield. And with that he awakened again, and wondered greatly, laying unto himfelf, What may this f fignifie ? Firlt I heard a voice that faid, take, take, take, and nothing I received, and right now I heard another voice that faid, yield, yield, yield. What (hould I yield ? And as he lay thus thinking to himfelf, he fell aileep a-gain, and then he heard the third voice, faying theie words thrice, flee, flee, flee: for this night is a child born, that after thy deceafe ihall -be emperor. When the emperor, heard this he awakened, and wondered greatly what it might be. In the morrow following, the emperor cal- ) led to him the forrefter, and laid, dear friend, ( pray tell me if any child be born here about this night to thy knowledge ? My wife, quoth the forrefter this night is , delivered of a fon. 1 pray thee, laid the emperor, ihow ^ me thy fon. When the emperor had teen the child, he faw a mark in the child’s vifage, whereby he might know him at another time: and he faid to the forreiter thus, dear friend, knoweft thou who I am ? nay foothly, quoth the forrefter, for I never law you beiore this time as far as I can remember; neverthelels it feemeth thatyebe a gentleman. Then anlwered the emperor, and laid, I am the emperor your lord, whom you have lodged this night* wherefore I give thee hearty thanks. This hearing the forreiter, he fell down upon both his knees at his feet and befought him of mercy, it he had offended his high-nels ol any thing. Then'ianfwered the emperor, and laid Be thou nothing afraid : for I thank thee heartily for thy good cheer: and thy fon that was horn to nuht t ,„:ii it ““¿ylon!'’“ y°“r meire”S'« «»».’ 1 «»»*>. ThenGesta Romanorum. nc Then the emperor took his leave, and rode home to his palace and fhortly after he was come home, he called unto him fuch lervants as he truited belt, and laid to them thus Go ye unto my forretter, with whom I was lodged fuch a night, and receive of him his fon, of which his wife was delivered that night; and upon painofdeath I command you that ye May him by the way, and call his fiefhto the dogs, but bring you the heart to me: and except ye fulfill my commandment, ye (hall die the cruelleft death that can be thought Anon his lervant went to the forreft, and received the forrefter’s fon: and brought him with them : and when they were come near unto the Jialace, one of them faid, how fhall we do that we may ulfill our lords commandment in flaying of this child ? Some anfwered and faid, that the child Ihould be flain,-and fome would have his life faved ; and when they were thus itriving among themfelves one of them was molt merciful, faid unto the reft, O my good loving friends hear my counfel, 1 befeech you, and ye (hall not repent you thereof. If we murther this innocent child, we (hall greatly offend almighty God : And behold, hereby are young pigs, kill we one of them, and then may we take with us his heart, and prefent it unto the Emperor, laying, that it is the heart of the young child Then laid they thy counfel is good: but what fhall we do with the child ? good friends, quoth he, let us wrap him in fome cloaths, and lay him in fome hollow tree, for peradventure God will help him, and lave his life. When he had thus laid, they did after his counfel in ail things, and killed a pig, and went their way, and carried home with them the pigs heart to the emperor, faying unto him thus, Lo gracious Lord we have deftroyed the child, as ye commanded us. and with that they ihewed him the pigs heart. The emperor luppoling it bad been the childs heart took it, and LO," tat b“t to believe in dreams, which be but Cmtafe, *nih?&medfi‘ after the chifd was put into a hallow The lame aay ai hunt m the forreft: and tree, there can*e . rt they came to the hollow as his hounds chafe d’wben they finch the favour ^eVVhei?ldhthCe^ wouyid go no further. The earlfee-of the child, they .*» hi hounds abode there, and ing this, he marvel ed why h^n ^ ^ # great pace> fmote his horle with And when he cameunto-the tree till he came unto thenn ^And wnen n whereiaII 6 GESTA i^OMANORUM. wherein the child was laid, he looked in at a hole, and faw the child lying, and then he was right glad, and took up the child up in his arms lull lovingly* and bare it home to his cadle, faying unto the countels his wife, lo, my dear wife, this day by fortune .1 have found a fair child in an hallow tree, as I hunted in the forrefl, whereof I am right glad : and becaule thou never yet ^onceiv-edd a child, therefore I exhort thee that thou wilt feign thy felf to travel with child, and fay that thou hail born this child. Thecountefs fulfilled gladly the earl’s defire, and laid, my moil dear Lord, your will in this thing {hall be done. Not long after this, news went throughout all the country, that the countcfs was delivered of a fair foil, wherefore every man rejoiced much The child began to row, and was well-beloved of every man, and efpecially of the earl, and the countels. It befell when the child was fifteen years of age, the emperor made a folemn feafl unto all the Lords of bis empire, unto the which lead this earl was called, who at the day affigned came, and brought his Ion with him, which was at that time a fair young fquire he carved at the boord before the earl. The emperor dedfadly beheld him, and efpyed the token ini his fore-head, which he had feen before in the torreder’s hotife, wherewith he was greatly moved with in himfelf, and ‘laid unto the earl, in this manner, whole fon is this ? Certes, laid the earl, he is my fon Then laid the emperor, by the faith that thou owed to me, tell me truth. V •* The earl feeing that he might not excufe himfelf hut that needs he mult tell him the truth, told he found him in a hollow tree; this hearing the emperor he wasalmoit d.draft of his wits for anger, and called to him his fer-v'ants, which he had fent before to ddtroy the child. And when they came before him, he made them to {ware that they fhould tell him the truth what they had d&he with the child. - Gracious lord,faid they, we yield us unto your grace and goodnefs,for pity iornpved us, that we might not de-itrojr him. bat we put hi:* in, a hallow tree : what befell of him afterward, certainly we know not, and in his ltead we killed a pig, and brought the heart thereof to you. \ When the emperor had heard the truth of the matter, he laid unto the earl, this young man, quoth he, mall a-bide with me. The earl immediately granted though U was greatly againd his will. When the fead was ' ended,Gesta Romanorum. it-? *e mVKhT ¡T &Ti« •!« and ■hat the emprels and h£r daj'tci foj0i""'d V°««W ' Speror. “ ‘h'DCe’ ^ a* ' Not long after the emperor laid unto this young fquire. I behoveth thee to ride unto the emprqls with ray let--, ters. lam ready at your commandment, My lord, laid he, to rulmj your delire. Immediately the emperor wrote fetters lie intent whereof was this,that the emprefs ihould take the bearer of thele letters, and let him be drawn at the hor e tad, and after that ihe Ihould let him be hanp-ed till he were dead, and that on pain of death. When the letters were all fealed, the emperor gave them unto the, young iquire, commanding him to fpeed him on his jour-' ney : and ftraightway the young (quire put them dole into a box, and rode forth on his journey. When he had ridden three or fourdays on his journey, in an eye,ning he came unto a caitle where dwelt a knight, and gently defired of him a nights lodging. The knight beholding the iweet favour of the young (quire, made, him'good cheer, and afterwards brought him into his chamber : and when he was there he went to bed, and immediately fell aileep for he was weary of his journey, and forgot his box with the letters openly in his chamber. When the r knight f:vwl the box, he opened it, and found the letters with the emperors iign mannel, and was greatly tempted to open them : and laft he opened them ncaily and then read how the emprefs upon pain ofdeatb : (hould put the bearer of them to death : apd then he was right lor-rowful and faid within himfelf, alas quoth he, it is a great pity to flay fo fair and proper a man ; and immediately after the knight rayed out the writing and wrote in the fame place thefe words following : upon pain -ol death 1 coinmand thep, that thou take this young iquire, bearer of thele letters, and let him be wedded without delay unto my daughter and yours, with all the lolemnity that can be thought : 3nd when they be married, that ye make as much account oi him. as it he^were your own Ion, and that he fupply my room till I come unto you my ie.t. When the knight had thus written, he doled the ^tters neatly,and put them into the box agam.Early in the morning the young Iquire aroie, and very halfiiy made and took his leave of the knight, and rode forth on his journey : and the third day after he came, unto the eih-prels, and faluted her dutifully in the emperors behalfilS Gesta Romanorum. and gave her the letters. When the emprefs had read them anon ihe lent forth her meiTengers throughout the country, commanding the ftates and gentlemen to come to her daughter’s wedding on a day aifigned. When the day was come, thither came many great lords and ladies, and anon the young fquire elpouled the emperor’s daughter with great honour according to the tenor of the letters, and was much honoured among the people. Not long after it befell that the emperor came unto the country and when the emprefs heard of his coming ’ Ihe took with her, her fon in law with much other people, and went to welcome the emperor. When the emperor faw this young fquire leading the lady his wife, he was greatly moved within himlelf, and faid,0 thou curled woman, becaufe thou haft not fulfilled my commandment, thou {halt die an evil death. O my dear lord, quoth ihe, all that you commanded me, to do, I have fulfilled. Nay, curfed woman it is not fo : for I wrote to thee that thou fhquld put him to death, and yet he is alive, my lord, quoth the emprefs, you wrote me that 1 ihould give him your daughter to wife, and that on pain ot death, in wit-nefs hereof lo, here your letters fealed with your own feal manual. When the emperor faw this he wondered great- , ly, and faid, is he then efpauled to my daughter ? yes, furely faid the emprefs, long ago, with great folemnity: and as I perceive, your daughter is with child. Then i faid the emperor O Lord Jelus, it is great folly to ftrive againft thine ordinance: therefore fith it is fo, thy will muft needs be fulfilled. And with that he took his Ion in law in his arms, and killed him which after his death was emperor, and ended his life in reft and peace, The MORAL. This emperor may betoken Herod, who would have flain the child Jefus. wherefore he fent meiTengers to leek him, according to theferipture, fhowing how he commanded three kings to feek him, and bring him tydings again, where be was,* that he might come and worihip alio The forrefter betokeneth Joleph our ladies hulband, which kept him, but when the three kings came they Hew him not, but worlhipped him on their knees, and left him in the hollow tree of the God-head. The earl found this child, betokeneth the holy G-hoft wlpch warned Jofeph by the angel in his ileep, that he Ihould take our lady and her fon and flee into Egypt, By the firtt take, may be underitood the great benefit ' that... . ^ESTA Romanorum. no own Lnm'de Ch" a r?ul,,m!“Je ,0 hi* our regeneration in baptifm, by the licond yield hat we ought to yield, honour, worlhip, and love unto ASnighTy ®°i?n,an- *h.rd y eld, that weought to yield to God true conlefton of faith, contrition of heart' s,id amendment of life. The firft flee, betokened. fin which we ftould flee, betokeneth everlafting pain, the which we ought to flee through faith, by the which we may come to everlaitmg bleis. Unto which bring us our Lord lefus Aipen. J TH E A RGUMENT. The foul of man being raviftied by the tyranny of fin, (he complaineth unto Chrilt, which heareth her. The tyrant is overcome by Chrift, who efpouieth her unto him, preparing a place of perpetual joy for her. thrift receiveth the patient (inner to his mercy by his death and paifion. The forty third HIS T O R Y. THere dwelt iometime in Rome a mighty emperor, named Sontaiimus. which ordained a law, that whomever raviihed a virgin ihould die: and if ihewere refeued then he that refeued her, ihould have her to wife, if him lift, and if him would not marry her, then (he ihould be efpoufed by his appointment. It befell on a day that a tyrant, named Pontcanus, led a virgin into a forreft, and defloured her of her maiden-head. And when he had fo dene, he would have (lain her, and as he was difpoiling her of hercloaths there came riding bv the forreft a gentle knight which heard the lamenting of the damfel,wherefore he rode a great pace into the forre't to fee what it mifht be. Now when he came he faw a woman (fand-:nfT all naked lave only her (mock to whom the knight fpake, art thou (he, (aid he, that cryed (o lamentably i Then aniwered the damfel, yea, certainly, (or this man, hath defloured me oi my maiden-head, and now he would flay me, and there he hathddpo.led me of my deaths: for the love of Cod gentle knmht hdp me n®w. Then faid the tyrant, (he lycth for (he is my wife, and I have J“ hpr in adultery with anorner man, therefore I wUl Uay hc " Then ¿d d>c knight, 1 believe better the woman120 woman then tl: vilage, that thou halt raviihed her, tlieretore will ] tig* with thee for her deliverance, and immediately they ') buckled both together dnd fought eagerly till they were | both lore wounded. Neyerthelels, the knight obtained the 1 victory, and put the tyrant to flight. Then faid the knight unto the woman, lo, I have ful fered for thy love many lore, wounds, and have lav ed thee from death, wilt thou therefore promife to be m wife ? Thereto I ailent quoth fire, with all my heart, an thereupon I plight thee my truth- When they were thus enl'ured then laid the knight as followeth ; i Herebelide is my caille, go thither, and abide there till I propofe to make a great fealt thereat. My lord, quoth file, i am ready to fulfil your will. Then went fhe unto hiscaiHe, where lf\e was worthily received : and the knight went unto his friends for to b el them to the marriage. In the mean while came Pontiaiius the tyrant to the knights caille, and prayed her that he might ipeak with her. Then came fliedownfrom the caille to him, and this tyrant lub- ]| tilly flattered her, and faid, gentle love, if it pleafe you to ” conlent to me I (hall give you both iilver and gold, and great riches, and (hall be your fervant, and ye my iove-raign. When the woman heard this, full lightly ihe was de ceived through his flattering language, and loon granted ' t him to be his wife, and took him to her in thecaitle. • Not long after, the knight came home, and found the j caille gate {hut, and knocked thereatbut long it was ere *he might have anfwer. At the lalt the woman came, and demanded why he knocked at the gate? Then laid he to her, O fweet lad}', why hail thou io loon changed thy love ? Let me come in. Nay, finely,'faid lhe, thou {halt not come here; for I have here with me my love which I loved before Remember, quoth the knight, thou gavell me thy truth to be my wile, and how I faved thee from death; and if thou ponder not thy faith, be- i hold my wounds which 1 have fullered in my body for thy love. And fo he uncloathed himlelf naked all lave . 1 his holen, that he might ihow his wounds open- | ly. But ftte would not lee them, nor {peak more with j| him, but ihut fail the gate, and went her way. Now when the knight law this, he went to the judge, and made his complaint to him, praying him to give right wile J judgment on the tyrant and the woman. Then the judge f caiijd them both before him, and when they were tome * ? I have provided all things needful for our wedding: for theku , • ^?S,TA R°Manorum. lit SwkwfiihU?rthU.V my Lord’ 1 a,kthe benefit of the fhino- therlir1*' u man rcfcue a woman from raft-lhing, the relcuer ihall marry her, if him lilt; and this woman I delivered from the hands of the tyrant, therefore I ought to have her to my wife: and furthermore lhe gave me her faith and truth to marry with me, and thereupon lhe went to my caltle, and I have been at great coltagamlt our wedding; and therefore, as it leemeth to me, (he is my wife by the law. Then laid the judge to the tyrant, thou knowelt well that this knight delivered her from thy hand, and for her love hath luffered grievous wounds, and therefore well thou woteft that ihe is his wife by the law, if that him lilt. But after her deliverance with flattering fpeech thou hall deceived her ; therefore I judge thee to be hanged. Then laid the judge to the woman likewife, O woman, r thou knoweft how this knight Caved thee from death, and thereupon thou betrothedit him thy faith and troth this notwithstanding, thou conlentedll afterward to the tyrant, and brought!! him into the knights caltle, and didlt (hut to the gate againlt the knight, and wouldelt not I lee his wounds which he lufie red for thy love ; andthere-; fore I judge thee to be hanged alio. And fo it w is done, both the raviiher, and lhe that was ravilhed, were con-. demned to death : wherefore every man prailed the judge t* for his wife judgment. The MORAL. I This Emperor betokeneth the Father of heaven, which I ordained a law, that if the foul ot man was ravilhed iw irom uod by lm, the faver of the fool (hould efpoule him if him lilt The woman that was ravilhed, betokeneth the foul of man, which was ravilhed by the fan of our forefather Adam, and let out ot paradife into the forrelt of this wretched world by the tyrant Ponmnus, which kLr.Vr.nefo the devil; and he not only defiled her by foe heritage Of heaven, but alio he would flay her fohng the heritage or , cry,th with an high CM» heard. Thiscr, We when Ad»™ was made when .iaaui j--------------------- I patriarchs and prophets cryed for remedy, Lying 'thefe wordr, O thou thehighell in the call, vilit thou us, 3tc. The knight betokeneth our Lord Jeius Chrilt, which came from heaven, and fought with the tyrant; that is, the Jevd, uiiduetii they were io wounded ; for our Lord J'lus122 Gesta Romanorum. Jefus Chrift was wounded in the flefh, and the devil maimed in his kingdom : wherefore the woman ; that is, th foul, gave her faith and troth unto Chrift Jeius, when (h became a chriiiian, faying thefe vvords, 1 foriake th devil and all his pride, and believe in God the father al mighty. Then ordained our Lord fefus Chrift a ma ^ riage between him and her, with the two fpecial facra ments of baptifm, and the T ords fiipper, whereof raa be made a ftrong caftle againft the devil. Alio our Lord commanded the foul to keep her (till in the caftle of ver-tue, till he went to provide that was needful; that is, our Lord Jeius Chrift afeended to heaven to prepare for her a dwelling place of everlafting joy,' whereas we ihould dwell after the day of judgment with our Lord God in honour and glory. But alas, in the mean time came the devil, and beguiled the wretched foul by deadly (in, and fo he entered into the caftle of our heart, which ihould be the caftle of •God. The knight Jefus knocked at the gate of our heart according to the Scripture, Lo, I ftand at the door and knoch, if any man will open, that I may enter. But where the devil is, God doth not enter, except the finner will receive him by repentance, which feeing our Lord hanging on tbecrofs, that we may fee his bloodly wounds which he fuftered for us, we dinners ihould be the rather, mindful of his love; for from the crown of his head unto foie of hi? feet, was left no whole place : therefore faith the prophet Iiaiah, Behold and lee if any furrow be like to my furrow. Therefore he is a wretched man that will not be converted unto his Lord God, bur ly ¡n deadly fin : wherefore when he h called before the high judge he (hall be condemned to everlafting denh. Therefore ftudy we to open the doors d fefus Chrift. Amen. THE ARGUMENT. The body and the foul of man being made by God’s grace in the temple ot the holy Ghoft, do give them-f el ves to ferve and pleafe God in this life, and to love S°d righrb?Url f S°rdi”g to his laws : and though the body of death f after mortal affli¿fion for a time yrt by faith, hope, and charity in lefts Chrift both body and foul fhall inherit life and joy everlafting'Gesta Romanorum. 123 . J The fort.y fourth HISTORY. is read of a certain Roman Emperor, which errefting tor mniielt a goodly monument or tomb, as the labourers u in JC ground of his palace, they found a coffin of gold bound about with three hoops, and upon the hoops was ingraven thele words, I have (pent: I have given : j. have kept: I have had : I now have : I have lolt: I am pumihed. That which I had, I fpcnt: that which ,1 gave I have. When the Emperor faw this, he called together his nobles and ftates, and faid unto them* my Lords, go and conlider araouj? your (elves, what this in-feription meaneth. Unto whom the nobles ihordy after returned this anfwer, faying the meaning of this inferip-tion is no otherwife but this, There was a certain Emperor your predeceiTor, which defired to live behind him an example toother, that they might follow him in good life and converfation, to wit, I have fpent, ray life in judging others righteoufly, and governing myfelf according to the rule of reafon. I have given to my ioldiers things neceffary, unto the poor maintenance and living, and to every one as to myfelf, according to their delerts; I have kept, in all my works, righteoufnefs, mercy to them that need it, and to work-men their worthy wages. ■ have had a liberal, and a conftant heart to every one which ferved me: I have given riches in their neceffity and loving favour at all times. I have had a hand to tame and f'ubdue enemies, to protett and defend friends, and to.punifh offenders. I have lofl, fooliihncls, the friendihip of enemies, and luff, or iafcivioufncfs of the, flefh. I am punifhed, now by death, becaufe I believed not as I ought to iave done, in one God eternal. I a/* punifhed: I fay, alas, becaufe I cannot redeem myfelf, but by the merits of Ghriit the Saviour of the world. When the Emperor aforefaid heard the meaning of the inlcriptions wifely interpreted on this manner, and how Jong that deceafe Emperor had lived, he thereby governed hinr.ielf, and his fubjetfs more providently, and end-ded his life in God’s, peace, with much honour. The MORAL. Dear friends, this Emperor may he c alled every good chrijfian man or -woman, -which ought, and is bdund to ercB and re-edify a tomb { that is, his heart prepared unto God. that he may perform his -will above all things: and fo diggeth in the ground of his heart, by contrition and forwu'Jul repentance jor his Jim, that he doth find a golden coffin ; that ■s abody dead tofit; hut his foul garnijbed -with virtues by Gods grace 1 ’ granted124 . G estä Romanorum. granted to the fame, and bound about with three golden hoops, to vltM with faith hope, and charity. What then was ¿¡¡graven in the fat; 7 three hoops: firß I have [pent: where it maybe ajked, what haß »¿T fpent? The good chrißian an fwereth, my body and foul in the feyvia cj Gcd. If any of you bejhw his temporal life fo, he ßmll be afiarck of great reward, even of life evHaßing. The fecond ivfcription iJD /j have kepr. What haß thou, kept? The good chrißian anfwereth A trite and humble heart: and prepared unto God,, to do whatjoever V5I good pleafure was. The third inferiptbn is, 1 have given. Whathdff thou given? The good chrißian anfwereth, love unto God withal my heart, with ail my foul, and with all my mind, and love unto my neigkd' hour, ace or ¿Hug to the commandment of God The fourth infi'ription ii,W 1 nave had. What haß thou had? The good chrißian anfwereth, "«fy-faith, purely, a wretched life, becanfe I was conceived in Jin, Widborrtfji in iniquity, arid ah-' t i med of vile and bafe matter. Fif thly, whatwi ■is the Uifchßiim, I nlrai have? the good Chrißian anfwereth. My bap- »1 .tifm, and thereby am mode the foldier (f Chrifl, by virtues which GodW\ gave me in >v: l apt if >1, whereas ’¡fore I wc's the' bond pave .of fatr.n,%\ ■ ¿¡ixthly, what is that inßription, 1 have lojl? To this anfwereth the 1 good chrißian', fo dy, the favour oj God, by mine own defarts: yet all’1 ■ *!■■■■>>' -wtA l !*‘ve committed againß God, I have by r¿pentante cor. fff1 did HfidfUmended. h cm Je repeat an, e is one mean: but Chip's merit; J ehirh, and efpcciääy clcaufeth us from all fin. Seventhly, what is tha M inter.ptiott I am punified ? the good chr'tfiian anfwereth, and faithXW Bf.nUe lern aJHfted by death, for the offences and fins of my I fill] r Uhtly, what is th t hfcriptiOn, I have fpent that which I had ? m i’.,.-<,\f-.»e>eth the good chrißian, faying, 1 have beflou v¥' m, ¡if time hr*'t , in to. works ot met ey, by the grace which I rece ved of my' fjord Je fas I l Lnrfi. Ninthly, what ix this vifcripUon, that which Äv i 1 ma.l my temporal life I gave all my com:-cl. whole cfen: and I f O W, whico I - ff to be the fervent of GoJ ; a, d now it is toe good will 1 Hr??.***!?**** that 1 fitall remain with 'him in the jays of ever- . li Ui lafitng hfe in heaven, Uutc the which Jefus Chrifour Saviour bring ^ til 11 ait. Amen. •• '>■>” i ♦c W T l N l S