The old English versions of the Gesta Romanorum: edited for the first time from manuscripts in the British Museum and University Library, Cambridge, with an introduction and notes / By Sir Frederic Madden. Printed for the Roxburghe Club.
- Date:
- 1838
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The old English versions of the Gesta Romanorum: edited for the first time from manuscripts in the British Museum and University Library, Cambridge, with an introduction and notes / By Sir Frederic Madden. Printed for the Roxburghe Club. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![herte to be departid yn to thre parteis, in tokne and emsampille of veniaunce. And the goode man toke an other wif, and faire endid his liffe. Moral ite. Seithe nowe, goode men ; this Emperour I calle owre Lorde Jhesu Criste ; the empire is this wordle, in whiche is moche aduersite; for alle that is in the wordle other it is false covetise of flesche, or fals couetise of yen, or prowde of lif. The wif that lovithe not hire hus- bonde is thi flesche, that dispisithe alle werkis that the spirite lovithe. Now in spekinge gostely of this mater, while that a man goithe in pilgrimage, Serys, that is to sey, in werke of ony goode dede to be fulle-fillede, thenne the fleshe spekithe with the nigromancier, sell, the Deville; and that he dothe as ofte tyme as he grucchithe a3enst the spirit, and sesithe fro werkis of penaunce, wherby the spirit may be slayne. For it is as the Apostille seithe, Caro concupiscit aduersus [f. 195, c. i.] spiritual, et spiritus adversus carnem, this is to vndirstonde, the flesche desirithe thing that is a3enst the spirite, and the spirit desi- rithe thing a3enst the flesche. The clerke that helpithe the kny3t is a discrete confessour or a prechour, whiche techithe a man how that he shalle defende him a3enst the dartys of the Deville. This nigro- mancer is the Deville, biginnithe to schete an arowe att the ymage, —what is that ? the resone within a man. But beware that he hit not him with his arowe, soil, envy or auarice, for if he do, withoute doute he shalle dye in euermore lastynge dethe. And therfore thou most putte downe thyne hede,—what is that ? thyne old lif of synne, and entre yn to the bathe of confessione. And thou most holde in thy hond a myrour, soil, holy doctrine, that prelatis and prestis euery day shewithe, by the whiche thou shalt see alle perilis that perteyn- ithe to thi soule. And also holdyng downe of the hed in the bathe, is to be redy to goo vndir the 3oke of penance, and submitte the to](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22007118_0012.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
