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.
18/544 (page 10)
![armys, after that he were y-buriede, he shulde lese his life, with oute ony ayenst-stondynge. So, serys, hit happide with inne a fewe 3eris, that a certeyne cite of the empire was bisegyd with envious men and enemeys of the Emperoure, in so mocfie, that the cite was in perelle, and in poynt to be loste, ne ther was none with inne the cite that my3t defend him selfe with no crafte; and therfore grete sorowe and moche si3yng was in euery strete of the cite. So with inne fewe days after ther com toward the cite a faire, yong, and welfaryng kny3t; and whenne the cheventeyns of the cite sawe him, thenking that he semyd to be a dowty man, thei prayd him alle to-geder with a gret voys, that he wolde fuche-safe to helpe hem ayenst theyre ene- meys, in that grete nede. Thenne seide the kny3t, “ Parde, serys, 3e see welle that I have noone armour ne armys, to defend yowe; and iffe I hadde, I wold defend you withe a goode wille.” Heryng thes wordes, a grete worthi man of the cite seide preuely, “ Here beside,” quoth he, “ liethe a kny3t ded, and on his body is goode armoure, and long hathe y-leye on the erthe, as the lawe wolde ; and therfore, ser,” he seide, “ if it like you, 3e may defende the cite.” And so this yong kny3t dude, and armyd him with the armour, and fought with the enemeys, and wan the victorie, and deliuered the cite fro perille; and after he putte vp a3en priuely the armour in the sepulcre. But ther were fals traytourys of the same cite, that hadden indignacione and envie that he wan so the victorie; and went and accusid him to [the] iuge, saynge, “ The lawe of the Emperour is suche, that if ony man withedrawe othir spoile the dede, he shulde be ded; and suche a kny3t hathe y-spoylid suche a ded kny3t of b 2 ] his armoure, with the whiche he clothid him, and defendid the cite ; and therfore we aske of you, that it be procedid a3enst him, as owithe to be don a3en a breker of the lawe of the Emperour.” Then the iuge made the kny3t to be itake, and to be brought afore him, and ther he reprevid him of suche a trespace. And thenne the kny3t answeride, and seide, “ Sire, hit is wreten, that of too evelis the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22007118_0018.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
