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
Catalogue details

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.

    34/544 (page 26)
    thei founde this y-wreten, Tempora mutantur ; homines deteriorantur ; [si verum dicat, caput frangaturf] this is to sey, Tymys ben chaungid; and men ben hyndred, or turnyd, or i-made worse ; but he that wolle sey sothe, shalle haue a broke hed. “ And therfore goithe home, and tellithe your lord alle that $e haue seyne, and hurde, and rad.” They 3ede home in hire way, and tolde the Emperour alle thes thingis. Thenne spake the Emperour, with a grevous contynaunce, “ I commaunde that 3e go a3en y-armyd, and if 3e finde ony that wolle offende or threte him, bring* him to me y-bound fot and hond.” Thei 3ede a3en to the ymage, and saide, “ Do vs to knowe, if ther be ony that thretenithe the; for we ben redy to venge the.” “ Takithe,” quoth the ymage, “ Focus, the smythe, for he kepithe not the day of the Emperour.” Anoon thei brou3te the smythe afore the Emperour; and the Emperour reprevid him, for he kepte not the day of his burthe. Herkenithe nowe the answere of the smythe.— “ Sir,” he seide, “ me most euery day nedis laboure, and deserue viij. pense; and I may not gete hem but I travaile therfore; and therfore, sir, I may not kepe your day more than other.” Thenne [c. 2.] saide the Emperour, “ How so ? wherfore most thou haue euery day viijd?” The smythe seide, “ Forsothe, sir, for ijd me most euery day 3elde and paye, as for my dette ; me most leene ijd; spend ijd; and lese ijd.” Thenne saide the Emperoure, “ Telle me this tale more expressely.” “ Sire,” quoth Focus, “ I pay euery day ijd to my fadir; for whenne I was yong, he spende eche day so moche vpone me, and for he is nowe an old man, and may not helpe him selfe, I most nede, by way of kinde and of resone, 3eld him ijd. Also I lene ijd to my sone, for his sustinaunce, desiringe that he reward hem to me a3en, when I falle in to age, and may not worche, as I do nowe to my fadir. And, sir, I leese ijd, that is to sey, vpone my wife.” “ Why on thi wife ?” quoth the Emperour. “ Sir, for 3e knewe neuer woman, but if she hadde on of theise poyntys, scil. that is to sey, or she wolle folewe hire owne wille, or contrarie the wille of hire hus- * and bring, MS.