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.

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    bond, or ellis she is of an hot complexione. Also, sir, I spende ijd vpone myselfe, in mete and drinke; and 3e wite wele, this is litel y-now.” Tho seide the Emperour, “ By my lewte, this is wel answeryd, and resonabilly spoken.” The Emperour deyde sone after, and Focus the smythe was i-chosen into the Emperour, for the goode acounte that he made of his viijd. Moralite. Goode men, who is this Emperour ? Hope we hit is our Lord Jhesu Crist, the whiche hathe ordeynede for lawe, that eche man sholde kepe the sabothe day. Virgil that* payntithe and settithe this ymage, is the Holy Gost, the whiche settithe vp a prechour, to shewe ver- tuys and vicis, not sparing no more the riche than the poore. But nowe on days, if the prechour seye sothe, or telle ho brekithe the commaundement, or the wille of Crist, forsothe he shalle be thretenyd of the enemeys of Crist, sell, ivel men, the whiche neyther lovithe God, neyther hire neghebowre. And therfore in the days that ben nowe, the prechour may sey the wordis, that were wretyn in the front of the ymage, Tempora mutantur, Tymys ben chaungyd fro worse to worse ; Homines deteriorantur, this is to sey, Men ben y-chaungyd or ben made worse.—How so ? For in tyme afore thei were deuoute, blessid, and meke, and now thei haue no deuocione, and ben cruelle, and wickid, and havithe no soule ; and therfore he that wol sey [f 199.b.c.i.] sothe now, may be shent, and haue a brokyn hede. And therfore hit is nedefulle, that ther stond armyd men by the prechour, sell. goode werkis, for to be withe him ; and if it be so, he dare not drede, if he haue with him God and sothefastnesse, as the Apostille seyethe. Si Deus pro me, quis contra me, this is to sey. If God be with me, who may be a3enst ?—as who seyithe, noone. By this smythe Focus is vn- dirstond euery goode Cristyne man ; the whiche owithe euery day to worche goode workys, and so ben worthi to be presentid to the * than, MS.