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.

    38/544 (page 30)
    [ XI. ] [EMPERATOR LENOPPUS.] [f. 200, c. i.] Lenoppus was a wise Emperour, and regnyde in Rome; and among alle othir vertuys he was mercifulle ; and for grete pyte he maade a lawe, that euery man that were blinde, shulde haue an Cs. Hit happid, that xiiij. felawis were gon to-gedre to the cite of Rome out of the cuntre, for noon other cause, but only for to drinke wyne. And whenne thei were sette in the tauerne, thei cesside neuer drink- ing by the space of iij. days or iiij, and dronke more be moche than thei hadde money to pay for. At the last the tauernere askid his payment, and saide, that noone of them shuld passe, til tyme that he were payde. Thenne spake oone of the drinkers, and saide to his felowis, “ Seris, I can telle you a goode conseil in this cas. 3e wete wel, it is the lawe of the Emperour, that euery blind man shuld haue to his tresour an Cs; and therfore, seris, lat vs drawe cut, and drawe out his yen, on whom the cut wol falle ; and thenne he may go to the palys, and aske an Cs by the Emperouris lawe, and qwite vs alle.” And whenne the other men hurde this, they were right glad, and seide, that it was goode conseil. And thei drowe cut; and it felle vp on him that 3afe the conseil. Thenne his yene were don out; and so he wente to the Emperouris stiward, and askid an Cs. “ Nay,” quoth the senescal, “ for thou haddist goode si}t 3isterday; nay, felowe, thou vndirstondiste the lawe wrong. The lawe is i-sette for hem that ben made blinde by infirmite, or by the wille of God ; and thou haddiste ij. yen in the tauerne, and nowe thou hast don hem out only by thi selfe. Go a3en to the tauernere,* and accord with him as thou may, for sothely thou shult of me haue neyther jd, ne obolus, ne quadrans.” He 3ede a3en to his felowis, and tolde hem howe the stiward seide to him. Whenne the tauerner hurde this, he spoiled * tauerne, MS.