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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    king askid what hour of the day it was ; and the kny3t seide, “ Sir, who so lust ete, it were tyme for to ete ; and therfore, my lord the king, if that wolle voche-safe to take a soppe with me, it shal be no dishonoure to you, but rather worshup and thonking afore the [c. 2.] lordys of the empire.” “ That wol I,” quoth the king, with a goode chere, “ take mete of the.” So they sette yn a faire grene place ; and the king, and alle that were with him, hadde there, by the pur- viaunce of the kny3t, a goode dyner. Whenne the dyner was y-do, the kny3t seide to the king, “ Sir, 3e did lewidly, that 3e bro3t not your fadir and your modir with you.” “ What spekist thou ?” quoth the king ; “ my fadir is ded, and my modir is an old wife at home ; howe sholde I haue y-caryed hem with me ? forsothe a more foole than thou art, fond I neuer.” “ Preyse at the parting,” seide the kny3t, “ and bihold wele the ende.” They rode forthe ; and whan thei drowe ny to the place, the kny3t askid leeve to ryde by an other way, that was nere; and he dude in thilke entent to be afore, and haue awey the dameselle. But he toke his leve at the king in this maner. When he askid leeve to go, the king askid whodir he wold go ? “ Forsothe,” seide the kny3te, “ this day vij. 3ere I lefte a nette yn a certayne place; yf I fynde it y-broke, I wol leeve it; if Y fynde it cleene, and hoole, I wol take it with me.” And so he bade the king fare wel, and roode forthe on his wey; and the king helde the hye way. Whan the Emperour hurde of the king, he roode a3enst him with a grete ost, and receyvid hym worthely; and made him to do of his clothis, and 3af him other. So when the king was sette by the Emperour at mete, the Emperour dude him chere as he my3te, and cowde. Whenne the mete was y-don, the Emperour askid tythingys of the king ; and the king answerd, and seide, “ I shal telle you what maner talking I hurde this day, in the wey. I mette with a kny3te in the wey, and he salewid me curtesly; and when we hadde y-rydene awhile to-gedre, a gret rayne come, and shende my clothis; and thenne saide the kny3te, that I dude lewdely, for I bro3t not my