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.
52/544 (page 44)
![[c. 2.] thisflessh is to be chasticede, that hit be not founde in synne, in tyme of deth, lest hit be foundene thi enemye. And therfore let vs study for to norissh oure fadir, and holde oure Lorde Jhesu Crist so within vs, that the Deville in the day of dome haue no thing to putte forth ayens vs, that may greve oure soulis; and then we shul veri- liche trust to come to the kyngdom of Heuene. To the which he vs bring, qui cum Patre &c. [ XV. ] THEODOSIUS TH’EMPEROURE. Theodosius regned a wys Emperoure in the cite of Rome, and myghti he was of power; the which Emperoure had thre doughters. So hit likede to this Emperoure to knowe which of his doughters lovide him best; and tho he seide to the eldest doughter, “ How moclie lovist thou me?” “ Forsoth,” “ quod she, “ more than I do my selfe.” “ Therfore,” quod he, “ thou shalt be hily avaunsed;” and mariede her to a riche and myghti kyng. Tho he cam to the secund, and seid to her, “ Doughter, how moche lovist thou me ?” “ As moche forsoth,” she seid, “ as I do my self.” So the Emperoure mariede her to a due. And tho he seid to the thrid doughter, “ How moche lovist thou me ?” “ Forsoth,” quod she, “ as moche as ye beth worthi, and no more.” Tho seid the Emperoure, “ Doughter, sith thou lovist me no more, thou shalt not be mariede so richely as thi sustris beth.” And tho he mariede her to an erle. Aftir this hit happide that the Emperoure helde bataille ayens the kyng of Egipt, and the kyng drove the Emperoure oute of the empire, in so moche that the Emperoure had no place to abide ynne ; so he wrote letres, ensealide with his ryng, to his first doughter, that seid that she lovide him more than her selfe, for to pray her of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22007118_0052.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
