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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    the strong knyght, “ I was for my strength sent liider, and therfore with my strength I shal defende me.” Then spake the wise knyght, “ And as thou wilt defende the by thi strengthe, so shal I me by my wisdom.” Then spak the thrid, “ I am neither strong ne wys, as ye bethe, and therfore God help me !” Whenne this was seid, thei entrid in to the forest, and thei met with her aduersaries. So the strong knyght begane to defende him, and to fight manfully; but atte the last there came an arowe, and smote him at the stomak, and he felle doune ded. Whenne the wise man saw that, he gane to alegge resons, and to putte forthe wise wordis; but thei yeve not grete heryng to his resons, but at the last oon smote him to the hert, and slow him. Then the thrid knyght seyng this, he shet an arowe to the maister of the thevis, and he was ded therbye; and when that other meyne saw that her maister was ded, thei fled. And the knyght pursued forth to the castelle that was lost; and when he come, he founde the yatis opene. He entrid, and slow hem that were therin, and sette vp in a toure the baner of the Emperoure. And when the Emperoure herde telle how wisely and strongly that he had ywonne the castelle, he avaunced the knyght to grete honoure and richesses; the which bare him and shewid hym to be a doughti body in alle his lyf, and faire ende made. Moralite. Dere frendis, this Emperoure is oure Lord Jhesu Crist; the castelle is Paradys, the stiward is Adam, oure first fadir, that lost .the castelle of Paradys. The iij. knyghtes, of whom oon was strong, another wys, and the thrid amerous, bethe the thre kyndis of men, to the which God hath commaundide to recouere ayene Paradys, that Adam [f. 203.b.c.i.j lost. By the strong knyght we moste vndirstonde the myghty men of this worlde ; the which berith a scochone ouergilt,—how so ? for outewarde thei shyne by hye power, and withynne [stynkene.]—And