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.

    60/544 (page 52)
    knygfct was Moyses, that weddid the olde wife, sell, the olde lawe, that was byfore the natiuite of Crist. The olde knyglit is oure Lorde Jhesu Crist, the which is withoute begynnyng; and he weddid a yong wife, when he made the new lawe, and fylid not that othir, as is seid in the Gospelle, Non veni soluere legem, sed adimplere, I come not to lose or vndo the lawe, but to fulfille hit. But Moyses and alle othir profit3 and patriarkes desired for to se this new lawe of Crist, and to be weddide therwithe ; but thei myglit not se hit. The lady ros vp ofte tyme for to here the swete song of the birde; by the lady we vndirstond the soule, made to the likkenesse of God, the which owith to arise fro the bed of synne, and here the song of the worde of God, and of Holy Scripture. The fyg-tre, that stondith afore the wyndowe, is the cros of Crist, that stondith afore oure y3ene. The brid, that syngeth so swetly, is the manhode of Crist, the which praied his fader for vs on * the cros ; and there in that tre was slayne by men for oure synnes. And therfore we shulde [wed his] wife, sell. his lawe, and lede therwith pesable lyfe, and haue euerlastyng lyfe. Ad quam &c. I XVIII. ] ANTONIUS THE EMPEROURE. Antonius was a wise Emperoure regnyng in the cite of Rome; the which ordeynede for a law, that what tyme there was any fyre in that cite, there shulde be a bidelle y-ordeined for to avaite hit, and to make an highe proclamacione in the cite, seying, “ O! there is fire in suche a place in the cite; hy thou to ryng your bellis, and that alle the yates of the cite were stekid ! Hit happid that there was oon, that thougfit for to spoile the cite, and therfore seid to his seruaunt3, “ Dere frendis, ife we set fire in the cite, anon there shalbe • in, MS.