# Gesta Romanorum (1905)

GESTA
ROMANORUM
TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN BY
THE REV. CHARLES SWAN
REVISED AND CORRECTED BY
WYNNARD HOOPER, M.A.
CLARE COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
LONDON GEORGE BELL & SONS 1905
PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES.
PREFACE.
It is somewhat remarkable that, in spite of the great interest attaching to the Gesta Romanorum, as the most popular story book of the Middle Ages, and as the source of much literature in that and later times, no English version of it should have appeared until 1824, when a translation was published in two volumes by the Rev. C. Swan. Mr. Swan, though his translation was in many respects faulty, kept to the original with tolerable fidelity, and only deliberately tampered with the text once; namely, in altering the termination of Tale XXVIII., because he considered that the story, as it stood, did not afford a good "moral." He very often paraphrased; and where the Latin contained too bald a statement of facts, he considered himself justified in amplifying the narrative. But this can hardly be objected to. The stories are often told so carelessly that a translator is bound to add something in his rendering to make them express what they were intended to convey to the reader. An English version of a work like the Gesta Romanorum should certainly not be a literal translation.
The present edition is a reprint of Mr. Swan's, with considerable corrections and alterations. Whenever Mr. Swan only expanded the Latin in his translation so as to express what was really implied in the original, I have left his rendering untouched. But I have expunged whatever ​was an unnecessary departure from the text. On the other hand, Mr. Swan had occasionally omitted sentences of importance; these have been restored to the text in the present edition. Mistakes in translation, of which there are more than might have been expected, have, of course, been corrected.
Mr. Swan's notes are sometimes erroneous and occasionally pointless. With regard to the former class, I have generally allowed them to stand, and added a correction of the mistakes. Notes of the latter class I have sometimes omitted, and those so treated will not, I think, be missed by the reader. The most valuable part of Mr. Swan's notes are his quotations from other authors illustrative of the text, in selecting which he showed more judgment than in the actual work of translation; but it is throughout evident that his knowledge of English literature, or, at all events, of writers about English literature, was greater than his acquaintance with either Latin or Greek.
A great deal has been done, since Mr. Swan wrote, towards settling the vexed questions relative to the genesis of the Gesta. Sir Frederick Madden, in his work on the old English versions of the Gesta, did a good deal towards solving the problem. But the book which has dealt with the subject in the most thorough and satisfactory manner is the work of a painstaking German, Herr Hermann Oesterley. It is little known in England. The British Museum only possesses the first part; the authorities apparently not thinking it worth while to obtain the remainder, when it was not spontaneously offered them by the bookseller, perhaps because no one ever asked for the work. The leaves of the first part were not even cut till recently. Considering the value of Herr Oesterley's book, its absence, except in an incomplete state, from the shelves ​of our great national library is strange. There is a complete copy in the University Library, Cambridge.
It is impossible to do more here than to give a brief résumé of Herr Oesterley's conclusions regarding the Gesta. To go into his proofs, except in the merest outline, would be to reproduce his book, for it contains nothing whatever but what is strictly relevant to the matter in hand. Those who are acquainted with the subject will be aware how obscure and perplexing it is. Mr. Swan's Introduction, though rather vague and rambling, is worth studying. It contains some valuable conjectures, which subsequent inquiry has shown to be sound. Warton's "Dissertation on the Gesta Romanorum" (Hist. of English Poetry, vol. i. p. cxxxix.), as being the earliest attempt to arrive at definite conclusions as to the origin of this collection of stories, is worth reading, apart from the deservedly high authority of its author. But its inadequacy was obvious even to Warton's contemporaries. Douce's "Dissertation" (Illustrations of Shakespeare, p. 516) is a really useful piece of work. Although mistaken in several points, his remarks are always acute and valuable; and he called attention to the importance of a thorough examination of the MSS. contained in the libraries of the Continent, with a view to discovering, if possible, the origin of the Gesta. "It is a fact," he says, "as remarkable as the obscurity which exists concerning the author of the Gesta, that no manuscript of this work, that can with certainty be pronounced as such, has hitherto been described. If the vast stores of manuscripts that are contained in the monastic and other libraries of Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, were examined, there is scarcely a doubt that some original of a work so often printed would be discovered." Douce's expectations have been falsified by the result of Herr Oesterley's ​investigations in this very field. It is now clearly ascertained that no MS. corresponding to the printed collection of stories known as the Gesta Romanorum exists.
Before laying before the reader a succinct account of the facts relative to the Gesta with which Herr Oesterley's work supplies us, it is necessary to say that what is known par excellence as the Gesta Romanorum is a collection of 181 stories, first printed about 1473, and that this is the collection of which the present edition is a translation. But before the appearance of this collection there existed a great number of MSS. all over Western Europe, no two of which exactly resembled each other. I shall now give some details, chiefly obtained from Herr Oesterley, concerning both printed editions and MSS.
I. Printed editions.
A. The editio princeps, printed in folio by Ketelaer and De Leempt, at Utrecht. Date uncertain. It contains 150 (not 152, as Douce, erroneously says) chapters.
(a) A second edition of the editio princeps, printed by Arnold Ter Hoenen, at Cologne. Date uncertain. It contains 151 chapters.
B. The Vulgate (vulgärtext), or second editio princeps, printed by Ulrich Zell, at Cologne. Date uncertain. It contains 181 chapters.
Subsequent to the Vulgate numerous editions were printed resembling it in all essentials.
There is no doubt, according to Herr Oesterley, that all three editions [A, (a), & B] appeared between 1472 and 1475. He has adopted A and B as his text; A for the first 150 chapters (except chapter 18, which is found ​only in B), and B for the remainder. His text therefore reproduces the two editiones principes, if such an expression is not a solecism.
C. Various editions in English, based on the Latin MSS. of English origin. They contain usually 44 chapters, but sometimes 43, and once 58. A few examples will suffice.
(a) Printed by Wynkyn de Worde, in small 4to., at London, date uncertain. It contains 43 chapters, and is a translation of MS. Harl. 5369. In the library of St. John's College, Cambridge.
(b) Printed in London, 1648. Contains 44 chapters.
(c) London, 1689. 44 chapters.
(d) London [1722?]. 58 chapters (British Museum, 1456a).
These editions all have some stories in common with the Vulgate, together with many which are peculiar to themselves. I may remark that Wynkyn de Worde's edition (a) is the only instance we have of a printed copy exactly corresponding to a MS. of the Gesta.
II. Manuscripts.
The MSS. of the Gesta fall naturally into three groups, or families, as Herr Oesterley calls them.
I have here given as concise a statement as possible of a great multiplicity of facts. The diversity existing among the MSS. known in England, and their apparent want of connection with the printed editions, gave rise to the theory, upheld by Mr. Douce and combated by Mr. Swan and others, that there were two distinct collections of stories called Gesta Romanorum, one of German, the other of English origin. The early appearance of the Gesta in England, the fact that the Vulgate was only printed on the Continent, as well as the local colouring of certain of the stories, were held to prove that shortly after the compilation of the "Original Gesta" in Germany, a similar set of stories was composed in imitation of it in England. That no copy of the "English Gesta" was printed appeared as strange as the fact that no MS. of the Vulgate had ever been found. As remarked above, Mr. Douce fully expected that a careful search in the libraries of the Continent would reveal the missing MS.
Herr Oesterley's investigations appear to show conclusively that, though there were not two Gestas, in the ​sense intended by Douce, yet there is a considerable difference between the MSS. of England and of the Continent, and between each of these and the printed Vulgate. He is of opinion that the Gesta was originally compiled in England; that it rapidly passed to the Continent; was then considerably altered, by additions and corruptions; and that, on the invention of printing, an edition (A) containing 150 stories, selected by the editors, as they thought best, was issued. Shortly after, an enlarged edition (B) was issued. This last is the Vulgate. Neither A nor B was a reproduction of any one MS.; and they were both compiled from MSS. belonging to group C. It is easy to understand why the "English Gesta" was never printed. The Vulgate appeared in England before there was time to commence printing an edition of the Gesta from the MSS. of the English group, and being much larger than even the best of these (Harl. 2270, above referred to), speedily got possession of the field, and rendered it superfluous to produce another Gesta. Probably not one man in ten thousand would know of the existence of MSS. containing stories not in the Vulgate. And when Wynkyn de Worde printed his edition (1510–1515) a need for an English version had arisen, which he met by printing a complete translation of one of the MSS. of the English group (see p. ix.).
Herr Oesterley admits that it is possible that the Gesta was originally compiled in Germany, and thence carried to England, and enlarged by the addition of specially English stories, while in Germany a process of growth was also going on. But he thinks that the balance of probability is in favour of the view which places the home of the Gesta in England. He considers that the names of the dogs in [[../Of the Snares of the Devil|Tale CXLII.]] are distinctly English; and that the German proverb in the ​moralization of [[../Of the actual state of the World|Tale CXLIV.]], on which so much stress has been laid by the believers in the German origin of the Gesta, is an addition made by the editors of the printed copies, as is clear from an inspection of the MSS.
Herr Oesterley's conclusions as to the author of the Gesta are purely negative. The theory which assigns the authorship to Berchorius, the prior of St. Eloi (Pierre Bercheur), he treats as quite unproved. The only other claimant put forward is Helinand; Herr Oesterley decides against him also, and the matter is left as incapable of settlement.
Herr Oesterley is of opinion that the Gesta was compiled towards the end of the thirteenth century. It has been urged that the collection cannot have appeared before the death of Robert Holkot (1349), since a series of stories found in the Gesta are taken from his Moralitates. But even supposing these stories were first made known by Holkot, this can only be used to prove that the MSS. of the Gesta which contain them were written since 1349, not that the Gesta was not originally compiled much earlier. Herr Oesterley also urges the fact that the MSS. had, as early as the middle of the fourteenth century, become sufficiently diversified, by a natural process of differentiation, as to group themselves into the three families mentioned above, as a proof that the first or primitive MS. cannot have appeared later than the early part of the fourteenth century. For some time must have elapsed before so great a diversity could have arisen. Moreover, Herr Oesterley mentions a MS. written in 1326, which is obviously, from the corruptions of words, and especially of proper names, a copy of some earlier edition.
Herr Oesterley's views as to the origin of the Gesta are ​necessarily only conjectures, but as such they are of considerable value. He thinks that at some early period there were collections of stories taken from Roman history in actual use as texts for sermons; and that these stories were then put together for the express purpose of being moralized, and finally appeared under the title of Gesta Romanorum Moralizata, or something similar. Whether this first compilation was entirely composed of classical stories, or contained some of more modern date as well, it is impossible to say. What we now know as the Gesta Romanorum arose from the moralizing of this, or some similar work, after it had been enlarged by the addition of a considerable number of stories relating to later times. It would be easy to circulate a collection of stories under the name of the "Gests of the Romans" among a people whose ideas of history were as limited as those of our forefathers in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, even though it had not contained a single word about Rome. The intention of the original authors of the Gesta was to provide texts for moralizations. The stories themselves were of secondary importance. Very often in the MSS. the first words of some well-known story appear at the commencement of a chapter, and then the moralization follows immediately. In many of the older copies some of the stories have spaces left after them for the moralization, the writer presumably intending to add it subsequently. It is not till a very late period that the stories become the more important part, and the moralization recedes into the background. Herr Oesterley is very severe on Grässe's rash statement that the English MSS., which are mostly early ones, have, as a rule, no moralizations.
At the risk of being accused of undue repetition, I shall ​recapitulate the results of Herr Oesterley's labours, which have been set forth in the pages of this preface. The Gesta was originally composed in England, whence it rapidly passed to the Continent, at the end of the thirteenth century. By the middle of the fourteenth century there were three distinct families of MSS. of the Gesta. When printing was invented, one of these groups (C) was, so to speak, crystallized and hardened into the Vulgate, after which no further change took place. The Vulgate became known as Gesta Romanorum, and was probably supposed by each person to be identical with the work he had always heard called by that title, but which was, as we have seen, differently given by every MS.
Returning to the present edition, it is necessary to explain why the moralizations have been shortened. Mr. Swan omitted the greater part of all but a few at the commencement. As the moralizations are of no interest, except from the light they throw on the nature and origin of the Gesta, and as a mere translation of them is of no use for this purpose, I have left them in the abbreviated state. The reader can easily judge of their nature from the few given in full.
I have revised the translation chiefly by reference to the readings in Oesterley's edition, which is a reprint of the two first editions. I have also frequently referred to an edition printed in folio, at Hagenau, by Henry Gran, in 1517, which is a reprint of his edition of 1508, from which Mr. Swan made his translation. The colophon of the edition of 1517 (in the British Museum) is the same, with the exception of the date, as that of Gran's edition of 1508, of which the colophon will be found at the end of the volume. The differences between the Hagenau edition and the Vulgate are very small, and would only be appreciable to the public if a literal translation were made of each. ​Whenever the reading of the Hagenau copy is more intelligible than that of the older edition, I have adopted it. It is quite possible that Gran may have had access to MSS. which the editors of the Vulgate did not know of; and thus he may have obtained a warrant for introducing the few slight improvements he made on his predecessors' text.
I would call the reader's attention to the fact that one or two very good stories are contained in Mr. Swan's Introduction.
W.H.
London, July 31st, 1876.
* ↑ Gesta Romanorum, von H. Oesterley. Berlin, 1872.
* ↑ Taylor's edition, in three volumes. 1840.
* ↑ Illustrations, &c., p. 532. See Oesterley, p. 266.
* ↑ In discussions on the Gesta Romanorum the reader must remember that "chapter" = "story."
* ↑ Oesterley, p. 267.
* ↑ Oesterley, p. 268.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 241.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 244.
* ↑ Ibid. pp. 187, 245.
* ↑ Douce, Illustrations, &c., p. 535.
* ↑ Oesterley, pp. 1, 245
* ↑ Ibid. pp. 245, 246.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 253.
* ↑ Oesterley, p. 266.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 264.
* ↑ Oesterley, p. 262.
* ↑ Ibid. pp. 254, 255.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 256.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 257. "Von jeder familie ist uns mindestens ein codex aus der mitte des 14 jahrhunderts erhalten," and the rest of the page.
* ↑ Ibid. pp. 257 and fol.
* ↑ * Oesterley, p. 260.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 261.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 261.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 261.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 262.
* ↑ Ibid. p. 262. Grässe, Gesta Romanorum, ii. 302.
* ↑ See above, pp. viii., ix.
OUTLINES OF THE TALES.
* TalePage
* I.A king's daughter, guarded by five soldiers, elopes with a duke. She is subsequently received back by her father................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* II.Of duty towards parents................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
* III.How that the law punishes not twice for the same offence................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* IV.Of the conflicting claims of mercy and justice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
* V.How a youth, taken by pirates, was left in prison by his father, but released by his captor's daughter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
* VI.How that inconsiderate oaths do not continue of force for ever................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11
* VII.How a Roman nobleman had two sons, of whom one mariied a harlot, and was at first rejected but afterwards received by his father................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13
* VIII.Story of a statue with a golden ring, beard, and cloak................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
* IX.How the son of a certain emperor wished to slay him, but was dissuaded from his purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
* X.Of the rings of Memory and Oblivion................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20
* XI.Story of the queen's daughter who was nourished on poison................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
* XII.Of a wonderful rivulet that flowed through the jaws of a putrid dog................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
* XIII.A queen commits incest, but being penitent is saved................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................26
* XIV.Story of a son who left his mother and rescued his father................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29
* XV.The life of St. Alexius................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................32
* XVI.An emperor discovers a sarcophagus with certain words engraved on it................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................39
* XVII.Story of Guido, who rendered six kinds of service to a certain emperor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................41
* XVIII.How a certain Julian unwittingly killed his parents................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46
* XIX.Of the quarrel between Pompey and Cæsar, and of the passage of the Rubicon................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48
* XX.How the Emperor Conrad unconsciously caused the fulfilment of a prophecy which had filled him with anger................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
* XXI.How a king of Lacedæmon sent secret intelligence to his countrymen................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
* XXII.How the Egyptians honoured Isis and Serapis................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54
* XXIII.Of the burning on the funeral pile of an emperor's body................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................55
* XXIV.Of a magician who enticed his enemies into an enchanted garden and destroyed them................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................55
* XXV.A lady, whose dominions have been laid waste by a certain king, is defended by a pilgrim, who is slain during the battle................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................57
* XXVI.Of a queen's illegitimate son, who was clothed in garments half poor, half costly................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................58
* XXVII.How an emperor left his daughter in charge of a seneschal, who disobeyed the orders given him, and was put to a miserable death................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................58
* XXVIII.How, through the cunning of an old woman, a youth obtained the love of a noble married lady................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................60
* XXIX.How the skin of a certain unjust judge was nailed on the judgment seat................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................62
* XXX.How a certain king treated his generals when victorious................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................63
* XXXI.The remarks of certain philosophers on the death of Alexander the Great................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................64
* XXXII.Remark of Seneca on poisoned corpses................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................65
* XXXIII.Of a tree on which three successive wives of one man hanged themselves................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................66
* XXXIV.Aristotle's advice to Alexander................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67
* XXXV.How Roman noblemen became reconciled after being at variance................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68
* XXXVI.Discourse of a philosopher before a certain king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................69
* XXXVII.Of the wisdom displayed by an eagle when attacked by the serpent Perna................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
* XXXVIII.A dove brings news to a beleaguered city................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................73
* XXXIX.How discord between two brothers was brought to an end................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................74
* XL.How a learned clerk discovered the infidelity of the wife of a certain knight................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................75
* XLI.Of the self-sacrifice of an Athenian king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................76
* XLII.A prophecy concerning the fall of Rome................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................76
* XLIII.Of a chasm in the midst of Rome, and how it was closed................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................77
* XLIV.Of an artificer who made glass as flexible as copper, and of the wickedness of the Emperor Tiberius................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................78
* XLV.Of the four reputed sons of a deceased king, and how it was decided which of them was really his................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................80
* XLVI.How a certain man gathered more leaves than he could carry................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................81
* XLVII.Of a Danish king who saw the three kings of Cologne in a vision................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................82
* XLVIII.The story of Phalaris of Agrigentum and Perillus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
* XLIX.Of the treachery of the Duchess Rosimila and its reward................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................85
* L.Of the Emperor Zelongus, who sacrificed his right eye for his son's sake................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................86
* LI.Tiberius Cæsar's reason for allowing corrupt governors to retain their offices................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................87
* LII.Noble conduct of Quintus Fabius Maximus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................88
* LIII.Of an old woman who prayed for the long life of Dionysius of Syracuse................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................88
* LIV.How the Emperor Frederic the Second constructed a gate in Capua................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................90
* LV.Allegory concerning Justice, Truth, Mercy, and Peace................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................90
* LVI.How a prince caused a certain merchant to cease from envying him................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................93
* LVII.Of the speaking statue in Rome, and of the wisdom of Focus the carpenter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................96
* LVIII.How a malefactor, who stated three indisputable truths, was dismissed unpunished................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................99
* LIX.The story of the Emperor Jovinian................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................100
* LX.Of a king's daughter who was wonderfully swift of foot................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
* LXI.How the Emperor Claudius gave his daughter in marriage to a philosopher................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................108
* LXII.Of the portrait of the beautiful Florentina................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................110
* LXIII.How a certain valiant knight won the daughter of an emperor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................112
* LXIV.How a certain king took a wise and beautiful virgin to wife................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................114
* LXV.Of a king who, on a certain occasion, was obliged to let his horse go without food................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115
* LXVI.How a knight recovered her dominions for a certain lady, and was slain before he could be married to her................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................116
* LXVII.Of two knights, one wise and one foolish, and of their miserable end................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................118
* LXVIII.How the wife of a knight was rebuked by the crowing of two cocks, but not of the third................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................121
* LXIX.Of the wonderful whiteness of the shirt of a certain carpenter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................122
* LXX.Of a king's daughter who would be married only on the fulfilment of three conditions................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................124
* LXXI.How a lame and a blind man arrived safely to enjoy a feast given by a certain king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................126
* LXXII.Of a king who handed over his crown to his son, who, proving ungrateful, was afterwards deposed................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................127
* XLXIII.How a certain fellow, desiring to cheat others, lost his eyes without getting any advantage................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................129
* LXXIV.How a certain king bequeathed a golden apple to the greatest fool that could be found................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................130
* LXXV.Of the three daughters of a king who, being widows, would not marry again................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................132
* LXXVI.Of the wonderful skill and friendship of two physicians................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................133
* LXXVII.Of the two daughters of a king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................135
* LXXVIII.Why a certain king's daughter would not marry a second time................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................136
* LXXIX.Of the delight of a certain king in little dogs, and of the folly of an ass................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................137
* LXXX.Story of the hermit who travelled in company with an angel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................138
* LXXXI.Of the birth, life, and death of Pope Gregory................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................141
* LXXXII.Of the stork, the avenger of adultery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................154
* LXXXIII.Of a wild boar that injured a fair garden, and was at length slain................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................155
* LXXXIV.How a certain lady gave a knight a falcon, and afterwards slew it................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................156
* LXXXV.Of the Emperor Tiberius, the harper, and the whistler................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................158
* LXXXVI.How a certain adulteress was released from prison with her son................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................159
* LXXXVII.How a certain knight, having saved an emperor's life, was recompensed by him................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................160
* LXXXVIII.How a prince overcame his enemies by cunning................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................161
* LXXXIX.Of a knight who bequeathed a ring to each of his three sons................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................161
* XC.How a certain inheritance was divided between two brothers................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* XCI.Story of the three slothful men................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* XCII.How, of two serpents found near a king's castle, the male was killed and not the female................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................165
* XCIII.How the two sons of a certain lord went abroad to study, and what befel when they returned................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................165
* XCIV.How a king's daughter became a leper, but subsequently recovered................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................166
* XCV.How Constantine assisted the Romans................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................168
* XCVI.How King Alexander forgave all criminals who confessed their crime before a candle burnt out................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................168
* XCVII.How the Romans made a statue of Julius Cæsar................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................169
* XCVIII.A custom of the Romans when besieging a town................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................170
* XCIX.How a knight assisted a serpent against a toad, and was in turn assisted by it................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................170
* C.How a woman escaped the penalty of adultery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................171
* CI.Story of Ganter, who sought a kingdom................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................172
* CII.How a necromancer would by magic have done to death a certain noble knight, but was himself slain through the skill of a learned man................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................174
* CIII.How the Emperor Domitian bought three wise maxims from a merchant, and found great profit therein................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................177
* CIV.How a knight rendered a service to a lion and was himself benefited in return................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................180
* CV.Story of the bell of Justice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................182
* CVI.Story of three travellers who had one loaf between them................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................184
* CVII.How a certain subtle clerk of Rome discovered a subterranean palace, and through rashness perished therein................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................185
* CVIII.How two thieves made good their promises to one another................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................187
* CIX.How a certain avaricious carpenter lost his treasure................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................189
* CX.Story of the knight Placidus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................191
* CXI.How Argus watched the white cow of a certain nobleman, and was deluded by Mercury................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................199
* CXII.How the son of the Emperor Gorgonius was at enmity with his stepmother................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................201
* CXIII.How the Emperor Adonias delighted in tournaments................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................203
* CXIV.How a certain man fell into a pit, wherein dwelt a dragon, yet nevertheless escaped................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................204
* CXV.Of a wonderful elephant, and how it was slain................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................205
* CXVI.How a queen was obliged to treat her stepson with the same care that she bestowed on her own................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................207
* CXVII.How a knight rescued a young girl from a certain fellow, and of her subsequent ingratitude to her preserver................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................208
* CXVIII.How a certain knight recovered a sum of money from one that would have defrauded him of it................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................210
* CXIX.Of the ingratitude of a certain seneschal towards a poor man who had saved his life................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................212
* CXX.How a youth had three valuable talismans, and having lost them all through the wiles of a woman, at length recovered them................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................216
* CXXI.How a young knight slew an old one and married his wife................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................220
* CXXII.How a certain lady enabled her lover to escape before her husband's face................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................222
* CXXIII.Of another lady who cleverly deceived her husband................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................223
* CXXIV.How a certain knight obtained pardon for his offences................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................223
* CXXV.Story of the sixty black crows................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................226
* CXXVI.Story of the prudence of the young Papirius, and the inability of women to keep secrets................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................227
* CXXVII.How a hermit, who saw an apparently innocent man punished, and murmured against the justice of Providence, was rebuked................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................228
* CXXVIII.Of the fraud committed by a certain Knight, and its discovery and punishment................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................230
* CXXIX.How a king's son discovered which of his friends loved him most................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................232
* CXXX.How a certain king had three knights, of whom one succeeded in an enterprise in which the others had failed................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................234
* CXXXI.Of a king who gave to all whatsoever they would................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................235
* CXXXII.How three physicians got rid of a fourth, their rival................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................236
* CXXXIII.Of the two greyhounds belonging to a king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................237
* CXXXIV.How a certain knight, who saved a city in its utmost need, was ungratefully put to death by its inhabitants................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................238
* CXXXV.Story of Lucretia................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................239
* CXXXVI.How the credulity of a certain thief led to his ruin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................241
* CXXXVII.Story of a Roman emperor who, being banished, made war on his country, but was induced to desist................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................242
* CXXXVIII.How a son made war against the king, his father, but repented................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................243
* CXXXIX.How a basilisk, which slew the soldiers of Alexander the Great, was killed................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................244
* CXL.How the Emperor Heraclius administered justice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................245
* CXLI.How a serpent benefited a certain knight, and of the latter's ingratitude................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................246
* CXLII.Of a certain king who had a forest filled with all kinds of game, and how a traitor tried to destroy them with nets and dogs................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................248
* CXLIII.How a king made known unto his brother why he was sad at a feast................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................249
* CXLIV.How four philosophers explained the evil state of a certain kingdom................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................251
* CXLV.How Socrates discovered why a certain road could not be passed by any living thing................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................252
* CXLVI.The answer of Diomedes the pirate to Alexander................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................253
* CXLVII.How a certain king slew his enemies................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................254
* XLVIII.How Amon was saved from death by a dolphin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................254
* CXLIX.Why the murderer of Philip committed the crime................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................255
* CL.How, in a certain land, water was drawn by means of musical instruments................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................256
* CLI.Of two knights, one avaricious, and the other envious................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................256
* CLII.How Cleonitus cheered his besieged subjects................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................258
* CLIII.Story of Apollonius, prince of Tyre................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................259
* CLIV.How the city of Edessa was safe from all enemies................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................299
* CLV.Story of the phantom knight of Wandlesbury................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................300
* CLVI.How Ulixes discovered Achilles when hiding from the Greeks................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................302
* CLVII.Of the shrewdness of a certain porter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................303
* CLVIII.How the body of a giant was found in a tomb at Rome................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................304
* CLIX.How Noah discovered how to make wine................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................305
* CLX.How an evil spirit appeared in the form of a noble lady................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................306
* CLXI.How, in a certain part of England, thirsty hunters were given refreshment by a benevolent goblin................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................307
* CLXII.Of a certain mountain on which was a palace of demons................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................308
* CLXIII.How a scholar obtained a copy of verses from the devil................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................311
* CLXIV.How St. Peter saw five men whom he deemed mad................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................313
* CLXV.Of three men that were fools................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................314
* CLXVI.Of the game of chess................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................315
* CLXVII.How an archer was deceived by a nightingale................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................318
* CLXVIII.Parable concerning a sinner................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................319
* CLXIX.How a certain lawgiver induced the people to abide by his laws................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................320
* CLXX.How a gambler played at dice with St. Bernard................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................321
* CLXXI.Story of the friendship of the knight of Egypt and the knight of Baldac................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................322
* CLXXII.Story of the knight Guy of Warwick................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................325
* CLXXIII.Allegory of the fair................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................333
* CLXXIV.Of the ingratitude of a serpent towards one who had benefited it................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................336
* CLXXV.Of the wonderful things to be found in the world................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................337
* CLXXVI.Of two wonderful things................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................340
* CLXXVII.Story, of Queen Hester, and of Aman and Mardocheus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................342
* CLXXVIII.How a certain painter instructed a king................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................343
* CLXXIX.Of the evils arising from gluttony and drunkenness................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................345
* CLXXX.How the knight Onulphus saved the life of his master, King Portaticus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................347
* CLXXXI.How a lion was avenged on his faithless spouse................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................349
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