Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 2621

DIMEV 2621

IMEV 1561

NIMEV 1561

In the Roman Acts written is thus

Thomas Hoccleve, Tale of the Emperor Gerelaus — 140 stanzas rhyme royal

Author(s): Thomas Hoccleve

Title(s): Tale of the Emperor Gerelaus

Subjects: Gerelaus, emperor

Versification: — seven-line — ababbcc

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Laud misc. 735 (SC 1504), ff. 15v-28

First Lines:

In the Romayn actus writyn is thus
Sometyme am Emprour in þe Citee…

Last Lines:

…And lo in þis wyse and maner it seith
Which to þat tale is good be knytt in feyth

Attributed Title: Explicit dialogus et Incipit quedam fabula de quadam bona et nobili Imperatrice Romana (f. 15v)

2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Digby 185 (SC 1786), ff. 145-156

First Lines:

IN the Romayn Iestys wretyn is thus
Aum tyme an Emperour in the Citee…

Last Lines:

…Whiche that no wyght eschue may ne fle
And when gode wole also dye schall we

Note: The poem has a prosaic ‘moralisation’ at the end.

3.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Selden Supra 53 (SC 3441), ff. 98v-116

First Lines:

IN romain actis writen is thus
Somtime an emperour in the citee…

Last Lines:

…And to in this wise and manere it seith
Wiche to that tale is good be knytte in feith

Note: At the end: ‘here endith þe Prolog and begynneþ þe moralizing of þe …’ (the rest is under the binding). Ends imperfectly due to loss of folios.

4.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Bodley 221 (SC 27627), ff. 15v-28v

First Lines:

IN þe Romayn actes writyn is thus
Some tyme an Emperoure in þe Cyte…

Last Lines:

…And loo in þis wise and maner it seith
Which to þat tale is gode be knytt in feyth

Attributed Title: Here endith tale of a gode woman which was sum tyme Emprice of Rome and now sueth a prolog of þe moralizoun of the same tale (f. 28); Here endith þe prologe and begynneth þe moralisoun (f. 28v)

5.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Eng. poet. d.4 (SC 30126), ff. 4-18

First Lines:

IN the Romayne actus wreten is thus
Some tyme an Emperour in the Sitee…

Last Lines:

…Which that no wyht eschewe may ne fflee
And whane god lyst also dyen shull we

6.Source: London, British Library Royal 17 D.VI, f. 102

7.Source: Coventry, Coventry Archives Acc. 325/1, ff. 49rb-56ra

First Lines:

IN þe Romayn Gestis wreten is thus
Some tyme an Emperour in þe Cete…

Last Lines:

…Which that noo wight eschewe may ne flee
And whanne god list also a dieu shul wee

Attributed Title: & incipit quedam fabula de quadam bona & nobile Imperatrice Romana (f. 49rb); Here endithe the tale of a good woman which was sometime Emperice of Rome and nowe sueth the Prolog (f. 56ra)

8.Source: Durham, Durham University Library Cosin V.iii.9, ff. 26v-49

First Lines:

In the Roman actes writen is thus
Whilom an Emperour in the Citee…

Last Lines:

…Which þat no wight eschue may ne flee
And whan god list also dye shul we

Note: Followed by a prose moralization, ff. 50 -52v.

Attributed Author: Hoccleve

Attributed Title: ffabula de quadam Imperatrice Romana (f. 26v); Explicit fabula de quadam Imperatrice Romana (f. 49)

Facsimiles:

Burrow, John, and A. I. Doyle, eds. Thomas Hoccleve: A Facsimile of the Autograph Verse Manuscripts. EETS s.s. 19 (2002).

Editions:

Furnivall, Frederick James, ed. Hoccleve’s Works: The Minor Poems. vol. 1. EETS e.s. 61 (1892); repr. with Gollancz (1925)

XGollancz, Israel. Hoccleve’s Works: The Minor Poems. vol. 2. EETS e.s. 73 (1925); repr. with 61, 1970

73; rev. J. Mitchell and A. Ian Doyle, 1970: 140-74.

9.Source: New Haven, Yale University, Beinecke Library 493 [olim Phillipps 8267; Robinson (July 1952); Bodmer], ff. 16v-29

First Lines:

IN the roman actus wryttyn in this
Sometyme an emperour in the Citee…;

Last Lines:

…And so in this wise & manere it seith
Which to þat tale is good be gyng knytt in feith

Note: Tale ends, before moralization begins, ‘…Wich þat no wight eschewe may ne flee / And whan god list also dye shull wee’ (f. 28v) Moralization begins f. 28v: ‘My frende afftere y trow a wook or twoo / That þis tale endid was hoom to me cam…’, followed by prose moralization.

Attributed Title: …incipit quedam fabula de quadam et nobile imperatrice Romana (f. 16v); Here endith my tale of a good woman which was In tyme Emprice of Rome and now sewyth a prologg þe moralizasion of þe same tale (f. 28v); Here endith þe moralizing of my tale… (f. 30)