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. 15
v-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. 98
v-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. 15
v-28
v
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)
7.Source: Coventry, Coventry Archives Acc. 325/1, ff. 49
rb-56
ra
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. 26
v-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. 16
v-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)