Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/149

Rh the east alone without any safe conduct; and as she rode thus, mourning by the way, she espied on the left side of the way a pair of gallows, and seven officers leading a man to be hanged, wherefore she was moved with great pity, and smote her horse with her stick, and rode to them, praying that she might redeem that misdoer if he might be saved from death by any means.

"Then said they, lady, it pleaseth us well that you redeem him. Anon the empress accorded with them and paid his ransom, and he was delivered.

"Then said she to him: Now my good friend be true unto me till thou die, sith I have delivered thee from death.

"On my soul (quoth he) I promise you ever to be true. And when he had thus said, he followed the lady still, till they came nigh a city, and then said the empress to him: Good friend, quoth she, go forth thy way afore me into the city, and see thou take up for us an honest lodging, for there I purpose to rest awhile. Her man went forth as she commanded, and took up her a good lodging, and an honest, where she abode a long time. When the men of the city perceived her beauty, they wondred greatly; wherefore many of them craved of her