Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/475

Rh goddes sake, and to renounce all the pomp and rychesses of the worlde for to lyue in pouerte.

In the tyme that Archadius and Honorius were emperours of Rome, there was in Rome a ryght noble lord named Eufemyen, which was chefe and aboue all other lordes aboute the emperours, and had under his power a thousande knyghtes. He was a moche iust man to all men, and also he was pyteous and mercyfull unto y$e$ poore. For he had dayly thre tables set and couered for to fede y$e$ orphans, poor wydowes, and pylgryms. And he ete at the houre of none with good and religyous persones. His wyfe y$t$ was named Aglaes ledde a religyous lyfe. But bycause they had no childe, they prayed to god to send them a sone y$t$ myght be theyr heyr after them, of theyr honour and goodes. It was so that god herde theyre prayers, and beheld theyre bounte and good lyvnge, and gave unto them a sone which was named Alexis, whome they dyd to be taught and enfourmed in all scyences and honours. After this, they maryed hym unto a fayre damoysel, which was of y$e$ lygnage of y$e$ emperour of Rome. Whan the daye of y$e$ weddynge was comen to even, Alexis beynge in the chambre w$h$