Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/538

364

"On this there is an ancient French, entitled, L'Orgueil et Presomption de l'Empereur .' This is also the story of king of Sicily, an old English poem or romance."—.

An entertaining abstract of this old romance is here added, from Mr. Ellis's Specimens.

"Robert king of Sicily, brother to Pope Urban and to Valemond, emperor of Germany, was among the most powerful and valorous princes of Europe; but his arrogance was still more conspicuous than his power or his valour. Constantly occupied by the survey of his present greatness, or by projects for its future extension, he considered the performance of his religious duties as insufferably tedious; and never paid his adorations to the Supreme Being without evident reluctance and disgust. His guilt was great; and his punishment was speedy and exemplary.