Almyghty God to prolonge his lyfe, and sende hym a respyte that he may amende his lyfe, and do penaunce for his synnes. How Robert the Deuyll tolde his company he wolde goo to Rome for to be assoyled of his synnes. Now is Robert come agayne to his companye whiche he founde syttynge at dyner, and whan they sawe hym they rose up and dyde hym reuerence; than Robert began to rebuke theym for theyr vycyous lyuynge sayynge thus, "My welbeloued felowes, I requyre you in the reuerence of God, that ye wyll herken, and take hede to this that I shall shewe you, ye knowe well how that we haue ledde hetherto an ungracyous and moost uycyous lyfe, robbed and pylled chyrches, forced women, rauysshed maydens, robbed and kylled marchauntes. We have robbed and kylled nonnes, holy aunkers, preestes, clerkes, and many other people without nombre haue we murdred and robbed, wherfore we be in the waye of endles dampnacyon, except that God haue mercy upon us. Wherefore I requyre you everychone for goddes sake that ye wyll chaunge your opynyon, and leue your abhomynable synnes, and do penaunces therefor for I wyll goo to Rome to be shryuen and to haue penaunce for my synnes." When Robert thus had sayd, one of the theues rose and sayd to his companye in mockage, "Nowe Syrs, take hede the foxe wyll be an aunker for he begynneth to preche, Robert mocketh fast with us, for he is our captayne, and doth more harme alone than all we do, how thynke ye wyll he be longe thus holy." Yet sayd Robert, Gentyll felawes I praye you for goddes sake leue your condycyons, and thynke on our soule, and do penaunce for your moost fellest stynkynge synnes, and crye upon oure lorde for mercy and forgeuenesse, and he wyl forgeue you." Whan Robert had sayd thus, than spake to hym one of the theues and sayd, "I praye you mayster be in pease, for it auayleth not what ye saye, ye do but spende your tyme in wast, for I nor my companye wyll not amende our lyfe for no man lyuynge." And all his companye commended his saynge, and sayden all with one voyce, "He sayth trewe, for and we sholde dye, we wyll not leue our olde condycyons and cursed lyfe, but and yf we haue done moche hurte hetherto we wyll do moche more hereafter. How Robert the Deuyll kylled all his companye. ROBERT herynge the faste and wycked opynyon and myscheuous purpose of his company waxed angry, and thought yf they remayne and abyde styll here, they wyl doo grete myschefe and murdre, but he wente preuely unto the dore and shyte it fast, and gate a grete staffe and layde one of the theues on the hede that he fell downe deed to the erth. And so he serued one after an other, tyll he hadde kylled them everychone, thenne sayd he thus to them, "Syrs, I haue rewarded you after your deserte, and by cause ye have done me good seruyse, I haue gyuen you good wages, for whosouer serueth a good mayster he is lyke to haue good wages." Whan Robert thus had done he wolde have brente the hous, but he consydered the great good that was therin, wherfore he let it stande, and shytte faste the dores about and locked them, and brought awaye the keye with hym to his faders. How Robert the Deuyll sente the keye of his chefe hous or theuysshe lodgynge to his faders the duke of Normandye, and how he wente to Rome. THAN whan Robert had done all that said is, he tooke up his hande and blessed hym, and rode through the forest the neere waye to Rome. Robert rode that daye so long tyll that the nyght came on, and was passynge sore and hongred, for he had eten no mete of all that daye, and fortuned to come rydynge by an Abbaye, whyche he had many tymes robbed, and the abbote was his kynnessman, and Robert rode in to this abbaye and sayd neuer a worde, but whan the monkes se Robert come they were aferde, and ranne awaye, saynge one to another, "Here cometh the ungracyous Robert, the Deuyll hath brought him hether." Whan Robert herde this, and se them all renne awaye frome him, than his sorowe begun to renewe, and sayd in himself, in sore syghynge and sorow full herte : "I may well hate my cursed lyfe, for euery man fleeth from ine, and I haue spent my tyme ungracyously, and in euyll and cursed werkes," and there withall he rode streyght in the chyrche dore and a lyghte done from his horse, deuoutely sayinge his prayers to God in this wyse. “0 Lord Jhesu I moost synfull wretche and vessell of all stynkynge synnes. I praye the that thou wylte haue mercy on me and preserue and kepe me from all daungers and peryll." And then he wente and spoke to the abbotte and monkes so swetely and so peteously and amyably that they began to go towarde hym, to whom Roberte sayd peteously, wepynge knelynge on his knees. "My lorde I knowledge myself that I haue greuously offended you, and haue grete harme and injurye unto your abbay. Wherfore I requyre and praye you in all the honoure of Crystes passyon of forgyuenesse." And than he spake to the Abbote in thys wyse, "My Lorde abbott I praye you hertely haue me recomaunded to my lorde my fader the duke of Normandye, and delyuer hym this keye of the chefe hous where I haue dwelled with my companye, the whiche I haue all slayne to thentent that they sholde do no more harme, and in the hous lyeth all the goodes and tresoure that I haue stolen from you and other men,wherfore I am ryght sory, and I beseeche you of forgyuenesse, and I pray you that this good may be rendred agene unto such people as they haue belongynge to before." Robert abode that nyght in the abbay, but in the mornynge erly he wente thens and left behinde hym his horse and his swerde where withall he had doone grete myschefe. And so he went alone towards Rome. And on the same daye rode the Abbote to the Duke of Normandye, and gaue hym the keye that Robert had delyuered hym, and told the duke how he was gone to Rome. Than the duke gaue all the poor people theyr goodes agen that they lost befor as ferre as it coude be founde in the hous. We wyll sease of the Duke and the Abbott, and speke of Robert whiche goth to Rome warde alone, with grete devocyon. How Robert came to Rome for remyssyon of his synnes. ROBERT went so longe ouer hylles and dales alone, tyll at last with grete payne and pouerte he came to Rome in to the cyte, upon a shere Thursdaye at nyght, and on the Frydaye after, the pope hymselfe sayd the deuyne seruyce, as the custom was in saynt Peter's chyrche; and Robert presed fast to have comen to the pope, but the pope's seruantes se that Robert presed so sore to come to the pope, they smote hym, and bad hym goo back; but the more they smote hym, the more he presed and thronge to gette nygh the pope, and so at last he gate to hym, and fell doune on his knees at the feet of the pope, cryenge with a loud voyce, saynge thus: "O! holy fader, haue mercy on me!" and thus laye Robert cryenge longe, whyle the people that were by the pope were angry that Robert made suche a noyse, and wolde haue dryuen hym thens, but the pope seynge Robert's grete desyre, had pyte upon hym, sayd to the people, "Late hym alone, for in all that I can se he hath grete deuocyon." Wherefore the pope commaunded |
