Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/85

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INTRODUCTION.
lix

ment, in order to shew that the difference between the two Gestas is not so wide as this gentleman appears to imagine. Such as are of no interest, I shall omit.


CHAPTER I.

There reigned some time in Rome a wise and mighty Emperor, named Anselm, who did bear in his arms a shield of silver with five red roses; this emperor had three sons whom he loved much; he had also continual war with the king of Egypt, in which war he lost all his temporal goods except a precious tree. It fortuned after on a day that he gave battel to the same king of Egypt, wherein he was grievously wounded, nevertheless he obtained the victory, not withstanding he had his deadly wound: wherefore while he lay at point of death, he called

    is rather scarce. The title-page assures us that it is "very pleasant in reading, and profitable in practice." I hope it may be found so. Amongst the late Sir M.M. Sykes's books, was a Black Letter copy of the same work, printed in 1672, "by Edward Crouch for A Crook." It is in excellent condition, which most other copies are not.