Alphabet of tales : an English 15th century translation of the Alphabetum narrationum of Etienne de Besançon, from Additional MS. 25,719 of the British Museum / by Etienne de Besançon

CXXVIII.
Carnale peccatum committere sanctos procurat demon̛ Lat. MSS. Carnale peccatum committere sanctos prius curat demon. Eng. MS. committere plus sanctos, etc..

We rede of olde Thebens [Latin MSS. Senex Thebensis.] þat was a preste son̛ of þe old̛ law, & on̛ a day as he saw his fadur sacrefie vnto þe ydolsis & fals goddis, he was war of þe devuƚƚ & aƚƚ his chyvalrie standand̛ by; and hym̛ þoght at þe devuƚƚ was sett in chayre, and aƚƚ þis felaschup̛

come afor hym̛ & made þer acommptis of þer wykked̛ temptacions. And one come & sayd̛, þat with-in þat xxx^ti dayes he had made many men̛ ilk one to sla oþer; and a noder sayd̛ þat with-in xx^ti dayes he had drownyd̛ many men̛ in þe see; and þe thrid̛ said̛ þat he had bene at a weddyng, & þer he had made ilk one to sla other. And when̛ þai had said̛, he commanddid̛ ilk one of þaim to be betyn̛, fore becauce þai had occupyd̛ so lang tyme & done so litle labur. So at þe laste þer come one & sayd̛ þat he had bene besye xl^ty [yere] [Latin MSS. per xl annos.] to stir a monke þat was in wyldernes vnto syn̛, & vnnethis þat same nyght he had stird hym̛ to do fornycacion̛. And þan̛ þe grete devuƚƚ rase oute of þe chayre & kissyd hym̛ & sett his crown̛ on̛ his heade, & sayde þat he was wurthi lovyng, & to be sett in þe chayr, for he had done a grete cure.

• ... Carnali temptacione mediante diabolus virum vel mulierem inducit ad negandum deum. Supra de amicicia. ij.