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

CXXIX.
Carnem commouens diabolus eciam in sanctis per formam mulieris, inducit eos in desperacionem.

We rede how som tyme þer was a monke þat was of a grete abstinence & lay in a den̛, & fuƚƚ of vertues & gude liffyng. So on̛ a tyme, be temptacion̛, he tuke a presumpcion̛ & þoght his [MS. repeats his.] holines come more of hym̛ selfe þan̛ of God̛; [and] þe devuƚƚ on̛ ane evynyng fenyd hym̛ selfe in lyknes of a womman̛ goand wyƚƚ in þe wyldernes, and come vnto his den̛ dure, & callid̛ & said̛ sho was a wery womman̛ & had gane wiƚƚ, & sett hur down̛ on̛ hur kneis & besoght hym̛ to hafe mercie on̛ hur. And, "Sur," scho said̛, "it is now nere nyght, & I beseke þe lat me lig to to-morn̛ in a hyrn̛ of þi den̛, att wylde bestis sla me not and eate me." And he had compassion̛ on̛ hur & graw[n]tid̛ hur. And þan̛ sho went in & tolde hym̛ þe cauce of hur gate wiƚƚ. And with hur fayr speche

& hur swete wurdis, sho smate his harte in-to a luste & a lykyng, & sho made hym̛ such cownttenans & flaghter, þat it luste lenyd vnto hur ay mar & mare. So þis monke was so attempyd with hur, þat he rase & tuke hur in his armys & hawsid̛ hur, & þoght to hafe done his luste & his lykyng with hur; & sho began̛ to giff a huge cry & ane vglie, & slippid oute of his handis. And þan̛ he hard̛ a grete multitude of fendis in þe ayr, þat sayde; "O! þou monk, at was so extollid̛ in hevyn̛, how depe now þou erte drownyd̛ in heƚƚ! Vmthynke þe how he þatt heightens hym̛ selfe mon̛ be lawuyd̛." And þan̛ þis monk feƚƚ into a despayr, & was nere-hand evyn̛ wude, & gaff hym̛ selfe vnto aƚƚ vnclennes & syn̛, & efterward̛ dyed in wykkid lyffyng. et c̛.