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

CLVIII.
Commendacio vel commessio. Commendare vel committere se diabulo nimis periculosum est.

Helinandus [MS. Belmandus.] tellis how on̛ a tyme þe archedekyn̛ of Aurilianens suld̛ go vnto Rome. And he prayed̛ a chanon̛ of his to graunt hym̛ a clerk of his to go with hym̛, þat hight Nathanael, þat was a trew servand̛ vnto hym̛; for hym̛ þoght at he was necessarie vnto hym̛ in his iorney. And þis clerk̘, þuf aƚƚ it was agayns his wiƚƚ, went with hym̛, & he made hym̛ his purs-maister. Soo when̛ þai come nere Rome, þis Archdekyn̛ was bod a chynche, & he askid̛ þis clerk a rekkenyn̛ & a compte of þer expensis straytlie vnto þe leste halpeny. And þer þai feƚƚ vnto rekenyng & varid̛; & þis clerk betuke hym̛ [MS. repeats, hym̛.] selfe vnto þe devuƚƚ, als witterlie as evur he was in fonte-stone, bod it was as he sayde. So þai went on̛ flytand̛. And as þai went owr̛ at a brygg our̛ a grete watir, þis clerk happend̛ to faƚƚ by þe brygg & was drownyd̛. And he had made a counand̛ befor̛ with þis Chanon̛ þat was his maister, þat whethur of þaim dyed̛ furste, with-in xxx^ti dayes, & he myght, suld̛ com̛ vnto his felow, & hide no thyng bod teƚƚ hym̛ clerelie how it stude with hym̛. So on̛ þe nyght afterward̛, as þis chanon̛ lay in his bed wakand̛, & a byrnand̛ lampe befor̛ hym̛, þis Nathanaeƚƚ clerk stude befor̛ hym̛, cled as hym̛ thoght aƚƚ in a fayre cape made of feddurs. And þis chanon̛ was nothyng aferd̛ of hym̛, bod was weƚƚ apayed̛ of his commyng, and said vnto hym̛; "Nathanael! welcom̛ home! Is nott þe archedekyn̛ commen̛?" and he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Nay, sur, bod I am̛ commen̛ as I made counand̛ with you þat I suld̛ do; and I am̛ now dead̛ & I pray you to helpe me, for I am̛ in grete turmenttis." And he askid̛ hym̛ whi, sen̛ he liffid̛ so honestlie & so trewlie as he did̛. And he sayd̛ agayn̛; "Sur, forsuthe it sulde hafe bene wele with me, bod þis day I was sodanlie grevid̛, & betaght my selfe vnto þe devuƚƚ: and I pray you warn̛ als many as ye may, at þai do neuer so as I did̛, ffor þai þat wiƚƚ commend̛ þer selfe vnto þe devuƚƚ, þai giff hym̛ power of þaim; & so did̛ I

þis day, & þerfor I was drownyd̛, & for no noþer þing am̛ I in payn̛." And þan̛ þis chanon̛ askyd̛ hym̛, sen̛ þat he was in payn̛, how it was þat he had̛ on̛ so fayr a cape. And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Sur, þis cape is hevyer vnto me þan̛ war þe gretteste towr in aƚƚ þis werld̛ & it wer on̛ my bakk̘. And þe fayrnes þerof is a belefe of forgifnes þat I hafe, if at I be trewlie prayed̛ for̛." And þan̛ þis chanon̛ hyght hym̛ þat at hys power he sulde pray for hym̛. And with þat he vanysshid̛ away; & he hard̛ neuer more on̛ hym̛.