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

CXCIX.
Contemplacioni modus apponendus est.

Heraclius [Latin MSS. Heraclides.] tellis how þat Alexandrus [Latin MSS. Alexandrinus Macharius.] Macharius told̛ hym̛ on̛ a tyme & sayd̛, þat som tyme a vayne covatice of thoghtis of vanytie occupyed̛ his mynde, at he wald̛ certayn̛ dayes contynuallie bere hys mynd̛ vnseuerable, to so mekuƚƚ þat he wald̛ spar his duris at no man̛ sulde speke with hym̛, nor hafe ane ansswer of hym̛. And he wold̛ flite with his awn̛ mynd̛ & say vnto hit; "vmbe-se þe att þou faƚƚ not fro hevyn̛ vnto ertℏ; ffor þer þou hase þi creatur & aƚƚ angels & saynttis. Think̘ of aƚƚ þies." And þus he contynued̛ ij dayes & ij nyghtis; and þan̛ he felid̛ þe devuƚƚ prikkid̛ hym̛ so, att hym̛ þoght att aƚƚ his ceƚƚ feƚƚ opon̛ hym̛.