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

CC.
Contemplacioni sic est insistendum, vt accio non necligatur.

We rede in 'Vitis Patrum' how a bruther on̛ a tyme come in pylgramege vnto a place of monkis þat was at þe mownt̛ of Synay, & þer he say þe monkis labur & grafe þat þai suld̛ saw corn̛. And he said̛ vnto þaim in þis maner of wise; "Whie wurke ye for meatt þat wiƚƚ do bod̛ waste & perissℏ away? Remembre you of Marie Magdalyn̛, how sho did no bodelie labur, & yitt our Lord̛ sayde þat sho had chosyn̛ þe bettir parte." And when̛ þer abbott harde teƚƚ of þis, he bad a disciple of his giff þis man̛ a buke, & putt hym̛ in a ceƚƚ þat nothyng was in. And at howr̛ of none þis man̛ lukid̛ furtℏ if any man̛ callid̛ hym̛ to mete; & þer was none att callid̛ hym̛. And after none þe abbott come vnto hym̛ & sayde; "how duse þou?" And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Sir Abbott! Ete none of your brethir no meate to-day?" and þe abbott sayd̛; "yis." And þan̛ he askid whi þai callid̛ not hym̛ to dener; þan̛ þis abbott ansswerd̛ hym̛ & sayde: "Thow

erte a spirituaƚƚ man̛ & mysters no meatt; and we er flesshlie men̛ & bus nedelyngis eatt; & þerfor̛ we wurk̘ with oure handis." And when̛ þis [MS. his.] bruther hard̛ þis, he began̛ to forthynk at he had said̛, & sayd̛ vnto hym̛ selfe; "Now I know wele att it is necessarie to ioyn̛ þe life of Martha with þe life of Magdalen̛: þat is to say, vmwhile to vse spirituaƚƚ life & vmwhile to vse contemplatyfe life," & þan̛ he feƚƚ to werk and did̛ as þai did̛.

• ... Contemplacio rapit hominem extra se vt aliquando sensum non habeat. Supra Augustini. iij.
• ... Contemplacionem MS. contemplacioni. intermittere interdum expedit. Infra de Iohanne Euuangelista.