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

CCIX.
Contricio perfecta eciam in iudicio dei peccata remittit quo ad culpam, et quo ad penam.

Jacobus de Vetriaco tellis how þer was a damyseƚƚ þat synnyd̛ with hur [MS. þer.] fadur in syn̛ of lichorie, & hur moder on̛ a tyme purseyvid̛ itt & blamyd̛ hur & reprovid̛ hur þerfor̛, vnto so mekle, sho slew hur moder. And when̛ hur fadur wiste þis, he had hur in hatered̛; and when̛ sho pursayvid̛ þis, as hur fadur was slepand̛ vndernethe a matres, sho smoryd̛ hym̛ odead̛, & þan̛ sho become a common̛ womman̛. And on̛ a tyme a gude holie man̛ prechid̛, and hur happend to be at his sermon̛; and he tolde mekuƚƚ of þe mercye of aƚƚ-myghti God̛, vnto so mekuƚƚ þat when̛ his sermon̛ was done, sho come vnto hym̛ with grete contricion̛, & shrafe hur

of aƚƚ hur synys, & asked̛ hym̛ if þe mercie of God̛ was so grete as he preched̛ att it was. And he ansswerd̛ & said̛ þat it was mekuƚƚ more; and̛ þan̛ sho bad hym̛ enioyne hur penans, for sho trustid̛ mekiƚƚ in his mercie. And he vmthoght hym̛ þat he cuthe not so sodanlie enioyn̛ hur helefuƚƚ penance for hur syn̛ þat was so grete. And he bad hir abide vnto after meate, & þan̛ he wold̛ preche agayn̛; "& þan̛," he said̛, "I saƚƚ giff þe penans." And sho ansswerd̛ hym̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Sur, I trow ye be in dispayr of my sawle heale." & he sayd̛; "Nay! bod in stede of penance, I enioyn̛ þe to abyde here in þi prayers so lang." And so sho did̛. And in þe mene-while sho had so mekuƚƚ sorow & contricion̛ for hur syn̛, þat hur harte breste in two, & sho dyed̛. And þis was onone told̛ þis prechur how it was, & he commawndid̛ þe pepuƚƚ hertely to pray for hur; and as þai wer in þer prayers, þar̛ come a voyce vnto þaim fro hevyn̛, þat sayd̛; "Pray not for hur, for sho is in hevyn̛. Bod pray vnto hir þer, for to pray for you."

• ... Contricio aliquando excitatur in corde peccatoris exemplo bono. Supra de Abbate. vij MS. vj. .
• ... Contricio perfecta voluntatem facit pro facto reputari. Infra de voluntate.
• ... Contricio in fine hominem saluat. Infra de milite et supra de ambicione. iij.
• ... Contricio eciam imperfecta MS. inperfecta. quandoque iuuat. Infra de obstinacione. ij.
• ... Contricio eciam negantes deum ei reconsiliat. Infra de negacione dei, et supra de ambicione. iij.
• ... Contricio perfecta eciam vsurarios saluat. Infra de testamento MS. testiơ. et de vsurario.
• ... Contricio perfecta eciam latrones et homicidas saluat. Supra de Abbate vj. et de apostata. iij.
• ... Contumelias pacienter sustinet humilis. Infra MS. Supra. de humilitate. ij.