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

CCXIX.
Cosme & Damyani.

Ther̛ was som̛ tyme a man̛ þat had a speciaƚƚ deuocion̛ vnto Saynt Cosme & Damyan̛, & þe canker happend̛ into þe the of hym̛ & had̛ wastid̛ it nerehand̛ away. And on̛ a tyme as he was slepand̛, hym̛ thoght þies ij saynttis come vnto hym̛, & þai broght with þaim oyntementtis & playsters. And þe tone of þaim said̛ vnto þe toder; "Whar saƚƚ we take vs flessℏ, þat we may fiƚƚ þe hole with agayn̛ when̛ we hafe cut oute þe rotyn̛ flessℏ?" And þe toder ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "In þe kurk gartℏ of Saynt Petur ad Vincula [MS. Saynt Petur Aduincula.] , ffor þis day was þer a man̛ of Ynde [Latin MSS. Ethiops.] new berid̛; and þerfor̛ go feche vs of þat, at we may fiƚƚ þe hole with." & þis man of Ynd̛ hight Maurus; & þai went & fechid̛ his bodi, and þai cut of þe þe of þe whik man̛ & þan̛ of þe dede man̛ & putt þe dead̛ mans the vnto þe whik mans, & anoyntid̛ þe wownd̛ diligentlie; & þai tuke þe seke man̛ the & put it with þe bodie of þis Maurus, and layd̛ hym̛ agayn̛ þer he was. And þan̛ þis seke man̛ wakkend̛, and felid̛ at hym̛ aylid̛ no sore, & putt down̛ his

hand vnto his hambe, & he felid̛ no hurte; & he garte light a candyƚƚ, & lukid̛, and his the aylid̛ nothyng. And þan̛ he was fayn̛ & rase oute of his bed̛; and he told̛ vnto euer-ilk man̛ what he had sene in his slepe, & how he was helid̛. And þai at he told̛ it vnto, went vnto þis Maurus grafe, & lukid̛; & þai fand̛ his legg away, & þe whik mans leg layd̛ þer in-stede þeroff in þe grafe with þe dead̛ mans bodie.