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

CCXL.
Decima. Decimas bene soluere est vtile.

Cesarius tellis how þer was a knyght þat had so grete deuocion̛ about payment of his tendis, & þat he wold̛ euer of rightwusnes pay þaim with-owten̛ any tarying or with-oute dissayte or vexacion̛. And he had a certan̛ vyneyard̛ of þe whilk he had yerelie x ton̛ of wyne. So it happend̛ on̛ a yere when̛ he had gaderd̛ aƚƚ his vynys & brayed̛ þaim, he had bod a ton̛ of wyne. And when̛ þis knyght saw þat, he sayd vnto his servand̛; "That at was myne, God hase taken̛ it fro me; and yitt I wiƚƚ not take His parte fro Hym̛. And þerfor̛ go byd þe preste feche þis ton̛ of wyne for his tend̛." And þe prest did so. And þe same yere on̛ a tyme, a bruther of þe same knyghtis, at was a preste, went down̛ be þe garthyn̛ abowte þe Martynmes; and he saw aƚƚ þe vynys hang fuƚƚ of grapis. And he went in-to his bruther & flate with hym̛ for

his neclegens, & sayd̛; "Whi hafe ye noght yitt garderd̛ your vynys, & þe yere is so-fortherlie paste?" And þe knyght sayd̛ þat þai war gaderd̛ lang befor̛. And þe preste sayd̛ nay it was not so; "ffor," he sayd̛, "I was þeratt þis day, & I saw it grow fuƚƚ of vynys." And þe knyght & his meneya went & lukid̛, & þai fand̛ it was so. And þai gaderd̛ þaim & made wyne þeroff; & þer grew neuer ryper nor mor̛ plentefuƚƚ vynys in þat gartℏ þan̛ þase wer. et c̛.