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
Etienne de Besançon
Mary Macleod Banks

CCL.
Demon eciam viuos in equo portat in infernum.

Helynandus tellis how on̛ a tyme, opon̛ a solempne day, as þe erle of Maciscon̛ *. [Harl. MS. Comes Matistonensis; Arund. MS. comes Mastisconensis.] satt in his awn̛ palas & many knyghtis abowte hym̛, sodanlie ane vnknowen̛ man̛ sittand̛ on̛ a hors come in at *. [At omitted and added above the line.] þe pales yate, and, att þai aƚƚ saw, rade evyn̛ vp to hym̛ þer he satt, & said̛ he come to speke with hym̛, & bad hym̛ ryse & go with hym̛. And he myght not agaynstand hym̛, & rase & went vnto þe dure; & þer he fand̛ a hors redie. And he bad hym̛ lepe on̛, & so he did̛; and þe toder tuke his bridyƚƚ-rene at come for hym̛, & at þai aƚƚ saw, þai rade vp in-to þe ayre. And þe erle cryed̛ as he war wude; "Helpe me my cetysyns! Helpe me my cetisyns!" And euer-ilk man̛ in þe cetie hard̛ þis voyce, & ran̛ oute; & þai mot a grete while se hym̛ rydand in þe ayre. And at þe laste he was with-drawen̛ fro þer syght, & had vnto heƚƚ. et c̛.

  • Demon bonos bellare facit. Supra de bello.
  • Demon iuuenem anulo desponsauit. Infra de sponsalibus.Page  176
  • Demon peccata confessa tradidit obliuioni. Supra de confessione.
  • Demon. Morientes temptantes per orationem expelluntur. Infra de morientibus.
  • Demon immittit ymagines eorum que nunquam visa sunt vel facta. Infra de temptacione.
  • Demones in morte vsurarios in corpore et in anima vexant. Infra de Vsuris.
  • Demones eciam ad obitus beatorum veniunt. Infra de morientibus.
  • Demon corpus peccatoris loco anime aliquando vegitat. Infra de suffragijs.
  • Demon in corpore humano cantat. Supra de cantu.
  • Demon secundum modum suum servit fideliter. Infra de milite.
  • Demon accusat morientes. Supra de accusacione.
  • Demon decipit ambiciosos. Supra de ambicione.
  • Demon sibi adherentes ditat temporaliter. Infra de Milite.