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

CCLXVII.
Deuocio ad Sanctos non debet impediri.

We rede in þe 'Meracles of Saynt Nicholas' how on̛ a tyme in a kurk̘ þat was of þe holie cros, þe monkis of ane abbay desyrid̛ þer priour att he wold̛ suffre þaim go þeder on̛ Saynt Nicholas [MS. repeats, on̛ Saynt Nicholas.] day, at þai myght syng þe storie of Saynt Nicholas, for þan̛ it was new made; and he wolde not latt þaim. So on̛ a nyght after, as þe prior and aƚƚ his brether was in þer beddis, Saynt Nicholas visible apperid̛ vnto þe priour in a ferdfuƚƚ wyse, and he drew hym̛ oute of his bed be þe hare, & keste hym̛ apon̛ þe dortur flure. And he began̛ to syng þis antem̛, ' O! pastor eterne'; and sang it softlie vnto þe end̛; & at euere wurd̛ [MS. euer ewurd̛.] he gaff a lassℏ, & sang it with a grete tarying, to so mekuƚƚ þat with his holie crying he wakend̛ aƚƚ þe monkis. And þan̛ þai tuke þer priour &

bare hym̛ vnto his bed̛, & euere yere, fro thens furtℏ, he bad̛ hys brether on̛ Saynt Nicholas day go vnto þat kurk̘ and syng þe storie off Saynt Nicholas.