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

CCCXIV.
Executoris necligencia quandoque testatorem retinet in purgatorio.

Turpinus the Archebisshopp̛ tellis how som̛ tyme in þe felowshipp̛ of greatt Charles, þer was a knyght þat happend̛ seke, & he made his testament and̛ commawndid̛ a cussyn̛ of his to take his hors, and he dyed̛, and seƚƚ itt, & giff the pryce þer-off vnto pure men̛ & clerkis, to pray for hym̛. And when̛ he was dead̛ he sellid̛ a noder hors & spendid̛ þe price þer-of for hym̛ in meate & drynk̘. And with-in xxx^ti dayes after, þis dead man̛ apperid̛ vnto hym̛ and sayd̛; "Be-cauce I gaff my gudis for the to deale for my sawle, & þou did not as I bad þe, þou saƚƚ vnderstand̛ þat aƚƚ my synnys er forgiffen̛ me; bod becauce þou hase with-holden̛ myne almos þis xxx^ti dayes, & lattyn̛ me be in purgatorie, þerfor̛ I latt þe wett, þat to-morn̛ saƚƚ I be taken̛ into paradice, & þou sal be putt in heƚƚ." And þe same day as he rade with his felows, & told̛ þaim aƚƚ þis cace, sodanly þer began̛ a cry in þe ayre, as it

had bene of lyons, wulvis & beris; and sodanlie he was taken̛ vpp̛ with fendis, & putt þer he was ordand̛ to be. And his felows went & soght hym̛; and his body was fon̛ dead̛ oppon̛ a hy hiƚƚ & revyn̛ in sonder, iiij day iorney from̛ þe place þer he was taken̛.