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

CCCXVII.
Facundia necessaria est clerico.

Valerius tellis how þat when̛ Demostenes moght not easylie bryng furth certayn̛ lettres, he laburd̛ so agayn̛ a vice & ane impediment in his mouthe, þat no man̛ myght speke fayrer þat at he wold̛ speke þan̛ he did̛ [The latter part of this tale differs from the Lat. MSS., which give the well-known version.] . So on̛ a tyme hym̛ happend go vnto þe se-side, & þer he harde grete noyse & dusshyng of þe wawis to-gedur; and he gaff grete hede þer-to. And evur when̛ his [MS. he.] mowthe was fuƚƚ of sentance & reson̛, he wolde speke mekuƚƚ, & be long in spekyng; and when̛ it was tome, þan̛ it was redie & as it had bene lowse.

• ...Fallacia mulieris. Infra de muliere.
• ...Falsitas testium nocet. Infra de testimonio.
• ...Falsum iurans punitur. Infra de iuramento.