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

CCCXXVIII.
Fideiussor pro alio nullus fieri debet de facili.

We rede in 'Vitis Patrum' how som tyme þer was ane holie hermet, & on̛ a tyme hym̛ happend to be herberd̛ at a mason̛

howse. And be þer commonyng samen at evyn̛, þis hermet fande wele þat þis mason̛ despendid̛ his adlyng, one parte in suche thyng as hym̛ nedyd̛, & a noder parte in almos-dede, and þe thrid̛ parte in herberyng of pure folk̘. And here-for̛ þis hermett, when̛ he come at home at his ceƚƚ, made his prayer vnto God̛, and besoght Hym̛ at He wold̛ multiplie þis mason̛ gudis, becauce he spendid̛ þaim so wele. And þan̛ it was ansswerd̛ hym̛ in a vision̛, þat it wold̛ not be expedient vnto hym̛ þat he had mor̛ gude þan̛ he had. And þe hermett said̛ yis, & said̛ at he wold̛ becom̛ his borgℏ. And vppon̛ þat it was grawntid̛ hym̛, vnto so mekuƚƚ þat vpon̛ þe morn̛, as þis mason̛ was brekand̛ ane old̛ waƚƚ, he fand̛ a grete som̛ of golde stoppyd̛ in a hole. And he tuke it, & gaff our̛ his crafte, and went to cowrte in-to þe emperour howshold̛. And belife he was so grete with þe Emperour at he was made a baillay; & þan̛ he was a grete oppresser of pure men̛. So it happend̛ þis hermett in a vision̛ was taken̛ & led vnto þe dome; and þer he saw aungels compleyn̛ of þis mason̛. And it was ansswerd̛ þaim þat his borgℏ suld̛ ansswer for hym̛; and þis hermett was passand̛ ferd̛, and besoght our Ladie, Saynt Marie, to helpe hym̛. And scho gat grant at þis hermet sulde be sent vnto hym̛ to make hym̛ to amend̛ hym̛. And when̛ he come at hym̛ & told̛ hym̛ here-of, he sett lityƚƚ þer-by, & wold̛ not amend hym̛, nor speke a wurd̛ vnto þis hermett, bod with his staff he bett þis hermett aƚƚ to clowtis. And þis hermett was sorowfuƚƚ & went home agayn̛ vnto his ceƚƚ. And on̛ þe night after, he was ravisshid̛ agayn̛ vnto þe dome, and accusid̛ as he was befor̛, bod our Ladie, Saynt Marie, helpid̛ hym̛ wele. And with-in a little while after þis Emperour dyed̛, & a noder was made in his steade, þat wold̛ hafe tane þis mason̛ & punysshid̛ hym̛ for his mysgouernans. And he fled, & aƚƚ his gude was loste, vnto so mekle he was fayn̛ to turn̛ agayn̛ vnto his crafte, & do as he was wunte to do; & þan̛ he felid̛ at he had displesid̛ God̛, & amendid̛ hym̛ & devydid̛ his adlyng in-to werkis of charitie as he did befor̛. et c̛.

• ...Filij parum curant de animabus parentum post mortem. Infra de morte.

• ...
• ...Filij non sunt maledicendi a parentibus. Infra de honore.
• ...Filij propter deum derelinq[u]unt parentes. Infra de visitacione.