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

CCCXXXVI.
Furtum committendo eciam bruta se peccasse cognoscunt.

Seuerius [For Severus.] tellis how som̛ tyme þer was ane hermett þat dwelt in wyldernes, and euer-ilk day, at meate tyme, þer come vnto his yate a sho-wulfe; and̛ sho wulde neuer away or he gaff hur somwhatt at eate. So on̛ a day þis hermett was with a noder bruther of his in occupacion̛, & come not [Not, omitted and added above the line.] home att meate-tyme of þe day. And þis wulfe come & fand̛ hym̛ not þer, & was war of a litle bread̛ in a wyndow, & sho brak in & tuke it, & eete it & went away. And when̛ þe hermett come home, he fand̛ þe crombis of þe bread̛ at þe wyndow, & he demyd̛ who had takyn̛ it. And þis wulfe knew hur defaute, & wolde not com̛ at þis hermett a sennett afterwerd̛. And when̛ þis hermet myssid̛ þis wulfe, at vsid̛ to com̛

daylie vnto hym̛, he made his prayer vnto God̛; & þis wulfe come agayn̛ vppon̛ þe sennet day, bod sho stude of ferrom̛, & durste not com̛ nere hym̛. And sho layd̛ hur down̛ & held̛ down̛ hur head̛, as sho suld̛ aske hym̛ forgyfnes; and he tuke it for a confession̛, & bad hur com̛ ner hym̛ boldly, & he suld̛ forgiff hur. & sho come to hym̛ & feƚƚ down̛ on̛ kneis; & he forgaff hur, and̛ gaff hur als mekyƚƚ to brede as he was wunte to giff hur. And fro thens furtℏ evur after, scho come at tyme of þe day, and did̛ hur offes as sho was wunt.

• ...Furtum restituere MS. sustenere. Lat. MSS. as above. eciam bruta animalia compelluntur per oracionem. Infra de oracione.