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

CCCXXXVII.
Furtum eciam nimium Lat. MSS. minimum. in purgatorio punitur.

Cesarius tellis how som̛ tyme þer was a preste of þe Templer ordur, and when̛ he was a childe hym̛ happend̛ for to faƚƚ seke, and he askid̛ for to be enoyntyd̛, and he was not. So hym̛ [After hym̛, hyn, erased.] happend̛ to dy, & when his saule passid̛ furtℏ of his bodye, he askid̛ helpe, and̛ ane angeƚƚ come, & said̛ it was euyƚƚ done att he dyed̛ with-oute enoyntment. So þis sawle was present before þe iuge, so þat þe child̛ saw hym̛ & was passand̛ angry agayn̛ hym̛. And þan̛ come þe devuƚƚ, & accusid̛ þis childe, & said̛; "Lord̛! þis childe stale ane halpeny from̛ his bruther-german̛, & nowder yit hedurtoward̛ did̛ penans þerfor̛, nor rewardid̛ itt agayn̛." And þan̛ owr̛ Lord̛ ansswerd̛ hym̛ agayn̛, & said̛; "Wold̛ þou at I dampnyd̛ þis childe for suche a lityƚƚ thyng? Bod þou saƚƚ vnderstand̛ att my rightwusnes is mengid̛ with mercie." And þan̛ prayed [MS. prayer.] for þis childe þe xxiiij seniores; and so þis childe was forgyffen̛ his tryspas. Neuer-þe-les, be þe commandment of our Lord̛, he was casten̛ in-to a byrnand̛ pitt, whar̛-in he sufferd̛ so mekle payn̛, þat he cuthe not afterward̛ teƚƚ with his mouthe. And after þis he was drawen̛ oute of þe pitt, & þan̛ hym̛ thoght þat þe iuge shewid̛ hym̛ frendlie

chere; and þan̛ he gaff a sentance þat his saule sulde be restorid̛ agayn̛ vnto þe bodie, and so it was. & when̛ he come vnto hym̛ selfe, he told̛ aƚƚ att was abowte hym̛ how it had̛ happend̛ hym̛; and aƚƚ þat hard̛ hym̛ had grete mervell here-off. And be signes þat þai fand̛ of burnyng opon̛ his bodie, þai knew at aƚƚ þat he said̛ was trew. et c̛.

• ...Gallus mortuus revixit MS. reviuixit. . Supra de blasfemia.
• ...Galline intestina in bufonem MS. combustionem. Lat. MSS. in bufonem. sunt versa. Infra de gula.