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

CCCLIX.
Honorem parentibus non exhibentes puniuntur.

Cesarius tellis how som tyme þer was a yong man̛ þat hight Henrye, & his moder was a wedow & a riche wommon̛. So þis yong man̛ on̛ a tyme keste hym̛ to begile his moder, & sayd̛ vnto hur; "Gyff me aƚƚ þi gudis, at þurgℏ name of þaim I may richelie be marid̛ & gett a gude wyfe; and þou saƚƚ hafe þaim agayn̛ when̛ I am̛ marid̛. And̛ in þe mene while I saƚƚ honestelie provide for þe." And sho grantid̛ to hym̛, & gaff hym̛ it. So belyfe after he was wedd̛, and with-in a while after he was wed̛, hys wyfe garte hym̛ putt hur oute; & so sho had nothyng bod att sho beggid̛ hur meatt, & evur when̛ sho come & compleynyd̛ hur vnto hym̛, he

sparrid̛ his eris & wold̛ not here hur. So on̛ a day he & his wife satt at meat to-gedur and his moder come vnto his dure & knokkid̛, & askid̛ meatt for Goddis sake. And he said̛; "Lo! yonder is þe devuƚƚ at cryes at þe dure!" And his moder come in & besoght hym̛ to hafe mercie of hur & giff hur som̛ meatt; & he flate with hur as he had bene wude. So at þe laste he bad a childe go feche þe reuersion̛ of a pulett þat was sett in a kiste, & giff hir it. & þe childe went & lifte vp̛ þe kiste lid̛, & whar̛ þe pullett was on̛ þe platir he fand̛ nothyng bod a wrethyn̛ serpent; & he was ferd̛, & told̛ his maister what he saw. And þan̛ he sente a mayden̛ & bad hur go feche it, & sho come agayn̛ & was iƚƚ flayed̛, & told̛ hym̛ at sho had sene þe same. And he rase vp̛ in a wretℏ hym̛ selfe, & sayd̛; "& þe devuƚƚ lig on̛ þe dubbler, I saƚƚ go feche hym̛." & he liftid̛ vp þe kiste lid̛ & stowpyd̛ vp to take þe platir. & þe serpent clappid̛ aboute his throte, & dubbled̛ evyn̛ aboute his nekk̘; & evur as he eatt, sho ete; and ay þe more at þai laburd̛ to gett hur lowse, þe faster clave sho, vnto so mekuƚƚ at his vesage was so bolnyd̛ at his ene feƚƚ oute on̛ his chekis. & so he liffid̛ xiij yere & more, blynd̛, & alway þis serpent aboute his nekk̘. And he was carid̛ vnto dyvers placis of pylgramege, & cuthe gett no bute. And his moder at þe laste hadd̛ compaciens of his payn̛ & forgaff hym̛, & þan̛ he dyed̛.

• ...Honoratur qui facit quod debet sine accepcione persone. Supra Ambrosij. ijo.