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

XXXVI.
Adulterium punit deus in hac vita.

Petrus Damanus [For Damianus.] . On̛ a tyme when̛ he was at þe cetie of Parissℏ [Latin MSS. apud permensem vrbem.] , opon̛ þe day befor̛ þe ffest of Gervasij & Prothasij, a man̛ of þe cetie rase tymelie in þe mornyng & drafe his oxen̛ vnto a fer pastur; & þis man̛ had þe axis iƚƚ. And one of his neghburs purseyvid̛ þat he was gone vnto þe feld̛, & he fenyd̛ hym̛ as he had shakyn̛ in þe axis, & come in-to þis mans howse shakand̛, & went into þe bed to þe wife. And þe wyfe trowed þat it had bene hur husband þat had commen̛ fro þe felde shakand̛ in þe axis, & sho hawsid̛ hym̛, and onone he defowlid̛ & went his wais. And with-in a while after, hur husbond̛ come home passand seke, & bad hur make hym̛ a cuche þat he myght lig on̛. And þe wife reprevid̛ hym̛, & sayd sho mott thole hym̛ "go vnto þe kurk of þase holie martyrs with othe[r] christen men̛, & here dyvyne serves." And hur husband̛ was gretlie astonyd with hur language, & askid hur what sho mente; and sho tellid̛ hym̛ aƚƚ þe matyr. And onone as sho had told̛ hym̛, he consayvid̛ þat bothe he & sho was desayvid̛; and when̛ þai come vnto þer selfe, þai besoght God to venge þer harmys, and at it myght be opynlie knowen̛

who did þis avowtrie. And onone þer neghbur þat did þis avowtre was vexid̛ with a fend̛, & skratt & bete hym̛ selfe, & went in-to þe kurk̘, & þer he was so mad̛ þat now he wold̛ clymbe vp als hye as he myght, & sodanlie faƚƚ down̛ agayn̛ vnto þe erthe; & now he wold̛ ryn̛ agayn̛ þe waƚƚ with his hede, & now he wolde sodanly faƚƚ down̛ vnto þe ertℏ. & þus he did̛ ewhils he swelte aforn̛ aƚƚ þe pepuƚƚ.