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
Etienne de Besançon
Mary Macleod Banks

CCCXCII.
Infirmitas corporalis aliquando de superbo facit humilem.

Jacobus de Vetriaco tellis how som tyme in þe bysshoppryke of Parissℏ þer was a paress clerk̘, & he vsid̛ to com̛ vnto a knyghtis place with halie water evur-ilk wuke; & he cuthe neuer gett nott on̛ hym̛ bod flytyng & bannyng. And it happend on̛ a tyme þis knyght feƚƚ seke, and when̛ þe clerke come with holi watyr & keste on̛ hym̛; he prayed̛ þis clerk to pray for hym̛. And he garte giff hym̛ a kirk̘. And þan̛ þis clerk̘ spakk vnto hym̛ & said̛; "How is þis happend, sur, þat ye þat so ofte hase flittyn̛ with me, & bannyd me so oft, is now þus turnyd̛ at ye pray me now for to pray for you?" And þe knyght ansswerd̛ & said̛; "Seis þou not how I am̛ seke, & how þe gowte is in my fute on̛ þe to syde?" And þan̛ þe clerk̘ said̛; "Sur, I saƚƚ pray God þat it may be also in þe toder fute." And þe knyght askyd̛ hym̛ what he said̛. And þe clerk ansswerd̛ hym̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "þou was als prowde as a lion̛ when̛ þou was hale, and now in þi sekenes þou erte made als meke as a lambe. And yit for þi gude I saƚƚ pray for the."

  • Infirmus aliquando convalescit per votum religionis. Infra de voto.
  • Ingratus Deo de beneficio percepto ab eo merito perdit illud. Supra de heretico.
  • Ingratitudinis vicium incurrit vane glorians de beneficio percepto, et ideo merito illud perdit. Supra de confessione.
  • Ingratus homini de beneficio ab eo recepto multum est reprehensibilis. Supra de Infirmo.