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

CCCCXVI.
Iuliani Confessoris.

We rede how þat when̛ Saynt Iulian̛ was a yong man̛ & went on̛ huntyng, he pursewid̛ on̛ a tyme after a harte. & þis harte turnyd agayn̛ & spak vnto hym̛, & sayd̛; "Thow þat mon̛ sla bothe þi fadir and þi moder, whar-to pursewis þou me?" And he had grete wonder here-of, and becauce þis sulde not happyn̛ hym̛, he went away oute of a fer contretℏ & servid̛ a wurthi prince: & he made hym a knyght and gaff hym̛ a warde, a grete gentylwomman̛, vnto his wife. And his fadur & his moder at home, hafyng grete sorow þat he was gone oute of þe contrey fro þaim, went & soght hym̛ many mylis. So on̛ a tyme when he was furthe, be a sodan̛ cace þaim happynd̛ to com̛ vnto his casteƚƚ. And be wurdis at þai said̛ þer, his wyfe vnderstude at þai war fadir & moder vnto hur husband, be aƚƚ þe proces at sho had hard̛ hur husband say. And when̛ scho had made þaim wele to fare, sho laid̛ þaim samen in hur awn̛ bedd̛; and þis Iulian̛ come home sodanlie in þe mornyng & wente vnto his chambr̛, & fand̛ þaim ij samen in þe bed̛. And he, trowyng þat it had bene one þat had done avowtry with his wyfe, he slew þaim bothe and went his ways. & he mett his wife fro þe kurkward̛, and sho tolde hym̛ how his fadir & his moder was commen̛, & how sho had layd̛ þaim in hur awn̛ bedd̛. And þan̛ he began̛ to wepe & make sorow, & said̛; "Lo! þat at þe harte said̛ vnto me, now I a sarie wriche hafe fulfillid̛ itt." & þan̛ he went oute of contre & did̛ penans, & his wyfe wolde neuer forsake hym̛. & þer þai come vnto a grete watir, þer many war perisschid̛, and þer he byggid̛ a grete hostre;

& aƚƚ þat euer come he herbard̛ þaim, & had þaim ouer þis watyr. And þis he vsyd a lang tyme. So on a nyght aboute mydnyght, as he lay in his bed and it was a grete froste, he hard̛ a voyce cry petifullie, & sayd̛; " Iulian! com̛ & feche me owr̛, I pray the!" And he rase onone & went our̛ þe watir, & þer he fand a man̛ þat was nerehand frosyn̛ to dead̛, and he had hym̛ our̛, & broght hym̛ into his howse & refresshid̛ hym̛, & laid̛ hym̛ in his awn̛ bed̛ & happid hym̛. And within a little while he þat was in þe bed̛, þat semyd̛ seke & like a leppre, ascendid vnto hevyn̛ & sayd̛ on̛ þis maner of wyse; "Iulyan̛! Almighti God hase reseyvid̛ þi penans. And with-in a little while ye bothe shaƚƚ com̛ vnto Hym̛." And with þat he vanysshid̛ away. et c̛.