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

CCCCXXI.
Iuuentus facit homines diligenter mulieres considerare.

We rede of a profeste of þe ordur of Premonstracence, on̛ a tyme as he rade witℏ a yong man̛, a bruther of his howse, þaim happend̛ to mete a fayr yong damyseƚƚ; & þis profeste stoppid̛ his hors & haylsid̛ hur honestelie, & sho stude stiƚƚ & lowtid̛ vnto hym̛ & thankid̛ hym̛. And when̛ sho was passid̛ þaim a littyƚƚ, þis profeste þoght he wold̛ prufe þis yong man̛ & said̛ vnto hym̛; "Me þoght þis was a passand fayr maydyn̛." & þis yong man̛ ansswerd̛ & said̛, so þoght hym̛. And þan̛ þe profest said̛ agayn̛; "A thyng difformys hur hugelie, þat is sho hase bod one ey." And þe yong man̛ said̛; "Sur, forsuthe sho hase bothe hur ene, ffor I behelde hur graythelie." And þan̛ þe profest said̛ vnto hym̛; "And I saƚƚ considur þi bakk, ffor þou sulde be of so mekyƚƚ symeplenes, & þou met a womman̛ þou suld̛ not luke wheþer sho had bothe hur een̛ or bod þe tane." And þan̛ he

turnyd̛ agayn̛ vnto his monasterie & said̛ vnto his brethir; "Ye repruvid̛ me for I take no yong men̛ furtℏ with me." And þan̛ he tellid̛ þaim þe cauce, & snybbid̛ þis yong man̛ & chastid̛ hym̛ for his truspas.

• ...Iuuenes puelle pulcritudinem corporalem abscondere debent. Infra de temptacione et supra de abscondere.
• ...Iuuenis non debet prefici mulieribus. Supra de carne.