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

CCCCXLII.
Liberalitas. De Liberalitate.

Lantigonus [Lat. MSS. Antigonus.] , þat was kyng of Macydony, on̛ a tyme when̛ a pure man̛ [Lat. MSS. amicus.] askid hym̛ a peny, he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said þat it was mare þan̛ a pure man̛ [Lat. MSS. plus esse quam amicus deberet petere.] sulde aske. And þan̛ he askid̛ hym̛ a halpeny, & he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "It is les þan̛ it semys a kyng for to giff." And Senec stude by & saw, & he said̛ þis was a fowle cauillacion̛, when̛ he mot nowder se þe kyng giff þe pure man̛ a peny, nor þe pure man̛ resayfe a halpeny of þe kyng; ffor þer is no þing so mekuƚƚ made of as is þat þyng þat a man̛ giffis with his gude wyƚƚ. et c̛.