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

CCCCXC.
Miles demone MS. deuocione. vt famulo vtitur.

Cesarius tellis of a knyght þat dwelte in Saxon̛, and he was famos & noble in armys, and his name was Albert Stobberd̛. So

on̛ a day hym̛ happend̛ to com̛ vnto a place þer a damyseƚƚ was vexid̛ with a fend̛, and onone as he come sho began̛ to cry and sayd̛, " Ecce! amicus meus venit. Lo! my frend̛ is commen̛." And evur as he come inward̛ sho bad gyff hym̛ rowm̛, and lat hur frend̛ com̛ ner hur. And þuf aƚƚ he war wrothe þerwith, yitt he smylid̛ & said̛; "þou fende, þou ert bod a fole! Wharto vexis þou þis womman̛ on̛ þis maner, þat is so innocent? Lefe hur & go with me vnto turnamentis & batels." And þis fend said̛ he wold̛ gladlie go with hym̛ and he wold̛ latt hym̛ entre into his bodie, "or els to lat me in þi sadle or in þi brydiƚƚ, or in som̛ other parte at longis vnto the." And þis knyght had grete compassion̛ of þis noble maydyn̛ and said̛; "And þou wiƚƚ pas from̛ hyne I wiƚƚ grawnt þe a plyte of my gown̛ vnder-nethe a condicion̛, at þou saƚƚ not hurte me, bod when̛ at I wiƚƚ, onone þou saƚƚ pas fro me." And he beheste hym̛ þat he shuld̛. And with þat he went oute of þe maydyn̛ & come in-to a plite of þe gown̛ and made þer a grete movyng. And from̛ þat howr̛ þis knyght had so gret a strentℏ & a comfurtℏ, at whoso-euer he wold he mot ouerthraw þaim, & whom̛ so euer hym̛ liste take, and þai war ne so swyfte, yit he mott take þaim. And when̛ þe knyght satt in þe kurk̘ at his prayers, þis fend̛ made a grete gruchyng and said̛ hym̛ thoght þat he taryd long þer. And he kaste holie watir on̛ him [MS. he.] , þis fend wolde byd hym̛ war at the tuchyd not hym̛. So on̛ a tyme þis knyght happend to com̛ in-to a kurk whar þer was made a sermon̛ of þe cros. And þan̛ þe fend said vnto hym̛; "What duse þou her?" And þis knyght ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "Now I wuƚƚ forsake þe & seryff Almightie God̛." And þe fend̛ ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛ "What displesans haste þou fon̛ in me! I neuer yit hurte þe, bod I hafe broght þe vnto mekuƚƚ wurshup and riches, and þurgℏ me þou erte made passyng glorious." þis knyght ansswerd̛ hym̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "Loo! now I behold̛ þe cros, and I command̛ þe now, in vertue of Hym̛ þat was done on̛ þe cros, þat from̛ hens furtℏ þou nevur turn̛ vnto me agayn̛." And with þat þis fend lefte hym̛. And þis knyght burnyd hym̛ with þe cros, and went to beyond̛ se, & þer he servid Almightie God ij yere.

And after þat he come home agayn̛, and byggid̛ ane hospitaƚƚ. And þerin he abade aƚƚ his life after, & serryffed seke folk of swilk as þaim nedud̛. And so in peas þer he endid̛ his life.

• ...Miles executor necligens punitur. Supra de execucione.
• ...Miles ludo avium deditus punitur. Supra de avibus, j.
• ...Miles obstinatus in peccatis dampnatur. Supra de accusacione.
• ...Miles spoliat modica occasione habita. Infra de monacho, iiij.
• ...Militi per beatam virginem gratia dei eciam temporalia perdita restituuntur. Infra de negacione, j.