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

About this Item

Title
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
Author
Etienne de, Besançon, d. 1294
Editor
Banks, Mary Macleod
Publication
London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, & Co., Ltd.
1904, 1905
Rights/Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact [email protected]. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact [email protected].

DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States

Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/AlphTales
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/AlphTales. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 30, 2025.

Pages

DXI.
Mors quantumcunque magnos humiliat.

Petrus Alphonsis [MS. Alphensis.] tellis how þat when̛ kyng Alexander was dead̛ & his tombe was gaylie made of sylver & of golde, in his palas þer gader in many philosophers. And ane of þaim said̛; "Alexander yisterday made tresur of golde and now it is evyn̛ contrarie, for golde makis tresur of hym̛." And þan̛ a noder said̛; "Yisterday wolde not aƚƚ þis werld̛ suffis vnto hym̛, and þis day for yerdis of grond̛ alonelie sufficis hym̛." And þan̛ þe thrid said̛; "Yisterday he had rewle of aƚƚ þe peple, and þis day þe peple hase rewle of hym̛." Than̛ þe iiij said̛; "Yisterday he myght hafe delyverd̛ many peple fro dead̛, and þis day, for aƚƚ his power, he mot [not] esshew dead̛." Than̛ þe v said̛; "Yisterday he led̛ a grete hoste, and today he is led of þaim & putt vnto beryaƚƚ." Than̛ þe sext sayd̛; "Yisterday he thristid̛ down̛ þe ertℏ, and þis day þe ertℏ þrustis hym̛ down̛." And þan̛ a noder said̛; "Yisterday þe peple dred hym̛ gretelie, and þis day þai sett right not by hym̛." And þan̛ a noder said̛; "Yisterday

Page 348

he had bothe many frendis and enmys, and þis day aƚƚ er in lyke vnto hym̛."

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.