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

LI.
Ambrosij Confessoris.

We rede in 'Historia Tripartita' how on̛ a tyme, at þe cetie of Cessalonye, þer feƚƚ a stryfe betwix þe iudgies & þe comons, to so mekuƚƚ att þe comon̛ peple stanyd þe comons to dede. And when̛ Theodosius, þat was Emperour, hard tell [MS. repeats, tell.] hereof, he garte kyƚƚ þaim þat did no truspas, with þaim at did þe trispas. So on̛ a tyme afterward, when̛ þis Emperour wolde hafe commen̛ in-to þe kurk̘, þis holie man̛, Ambros, mete hym̛ att þe dure & forbad hym̛ þat he suld com̛ in, sayand on̛ þis maner of wise; "O, þou Emperour! whi knawis þou nott þi presumpcion̛ after so grete a hastenes? O, þou Emperour! att erte a prynce, & hase imperiaƚƚ power, It semys þe at reson̛ sulde ouer-com̛ þi power, & nott þi power reson̛: how dar þou þat with þine een̛ hase beholden̛ þi servand̛ dye, trede with þi fete opon̛ þis holie paymente? And how dar þou holde vp þi handis vnto God, þat yitt droppis with blude þat is innocent? And how dar þou resayfe þe holie sacrament in bread or wyne, when̛, þurgℏ þe hastines of þi wurde, innocent blude is wronguslie spylte? And þerfor̛, Go þi ways, þou þat ert boun with syn̛, and amende þi fawte, & do away þe band att þou ert bun with, and þou may hafe a medcyn̛ to amend̛ þe with, & þou wiƚƚ." And with þies wurdis þis Emperour obeyid̛ hym̛, & made sorow and went home agayn̛ to his place; & þer

he wepud, & made mekuƚƚ sorow, & sayd vnto hym̛ selfe on̛ þis maner of wyse; "The kurk is oppyn̛ to þaim þat er my servandis, & it is sparrid vnto me þat am̛ ane Emperour." And þan̛ ane þat was maister of aƚƚ his knyghtis, þat hight Ruffinus, come vnto Saynt Ambroce and besoght hym̛ to assoyle þe Emperour. And when̛ Saynt Ambros saw hym̛, he sayde; "O, þou Ruffinus! at was doar & cowncelur of sucℏ a dede, þinkis now no shame to speke agayns þe magestie of almighti God? I lat þe witt, & þe Emperour com̛ here, I saƚƚ forbid hym̛ to entyr into þis holie place vnto he take his penans for his tyrandrie, and þat done I wiƚƚ resayve hym̛ gladlie." And þis Ruffinus went & tolde þis vnto þe Emperour. And þan̛ þis Emperour said̛; "I wiƚƚ go vnto hym̛ at I may take rightwus penans for myne vnrigh[t]wusnes dedis." So on̛ a tyme he wente agayn̛ vnto þe kurk̘, and Saynt Amb[ros] come agayn̛ & forbad hym̛, & said̛; "whatt penans hase þou done for aƚƚ þi wykkednes?" & þe Emperour ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayde; "It longes vnto þe to giff me penans, & it is my parte to obey the, & do at þou commandis me." And þan̛ he shrafe hym̛ vnto þis [Am]brosius, & enionyd hym̛ penance. And þis Emperour tuke it so thankfullie, þat for his opyn̛ syn̛ he did oppyn̛ penans. et c̛.