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

DLV.
Negacionem dei inducit frequenter malum consilium et inopia siue paupertas.

Cesarius tellis how þat in þe dioces of Leodenensis [Harl. MS. Leodiensis.] , besyde Florens, þer was som tym̛ a yong knyght & noble in tornamentis, & giffen̛ vnto vanytis of þis werld̛, vnto so mekuƚƚ þat þer aboute he consumyd̛ aƚƚ his gudis, so þat he feƚƚ evyn̛ in despayr. Vnto so mekuƚƚ þat on̛ a nyght he garte a man̛ of his lede hym̛ in-to a wude, & þer þai raysid̛ the devuƚƚ as þai was wunt to do, & made

hym̛ to speke witℏ þaim. And þer he bad þe knyght make no charge of his povertie, & he askid̛ hym̛ if he wold̛ hafe riches agayn̛, & ioy, as he was wunt to hafe. And þe knyght said̛, ya, he wolde, and it mot be done be God̛ Almyghtie. And þan̛ hys man̛ sayd vnto þe fende; "Here hafe I broght you a noble man̛, my maister, at ye may restore hym̛ vnto þe degre at he was in afore tyme." And þe fende saide, hym̛ burde furst forsake Almyghti God & make homage vnto hym̛. And þis knyght, þuf aƚƚ it war tremland̛ & makand̛ sorow, neuer-þe-les, in hope of requoveryng agayn̛ of þat at he had loste, þurgℏ cownceƚƚ of þis man̛ he did itt. And þan̛ þe fend said̛ hym̛ burd nede forsake Goddis moder. And þe knyght ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛, þat wolde he neuer doo. And þus he partid̛ away fro þaim, and went agayn̛ vnto þe town̛. And þer was a kurk̘ in his way, and he went in and sett hym̛ down̛ on̛ his kneis befor̛ ane ymage of owr̛ Ladye, & wepid̛ & made grete sorow, at aƚƚ þe kurk rang with. So evyn̛ þe same howr̛, a knyght þat had boght aƚƚ his lifelod befor̛, happend com̛ by þe kurk̘ away, & hard̛ grete noyse & went in, & when̛ he fand þe knyght, þat he kend weƚƚ enogℏ, cryand & makand̛ his prayer so devowtly, he had grete merveƚƚ, & drew hym̛ be-hynd̛ a pyler & stude stiƚƚ, & þogght he wolde wit what aƚƚ þis bement. And, at bathe þies knyghtis hard̛, our̛ Ladie spak vnto hur Son̛ & said̛; "O, þou swete Son̛! Hafe mercie of þis man̛!" And þe childe at satt on̛ hur kne wolde not speke agayn̛ vnto his moder, bod turnyd̛ his head̛ awayward̛ fro hur. And sho prayed̛ hym̛ agayn̛, & sayd̛ þat þe man̛ was dessayvid̛, and with þat he turnyd̛ his bak opon̛ hur and said̛; "This man̛ hase denyed̛ me, what shulde I do vnto hym̛?" And þan̛ þe ymage of owr̛ Lade rase vp & sett hur Son̛ apon̛ þe altar, and feƚƚ down̛ on̛ hur kneis at His fete and said̛, "I pray þe, swete Son̛, þat for my sake þou forgyff hym̛ his syn̛." And onone þe child̛ liftyd̛ vp His moder and said vnto hur; "Moder, yit I neuer denyed̛ þe thyng att þou axkid̛ me. And now, beholde, for þi sake I forgyff hym̛." And þan̛ þis knyght was fayn̛, & rase & went his ways furtℏ of þe kurk̘, and was passyng sadd̛ & hevy for hys syn̛, & glad þat it was forgyffen̛ hym̛. And þe toder knyght folowid̛ hym̛ privalie, &

ouertuke hym̛ & axkid hym̛ whi his een̛ war so wate & so bownyd̛. And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛ þe wynd garte itt. And he said̛ agayn̛; "Sur, I knaw þe cauce of your truspas weƚƚ enogℏ. And Sur," he said̛, "I hafe a doghter & no mo childer, and if ye wuƚƚ wed hur I saƚƚ giff you aƚƚ your lyfelod̛ agayn̛, & you ij I saƚƚ make heyris of aƚƚ my riches." And he thankid̛ hym̛ & wed hur, & was afterwerd̛ a gude man̛ & a ricℏe.

• ...Negant eciam deum religiosi. Supra de misericordia.
• ...Negacionem dei inducit amor carnalis. Supra de amore.
• ...Negacionem dei inducit ambicio dignitatis. Supra de Maria, vj So Lat. MSS., Eng. MS. has, de iniuria, iij. .
• ...Neganda non est pauperi elemosina. Infra de paupere, ij MS. iij. .
• ...Necligencia hominis impedit ne ei ab aliquo subueniatur. Supra de cogitacione.
• ...Negligencia executorum nocet testatori. Supra de executore, j.
• ...Negligencia vtencium aliqua re perditur aliquando ipsa res. Supra de legato.
• ...Necligencia dicendi horas. Supra de Augustino, ij.