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

DLXXVII.
Oblacio non debet fieri nisi de bono.

Iacobus de Vetriaco tellis how som̛ tyme þer was a husband-man̛ þat was ane yƚƚ payer of his tenndis, and he wold̛ seldom̛ offer bod if it wer on̛ solempne dayis, and þan̛ he wold̛ offr̛ a fals peny or ane yƚƚ. So on̛ a passcℏ-day hym̛ happend̛ emang oþer to com̛ vnto þe howselburde, and þe preste, þat knew þat he vsid̛ evur to offer a fals peny, when̛ he had gyffen̛ oþer men̛ þer howseƚƚ, he gaf þis husband̛, in-stead̛ of his howseƚƚ, þe same yƚƚ peny þat he offerd̛.

And he chewid̛ & feld̛ at it was hard̛, & grapid̛ in his mouthe what it was, & he fand̛ it was þe same fals peny þat he had offerd̛; & when̛ he saw it he had grete merveƚƚ þerof, and made mekuƚƚ sorow. So when̛ mes was done, he come vnto þe preste wepand̛ & sayd̛; "A! sur, my syn̛ is so grete þat it happend̛ me þis day at þe sacrament att ye gaff me is turnyd̛ in-to a fals peny." And þe preste ansswerd̛ hym̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "This thyng happynd̛ not vnto þe with-oute som̛ cawce, and þerfor̛ þou haste done som̛ horrible syn̛. Teƚƚ me what it is!" And with grete shame he tolde hym̛ in confession̛, & said̛; "I shryfe me þat I was so attemptid̛ with [After with, ov, erased.] covatice, þat evur when̛ oþer folk offerd̛ gude syluer I offerd̛ alway ane iƚƚ penye." And þan̛ þe preste said̛ vnto hym̛; "This was þe iugement at þou tolde me off; and herefor̛ in-stede of þe sacrament þou fand̛ in þi mouthe ane iƚƚ peny. And þerfor̛ þou moste make restitucion̛." And so he did̛, & promysid̛ þat evur after fro thens furtℏ he sulde trewlie pay his tend̛ & offer gude syluer. And̛ so þe preste asoylid̛ hym̛ & gaff hym̛ his howseƚƚ, and evur after he was a gude man̛.

• ...Oblacio sacramenti in missa valet ad viuos et defunctos. Supra de missa.