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

DXCIX.
Pacientes iniuste deus in fine eciam in hac vita honorat.

We rede in 'Legend̛ Longabardica' of ane þat hight Theodora, a noble womman̛ & a fayr̛, þat had a husband at Alexander in tyme of Zenonis þe Emperour; and hur husband was a gud man̛ & a riche, and dowtid̛ God̛. So þer was a yong man̛ þat wex passand ameros of hur and begylid hur be þe mene of ane alde wyfe, þat tolde hur at Godd knew not þat at was done on̛ þe nyght, bod alonelie þat at was done on̛ þe day. And þus sho

made hur to latt þe man̛ lygg by hur. So afterward̛, when̛ sho come to hur selfe, & felid̛ at sho had done wrong and at God knew aƚƚ maner of þing þat was done, sho wepid̛ & made mucℏ sorow & garte cut hur head̛, & gatt hur mans clothyng of hur husbandis & did it on̛ hur & went vnto ane abbay far thens & made hur a monk̘, & sayd̛ hur name was Theodorus. & þer sho liffid̛ a gude haly lyfe and did meracles. So on̛ a tyme hur [MS. hym.] happend̛ to be hostid̛ with his camels at sho drafe vnto þe cetie be þe commandment of þe abbott, at a mans howse þat had a fayr doghter; and on þe night sho come vnto þis Theodora & wold̛ have lyggyn̛ with hur, & sho wold̛ not latt hur. So with-in a while after þis wenche was with barn̛, and sho said̛ at þis Theodora had gettyn̛ itt; and hur abbott gretelie blamyd̛ hur þerfor̛, and when̛ þe childe was born̛ it was broght & layd̛ in hur skurte. And sho & it was putt furtℏ of þe abbay for vij yere, and with mylke & swilk as sho cuthe gett [sho nurisshid it]. And in þis menewhile sho was gretlie tempyd̛ with þe devuƚƚ to syn̛, bod he prevaylid not on̛ hur. And when̛ vij yere was gone þe abbott consydurd̛ hur paciens & tuke bothe hur & þe childe in agayn̛. And þer sho & it to-gedur was sparyd̛ samen in a ceƚƚ. And þer with-in ij yere to-gedur sho passid̛ vnto God̛; and yit sho had enformyd̛ þis child̛ or sho dyed̛ in lernyng & in holie liffyng to persevur. And þat night at sho dyed, þe Abbott þoght at he saw aƚƚ þe ordurs of Aungels & Patriarkis & Prophettis & aƚƚ Saynttis com̛ & feche hur sawle vnto hevyn̛; & hym̛ thoght þai made grete ioy. And þer was a voyce at sayd̛ vnto hym̛; "þis Theodorus was falsly accusid̛ of þis childe-gettyng." And with þat þe Abbott wakend̛ and̛ callid̛ vp his brether, and went vnto hur ceƚƚ & fand̛ hur dead̛; and when̛ þai nakend̛ hur þai fand̛ sho was a womman̛. And he garte caƚƚ þe wenche fadur & said̛ vnto hym̛; "Lo! now, whethur he this corrupte þi doghter or nay." And aƚƚ men̛ had wonder her̛-of. So þer come a voyce vnto þe Abbot & bad̛ hym̛ go in-to þe cetie. And so he did, & þer mett hym̛ a man̛, and he axkid̛ hym̛ whyter he was bown̛. And he said̛; "My wyfe is dead̛ & I go to se hur." And þe Abbott & he went samen

wepand̛, and with grete devocion̛ þai beryd̛ hur. And þan̛ hur husband̛ made hym̛ monke & dwelte in hur ceƚƚ, & was a gude man̛ evur whils þat he liffid̛. And þis childe persevurd̛ in gude warkis & was made a monk in þat same place. And afterward̛, when̛ þe Abbott was dead, he was chosyn̛ vnto Abbott.