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

DCII.
Papa multipliciter dehonestatur.

We rede in 'Cronicles' of one þat hight Formosus, at was furste a cardynaƚƚ & syne pope. And pope Iohn̛ cursyd̛ hym̛ & degradid hym̛ agayn̛ vnto the lay astate, and made hym̛ swere þat he sulde nevur com̛ in Rome, nor desyre nor take þe papeshup̛ on̛ hand̛. Neuer-þe-les after-ward̛, of þis pope John̛ successour he was asoylid̛, & restorid̛ to com̛ agayn̛ vnto Rome; and he tuke þe popeshup̛ agayn̛ on hand̛. And when̛ he was dede, Stephanus VI garte take his bodye, & doff aƚƚ þe his pope clothyng & clethe hym̛ in lay wede, & garte cutt of [Harl. MS. et duobus digitis dextere abscisis, manu priuauit, et eam in Tiberim iactari precepit.] ij of hy[s] fyngers of ather hand̛ & cutt of bothe his handis & keste hym̛ into Tybur. So vnto þis Stephan succedid John̛, and he reprovid̛ aƚƚ þe warkis off Stephan, & provid̛ þe warkis of þis Formosius. Than̛ after hym̛ come Sergius III, & he garte take Formosius oute off his grafe & vnordurd̛ aƚƚ þat he had gyffen̛ ordurs to, & garte caste hym̛ in Tybur. And ffysshers happend̛ at ffynd̛ hym̛ in þer nettis, & þai broght hym̛

into Saynt Peturs; and when̛ þai broght hym̛ in, aƚƚ þe ymagis in þe kurk, att aƚƚ men̛ myght se, as he come by þaim lowtid̛ vnto hym̛ & wurshuppid̛ hym̛. And here-by þai wyste he was a gude man̛.

• ...Papa bonus. Supra de Gregorio.
• ...Pape possunt adaptari multa que infra dicuntur MS. repeats, infra after dicuntur. de prelato, et supra de morte.