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

LVIII.
Amicus in necessitate probatur.

We rede how þer was a man̛ in a contrey þat was takyn̛ & had to þe kyngis cowrte, & sulde die. And he come vnto a man̛ þat he luffid̛ passand̛ [MS. passid.] wele, & prayed hym̛ to helpe hym̛ in þat grete nede; [and he said vnto hym] [Latin MSS. qui dixit.] , "I hafe oþer frendis at I luff als wele as I do the, & þerfor wiƚƚ nott go with the, bod I saƚƚ giff þe a garment to happ̛ þe with." And þan̛ he mett [with] a secund̛ frend̛ þat he luffid̛ bettir, & he prayed̛ hym̛ to go with hym̛ & helpe

hym̛; & he said̛ he wold̛ go with hym̛ a little way, bod he myght not tarie, he wold̛ co[m] sone agayn̛. And þan he mett with his thrid̛ frend̛, þat he luffid̛ bod litiƚƚ, and with grete shame he prayed hym̛ to helpe hym̛. And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "I hafe y[it] in my mynde a little gude turn̛ at þou did me with vsurie, and yitt I saƚƚ reward t[he], ffor I saƚƚ putt my sawle for þi sawle." Frendis! ye saƚƚ vnderstond̛ þat þis ffurst frend̛ is we[r]ldly possessions, whilk þat when̛ we dye giffis vs bod a wyndyng clothe to lap vs in. And þe second̛ frend̛ is owr̛ kynsmen̛ and our frendis, þat [MS. repeats, þat.] gase with vs vnto we com̛ att owr̛ grafe. And þe iij frend̛ is almighti God̛, whilk þatt putt bothe His life & His sawle for His frendis when̛ He suffred̛ His passion̛.