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

DCXX.
Peregrinum demon subito reportauit MS. temptauit. Lat. MSS. as above..

Cesarius tellis how som̛ tyme in þe town̛ of Halybacℏ, þer was a knyght þat hight Gerard̛, and he had grete deuocion̛ vnto Saynt Thomas þe apostell. So on̛ a tyme þe devuƚƚ in lyknes of a pure man̛ come vnto hym̛, & askyd̛ hym̛ gestynnyng for Saynt Thomas luff; & he grauntid̛ hym̛ it. And when̛ he was gone vnto his bed̛; þis knyght sent vnto hym̛ his beste furryd̛ gown̛ to happ̛ hym̛ with for colde, and he vppon̛ þe nyght had þis cape away, & wolde not be fon̛ in þe mornyng. And þe knyghtis wyfe was wrothe here-with, & blamyd hugelie [MS. repeats, hugelie.] hur husband̛ for herberyng of pure beggers, & said̛; "Þou sulde nevur do hym̛ mor̛ gude." And þis knyght ansswerd̛ hur agayn̛ mekelie & said̛; "Saynt Thomas is in power to do me als gude a turn̛ as my gown̛ was wurtℏ." So on̛ a tyme after þis knyght wold̛ go in pylgramege vnto þer Saynt Thomas lay, and he brak a golde ryng in ij befor̛ hys wyfe, & he gaf þe tone halfe vnto his wyfe and sayd̛; "Trust vnto þis tokyn̛, & I send þe itt, and abyde my commyng home vnto v yere be passyd." And sho said̛ yis & tuke þis ryng, & he went his ways. So after dyvers yeris he come vnto þe cetie of Saynt Thomas, and when̛ he was in þe kurk̘ & made his prayer vnto Saynt Thomas, & commendid̛ in his prayers his wyfe and his childer & his meneya, he was war of þe fend̛ walkand vp & down̛ in his furryd̛ gown̛. And þe fend̛ come vnto hym̛ & sayd̛; "Gerard̛! knowis þou oght me?" And he said̛; "Nay, I know þe not, bod I know þat gown̛ weƚƚ enogℏ." And̛ þan̛ þe fend̛ said̛; "I am̛ þe devuƚƚ þat in lyknes of a pure man̛ was herbard̛ with þe, and I stale þi gown̛; & herefor̛ I hafe bene gretely

punysshid̛. And I am̛ chargid̛ at I shaƚƚ onone hafe þe home agayn̛ vnto þi place safe & sownd̛, for als mekuƚƚ as þis day þi wyfe is wed̛ with a noder man̛; for now it is xv yere sen̛ þou come fro hur." And with þat, when̛ he had offerd̛, he tuke hym̛ vpp̛ in Ynde, and onone he broght hym̛ home to his awn̛ yate in Ducheland̛. And his wyfe & hur husband, att war wed̛ þat same day, wer at meatt, & he come in & keste in hur copp̛ þer sho satt þe halfe of þe golde ryng. And when̛ sho saw it sho tuke þe tuder parte þer-of & putt þerto, & þai acordid̛; & here-by sho wyste he was hur husband̛, and þer sho forsuke hur new husband̛ & tuke hur to hur olde.