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

DCXXV.
Perseuerancia. Perseuerandum semper est in bono.

We rede of one þat hight Iohn̛, þat was ane ankyr, þat was a man̛ þat had lede ane iƚƚ lyfe. And when̛ he was compu[n]cte, he garte spar hym̛ selfe in a grafe, and þer he wasshid̛ away his synnys with salte teris, and he lay on̛ his kneis & his elbows, and wolde not lifte vp̛ his een̛ nor name þe name of almyghtie God̛, bod þar he enduryd a long tyme in his prayer. So þer come fendis into þis grafe vnto hym, and cryed̛ vppon̛ hym̛ & sayde;

"Þou cursid̛ caytuff! Whatt duse þou here? For when̛ þou was fulfyllid̛ with al maner of syn̛ & vnclennes, & now þi strentℏ sufficies not to do no syn̛, now þou wiƚƚ liff in chastite and seme a gude man̛. Turn̛ agayn̛ vnto vs, ffor þou erte one of vs." And̛ þan̛ a noder spak vnto hym̛ & sayd; "What hopis þou att þis place shaƚƚ do þe gude? Do as þou hase done befor, & lyff in luste & lykyng of þi flessℏ; ffor what payn̛ mott þou suffer mor̛ in heƚƚ þan̛ þou suffres now?" And euer he lay styƚƚ & nothyng wold̛ say. And when̛ þe fendis saw þatt, þai bett hym̛ & gaff hym̛ many a sore wownde, and þat anys, twyse, thryce, to so mekuƚƚ þat att þe laste þai lefte hym̛ halfe deade. And þai cryed̛ with a hedus noyce & sayd̛: " Vicisti! Vicisti!" And with þat þai vanyshid̛ away, and nevur after apperid̛ vnto hym̛.

• ...Perseuerans in bono eciam mortem contempnit. Infra de silencio, ij.
• ...Perseuerare debent novicij in deuocione. Supra de Novicio.