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

DCXXXVI.
Predicator ea que predicat debet facere.

Iohannes Anachorita was a monk in wyldernes, and was enowrned̛ with þe flour of aƚƚ maner of vertues; and he was in bodye lyke vnto ane aungeƚƚ. And he was sent ilk day his fude from̛ almyghti God̛, ffor evure day he wold̛ go into his cafe, & þer he fand a burd, & bread̛ sett þer vppon̛ þat was passand white & of a mervalus swetnes. & when̛ he had etyn̛ þer-of, he wold̛ þonk God̛ & go vnto his prayers and his ympnes. And when̛ he began̛ to hafe a ioy of his merettis, onone þer entred into hym̛ certan̛ desyris of his witt be little & litle, at he mot vunethis purseyve þaim, and afterward̛ gretter, vnto so mucℏ at he wexid necligent, & mor̛ slow in his prayers þan̛ he was wunte to be. And so þer folowid̛ in his hert fowle thoghtis & wykkid̛, & he made no charge to correcte hym̛ for þies little thyngis. So on̛ a tyme when̛ he was strekyn̛ with a grete luste of his flessℏ, he went into his cafe to take hym̛ bread̛, and he fand bread̛, bod it was browner somwhatt þan̛ [MS. þat.] þe toder was; & he had grete merveƚƚ þeroff & was passand̛ hevye. Notwithstondyng he ete þerof and refresshid̛ hym̛. And vppon̛ þe toder day his thoghtis grew apon̛ hym̛, & on̛ þe nyght hym̛ thoght he lay be a womman̛; neuer-þe-les in þe mornyng he went vnto his prayers, & stude with a waveryng ee and a waveryng mynde. So he went into his

cave to take hym̛ meate, and he fand̛ a lafe, bod it was passand brown̛, & hard þerwith, and as it had bene gnawen̛ aƚƚ aboute with myce. And̛ þan̛ he began̛ to make sorow & weppyd, bod his sorow was not so great to distroy þe flawmys of his iƚƚ thoghtis. So at þe laste he was ouercommen̛ with thoghtis, to so mucℏ þat at mydnyght he rase & went vnto þe cetie; and when̛ it was day he was war of a lityƚƚ ceƚƚ of freers & he was werye, & þer he restid̛ hym̛. And þe brethur began̛ to axke of hym̛, as of a wyse fadur, who may esshew þe temptacions of þe devuƚƚ & evuƚƚ thoghtis. And þan̛ he sufficientlie techand̛ þaim̛ turnyd̛ agayn̛ vnto hym̛ selfe & sayd̛; "How may I command̛ other men̛ & is deseyvid̛ my selfe?" And þan̛ he said̛ vnto hym̛ selfe þus; "O þou wriche! Do furste þi selfe at þou techis oþer men̛ to do." And he tuke his lefe at his brethur & ran̛ als faste as he myght into wyldernes vnto his cafe agayn̛, & þer he sparrid̛ hym̛ selfe þerin, & cled his bodie in hare & putt askis on̛ his head̛. & þer he lay a long tyme in prayers & wepyngis, vnto ane angeƚƚ come vnto hym̛ & sayd̛ "Almighti God hase reseyvid̛ þi prayers and þi penance, bod fro hens furtℏ bewar at þou wex no mor̛ prowde, and so be deseyvid̛ when̛ þou leste wenys."