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

DCLXIV.
Quies mentis in omnibus est querenda.

Saynt Ierom̛ tellis of iij men̛ þat luffid̛ passand wele to-gedur, & þai aƚƚ iij went and made þaim monkis. And one of þaim chose

to condycion̛ to make þaim att ane at was at debate, and þe secund̛ chose hym̛ to seryff þaim at wer seke, and þe iij luffyd alway to be solitarie and be hym̛ selfe. And þe furste, when̛ he had done mykyƚƚ & mott not agre þaim aƚƚ þat wer at discorde, he began̛ to wax irke, & come vnto þe toder & tolde hym̛, & fande at he was irk̘ also becauce he mott not seryff seke folk̘ to plesans. And þies ij war acordyd̛ samen & come vnto þe thrid̛ and tolde hym̛ of aƚƚ þer trubbles, and prayed̛ hym̛ at he wold̛ teƚƚ þaim what at profettyd þaim. And he went from̛ þaim a liteƚƚ and put watir in a copp̛ and sayd̛ vnto þaim [Latin MSS. "Intendite in aquam," et turbulenta erat. Post modicum iterum dixit; "Attendite quam limpida facta est aqua." Cumque intenderent in aquam viderunt uultos suos.] ; "Behold̛ in-to þe watir!" And it was drovy, & so þai did̛ & þai saw þer awn̛ facis as þai had lukid̛ in a myrrour. And þan̛ he said̛; "þus þai þat er emang many men̛ may not se þer awn̛ synnys no mor̛ þan̛ ye mot se your awn̛ shadus in þis watir when̛ it was drovye; and when̛ þai hafe bene awhile in solatare place be þer ane, þan̛ þai may se þaim."