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

DCLXXVI.
Religiosus potest bellare sine armis in spe diuini auxilii defendendo ius suum quod aliter habere non posset, quod magis est non bellare quam bellare.

Petrus Damianus tellis how þat in þe parties of Frawnce þer was in a place a [MS. repeats, a.] grete debate betwix ane abbott & a myghtie seculer man̛ for a possession̛ of a lyfelod̛, so þat when̛ þai had lang strevyn̛, ffavorers on̛ bothe parties arayid̛ þaim evyn̛ vnto bateƚƚ. And þis myghti man̛ come in-to þe felde with a grete company of armyd men̛ with hym̛, & bownd hym̛ to feght. And þis abbott, aƚƚ þat come with hym̛ to feght, he commandid̛ þaim

stand oparte & latt hym̛ & his monkis alone, and he sett aƚƚ his monkis on̛ hors, & made þaim cover þer hedis with þaire cowlis. And in þis maner of armur he come vnto þe place þer þai sulde feght; and onone his enmys, when̛ þai saw hym̛, wer strekyn̛ with suche ane vgsomnes at onone þai lightid̛ of þer horsis, & keste away fro þaim þer armor & þer wapyns and feƚƚ down̛ mekelie vnto þe erde, & axkid̛ hym̛ forgyfnes and nevur after made chalange vnto þis possession̛ agayn̛.