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

DCCXVI.
Simonia. Simoniace nullus debet elegi.

Cesarius tellis how on̛ a tyme when̛ þai sulde chese a new abbott at þe abbay of Saynt Denys in Fraunce, þe priour of þe same monasterie come vnto þe kyng of France, & gaff hym̛ l libras, & prayed hym̛ to vuchesafe favur his partie. And þe kyng wold̛ beheste hym̛ no thyng, bod tuke þe money & made hym̛ in a hope, & betuke þis money vnto his chamberlayn̛. So þe selerer of þe place wyste not of þis, nor þe thresurar nowder, and ather of þaim

come vnto þe kyng & broght hym̛ a grete som̛ of gold̛ & prayed̛ hym̛ favur þaim. & he tuke þe mony evure dele [MS. evur edele.] . And when̛ þe day come at þe abbott sulde be chosyn̛ on̛, and þe kyng satt in þe chapytur-hows, and þies iij abade of þe kynges reward̛, þe kyng was war of a gude innocent monke, syttand̛ in þe hyrn̛ of þe chapitre. And he callid̛ hym̛ vnto hym̛ and made hym̛ abbott. And he excusid̛ hym̛ faste & wolde nott hafe bene, and alegid̛ many thyngis. And emang oþer þingis he alegid̛ at þe abbay was gretelie endettid̛, & he was bod a pure man̛. And with þat þe kyng smylid̛, and ansswerd̛ hym̛ & sayd̛; "I saƚƚ giff þe onone M ƚ pond̛, and if þou myster I saƚƚ len̛ þe als muche, and helpe þe & forther þe in þat I can̛. And þerfor̛ take it on hand̛ boldlie." And so he did̛, and þe kyng gaff hym̛ þis gude at þai had broght hym̛. And þus þies symonyers war confusid̛, & belife þe abbay was wele rewlid̛ and clere oute of dett.