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

About this Item

Title
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
Author
Etienne de, Besançon, d. 1294
Editor
Banks, Mary Macleod
Publication
London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, & Co., Ltd.
1904, 1905
Rights/Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact [email protected]. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact [email protected].

DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States

Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/AlphTales
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/AlphTales. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 12, 2025.

Pages

DCCXVII.
Simonia committitur sine pecunia.

Cesarius tellis how on̛ a tyme a holie ancres sayd̛ vnto ane abbott of Ceustus ordur, when̛ he spirrid̛ hur whedur it was expedient vnto hym̛ to be abbott or nay, and sho said nay, it was not expedient unto hym̛ to abyde abbott, ffor he entrid̛ þerinto be symonye. And he ansswerd hur agayn̛ & sayd̛; "What says þou? Says þou at I have done symonye?" And sho ansswerd̛ hym̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "When̛ þe day of your eleccion̛ come, þou, desyrand̛ þe abbotshup̛, went not symeplie as þou was wunte to do, bod þou said̛ vnto þe symeple monkis on̛ þis maner of wyse; 'It is not our̛ wurshup̛ to chese our abbott with-oute our abbay,' becauce þou knew þer was none in þe abbay abyƚƚ to be abbot bod þou. And þus þou begylid̛ þaim & was made abbott." And when̛ he hard̛ þis, he grawntid̛ it & cuthe nott agayn̛-say it. & þan̛ he gaff vp̛ his abbotshup̛ & become a closter monke.

Page 481

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.