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

LXXV.
Apostate aliquando eciam mali peiores efficiuntur.

Cesarius tellis how þer was som̛ tyme a yong man̛ þat made [hym] of a monk̘ of Ceustos ordur, and þuff [MS. if.] aƚƚ he was gretelie movid̛ be a bisshop̛ at was his Cussyn̛ to com̛ oute of þe place, yit neuer-þe-les he wolde nott, bod abade stiƚƚ & was professid̛, & efterward̛ made a preste. So afterward̛ be temptacion̛ of þe devuƚƚ, he gatt oute of his place & went vnto a grete company of thevis; & he, þat was gude emang his brethir, was þer þe warste of aƚƚ. So on̛ a tyme, at þe sege of a Casteƚƚ, hym̛ happend̛ to be hurte with ane arow, & was bown̛ to dye. And men̛ abowte cownceld̛ hym̛ to shryfe hym̛, and̛ he ansswerd̛ & sayd̛; "What may shrifte profett me, þat hase done so many grete trispasis?" And þe preste told̛ hym̛ þat þe mercie of God was more þan̛ was aƚƚ hys syn̛. And þan̛ he began̛ to shryfe hym̛, & sett hym̛ down̛ on̛ his kneis befor̛ þe preste; and God sent hym̛ swilk contricion̛ þat euer when̛ he began̛ to shryfe hym̛, he sighed̛ & wepid̛ so sore þat he mott not speke a wurd̛. So at þe laste he tuke his spiritt vnto hym̛ & sayd̛; "Sur, I hafe synnyd̛ ofter þan̛ þer is graveƚƚ in þe see, and I hafe gane oute of myne ordur and felashippid̛ me with thevis & lurdans, & slayn̛ many a man̛. And if þai be savid̛ I mon̛ nott, ffor I hafe violatt & fylid̛ many mens wyvis, & þer chuldre, & burnyd þer howsis, & done many other infenyte illis." And þe preste was bod a fule & said̛; " Maior est iniquitas tua quam veniam mercaris:

þi syn̛ & þi wikkednes is more þan̛ evur þou may gett forgiffnes off." And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛; " Sur, I am̛ a clark̘, & I hafe sene þis written, ' Quacumque hora ingemiscerit peccator, et cetera: Whatt howr̛ som euer þat a synner forthynkis his syn̛, & shryvis hym̛ clene þerof, almighti God wiƚƚ forgiff hym̛.' And þerfor̛ I beseke you for Goddis sake to enioyn̛ me som̛ penance for my syn̛." And þan̛ þe preste said̛; "I wate nevur what penance I sulde enioyne þe, for þou arte bod a loste man̛." Than̛ he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "Sur, sen̛ þou wiƚƚ not enioyn̛ me penance, I saƚƚ enioyn̛ my selfe penance; And þerfor̛ I bynd̛ my selfe to be ij Mƚ . [Mƚ. omitted, and added above the line.] yere in purgatorie; & after þat at I may hafe forgifnes of my syn̛ of aƚƚmyghti God̛." And þan̛ he askid þat he myght be howseld̛, and þis fond̛ preste wolde not howseƚƚ hym̛. Than̛ at þe laste, he prayed̛ hym̛ write his confession̛ in a scrow, and at he wold̛ giff it vnto þe bisshopp̛ þat was his cussyn̛; and þe preste hight hym̛ þat he suld̛ do so. And þan̛ he dyed & his sawle went vnto purgatorie, as he had bon̛ it to do. And þe preste offerd̛ þis ceduƚƚ vnto þis bisshopp̛; and when̛ þe bisshopp̛ redd itt he was passand̛ hevie & wepud, & said̛ þus vnto þe preste; "þer was neuer man̛ þat I luffid̛ so wele whikk̘, & þerfor̛ I saƚƚ luff hym̛ deade." And in þat yere he sente þurgℏ aƚƚ his bisshoppryke, & garte do message & oders prayers & suffrage of halie kurk̘ for hym̛. And at þe yere end̛ he aperid̛ vnto hym̛ with a pale & a lene face, & tolde hym̛ þat be his suffrage þat he garte do þat yere for hym̛, & did hym̛ selfe, he was remytt of a M ƚ yere þat he sulde hafe suffred̛ in þe payn̛ of purgatorie; & if he wold̛ do als mekuƚƚ for hym̛ þe nexte yere, he said̛ he sulde be clene delyverd̛ þeroff for evur. And þis bisshop̛ garte do for hym̛ þe secund yere as he did þe furste. And when̛ þis was done, as þe bisshop̛ was syngand̛ a mes for hym̛, he apperid̛ vnto hym̛ in a white cowle, & with a passand̛ fayr face, & sayd̛; "Almiȝtti God reward̛ þe at þou hase done for me; for be þi besynes I am̛ delyverd̛ in þies ij yere of þe paynys of ij M ƚ yere in purgatorie. And þerfor̛ I thanke the, for now I go vnto paridice vnto evurlastand̛ blis." et c̛.

• ...Apostate habentes firmum propositum redeundi si sic moriantur saluat eos, et reddit eis habitum monachalem. Infra de voluntate que pro facto reputatur.
• ...Apostata a fide aliquando a deo eciam corporaliter punitur. Infra de benedicta.