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

DCCLXXXVIII.
Vsurariorum elemosine non placent deo.

Cesarius tellis how som tyme in Colayn̛ þer was ane vsurarie, and he feƚƚ vnto compunccion̛ & shrafe hym̛ vnto a preste. And he sayd̛ he wolde gyff all his gudis for Goddis sake, and þan̛ þe preste bad hym̛ cut shyvis of bread̛ & fyƚƚ a kyste þerwith and lokk it. And so he did̛. And on̛ þe toder day, when̛ he sulde com̛ & se it & opynd̛ þe kyste, he fand þer als many tadis as he put in shyvis of bread̛. And when̛ he tolde þe preste þerof, he sayd̛; "Loo, now, how þine almos at þou makis of þine vsurie plesis vnto God!" And he was ferd̛ & axkid̛ what he sulde do. And he said̛, "And þou wiƚƚ be savid̛, lyg aƚƚ þis nyght nakyd̛

emang yone vermyn̛." Lo! how grete contricion̛ he had! For þuff aƚƚ he did̛ it with a grete vgsomnes, he layd̛ hym̛ nakid emang þis vermyn̛. And þe preste lokkid̛ þe kyste and went his ways, and on̛ þe toder day when̛ he oppynd itt, he fand nothyng þer bod þis mans banys. And he tuke þaim & berid̛ þaim in a porche of Saynt Geryon̛. And as it is sayd̛, þai er of so grete vertue þat vnto þis day no tade may abyde whykk within þe bowndis of þat kurk̘.

• ...Vsurarij condentis testamentum omnia debent reportari in manus executorum, et inde debent fieri restituciones. Supra de testamento.