A Priest in the House of Drinkers[1]
Petrus Alphonsus tellis how on a tyme two clerkis went samen before a place ther thar was many drynkers, and thai callid thaim in. And the tone of thaim went into thaim and the toder wold nott, bod went on hys wais; and it was fer within nyght. So the wachis of the town fande all thies drynkers syttand samen, and the clerk with thaim, and becauce a man of the town was robbid that nyght, thai tuke thaim all and the clerk with thaim, and hanged thaim. And the clerke at bade with, thaim, or he was hanged, sayd on this maner of wyse; "Quisquis inique gentis consorcio fruitur, procul dubio mortis immerite penas lucratur. What- somevur he be at vsis ill company, na dowte of he sall hafe ane ill dead.[2]"
The Latin version of this tale (No. vii, see I, 12, l. 2) is as follows: Dictum enim est duos clericos de ciuitate quadam vespere ut exspatiarentur exisse. Venerunt ergo in locum ubi potatores convenerant. Dixit alter socio suo: Divertamus alia via, quia philosophus dicit: Non est transeundum per sedem gentis iniquae. Respondit socius : Transitus non novebit, si aliud non affuerit. Et transeuntes andierunt in domo catilenam. Substitit alter retentus dulcedine cantus. Monuit socius ire: noluit. Recedente socio remansit solus illectusque cantu domum intravit. Undique vocatus sedit sedensque cum aliis potavit. Et ecce preco exploratorem civitatis fugientem sequens post ilium domum protantium intravit. Invento exploratore in ilia domo ipse et omnes capti sunt. Hic, inquit, hospitium huius exploratoris fuit: hinc exiit, hue rediit; omnes conscii et socii huius fuistis. Ducti sunt omnes ad patibulum, et clericus inter illos magna voce praedicabat omnibus: Quisquis iniquae gentis consortio fruitur, procul dubio mortis immeritae poenas lucratur.