A priest who lived in another land kept a woman in his house who he considered his wife and from whom he would not leave, as for him the sin appeared to him as one of love.
They had four sons who grew up in the house of their elders. Later, they were sent to school; three were ordained as priests, and the fourth became the master of the three as he studied the longest.
When they had all become priests, the father died but the mother lived another four or five years. The sons knew that they had been born in sin and that their mother had led a sinful life. They asked their mother to think about her earlier life and with a remorseful heart while practicing strict penance to ask God for mercy and forgiveness.
But she replied that she felt that was unnecessary. “I now have four sons,” she said, “all who are priests. Through your prayers you will be able to bring about that in spite of my sins that I’ve done I’ll go to heaven.” They asked which sins those were. “When I’m dead,” she answered, “watch over me here at home for three nights and three days. With that I hope to avoid a bad result, and at the same time you yourselves will see what fate is chosen for me.”
The sons promised to fulfill her wish. Not long afterward, she became sick and died. Her body was laid on a funeral bier and along with others, the four sons held a watch. When midnight came the bier began to move, but the sons sprang up and held it fast while the others fled from fright.
The second night at the same hour the bier shook violently so that those on watch almost lost their minds from fear. Then the devil tore the body down from its resting place and dragged it to the door. The sons were so upset by the horrible event that they didn’t know what to do next, but finally they gathered courage, grabbed hold of the body, carried it back to the bier and tied it securely with strong straps.
But on the third midnight, there appeared such a large number of devils that the whole house was filled. They took the body with the bier, carried them out and went with it to hell.
Now the sons knew that the mother’s body and soul were irretrievably lost. The youngest of the brothers, who was more learned than the other three, preached this story throughout England to warn other priests about being untrue to the chastity of their vows.
Then even if someone is as wise as Solomon and as eloquent as Aaron, and if he lives 1,000 years, he would not be able to sufficiently describe the severe penalty that befalls a priest who is guilty of such sins. They may certainly become angry if someone preaches this to them, but it is well founded through the witness of the holy texts.