On a day, he bad hys orysun,
And was yn grete afflyccyon,
Line 4028
And preyd God he wulde hym ȝeue
Sum gode cumforte with-al to leue.
Þus preyd Florens yn hys bede [folio 27b]
Þat Gode shuld sende hym sum felaurede.
whan he ros vp of his orysown,
he ȝede yn hys celle vp and down,
And opened hys ȝate, and loked oute,
And sagh a berë wylde and stoute.
Line 4036
Þys ychë bere come to þe gate [þe gate, glossed wey, O, gate H.]
To Florens þat stode yn þe ȝate;
But when þe bere come at hym nere,
Þe bere to hym loutede, and made feyre chere,—
Line 4040
Feyre chere as a bere myght make,—
And was so meke þat he myȝt hym take.
þys ychë Florens hym beþoght
þat God hadde herd þat he besoght,
Line 4044
And þanked hym of hys swete grace,
þat he hym sent hadde swyche solace.
For a myracle, ȝe may hyt vndyrstande,
þat a wyldë bere was tame to hande.
Line 4048
Þys godë man hadde syxë shepe,
And noun hyrde hem for to kepe;
He badde þe bere þat he shulde go
And dryue hys shepë to and fro,
Line 4052
And kepe hem weyl þat noun hem dere,
"And þou shalt be my godë bere."
Þe bere hym louted with semblant glad,
For to do as Florens hym badde;
Line 4056
To þe bere, he seyde hys auys,
"Euery day whan y ete twyys,
Come þou home at hygh vndurne,
And no lenger yn þe felde soiurne;
Line 4060
And euery day, when y faste,
