Seynt Ihōn and Troylë homward nam:
Troyle fyl yn a grete syknes
For sorow [sorowe.] of hys large almes;
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Þat sorow [sorowe.] hadde hym so ouercome,
Þat þe feuer hadde hym nome. [O. gloss 'take.']
He wende weyl þat he hadde be lore,
So lytyl hope yn hym was bore.
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Hys godë hopë was ful badde,
For hym þoghte lore, þat pore men hadde.
Seynt Ihon wulde nat Troyle forgete,
He sente aftyr hym to þe mete;
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But he excused hym, and seyd nay,
And seyd þat he yn þe feuer lay,
And to þe deþe he hoped weyl, [wele.] [folio 46b:2]
Þarefore ne myȝt he come þat sele. [þat tyme]
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whan Seynt Ihōn herde þat seye,
Þat Troyle supposed [soposede.] for to deye,
Asswyþë to hym he ȝede,
And cunseyled hym to haue no drede;
"Drede þe noght, [nat.] my godë sone,
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Goddës manere we owe to kone;
For alle þo þat he loueþ dere,
he chasteþ hem on many manere;
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And as he sendeþ to þè, sykenes,
He wyl sende hele whan hys wyl es."
Seynt Ihōn wyst wele hys herte,
Hys sykënes, and alle hys querte;
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Þarfore he seydë on þys wyse—
For he knew hys coueytyse,—
"Þy golde þat was to me so redy,
To me þou lentyst hyt, graunte mercy;
For y was yn wyl, for þe feste,
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Þat euery hadde a peny, who so hadde leste.
