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De duobus veris amicis.
SUm tyme men reden þat þer was [ff. im engl. mit eigenem Titel; das folg. ist aber nur der Schluss der Ge|schichte.] [At etiam philosophorum gymnasia Damonem et Synthiam Pythago|reosincolas(!) ferunt (510-1 Zus.).]
In a cuntre, clept pittogoras,
Dwellynge þere twey men,
Iclept Sithia and Climonen;
To gedere þei loued hem wondur wel
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And frendes weoren at murþe and mel.
A tiraunt þer was of wikked red, [Quorum unus, cum esset morti adjudicatus, commendandorum suorum tempus poposcit.]
Jugged þat on to ben ded.
Anon riht þen in þat place
He preyed þe tiraunt of sum space,
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Þat his good he mihte dispose
As he hedde cast in purpose.
But for þe tiraunt leeued þon [Tyrannus autem astutissimus, cum reperiri non posse existimaret, petivit ut sponsorem daret, qui pro se feriretur, si ipse moram faceret.]
Þat he schulde ha founde no mon
In þat caas his borwh haue be,
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Anon riht graunted he,
So þat a borwh he mihte fynde
In þat caas wolde him bynde, [Das Relat. ausgelassen.]
Ȝif he ne come not at his day,
Þe deþ to take for him, in fay.
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His felawe þenne his borwh bicom, [(Quid de duobus praeclarius, nescio; utrumque praeclarum:) alter vadem mortis invenit, alter se obtulit.]
And þe toþur wente him hom.
Þe day was come, he was ful longe: [Itaque cum reus moram supplicio faceret, fidejussor sereno vultu mortem non recusavit.]
His borwh þe deþ schulde vndurfonge.
And as he was riht atte caas, [Cum duceretur, amicus reversus est, cervicem substituit, colla subjecit.]
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Þe toþur com in to þe plaas,
His nekke forþ he streihte ariht,
To saue his borwh, as he hedde hiht.
Þen þe tiraunt wondrede þer [Tunc admiratus tyrannus cario|rem philosophis amicitiam quam vitam fuisse, petivit ut ipse ab ipsis quos damnaverat in amicitiam reciperetur. Tantam virtutis esse gratiam (ut tyrannum inclinaret.) Digna laude, sed minora nostris:]
Þat þeose two men were more cheer
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Of heore loue þen of heore lyue;
He preyed hem him to receyue
In to heore loue for euer more,
And he heore lyf hem graunted þerfore.
Þis was grace of gret vertue,
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Frendschipe to kuiþe, to old and newe;
But þis was lasse worþi of meed
Þen þe knihtes and þe maiden ded:
For þulke weren boþe men, [Nam illi ambo viri, hic una virgo, quae primo etiam sexum vinceret; illi amici, isti incogniti; illi tyranno uni se obtulerunt, isti tyrannis pluribus ac etiam crudelioribus: quod ille pepercit, isti occiderunt; (inter illos in uno obnoxia necessitas, in his amborum voluntas libera; hoc quoque isti pruden|tiores, quia) illis studii sui finis amicitiae gratia, istis corona martirii: illi enim cer|taverunt hominibus, isti domino. Haec Ambrosius.]
Þe þride was a wommon clen
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Þat is more frele of kuynde
Þen mon, as bokus maken muynde;
Þulke were frendes of long tyme met,
Þeos weoren vnknowen, and no steuene set;
Þulke to on tiraunt hem ȝolde,
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But þeose to moni on, stout and bolde,
Þat weren more cruel þen was he,
For he hem spared, þeose let hem sle;
Þei for loue deþ wolde haue nome,
But þeose for þe croune of martirdome;
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Þulke hedden heore þonk tofore men,
But þeos tofore God glorious ben.
Þis lyf endyted seint Ambrose
On latyn. tak hede to his purpose!