CLXVII.
Compaciendum est leprosis.
Jacobus de Vetriaco tellis how som̛ tyme þer was a worthi ladie, & sho had grete petie of seke folk, & speciallie of lepre men̛. And hur husband̛ was a myghti man̛, & he had lepre folk in so grete vgsomnes þat he myght not suffer to se þaim, nor lat þaim com̛ with-in his howse. So on̛ a day as a lepre man̛ was cryand̛ at his yate, þe ladie come to hym̛ & askid̛ hym̛ if he wold̛ owder eate or drynk̘, and he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "I am̛ here hugelie turment with hete of þe son̛, & I wiƚƚ nowder eate nor drynk bod if þou take me into þi place." And sho ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "knowis þou not how my husband̛ vgis to see lepros men? & he wiƚƚ onone com̛ home fro huntyng, & if he fynde þe with-in his place, happelie he wiƚƚ sla bothe þe and me." And he wepid̛ & made sorow. So at þe laste þis ladie might no langer se hym̛ wepe, & sho tuke hym̛ vp̛ in hur armys & bare hym̛ into hur place, and þan̛ sho prayed̛ hym̛ to eate. He said̛ agayn̛ he wald̛ nowder eat nor drynk bod if sho bare hym̛ vnto hur chamber & layde hym̛ in hur awn̛ bed̛, & þer he wolde riste hym̛ awhile & þan̛ he wold̛ eate. And he made so mekuƚƚ sorow þat sho mot not suffre itt, þat sho had hym̛ vnto hur chawmer & laid̛ hym̛ in hur bed̛, & sho laid̛ a softe cod vndernethe his head̛ & happed hym̛ with a gay couerlad̛. And þis done, onone hur husband̛ come home fro huntyng & bad hur oppyn̛ hym̛ þe chamber dure, & he wold̛ lay hym̛ down̛ & slepe a while; & sho was ferd̛ at he suld̛ sla bothe þe lepre man̛ & hur, & made hur to tarie a while, & wold̛e not com̛ & oppyn̛ þe dure redelie. & he seyng at sho tarid̛ & wold̛ nott com̛, brest oppyn̛ þe dure in a grete anger and went in-to þe chambr̛. And̛ onone he come bakk agayn̛ & mett his wyfe & sayde vnto hur; "Now þou hase done wele; for þou hase arayed̛ our bed̛ on̛ þe beste wise, bod I mervayƚƚ whare þou gat so gude spicis þurgℏ whilk aƚƚ our chawmer is fyllid̛ so fuƚƚ of gude savir with, for onone as I come into þe chaw[m]ber, þer was þerin so swete a savur at me thoght I was in paradice." And when̛ sho þat befor̛ was ferd̛ for hur dead̛ hard̛ þis, sho went in-to þe