CCLXV.
Detraccio est fugienda.
We rede in 'Vitis Patrum' how þer was ij religious men̛ þat on̛ a tyme went furtℏ of þer abbay, & þai waxed̛ faynt for travellyng; & so þai warr hostid̛ with ane hermett, and he sett befor̛ þaim suche as he had in his ceƚƚ. So on̛ þe nyght as þai lay samen, he hard̛ þe tone of þaim say vnto þe toder; "This hermett hase better meate, & is better fed̛ þan̛ þai er þat liffis in abbays." And when̛ he hard̛ þaim say so he held̛ his tong. And on̛ þe morn̛ he had þaim vnto a noder hermett, & bad [Latin MSS. "Salutate eum ex me, et dicite ei; 'obserua et noli illud irrigare scilicet olera'." Quod ille intelligens, tenuit eos.] at þai sulde hayls hym̛, & teƚƚ hym̛ how he had made þaim at fare. And þai bad hym̛ þat, & he had any gude meate, þat he suld̛ kepe it & giff þaim nothyng bod potage. And he vnderstude þaim weƚƚ enogℏ, & held̛ þaim with hym̛ & garte þaim wurk with hym̛ euer-ilk day, & make skuttels & lepis of wandis evyn̛ vnto evyn̛; & þan̛ þai went vnto þer prayers. And þan̛ he sayd̛ he was nott wunte to supp, bod he sulde supp̛ for þer sake; and he sett befor̛ þaim sture brede & salte. And þan̛ he sayd̛ he wold̛ fare better for þer sake, and