CCXCV.
Elemosina non debet esse causa vane
glorie.
Heraclides tellis how a halie womman̛ of Rome, þat hight Sancta Melama [Harl. MS. Melana.] , broght on̛ a tyme vnto abbott Pampus [Harl. MS. Paulo. Arund. MS. Pambo.] iij c. libra, & he thankid̛ hur þerfor̛ & bad God reward̛ hur [MS. hym.] ; & he gaff it vnto his servand̛ & bad hym̛ go devide it emang his brethir. And sho stude stiƚƚ and̛ þoght sho suld̛ hafe had̛ owder grete lovyng, or grete blissyng, for þis gifte; & when̛ sho hard̛ he wold̛ say no mor̛, sho said̛ vnto hym̛: "Sur, I latt þe witt þer is in þatt pokett iij c. libra." & yit he lukid̛ not vp̛; & þan̛ he said: "Doghter, þou sulde say þis easyelie when̛ þou hase gyffen̛ þine almos [Latin MSS. "Si inde, o filia, hoc offerens, competenter hoc diceres."] . And þerfor̛ be stiƚƚ & luke after no lawde of man̛, bod of Hym̛ þat þou giffes it for̛; ffor He þat made aƚƚ þing of noght, He can̛ reward̛ þe when̛ att Hym̛ plesis; & þerfor̛ luke after no noþer thank̘ nor reward̛ bod of Hym̛."
- ...Elemosina data amore alicuius sancti ipsi datur, et in presenti aliquando remuneratur. Infra de peregrino.