CCXCVIII.
Elemosina eciam viuis prodest quando pro eis
fit.
Iohannes Elemosinarius tellis how som̛ tyme þer was [After was, þat, erased.] a man̛ þat was taken̛ with [MS. repeats, with.] þe Persies & putt in-to prison̛. So other prisoners of his awn̛ contre þat was with hym̛ esskapid̛ & went home vnto his contrey, and told̛ his wyfe þat he was dead̛ & berid̛. And his wyfe & his frendis garte iij yere to-gedur þe preste euer-ilk a day do a colett for hym̛ in his mes. And in þe iiij yere hym̛ happend̛ esskape and com̛ home. And þai war fayn̛ on̛ hym̛ & told̛ hym̛ how þai had done for hym̛. And when̛ þai had̛ tolde hym̛, he said̛ þat euer-ilk a day at þat colett was said̛ for hym̛, aboute mes-tyme, þer come a fayr man̛ & lowsid̛ hym̛ oute of his yrnys. And so he was lowse aƚƚ day afterward̛ to nyght come; and þan̛ he wold̛ lay hym̛ down̛, & on̛ þe morn̛ he felid̛ hym-selfe bon̛ agayn̛ in yrnys as he was befor̛.