CCCCXVII.
Iuramento aliquos compellere non est
bonum.
We rede how on̛ a tyme a gude, trew, innocent man̛ lent vnto one of his neghburs a certan̛ þing, & when̛ he wold̛ hafe had it agayn̛ he said̛ he had borowid̛ none swilk on̛ hym̛, & wolde nott giff hym̛ it agayn̛. And he was compellid̛ to swer̛ þerfor̛, & sware; & þus þe gude, trew man̛ loste it. So vppon̛ þe same nyght þis man̛ was ravisshid̛ vnto þe dome of Almighti God̛. And he was askid̛ on̛ þis maner of wyse; "Whi hase þou made yone man̛ to swer̛ ane athe whilk þou knew was a fals athe?" And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛; "For he gaynsaid̛ me þe þing þat I lent hym̛." And þan̛ þe iustis said vnto hym̛; "It had bene bettir to þe to hafe loste þi þing þan̛ for to lat hym̛ lose his saule." And þer þe iustis commawndid̛ þat for his truspas he sulde be bett. And with þat he wakend̛ & grapyd̛ his bakk̘, & it was passand sare & fuƚƚ of yeddyrs & wowndis as he had bene betyn̛. And þus his trispas, after he was þus amendid̛, was forgiffen̛ hym̛.