CCCCXCVI.
Misericordia dei omnibus est
aperta.
Maister Alexander, þe bisshop of Mylan̛, tellis how som̛ tyme þer was a scoler off Bolayn̛. And on̛ a nyght as he lay in his bed, hym̛ þoght he was be his one in a grete felde, & þer he was war, as hym̛ þoght, of a grete tempeste, & a huge, of storm̛ & evuƚƚ weddur com̛ oute of þe nortℏ. And he hym̛ selfe was gretelie giffen̛ to syn̛ and wrichidnes. So hym̛ þoght he was ferd̛ for þis storm̛ & was nere evyn̛, & he ran̛ als faste as he myght & gatt hym̛ to þe town̛, and come vnto a howse & knokkid̛ at þe dure & prayed þaim latt hym̛ com̛ in. And a womman̛ within answered̛ hym̛ & said̛; "I am̛ Rightwusnes att dwellis here, and þou þat erte nott riȝtwus may nott com̛ in here." And þan̛ he went vnto a noder dure & knokkid̛, & prayed̛ þaim latt hym̛ com̛ in. And one within ansswerd̛ hym̛ & said̛; "I am̛ Trewth at dwellis [MS. dwellid.] here, & þou þat luffis not trewtℏ saƚƚ not com̛ in here." And þan̛ he went vnto þe iij dure, & knokkid̛ & prayed̛ at he mott com̛ in, & one ansswerd̛ hym̛ within & said̛; "I am Pease þatt dwelles here, & becauce þat peas is not to wykkyd men̛, þerfor̛ þou saƚƚ not com̛ in here, ffor aƚƚ my thothtes er of peas, & not of affliccion̛ nor of dissese. Bod I cownceƚƚ þe att þou go vnto my suster þat dwellis by me att þe next howse, þat helpys aƚƚ þat er in dissese." And he went vnto þe iiij dure & knokkid̛, and a womman̛ ansswerd̛ hym̛ with-in & said̛; "I am̛ Mercye þat dwellis here, and if þou wiƚƚ hafe me & be savid̛ fro yone grete tempeste, þou muste go vnto þe howse of þe freer prechurs in Bolayn̛ & make þe a freer, & þer þou saƚƚ be savid̛." And þis scoler with þis wakynd̛, & on̛ þe morn̛ he rase & went vnto þe freers & told̛ þaim aƚƚ his vysion̛ & askyd̛ þaim þe abbett & reseyvid̛ it, & liffid̛ þer many a day & was a gude man̛ & a holie.