LIII.
Amicicia. Amicus verus eciam morti se exponit pro
amico.
We rede how þat Pictagoras had ij disciples, & þai was passand gude frendis, & ather luffid̛ wele other. And þat one hight Damon̛ & þe toder Phicias. So on̛ a tyme Dionisius, þat was a tirand, wolde hafe slayn̛ þe tone of þaim, & he þat sulde be deade askid lefe þat he myght go home & ordand̛ for his wife & his howshold̛, & he sulde com̛ agayn̛. And þe toder become his borgℏ, & bade behynd̛ hym̛ in his stede. And when̛ þe day come, þis disciple come nott agayn̛, & þan̛ euere man̛ demyd̛ þe toder, þat was his suertie, to dye for hym̛. And þis man̛ at was suertie sayde he dowtid̛ nothyng þe constance of his frend̛, and present hym̛ befor̛ þis tyrand, & bad hym̛ do with hym̛ what he wolde & asoyle hys frend̛. And þan̛ þis tyrand̛ had grete mervayle of his witt, & for his trew frenship̛ he forgaff þaim bothe. et c̛.