DLXXIII.
Obediencia prefertur alijs
MS. alij. virtutibus.
We rede in 'Vitis Patrum' how som̛ tyme iiij brethir þat was cled aƚƚ in pylchis come vnto ane abbott þat hyght Pambo, & ilkone of þaim tolde hym̛ þe vertue of oþer, when̛ þai war away at þai spak off. So one of þaim was a grete faster, and anoder was passand̛ pure, and þe iij had passand mekuƚƚ charitie, and þe iiij had xij yere dwelte in obediens emang olde men̛ & brak neuer his obedyens. And þan̛ þis abbot Pambo sayde; "I saw þat þe vertue of hym̛ þis is mor̛ þan̛ of aƚƚ þe toder, ffor ilkone of you þe vertue þat he hase holdys it þurgℏ his awn̛ wyƚƚ, and he this makis his wyƚƚ his servand̛. And sucℏ men̛ er acordable in religion̛, and speciallie þai þat perseuers þerin vnto þer lyfis end̛."