DCXXIII.
Pericula mundi sunt pertimenda
So Lat. MSS. The English MS. has percanenda..
We rede in 'Dictis Barlaam' how som tyme þer was a man̛ þat fled from̛ ane vnycorn̛, and hym̛ happend̛ faƚƚ in-to a grete pytt. And as he feƚƚ, hym̛ happend with his handis to gett holde be a buske at grew in þe syde of þe pytt, and his fete wer strayte in a vesseƚƚ [Harl. MS. pedibus uase quodam impressus, for pedibus base quadam lubrica impressis.] . So he lukid̛ aboute hym̛ & he saw ij myce, ane white & a noder blakk̘, & daylie þai gnew vppon̛ þe rute of þis buske, to it was nerehand̛ in sondre. And he consydurd̛ þe depenes of þis pytt, & he saw þer-in ane vglie dragon̛ spowtand fyre. So he lukid̛ vnto þe grownd̛ þeroff, & þer he saw iiij neddyr-hedis knytt to-gedur. So he lukyd wpward̛, & he saw a dropp̛ of hony drope in þe bewis of þis buske, & he, negligent of þe said̛ perels, he thoght he wold̛ no lefe, bod he wold̛ hafe þis drope of honye. et c̛. Moraliter sic. Frendis! Be þis vnycorn̛ is vnderstond̛ deade, & be þis pytt þe werld̛, and be þis buske þe lenthe of our lyfe, whilk þat be howris of þe day & of þe nyght, as a white mowce and a blak̘, cuttis it down̛; & be þe iiij neddyrs is vnderstand̛ þe iiij elementis þat mans body is made of, & be þe dragon̛