DCLXXIII.
Religiosus non debet se de secularibus
intromittere.
Iacobus de Vetriaco tellis how som tyme þer was a knyght þat lefte aƚƚ his possessions & his wurshuppis and his welefaris, and made hym̛ a monk̘. And þe abbot saw at he was a wyse man̛ and sent hym̛ vnto þe markett to seƚƚ assis of þe abbay at was olde, & at he sulde by yong; þuff aƚƚ he war displesid̛ þer-with, neuer-þeles he went, and wolde not breke his obediens. And when̛ men̛ axkid hym̛ if þe assis wer gude & yong, he ansswerd euer agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Trow ye at our abbay is fallen̛ vnto suche pouertie at we sulde seƚƚ our gude assis & our profetable?" So one come & axkid hym̛ whi þer taylis wer so pylde, and no hare lefte on̛ þaim. He ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Becauce þai faƚƚ oft sythis vnder þer lade & we lifte þaim euer vp be þe tayllis, and þat is cauce þer tayllis er bare." And þus he wolde nott layn̛ þe treutℏ. So hym̛ happend̛ seƚƚ none of þaim, and come home vnto his cloystur. A noder lewid̛ monke at was with hym̛ at þe markett accusyd̛ hym̛ evyn̛ opynlie in þer chapiter hows; and þe abbott dysplyd̛ hym̛ as it had bene for a grete truspas. And he ansswerd̛ vnto þe abbott agayn̛ & sayd̛; "I lefte many assis & mekuƚƚ oþer gude thyng in þe werlde, and I come hedur to seryff God̛ & becauce I sulde nott lye, bod at I sulde safe my saule." And þus fro thens furtℏ he was nevur sent oute forwarde.
- ...Religiosus mentiri non debet. Supra de mendacio, ij.