DCLXXVII.
Religiosi non debent statum secularium
contempnere.
Saynt Ierom̛ tellis of one þat hight Paphencius, whilk þat when̛ he had long tyme vsyd aungeƚƚ lyfe, he made his prayer vnto almightie God̛ at he wold̛ shew hym̛ to whilk saynt of hevyn̛ he sulde be like in blis. And it was shewid̛ hym̛ at he sulde be lyke vnto one Simphoniacus þat dwelte in þe next strete. And he went onone vnto hym̛ and axkid̛ hym̛ of his reule & his gouernans. And he tolde hym̛ at he had vsid̛ to be emang thevis & knew no gude dede, nor neuer did̛ none, safeyng onelie at he gatt a damyseƚƚ fro his felows, at þai had taken̛ & defowlid̛, & savid̛ hir honesti at þai lay not by hur. And he tolde hym̛ also how he gaff vnto ane honeste womman̛ in wyldrenes, goand wyƚƚ, iij c penys to rawnson̛ hur husband̛ & hur childer þat lay in sore prison̛. And þan̛ þis Paphencius tolde hym̛ hys vision̛ and had hym̛ with hym̛ vnto wyldrenes, and with-in a little while after he dyed, and he saw his saule had vnto hevyn̛. A nodir tyme þe same was shewid hym̛ of þe primat of þe cetie, þat was wed xxxti yere & evur kepud̛ hym̛ in chastitie from̛ his wyfe, and he saw his sawle also had vnto hevyn̛. And the thrid tyme it was shewid hym̛ þe same of a merchand̛. And þan̛ when̛ he sulde dye and prestis come vnto hym̛, he said vnto þaim; "No man̛, nowder thefe nor merchand̛, sulde be despysid, for emang peple of evur-ilk degre is God plesud with som̛ sawlis." And he tolde þaim in ordur aƚƚ þat is aforn̛ saide, and þan̛ he passid̛ vnto God.
- ... Religiosus non debet discurrere. Supra de affectu.