DCCXII.
Silencium strictissimum tenere debent
religiosi.
We rede of Zenocrates þe philosophur, how on̛ a tyme as he satt talkand̛ with oder folk, sodanlie he held̛ his tong & wold̛ not ansswer þaim. And when̛ þai axkid̛ hym̛ whi he wolde not speke [MS. spele.] , he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & sayd̛; "Som tyme me hase forthoght þat I spak̘, bod neuer þat I held̛ my tong."
Also we rede in 'Vitis Patrum' how þat one alde monk̘ kepid̛ a passand̛ strayte sylence. And on̛ a tyme when̛ þer come vnto hym̛ a man̛ of grete auctoritie, þe brethir prayed̛ hym̛ at he sulde putt vnto hym̛ som gude thyng for edificacion̛ of his sawle. [& he ansswerd again & said] [The Latin version has the usual preface: qui ait.] , "And̛ he be not amendid̛ be my silence, he may not be amendid̛ be my wurd̛."
Also Guillelmus tellis how som tyme þer was ane erle in Normondie þat was passand̛ deuote vnto almiȝtty God̛. And he vsid̛ oft sithis to vissit a kurk̘ of monkis. So on̛ a tyme he come tymelie on̛ a nyght in a meke habett, and I can̛ not say be whatt crafte, bod he gatt into þe kurk̘. And þe sacristan̛, trowyng at he had bene a thefe, bett hym̛ & putt hym̛ oute of þe kurk̘. And in þe mornyng, þe erle come into þe chapitur howse emang þe monkis, & commendid̛ þis sacristan̛ becauce he was so diligent in his offes, & at he sparid̛ hym̛ not when̛ he come at inordinatt tyme. And fro thens furtℏ þis erle was so diligent in his offes & his prayers, at þer myght none grevans lett his silens.