DCCLIX.
Timere debent viri boni purgatorium.
We rede in 'Libro de Dono Timoris' how on̛ a tyme as a certayn̛ meneya of religious men̛ spak samen of purgatorie & was passand̛ ferd̛ þerfor̛, þer was emangis þaim a lay man̛, & he sayd̛ "It is a grete merveƚƚ of you, sen ye or so gude men̛ & of so grete penans, þat ye hafe so grete drede. Sekurlie and secular men̛ þat duse so mekuƚƚ iƚƚ & duse so little penans þerfor knew it, þai wulde faƚƚ in a dispayr." And þan̛ ane of þaim tolde hym̛ ane exsample of a blynd̛ man̛, as is tellid̛ befor̛ of þe blynd̛ man̛. Also we rede of a preste þat was holden̛ a holie man̛, þat in his lyfe did grete penance. And vnto one þat axkid̛ hym̛ whi he did̛ so, he ansswerd̛ & said̛ þus; "And a þis town̛ were fuƚƚ of fyre, me had levur be þerin vnto þe day of dome þan̛ for to be in purgatorie or in heƚƚ a day."