DCCLXIII.
Vanitas semper est fugienda.
We rede ex 'Dictis Patrum' how som tyme þer was a monk at Constantynople, & dwelte þer in þe tyme of Theodoce þe emperour in a litiƚƚ ceƚƚ with-oute þe cetie. And þe emperour harde teƚƚ on̛ hym̛ & went vnto hym̛ be his one at speke with hym̛; & when̛ he come vnto hym̛ he knew not at it was þe emperour, & þis monke hastid̛ hym̛ & put water in a vesseƚƚ, & tuke salte & a morceƚƚ of brede & servid̛ hym̛ þer-off & þai ete to-gedur. And þan̛ he sayd̛; "I am Theodos þe emperour, & of devocion̛ I come hydur. Ye er blissid̛ þat er so sekur & so fre of your necessities in þis werld̛, & ye hafe a ristfuƚƚ & a quiett lyffe forby þat I hafe; ffor suthelie & was blissidlie born̛ in my realm̛, and now I liff þerin & I neuer eatt nor drynk̘ with-outen̛ besynes." And with þat he tuke his lefe att hym̛ and went his ways. So when̛ he was gone, the same nyght þis monke compasid̛ in his mynd̛ & said̛ vnto hym̛ selfe; "Not alonlie many of þe peple, bod also many of þe emperour pales, folowyng þe exsample of þe emperour, wiƚƚ now com̛ for to se me & do me wurshup̛ as þe servand̛ of God̛. And herof I suppoce þai wuƚƚ not sease. And I am ferd̛ leste þe fend̛ vndergo me & make me gladlie to ressayfe þaim, & at my harte take a comfu[r]tℏ be þer lovyng & be þer wurshup̛, and be þat at I sulde begyn̛ to lose þe vertue of my mekenes." And when̛ he had þus consydurd̛ in hym̛ selfe, þe same night he went into wyldernes in Egypte, and dwelte þer aƚƚ his lyfe-tyme after with holie fadurs, oute of syght.