LXXVIII.
Archidiaconus ad episcopatum aspirans perpetrauit
homicidium.
We rede in 'Libro de Dono Timoris,' how som̛ tyme þer was in Ducheland̛ ane archdekyn̛ þat desirid̛ gretelie to be a bisshopp̛, & contyrfetid̛ her̛-for̛ þe bisshoppis deade; & he garte lay a grete stane abown̛ þe yate at þe bisshopp̛ vsid̛ to go in att þe kurk att; and þer was owr̛ þe yate ane ymage of our ladie. And on̛ a tyme, as þe bisshop̛ went befor̛ aƚƚ his felaship̛, & sett hym̛ down̛ to wurshup̛ þis ymage on̛ his kneis, þis stane was put down̛, & smate oute his hernys. And onone aftre, þis archedekyn̛ was made bisshopp̛, & made a grete feste at his stallyng. So at þis ffeste þer was a grete prince þat servid̛ hym̛, & sodanlie he was ravisschid̛ into a vision̛, & þer he saw our ladie with a grete multitude of aungels & Sayntis, berand þe bisshopp̛ head̛ at þe harnys was strekyn̛ oute off, and present it vnto Almiȝtti God, sayand̛ on̛ þis maner of wise; "dere Son! yit þis my servand̛ hede bledis; & yit his succidur þe homycide, at garte sla hym̛, ioyes of his dignytie at he hase after hym̛." And þan̛ our Lord̛ askid̛ hur whome he sulde send vnto hym̛. And sho said̛; "Lo! yonder is his server." And þan̛ our̛ Lorde commanddid̛ hym̛ in payn̛ of dethe, þat he sulde with-oute contynnance teƚƚ þe bisshopp̛ aƚƚ þat evur he had bothe hard̛ & sene. And þan̛ he come vnto hym̛ selfe & wepud̛, & went in & told̛ opynlie vnto þe bissho[p], befor̛ aƚƚ at þer was, aƚƚ þat he had bothe hard̛ & sene. And when̛ þis bisshopp̛ had hard̛ hym̛ oppynlie befor̛ aƚƚ men̛, he wex wude & swelte. et c̛.