Story.

Teucippus reigned̛ in the Citee of Rome, the whiche amonge other vertues that he had̛, he was mercifuƚƚ; wherfore of grete mercy he ordeyned̛ a law, that every blynde man shuld̛ have an hundred̛ shelynges of his tresoure. ¶ It fille on a tyme, that xxiiij. men come to the Citee, for to drynke wyne; and aƚƚ thei went into a Taverne, and there satte drynkyng iij. daies or iiij. tille thei hadde dronken̛ more wyne than they had̛ money to paye. ¶ Than the Taverner̛ asked̛Page  35 hem for his wyne, and said̛, "none of̘ you shaƚƚ go, tille that I be paid̛." ¶ Than said̛ one of the drynkers, "Wille ye have a good̛ counsaile?" And they said̛, "Ye, I pray the." Than he said̛, "ye know aƚƚ wele everychone, that the Emperours law is, that every blynde man shaƚƚ [leaf 10, back] have an hundred̛ shelynges of the Emperours tresorye. ¶ Therfore cast we lotte amonge vs, and lette se vpone whom the lotte shaƚƚ falle, and his bothe eyen̛ lette be put out; and so he may go to the paleys, and after the law aske in the tresorye of the Emperour an hundred̛ shillynges; ¶ And witℏ tho hundred̛ shillynges we may acquyte vs aƚƚ." Whan his felawes hadde herde this, thei were right glad̛, and saiden, "this is right a good̛ counsaile." ¶ And so anon̛ thei cast lotte, and the lotte fille vpon hym that gafe the counsaile; and so his felishippe put out his eyen̛. And whan he was blynd̛, one of his felawes lad̛ him to the paleys; and than he asked̛ of the Steward̛ an hundred̛ shillynges, as the law was. ¶ The Steward̛ said̛, "Frende, yisterday thou sawe clere i-noughe, and thou knowest not how the law is made. The law was ordeyned̛ only for men, that of infirmyte or of goddes sonde were made blynde, and not for suche as have dronken̛ out her eyen̛ in the Taverne; wherfore go thi way, for here thou shalt have no money." ¶ The wrecched̛ blynd̛ manPage  36 went to his felawes, and told̛ hem this aunswere of the Steward̛. ¶ Whan the Taverner̛ had̛ herd̛ this, he spoyled̛ hem aƚƚ out of her clothes; and so with grete confusion̛ thei went out of the Citee, and were no more sayn̛.