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Lampadius Reigned̛ a wyse Emperoure in þe cite of Rome, and̛ amonge al oþere thinges he was mersyfulle; and̛ for grete mercy he ordeynid̛ for a lawe, þat yf ther wer̛ eny trespassoure ytake, & browte afore the Iuge, þat couthe seye iij. trewe talis, so trew that no man mygℏt ayene-seye hem, he shulde be I-savid̛, & have his
eritage. so þere was a knyght, named̛ plebeus; & this knight enhabitid̛ in a woode, & þere he Robbid̛ or slowhe al men̛ that travayled̛ by þat way. And̛ when the Iustice or the Iuge hard̛ of him, he sente wacchemen̛ & spyeris to fecche him; & anoon̛ he was I-take, & browte afore þe Iuge. & þenne saide þe Iuge to him, "dere frend̛, ouþere thow most sey iij. trewe poyntes, þat shul be vnrepugnable, oþere elles þou shalt be dede." Þen̛ þe knyght avnswerde, "Sir," he saide, "late silens be made, that men̛ may her̛ what I shalle seye; &, sir, I shalle fulfille the lawe." "Sirs," quod̛ he, "this is my firste sothe worde, that ye know wel echone, þat I have ben̛ al my lyf a thef and̛ a traytour." "is that soþe?" seide the Iuge to oþere men; "may ye argu ayenst him?" "Nay, sir," quod̛ they, "for yf he had̛ be noo trespassoure, he hadde not be I-browte her̛; certeyne he myght not seye a trewer worde than this was." Þenne saide þe Iuge, "what is thi secounde point?" "Sir," quod̛ he, "it is this, þat it is displesing to me that I come here." [leaf 167, col. 2] "Sothely," seide al men, "þat trowe we wel." "Sey þe thirde point," seide the Iuge, "& then þou haste fulfillid̛ the lawe, &
savid̛ thi lyf." "Forsoþe," quod̛ he, "yf euer I may passe from̛ yow, I shalle neuer come her̛ ayene, withe goddis wille." Þenne seide þe Iuge, "sothely, þou hast saide wel, and wel I-savid̛ thi lyf; goo þerefor, & be a goode man, & trespasse no mor̛, with thi wille, ayene the Emperour." Þe knyght yede his wey, and̛ made a faire Ende.
Dere frendes, this Emperour is oure lorde Ihesu crist, the whiche hathe ordeynid̛ for lawe, þat euerye synner or Traytoure, þat is I-take thorow þe grace of god̛, and̛ browte afore a Iuge, scil. a discret confessoure, sey iij. sothefastnes, so trewe, þat no devil con sey ayene hem in þe day of dome; þen̛ with oute dowte he shalle have euerlastynge lyf, with the eritage off heuin̛. The furste trew worde is, & shalle be this, "I am a thef, scil. lappid̛ with swiche synne, and̛ swiche a cryme, and̛ I am̛ a grete synner." The secounde is, "that it is displesing to me þat I have grevid̛ god̛ so muche, for the whiche I am stressid̛ to come heþere." And̛ the thirde is, "þat if I may passe hens, by the wey of satisfaccion̛, I
shulde not then neuer torne ayene to synne." And̛ yf ye do so, with outen dowte ye shulle have euerlastynge lyf. Ad quam nos &c.