Stod and louh at þat cas.
Seint Ambrose þenne wiþ deuocion
Seide: "þou þat stondest, fal nouȝt adoun!"
Vnneþe seint Ambrose þus hed seid,
Þe mon fel doun, on eorþe was leid,
Line 370
And sori was for his oune fallyng
Þat of þe toþur monnes fal made lauh|wyng.
ÞEr was also þat tyme a mon [Quadam etiam vice A. ad palatium Macedonii, magistri officiorum, ut pro quodam in|tercederet, venit; sed cum fores clausas invenisset nec intrandi copiam habere po|tuisset, ait: Et tu quidem venies ad ecclesiam et non clausis januis ingredi, sed apertis januis non valebis.]
Þat was icalled Macedon,
He was chef mayster of offyces,
Line 375
Hem to rule and punissche vices.
Ambrose toward him went vppon a day,
For a pore mon him to pray;
But he his ȝate fond ischut,
Þat ingoinge miht he non get.
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Þer of seint Ambrose was sumwhat irke
And seide to him: "þou schalt come to kirke,
And, þouh þe dore al open stonde,
In þer at schalt þou not fonde."
HIt bifel sone afturward [Elapso aliquo tempore metuens inimicos Macedonius ad ec|clesiam fugit et patentibus januis aditum reperire non potuit.]
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Þat Macedon hedde enemys hard;
To chirche needes fleo moste he þo,
Þe dore was open, he miht not in go.
Þen was fallen þe purpose
Of þe holy mon seint Ambrose.
Line 390
HE was of so gret abstinence, [Fuit etiam tantae abstinentiae, quod quotidie nisi in sabbato et die dominico et festis praecipuis jejunabat.]
For loue of god and reuerence,
Þat he fasted alway,
Saue saturday and sonday
And oþur principal festes,
Line 395
He spared not for no gestes.
HE was of so gret largesse [Tantae etiam largitatis erat, quod omnia quae habere poterat ecclesiis et pauperibus, nil sibi retinens, tribuebat.]
Þat he deled al his richesse
To holichirche and to pore men;
Nouȝt to him self wolde he kepe þen.
Line 400
HE was of so gret compassion [Tantae compassionis, ut, cum aliquis lapsum suum sibi confitebatur, sic amarissime flebat, quod illum similiter flere compellebat.]
Þat he wolde for deuocion,
Whon eny mon dude to him knoweleche [dude wohl zu tilgen.]
His sunne wolde and his wreche,
He wolde wepe so bitterly
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And þer of beo so sory,
Þat þe mon þat him so hedde ischriue
Schuld him repente sore to liue;
For his sunnes he wolde constreyne
A mon to wepe and suffre peyne.
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HE was so ful of mekenesse [Tantae humilitatis et laboris, ut libros quos dictabat propria manu scribebat, nisi cum infirmitate corporis gravaretur.]
And of trauayl: boþe more and lasse
Þe bokes þat he made, God hit wot,
Wiþ his oune hondes he wrot,
But he were greued in his bodi
Line 415
Wiþ seknes oþur wiþ maladi.
HE was so ful of pite [Tantae autem pietatis et dul|cedinis, ut, cum alicujus sancti sacerdotis vel episcopi sibi obitus nuntiaretur, sic ama|rissime flebat, ut vix consolari valeret.]
And of swetnesse, parde,
Þat, whon men tolden him tiþing
Of bisschopes oþur prestes diȝing,
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He wolde so wepe and gret deol make,
Þat no cumfort wolde he forþ take.
Whon men made him þen askyng [Cum autem interrogaretur cur viros sanctos, qui ad gloriam proficiscebantur, sic fleret, ajebat: Ne putetis me flere quod recesse|rint, sed quia me praecesserunt et quia difficile invenitur qui tam dignus ejus officii habeatur.]
Whi þat he made such serwyng
