To constreyne, þat he nolde sei openliche [to beim Inf. nach einem Hülfsverb, wie Ambr. 710.]
Þat hit was to wordliche
Or elles to muche loue of flesche,
A mon to kepe him self to nessche. [absoluter Infin., wie 146. 3, 471 u. ö.]
He tok non hede of no dylyt [Ad comedendum vix aliqua voluptate trahebatur appetitus, sed solo timore defectus sic accede|bat ad sumendum cibum quasi ad tormentum.]
Line 335
Of metes, ne of appetyt,
But onliche to susteyne his kynde,
To serue his God wiþ good mynde,
To mete he went wiþ such entent
As touward his owne turment.
Line 340
Whon he hedde eten, he wold him biþink [Post cibum, quantum co|mederit semper cogitare solitus erat; si quando vel ad modicum mensuram solitam excessisse se deprehendit, impune abire non patiebatur.]
Boþe of his mete and eke of his drynk
Wher he hedde don ariȝt his cure,
Þat he passed not his olde mesure;
And ȝif he parseyued þat he hedde so don,
Line 345
He him repente wolde anon.
He kepte him so fro glotenye [Sic gulae illecebras edomuerat, ut ipsam quoque saporum discretionem ex magna parte perdiderit.]
Þat for þe more partye
þat he nedde discreciun ne sauour [þat scheint zu tilgen.]
Of metes ne drinkes ne oþur licour;
Line 350
Þerfore oþurwhile he wolde drynke [Nam et oleum, sibi per errorem aliquando propositum, bibit et penitus ignoravit, nec prius id est cognitum, donec quidam ejus labia miraretur inuncta;]
Oyle for watur, and nouȝt þeron þynke,
Whon þat recheles men
Serued him of drinken þen,
Ne hit nas parseyued no more
Line 355
Til þat his lippes þerof dude glore.
He eet ofte tyme rau blood [sangui|nem crudum insuper, per errorem sibi oblatum, pro butyro multis diebus noscitur comedisse; solum autem aquam sibi sapere dicebat, eo quod, dum sumeret, fauces et guttur ejus refrigeraret.]
In stude of buttur, wiþ good mod,
Whon he was serued rechelesliche:
Þerof he tok hit meokeliche.
Line 360
He seide þat watur onliche
Sauered him verreyliche,
For þat hit wolde riht weel
His jouwes and his þrote keel.
AMong his frendus þat he loued wel [Quidquid in scripturis didicerat, maxime in silvis et in agris meditando et orando se confitebatur accepisse (370 Zus.) et nullos se ali|quando magistros habuisse nisi quercus et fagos, inter amicos dicere solebat.]
Line 365
He was wont forte tel
Þat al his lernynge of clergye
Was in þenkynge and preying deuoutlye
Among wodus and feldes wy(l)de: [Ms. wyde st. wylde.]
Þer he wolde wake wiþ herte ful mylde;
Line 370
Ooþur maister hedde he non
But okus and beches, swiþe gret won.
Knowleche he wolde ofte tyme also [Denique confessus est, aliquando meditanti vel oranti sacram omnem velut sup|positam vel expositam sibi apparuisse scripturam.]
To hem þat he louede þo,
Þat, whon he was in meditaciun
Line 375
Or in preyer wiþ deuociun,
Al maner þing of holy writ
Was vndurput to his wit
Oþur elles expouned verreyli,
Wiþouten eny maistri.
Line 380
ONes he biþouhte him on a speche [Quodam tempore (sicut ipse in canticis refert,) cum inter loquendum ex his quae suggerebat spiritus, etsi non infideli, minus tamen fidenti animo reservaret, ut haberet quid diceret, denuo tracta|turus,]
Þat þe holigost dude him teche,
Þe whuche, þouh he leeued hit wel,
He nedde hit not in mynde eueridel; [hit nach d. Relat., nicht unhäufig.]
Þerfore he þouhte what oþur þing
Line 385
He mihte take in tretyng.
A vois to him þen gon sey: [ecce vox ad eum venit dicens: Donec istud tenueris, aliud non acci|pies.]
"In veyn þou trauaylest, al in fey;
