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thane, quhen sancte thomas of pressone
come, þe kinge ves redy bowne
& faste com rynnand for to bete
his mysded, & fel doune til his fete,
& askit mercy reufully.
þane thomas sad til hym in hy:
“god has ful mekile donne for ȝow,
þat let ȝou se his secret now.
for-[þi] in hym now ȝe trew alway,
& beis baptiste but delay,
gyfe ȝe wil parcenaris be
of his grete blys & lestand gle.”
þane gad sad: “bruthire, I hafe sene
þe wel-full palace fare and schene,
þat thomas mad, & lef gat I
of god, It at þe to by.”
& thomas sad: “in till his will
Is it to sell or till hald still.”
he sad: “þane It sall myn be,
syne I þe coste has mad, parde,
& of his awyne syne lat myn bruthire
gere ȝou, thomas, mak hym ane vthire;
and gyfe he be nocht penny bowne,
lat it til vs bath be commowne.”
& sad þe apostil: “fele palace
has bene, & are in hewine alwais,
sene god fyrste had þis varld wrocht,
þat with nane vthire thing ar bocht
bot with þe price of trewtht rychtvijs
& almus-ded one syndry vyse.
& wardly riches be-fore ȝow
ma pase na way, þat wele ȝe trew!
fore he þat gyffis his almus here,
quhen to hald It he has powere,
Is lyk hym þat in merknes gais
& a lanterne before hym has;
& he þat liffand It deferris,
Is lyk a man þat merknes merryse,
& gerris þe lanterne borne be
be-hynd hym, þe gat to se.
þare-for It is thankful thinge
to gyfe almane of fre lykine
til men liffis, & has fre will
to gyfe, or to hald þame still.”