Page:Disciplina Clericalis (English translation) from the fifteenth century Worcester Cathedral Manuscript F. 172.djvu/23

  noise and the cry ran and founde a man slayn and sought what he myght be that did the manslaughter, entred the temple hopyng to fynde the mansleer ther. Fyndyng ther the Egipcian and askyng of hym wherfor he had slayn the man, he heryng this of theym saide: "I am he that hath slayn the man; coveityng deth so to end his pover[te]". And so was he taken and imprisoned, and on the morow brought bifore the juges and to the deth condempned and to the gibet and for to execucioun. Many forsoth ther were in that maner that met hym, of the whiche oon was his friende of whos cause he cam [to] Baldach, and sharply beholdyng hym tooke hym to be his friend whiche he left in Egipt. Remembryng also of the goodenes whiche he had done to hym in Egipt, thynkyng forwhi that after his deth he myght nat yield nor acquite hym his goode deede, decreed in hymsilf for hym to die. And with a grete voice cryeng, "What condempne yee an innocent? Whider wiln yee leede [hym] that no deth hath deserved? It is I that hath the man slayn." Than thei laiden handis on hym and hym bond and hym led with that other toward the gybet for to have execucioun; and that other from the peyne of deth loosed and absoiled. The mansleer beyng in the same pres, biholdyng and seeyng this, than went with theym and saide in hymsilf ; "I have slayn the man (f. 120b) and this is dampned. And here another innocent is deputed vnto turment, and I forsoth that hath don the nuysaunce goeth free. What is the cause of this maner of justice I wote nat, but that only it be of the grete suffraunce and pacience of god. Forsoth I knowe that god is a veray just juge and no hid synne levith vnpunysshed. And lest that he herafter take on me more harder vengeaunce, so of this maner of blame I shal nat deferre me to be gilty. And so from deth I shal assoile and loose [hym] to purge and clense the synne that I have don." [He] obeied hymsilf therfor to the perel saieng: "I, I whiche hath don the evil; these that ye han dampned, leve yee hem vnhurt." Forsoth the juges nat a litel woundryng thiese other from deth delyvered they bond. And now nat a litel of jugement doubtyng this with thiese other bifore delyvred ledden bifore the kyng and to hym al told and rehersed bi order and hym also