Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/183

Rh

My beloved, the layman is any worldly-minded man, who, thinking to do one foolish thing without offence, falls into a thousand errors. But he assembles the people, that is, past and present sins, and by confession expurgates his conscience.

(30) states that a Roman youth, named Papirius, was once present with his father in the senate, at a time when a very important matter was debated, which, on pain of death, was to be kept secret. When the lad returned home, his mother asked him