religious men: and thei fasten alle dayes. And because thei ben
so trewe and so rightfulle and so fulle of alle gode condiciouns, thei
weren nevere greved with tempestes ne with thondre ne with leyt ne with
hayl ne with pestylence ne with werre ne with hungre ne with non other
tribulaccioun, as wee ben many tymes amonges us, for our synnes. Wherfore
it semethe wel, that God lovethe hem and is plesed with hire creance, for
hire gode dedes. Thei beleven wel in God, that made alle thinges; and him
thei worschipen. And thei preysen non erthely ricchesse; and so thei ben
alle right fulle. And thei lyven fulle ordynatly, and so sobrely in met and
drynk, that thei lyven right longe. And the most part of hem dyen with
outen syknesse, whan nature faylethe hem for elde. And it befelle in Kyng
Alisandres tyme, that he purposed him to conquere that yle, and to maken
hem to holden of him. And whan thei of the contree herden it, thei senten
messangeres to him with lettres, that seyden thus: What may ben y now to
that man, to whom alle the world is insuffisant: thou schalt fynde no thing
in us, that may cause the to warren azenst us: for wee have no ricchesse,
ne none wee coveyten: and alle the godes of our contree ben in comoun. Oure
mete, that we susteyne with alle oure bodyes, is our richesse: and in stede
of tresoure of gold and sylver, wee maken oure tresoure of accord and pees,
and for to love every man other. And for to apparaylle with oure bodyes,
wee usen a sely litylle clout, for to wrappen in oure carcynes. Oure wyfes
ne ben not arrayed for to make no man plesance, but only connable array,
for to eschewe folye. Whan men peynen hem to arraye the body, for to make
it semen fayrere than God made it, thei don gret synne. For man scholde not
devise no aske grettre beautee, than God hathe ordeyned man to ben at his
birthe. The erthe mynystrethe to us 2 thynges; our liflode, that comethe of
the erthe that wee lyve by, and oure sepulture aftre oure dethe. Wee have
ben in perpetuelle pees tille now, that thou come to disherite us; and also
wee have a kyng, nought for to do justice to every man, for he schalle
fynde no forfete amonge us; but for to kepe noblesse, and for to schewe
that wee ben obeyssant, wee have a kyng. For justice ne hathe not among us
no place: for wee don no man otherwise than wee desiren that man don to us;
so that rightwisnesse ne vengeance han nought to don amonges us; so that no
thing thou may take fro us, but ou