for his love he had left all the world and renounced. Upon this God showed him in a vision that S. Gregory and he should have like joy in heaven. And when he understood this he sighed sore and praised little his poverty, which he had long suffered and borne, if he should have like merit which abounded so greatly in secular riches. Upon this there came a voice to him which said that: ' The possession of riches maketh not a man in this world rich, but the ardour of covetise: then be still now. Barest thou compare thy poverty to the riches of S. Gregory, which lovest more thy cat, with whom thou ceasest not to stroke and play, than S. Gregory doth all his riches; for he ceaseth never to give alms for God's sake?' Then the hermit thanked Almighty God, and prayed that he might have his merit and reward with S. Gregory in the glory of paradise.
In the time that Trajan the emperor reigned, on a time as he went toward a battle out of Rome, it happed that in his way as he should ride, a woman, a widow, came to him weeping and said: 'I pray thee, sire, that thou avenge the death of one my son which innocently and without cause hath been slain.' The emperor answered: 'If I come again from the battle whole and sound then I shall do justice for the death of thy son.' Then said the widow; 'Sire, and if thou die in the battle who shall then avenge his death?' And the emperor said: 'He that shall come after me.' And the widow said: 'Is it not better that thou do to me justice and have the merit thereof of God than another have it for thee?' Then had Trajan pity and descended from his horse and
