and he had riches enough, and his treasure seemed common to all poor men. His words were sad and discreet and meddled with mirth, speaking oft of Jesu Christ the second person in the Trinity, and of our blessed Lady his mother. And sometime he spake sharply, as he saw need, correcting trespassers; gentle and sweet to good men. He was never elate, ne enhanced in pride, ne dishonest by gluttony. He would not be compelled by wrath, ne incline for gift.
He despised riches, and was never sorry for loss of worldly goods and riches, ne the more glad for winning thereof, in such wise that all men marvelled of the sadness of him. And about the king were divers covetous men, which said to the king how his treasure wasted fast, and if the Danes came again he had not wherewith to defend him. Wherefore they counselled him to raise an aid among the commons, like as King Canute had done divers times. An aid was then, yclept the danegeld, and they counselled to do in like wise. And he said: 'Nay' and he would not agree thereto, notwithstanding they daily cried upon him. And when he saw them so importunate and showed great perils, then at the last he said to them to prove them: 'Let us see how ye will do.' And when they heard that of his own mouth they were right glad, and sent out commissions for to gather it, and spared no country, but made them pay in the largest wise. And when this money was levied and brought in to the king's treasury, then they brought the king thither for to see it. The king then standing afar from it, saw the devil in like-
