1 aunce. þet is. in vnhope. and in vnbileaue; forte beon ibo-
2 ruwen. forþi þet ich write ou mine leoue sustren of vttre
3 þinges i þe ereste dole of ower boc. of ower seruise. and no=
4 meliche i þe laste. 3e ne schulen nout bihoten hit. auh
5 habbeð hit on heorte and doþ hit as þauh 3e hefden hit
6 bihoten.
7 [7] 3if eni vnweote acseð ou of hwat ordre 3e beon alse sum
8 deð alse 3e telleð me. þe isihð þene gnet. and swoluweð
9 þe vli3e. onswerieð and siggeð þet 3e beoð of seint iames or-
10 dre. þet was godes apostle. and for his muchele holinesse icleo-
11 ped godes broþer. 3if him þuncheð wunder and selkuð of
12 swuch onswere; askeð him hwat beo ordre. and hwar he ifin-
13 de in holi write religiun openluker descriued and isuteled; þen
14 is i sein iames canoniel epistle. he seið hwat is religiun and hwuch
15 is riht ordre. Religio munda et inmaculata apud deum et patrem hec est visitare pupillos et
16 orphanos in tribulacione eorum. et inmaculatum se custodire ab. oc. seculo. þet is. cleane religiun
17 and wiðvten wem2 iseon and helpen widewen and federlease chil-
18 dren. and from þe worlde witen him cleane; and vnwemmed.
19 þus seint iame descriueð religiun and ordre. þe latere dole of
20 his lare. limpeð to recluses. vor þer beoð two dolen to
21 two manere of men; þet beoð of religiun. to eiþer limpeð
22 his dole ase 3e muwen iheren. Gode religiuse beoð i þe
23 worlde summe. nomeliche prelaz. and treowe prechurs þe3 hab-
24 beð þe vorme dole of þet seint iame seide. þet beoð alse
25 he seide. þe goð to helpen widewen and federlease children.
26 þe soule is widewe. þet haueð vorloren hire spus; þet is iesu
27 crist wið eni heaued sunne. þe is also federleas. þet haueð þuruh
28 his sunne; vorlore þene veder of heouene. Gon and iseon
29 swuche and elnen ham and helpen mid fode of holi lore; þis
30 is riht religiun he seið seint iame. þe latere dole of his sa=
31 we; limpeð to ancren to ower religiun alse ich er seide.