30   If it bihoueth for to glorie, I schal glorie in tho thingis that ben of myn infirmyte, `or freelte. 31   God and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, that is blessid into the worldis, woot, that I `gabbe not, or lyie not. 32   The prouost, or kepere, of Damaske, of the king of the folk Arethe, kepte the cite of Damascenys for to take me; 33   and by a wyndow in a leep I was latun down by the wal, and so I scapide his hondis. 1   If it bihoueth for to glorie, sothli it spedith not; forsoth I schal come to the visyouns and reuelaciouns of the Lord. 2   I woot a man in Crist bifore fourtene &yogh;eer; wher in body, wher out of body, I woot not, God woot; sich a man rauyschid `til to the thridde heuene. 3   And I woot such a man; wher in body, or out of body, 4   I noot, God woot; for he was rauyschid into paradys, and herde priuey wordes, the whiche it is not leefful to a man for to speke. 5   For sich maner thing I schal glorie; forsothe for me no thing, no but in myn infirmitees. 6   Forwhi and if I schal wilne for to glorie, I schal not

be vnwys; sothli I schal seye treuthe; forsoth I spare, lest ony man gesse me ouer that thing that he seeth in me, or heerith ony thing of me. 7   And lest the greetnesse of reuelaciouns enhaunce me `in pride, the pricke of fleisch, an aungel of Sathanas, is &yogh;ouun to me, `the which boffatith me. 8   For which thing thries I preide the Lord, that it schuld go a wey fro me. 9   And he seide to me, My grace sufficith to thee; forwhi vertu is perfitly maad in infirmite. Therfore gladly I schal glorie in myn infirmytees, that the vertu of Crist dwelle in me. 10   For which thing I plese to me in myn infirmitees, in wrong dispisyngis, `or reprouyngis, in nedis, in persecuciouns, in angwyschis, for Crist; sothli whanne I am syk, thanne I am my&yogh;ty. 11   I am maad vnwitty, &yogh;e constreyneden me. Forsoth I `schulde, or ow&yogh;te, for to be comendid of &yogh;ou; sothli I dide no thing lesse `fro hem that ben apostlis aboue manere. Forwhi thou&yogh; I be nou&yogh;t, 12   nethelees the sygnes of `myn apostilhed ben maad on &yogh;ou, in al pacience, and singnes, `or miraclis, and grete wondris, and vertues. 13   Sothli what is it, that &yogh;e hadden lasse bifore othere chirchis, no but that I my silf greuyde &yogh;ou not? For&yogh;yue &yogh;e to me this wrong. 14   Loo! this thridde tyme I am redy for to come to &yogh;ou, and I schal not be greuous to &yogh;ou; forsothe I seke not tho thingis that ben &yogh;oure, but &yogh;ou. Forsoth nethir sones owen to tresoure, `or make tresour, to fadir and modir, but the fadir and modir to the sones. 15   Forsoth I moost wilfully schal &yogh;yue, and I my silf schal be `ouer&yogh;ouun for &yogh;oure soulis; thou&yogh; I more louynge, be lesse loued. 16   But be it; I greuyd not &yogh;ou, but whanne I was sutil

wyse, I took &yogh;ou with gyle. 17   Wher I disceyuede &yogh;ou by ony of hem, `the whiche I sente to &yogh;ou? 18   I preiede Tyte, and I sente with him a brothir. Wher Tyte bigylide &yogh;ou? wher we gon not in the same spiryt? wher not in the same steppis? 19   Sum tyme &yogh;e wenen, that we schulen excuse vs anentis &yogh;ou. Bifore God in Crist we speken; forsothe, moost dere britheren, alle thingis for &yogh;oure edyfyinge. 20   Sotheli I drede, lest perauenture whanne I schal come, I schal fynde &yogh;ou not which manere I wole, and I schal be founde of &yogh;ow which maner &yogh;e wolen not; lest perauenture stryuyngis, enuyes, sturdynessis, dissenciouns and detracciouns, priuey spechis of discord, bolnynges bi pride, debatis be among &yogh;ou; lest eftsoone whanne I schal come, 21   God make me lou&yogh; anentis &yogh;ou, and I weyle manye of hem, that bifore synneden, and diden not penaunce of the vnclennesse, and fornycacioun, and vnchastite, that thei han don.

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