crossing the desert. These he ordered to be apprehended and
brought to his chariot. Looking angrily upon them, and breathing
fire, as they say, "Ye vagabonds and deceivers," he cried, "have
ye not heard the plain proclamation of the heralds, that if any
of your execrable religion were found, after three days, in any
city or country within my realm, he should be burned with fire?"
The monks answered, "Lo! obedient to thine order, we be coming
out of thy cities and coasts. But as the journey before us is
long, to get us away to our brethren, being in want of victuals,
we were making provision for the way, that we perish not with
hunger." Said the king, "He that dreadeth menace of death
busieth not himself with the purveyante of victuals." "Well
spoken, O king," cried the monks. "They that dread death have
concern how to escape it. And who are these but such as cling to
things temporary and are enamoured of them, who, having no good
hopes yonder, find it hard to be wrenched from this present
world, and therefore dread death? But we, who have long since
hated the world and the things of the world, and are walking
along the narrow and strait road, for Christ his sake, neither
dread death, nor desire the present world, but only long for the
world to come. Therefore, forasmuch the death that thou art
bringing upon us proveth but the passage to that everlasting and
better life, it is rather to be desired of us than feared."

Hereupon the king, wishing to entrap the monks, as I ween,
shrewdly said, "How now? Said ye not but this instant, that ye
were withdrawing even as I commanded you? And, if ye fear not
death, how came ye to be fleeing? Lo! this is but another of
your idle boasts and lies." The monks answered, "Tis not because
we dread the death wherewith thou dost threaten us that we flee,