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Sloth had in his power a man of great wealth who dwelt in the city wherein Evaft and Aloma lived as penitents. This man had no wife, nor was fain to have, and his posses¬ sions were a profit neither to him nor to any other. All day

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he sat in the square and mocked at the people who passed

bv When he saw any do good works he was wrathful; but

he was glad when he heard evil spoken of any, whether of men or of women. One day it chanced that as that slothful man went to dine, he found Evaft and Aloma who were in the street through the which he was passing. And two

women whom Evaft and Aloma had dowered, for the love of God, were contending concerning Evaft and Aloma, for each of them wished to give meat to them on that

2. The slothful man passed by and saw the hospital of Evaft and Aloma, which was very great and right well builded. In that hospital were many that were poor, and many servants who served them with great diligence ; each one of the poor therein lay in the faireft of beds, with as much food before him as he needed. This slothful man

began to think upon the great good which Evaft and Aloma did. His conscience began to enquire of him if he had done any good thing, for the love of God, with the possessions that God had given him, and he could not assure himself that all the alms that he had done in his life were in value

as great as the food which the sick folk in the hospital had before them on that day.

3. “ Alas, wretched man that thou art 1 " said the man that was in the bondage of sloth, “ how much harm haft thou done for so long to the poor of Jesus Chrift 1 And where arc the merits that await thee after thy death, to present thy soul to the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and to defend it from thy mortal enemy, who after this death awaits U that he may send it to fire everlafting ? Miserable wretch I

While he spake these words within himself, he saw at the

of th° * C r°°m LtW° kC<k t*lat were made but of branches ot the vine, together with a small auantitv

’ent to one of the beds, no¬ th and bade them bring^hiir

OF SLOTH

food, for he was sick, and had come to that hospital to be healed of the sickness which he had.

4. Of all that he desired to eat and drink the man that was sick of sloth had plenty, and he lay in the bed until nightfall, when Evaft and Aloma came to lay themselves there. Thus Evaft found the slothful man in his bed. “ Brother and friend I ” said Evaft, “ Who art thou that haft placed thyself in my bed ? Go thou and lie in the other beds, for they are better than this.” “ Sir 1 ” an¬ swered the sick man, “ I desire not to leave this bed until I am whole.” Evaft and Aloma enquired of the sick man what was his sickness. “ Sir 1 ” said the sick man, “ Sloth has imprisoned my soul, and suffers me not to do good with the possessions which God has entrufted to me; and I have faith and hope in thy prayer and in that of Aloma, that if ye pray God to deliver me from the slavery wherein Sloth now holds me, God will grant your petitions.”

5. Said Evaft: “Neither sloth nor other sin is of ftrength enough in man to deftroy his free will, which God has created in so great ftrength and power that by no sin can it be conquered or subdued. But since thou haft faith in our prayers, albeit we are unworthy that they be heard, we will pray God to call to thy mind His glory and honour, and the sacred Passion of Jesus Chrift, and the vileness and short duration of this world, that henceforward thou with thy person and with all thy possessions mayeft serve our Lord God all the days of thy life.”

6. Right devoutly and with great contrition of heart did the sick man repent, and prayed to God together with Evaft and Aloma. When their prayer was ended, the sick man perceived that he was cured of his sickness and prayed Evaft and Aloma to lead him to the altar. So they led him before the altar of Saint Andrew, and there he offered himself in person, and with all his possessions, to be for all time a servant of that hospital.

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