him to return and come again to Rome, which then was gone on his journey three days; and for his noble and good renomee the pope made him cardinal deacon. After, for the corruption of the air, the pope Pelagius died, and then S. Gregory was elect of all the people to be pope, but he refused it and said that to that dignity he was not worthy. And for the right great mortality ere that he was sacred pope he made to the people a sermon and said: 'Right dear brethren, well ought we to have doubt of the scourge of God ere that we feel it, and yet we ought to fear it and to turn and forsake our sins. Lo! ye may behold the people die ere they beweep their sins; think ye then in what point he cometh in the presence of the judge that hath had no time to bewail his sins. The houses be void, the children die in the presence of father and mother suddenly, so that they have little time to die; wherefore every man amend his life while he hath time for to repent him of his evil deeds and sins, ere that the judge call him from the mortal body. He saith by the prophet: 'I will not the death of a sinner, but I will that he return and live; much soon the judge heareth the sinner when he converteth from his sins and amendeth his life.' By such manner admonested he to the people their health, and he ordained to make profession in all the churches much solemnly for to impetre and get mercy for this mortality. When the procession was done he would have gone privily out of Rome, for to eschew the office of the papalty, but against that the gates were kept so that he might not issue. At the last he did do change his habit, and so much
