Project Gutenberg's The Pilgrimage of Pure Devotion, by Desiderius Erasmus
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Title: The Pilgrimage of Pure Devotion
Author: Desiderius Erasmus
Release Date: January 20, 2005 [EBook #14746]
Language: English
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been marked with double lines ||
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* * * * *
A dialoge
or communication of
two persons, deuysyd
and set forthe in the la-
tê tonge, by the noble
and famose clarke.
_Desiderius Erasmus_
intituled ye pyl-
gremage of
pure de-
uoty-
on.
Newly trãslatyd into
Englishe.
* * * * *
|| [+] ij.||
To the reder.
Amongest the writinges of all men, dearly belouyd
reder, not onely of the diuersyte of tongues, but also
the noble drawghts of so artificyall paynted figures,
whiche haue so lyuely expressed to ye quycke ymage, the
nature, ordre, & proporcyon of all states, as
concernynge the gouernaunce of a Christen comêwealthe,
that ther is (as I suppose) no parte of the scripture,
which is not so enpowndyde, furnysshed, and set forthe,
but that euery Christen man, therby may lerne his dewty
to god, hys prynce, and hys nebure, and so consequently
passe thourough the strayte pathe of the whiche
scripture doth testyfye vpõ, very fewe can fynde ye
entrye, wherby thorough faythe in the redêptyon of the
worlde thorowe ye bloode of Christe the sone of god, to
rayne || with the father and the holy goste eternally,
accordynge to the promyse of Christe, sayinge. In my
fathers hawse ther be many placys to dwell in, we wyll
come to hym and make a mansyon place with hym and I
haue and shall open thy name vnto them, that the same
loue with the whiche thou louydest me, may be in theym,
and I in thê, and thys is the kyngdome of god so often
mouyd to vs in holy scripture, whiche all faythfull
shall possesse and inheret for euermore: where as ye
vnfaythfull, vnryghtswye, and synner shall not entre in
to the kyngdome of god, bycause, of chaûgynge the glory
of gode immortall in to the ymage of a corruptyble man,
and therfore to incentiously he hathe suffrede them to
wandre in theyr clowdes of ygnoraunce, preferrynge the
lyes and corrupte || [+] iij.|| iudgmentes of man the
veryte and the truthe of god, rather seruynge the
creature then the creator, amongest all the parties of
the whiche (as was spoken at the begynnyng) thys alwaye
not alonely in the newe law, but also in the olde
Testament was as a thynge moost abhomynable and
displesant in the sight of gode prohybyte and forbyden:
but our nature whiche hath in hym, the dampnable
repugnaûce of synne agaynst the omnypotêt power of
gode, lest euyn frome owre fyrst father Adam, is so
enclyned to vyces, amongest the whiche it hath not
gyuen the least parte to thys desperate synne of
ydolatrye, agaynst the immaculate, and fearefull
commandement of god. Thou shalt haue no straunge Gods
in my syght, that it is sore to be dreadde the same
iudgement to be gyuyn || vpon vs that was gyuen vpon
the cytye of Ninyue to be absorped of the yerthe in to
the yre and vengeannce of gode, whiche hathe ben the
cause that so many wryters bothe of late dayes, and
many yeres passede, haue euyn to deathe, resisted thes
dampnable bolsterers of ydolatrye, gyuen theyr selues
to the crosse in example of reformacyon to theyr
bretherne, bothe in wrytinge and cownsell, exhortynge
the flocke of Christe frome soche prophane doctryne,
amongest whome the noble and famouse clerke _Desiderius
Erasmus_ hath setforthe to the quycke ymage, before
mennys eyes, the supersticyouse worshype and false
honor gyuyn to bones, heddes, iawes, armes, stockes,
stones, shyrtes, smokes, cotes, cappes, hattes, shoes,
mytres, slyppers, sadles, rynges, bedes, gyrdles,
bolles, || [+] iiij.|| belles, bokes, gloues, ropes,
taperes, candelles, bootes, sporres, (my breath was
almost past me) with many other soche dampnable
allusyones of the deuylle to use theme as goddes
contrary to the immaculate scripture of gode, morouer
he notethe as it were of arrogancye the pryuate
iudgment of certayne that of theyr owne brayne wolde
cast out ymages of the temple, with out a comen consent
and authoryte, some there be that alway seke halowes,
and go vpon pylgramages vnder a pretense of holynes,
whervpon thes brotherhoddes and systerhoodes be now
inuented, morouer they that haue ben at Hierusalem be
called knightes of the sepulcre, and call one an other
bretherne, and vpon palme-sondaye they play the foles
sadely, drawynge after them an asse in a || rope, when
they be not moche distante frome the woden asse that
they drawe. The same do they conterfayte that haue ben
at saynt Iames in Compostella. But they be more
pernycyouse, that set forthe vncertayn relyques, for
certayne, and attrybute more to them than they oughte
to haue, and prostytute or sett theym forthe for
fylthye lukre. But now whan they perceyue, that this
theyr dãpnable *Corbane [*A tresure boxe of ye Iewes.]
dothe decay, and that theyr most to be lamented blyndnes
and longe accustomed errours shuld be redressed, they, all
fayre bothe of god and man set asyde, rebelle and
make insurrectyones contrary to the ordynaunce of gode,
agaynst theyr kynge and liege lorde, prouokynge and
allurynge the symple comynaitye to theyre dampnable
ypocrysye and conspyracy, myndyng || [+] v.|| and goynge
about to preuente our most soueraigne lordes iudgment,
not yet gyuê vpon theyr Sodomiticall actes, and most
horryble ypocrysy. But the worde of the lorde whiche
they so tyrannously go aboute to suppresse with all the
fauerours therof shall ouercome & destroy all soch most
to be abhorred & deceyuable inuegelers & dysturbers of
ye symple people to soch detestable treason. And that
it may so do to the terryble example of thes and a11
other rebelles and most dysloyal subiectes, and to ye
greate comforthe & cõsolacyõ of his gracys faythfull
and true comens. I requyre him which brethethe where he
willithe and raygnethe eternall gode to graût vnto our
seyde most dradde soueraygne lorde whose maiesty as it
euydently appereth onely applieth his diligence to the
aduaunsynge || & lettynge forthe of the most holsome
documenth and teachyng of almyghty god, to the redres
of long accustome euylls and damnable sectes, to the
supportacion and mayntenaunce of godly and alowable
ceremonyes, to the suppressynge and most to be desired
abolishyng of the deuelishe and detestable vsurped
aucthoryties, dampnable errours and prophane abuses
brought in by that myghty Golyas, that obdurated
Phareo, that proude Nembroth (whome god amêde) the
byshope of Rome, to graunte (I say) vnto hys hyghnes,
suche hys godly ayde and assistence, that hys grace
with hys moost honorable counsell (agaynst whome this
arrogant conspyracy is nowe moued and begonne) may
ouercome and debelle the stud traytres as in tymes
paste hys maiestye hath prudently || do other, that haue
hertofore attempted to perpetrate and brynge to passe
like sedicyous mishief, and so to establishe the hartes
of hys gracys true subiectes that they may wyllyngly
and according to theyr dueties, obey and fulfyll hys
most lawfull and godly ordened lawes and commaundements
wherby they shall not onely do the thyng agreable to
goddes wylle and teachynges, in that he willeth euery
soule to be subiected to the hygher power and obedyent
to theyr prynce, but also (to theyr greate laude and
prayse) shall shewe them selfe to be redy and
confirmable to do theyr dueties in aydyng hys excellent
hyghnes to the reformacyon of all pernicious abuses &
chiefly of detestable ydolatrye, whiche is so muche
prohibited in holy scripture and most displeasant to
god, || for whiche intent and purpose the sayd most
noble and famous clarke _Desiderius Erasmus_, compiled &
made this dialoge in Laten, as it foloweth herafter
nowe lately translated into our mother the Englishhe
tonge. Auoyd therfore, most deare readere, all abuses
whereby any inconuenyence may growe, other to the
hynderaunce of godes worde, to the displeasure of thy
prynce, (whome thou arte so straytly commaunded to
obaye, or to the domage of a publike weale, whiche
aboue all vices is noted most to be abhorred, not
alonely of the most holy wryteres and expownderes of
scripture, but also of prophane gentylles, whiche neuer
perceyuyd other thinge than nature enclyned theyr
hartes vnto, and so consequently to obtayne the
fruytion of the godhode thorowe the faythe that was
|| spoken of at the begynnynge to the
whiche the lorde Iesus Chri-
ste brynge vs all with a
perfaycte quyetnes,
So be it.
+
* * * * *
|| A.||
A pylgremage, for pure deuocyõ.
_Menedemus._ [*Signifieth to forsake.] What new thynge
ys it, that I se? doo I nat see _Ogygyus_ my neybur,
whom no mã could espie of all thes sex monthes before?
yt was a sayng that he was deed, It is euen he, except
that I be ferre deceyuyd. I wyll go to hym, & byd hym
good morow. Good morow Ogygyus.[*was faynyd of an old
kynge of Thebanes.] Good morow to you Menedemus.
_Mene._ I pray you frome what contray do you come to vs
ayen so saffe. For here was a great comunicacyõ that
you dyd sayle streght to hell. _Ogy._ No, thankyd be
god, I haue faryd as well syns I went hens, as euer I
dyd in all my lyffe. _Me._ Well, a man may well
perceyue that all soche rumours be but vanytye. But I
pray you what araye is this that you be in, me thynke
that you be clothyd with cokle schelles, and be || ladê
on euery syde with bruches of lead and tynne. And you
be pretely garnyshyd with wrethes of strawe & your arme
is full of *snakes egges.[*Signifyeth bedes. Malsyngam
ys callyd parathalassia by cause it is ny to ye see.]
_Ogy._ I haue bene on pylgremage at saynt Iames in
Compostella, & at my retourne I dyd more relygyously
vysyte our lady of Walsyngã in England, a very holy
pylgremage, but I dyd rather vysyte her. For I was ther
before within this thre yere. _Me._ I trowe, it was but
for your pleasure. _Ogy._ Nay, it was for pure
deuocyon. _Me._ I suppose you learnyd that relygyõ of
the Grecyanes. _Ogy._ My mother in law dyd make a vowe
that if her dougther shuld be delyueryd of a man chyld
alyue, than that I shuld go to saynt Iames on
pylgremage, and ther to salute and thãke hym. _Me._ Dyd
you salute saynt Iames alonly in your name, and your
mothers. _Ogy._ No, in the name of all owre house.
_Me._ || A ij.|| Verely I thynke that your howshold as
well shold haue prosperd, in case you had not salutyd
hym at all. But I pray you what answer dyd he make to
your salutacyon. _Ogy._ Nothynge at all. But whã I dyd
offre, me tought he dyd lawghe vpon me, and becke at me
with hedde, & dyd reche to me this cokleshell. _Me._
Wherfore dothe he gyue rather suche schelles, than
other thynges. _Ogygy._ For the see, whiche is nye vnto
hym dothe mynystre plenty of suche. _Me._ O holy saynt
Iames, that bothe is a mydwyffe to women with chyld,
and also dothe helpe his pylgrymes. But I pray you what
new kynd of makyng vowes is that that whan a mã is ydle
he shall put the burden apon an other mannes bakke? In
case that you doo bynd youre selffe with a vowe, that
yf ye matter chaunche happyly whiche you haue in hande,
that I for you || shall fast twyse in on weke, do you
beleue that I can fulfyl youre vow? _Ogy._ No, I doo
not beleue it if that you dyd vowe it in youre awne
name. It is but a sport with yow to mokke sayntes. But
this was my mother in law, I must nedys obey her, you
know womenes affectyones, & I must obaye heres. _Me._
If that you had not perfourmyd your vowe, what iopertye
had you be in? _Ogy._ I graunt, he could not haue had
an accyon ayenst me in ye law, but he myght from
hensforthe be deafe to my vowes, orels pryuyly send
some calamytye or wretchednes amongste my housholde,
yow know well enuffe the maneres of great men. _Me._
Tell me now what that same honest mã saynt Iames dothe,
and howe he farythe. _Ogy._ Moche colder thã he was
wontyd to do. _Me._ What is the cause of it? His age?
_Ogy._ Oh you scoffer, yow || A iij.|| know wel enoghe
that sayntes wax nat olde. But this new learnynge,
whiche runnythe all the world ouer now a dayes, dothe
cause hym to be vysytyd moche lesse than he was wontyd
to be, for if any doo come thay salute him alonly, but
they offre lytle or nothinge, and say that theyr monaye
may bettre be disposyd amongste pore people. _Me._ O a
wykyd comunicacyon. _Ogy._ Ye & so great an Apostle
whiche was wõtyd to stand all in precyous stones &
gold, now stãdythe all of wodde hauynge before hym
skaresly a wax candle. _Me._ If it be trew that I here,
it is great ioperdy lest that same chance to all the
rest of the sayntes. _Ogy._ I thynk it wel, for ther is
an epistle abrode whiche our lady dyd wryte apon the
same matter. _Me._ What lady? _Ogy._ *She that hathe
her name of a stone.[*Our ladi of stone in Raurachia
whiche is a certayne cuntre.] _Me._ I trawe it is in
Raurachia. _Ogy._ That same || is it. _Me._ yow tell me
of a stony lady, But to whome dyd she wryte? _Ogy._ The
epistle dothe playnely shew his name. _Me._ By whome
was it sent? _Ogy._ No dowbt but by an angell, whiche
dyd lay the wrytynges apõ the aultre, wherof he
prechythe to whome it was sent. And lest there shuld be
any suspectyõ of crafty cõuayance in you, you shall se
the epistle wryten with his owne hande. _Me._ Do you
know so well the hand of thangell whiche is secretary
to our lady? _Ogy._ Yee why nat? _Me._ By what argumêt?
_Ogy._ I haue redde that *Epithaphe [*Is a scripture
wryten on a graue.] of Bede which was grauyd of the
angell: and the letteres agre in all thynges. I haue
redde also ye obligacyõ whiche was sent to saynt Gyles
as dothe aper. Dothe not thes argumentes proue that
mater to be good enoghe. _Me._ May a man loke apon
them? _Ogy._ ye and if you wyll swere to kepe it ||
A iiij.|| preuy. _Me._ Oh you shall speake to a stone.
_Ogy._ Ther be stones now a dayes of that name very
slawnderous, that wyll hyde nothynge. _Me._ you shall
speake to a domme man, & yow trust nat a stone. _Ogy._
Apon ye condycyon I wyll tell it, loke that you here
with bothe youre eyares. _Me._ So I doo.
[The epistle of our Lady.]
_Ogy._ Mary the mother of Iesu to *Glaucoplutus
[*Glaucoplutus desirus of ryches.] sêdythe gretynge.
Insomoche as you folowe Luther, you nobly perswade,
that it is but in vayne to call apõ sayntes, do ye well
know for that to be grettly in my fauore. For vntyll
thys day I haue almost be slayne with the importunate
prayers of men. Of me alone they askyd althynges, as
who shuld say my sone were alway a babe, because he is
so faynyd and payntyd apõ my breste, that yet he wold
be at my commaundemêt and durst nat denye my petycyon,
dredynge that if he denye my petycyon, || that I shuld
denye hym my teate whan he is a thurst: and very oft
thay requyre that of me, whiche a shamfast yongman dare
scantly aske of a Bawde, yee they be suche thynges as I
am ashamyd to put in wrytynge. Now comythe ye
marchauntman and he redy to sayle into Spayne for a
vantage, dothe cõmytte hys wyues honesty to me. Than
commythe thet lytle preaty Nunne and she castythe away
her vayle redy to runne away, she leuythe with me the
good name of her vyrgynytye, whiche shortly she
entendythe to take monay for. Than cryeth the wykyd
soudyer purposyd to robbe & saythe, blessyd lady send
me a good praye. Now cõmythe the vnthryfty dyasser and
cryethe, send me good chance Lady & thow shalt haue
parte of my wynnynges: and if the dyasse runne ayenst
hym, he blasphemes, and cursythe me, bycause || I wyll
nat fauor his noghtynes. Now cryeth she that sellythe
her selffe for fylthye lukre & saythe, swete lady send
me some costomers, & if I denye it, they exclame ayenst
me & say, thou arte not the mother of marcy. Moreouer
the vowes of some women be no lesse wykyd thã folishe.
The mayd cryeth & saythe, O swet Mary send me a fayre
and riche husbond. The maryed womã saythe send me
goodly chylderen. Now laborythe the woman with chyld,
and cryeth dere lady dylyuer me of my bondes. Than
cõmythe ye olde wyffe, and saythe flowre of all women
send me to lyue longe withowt coghe and drynes. Now
crepythe the the dotynge old man & saythe, lady send me
for to wax yonge ayê. Thã cõmythe forth the phylosopher
and cryethe send me some argumêtis that be îsoluble.
The great prest cryeth send me a fat benefyce. Thã ||
saythe the bysshope kepe well my churche. Thã cryethe
ye hye Iustyce shew me thy sone or I passe out of this
worlde. Thã saythe ye Cowrtyer send me trwe confession
at the howre of my deathe. The husbondman saythe send
vs temperate wether. The mylke wyffe cryethe owt
blessyd lady saue our catell. Now if I denye anythynge
by & by I am crwell. If I cõmytte it to my sone, I here
them say, he wyll what so euer you wyll. Shall I than
alone bothe a woman and a mayd helpe maryneres,
sawdyeres, marchantmen, dyasseres, maryed mê, women
with chyld, iudges, kynges, and husbondmen? ye and this
that I haue sayd is the least parte of my payne. But I
am nat now so moche trobled with soche busynes, for
that I wold hartely thanke you, but that this
commodytye dothe brynge a greater discõmodytye with
hym. I || haue now more ease, but lesse honor &
profett. Before this tyme I was callyd quene of heuen,
lady of the world, but now any man wyll skarsly say aue
Maria or hayle Mary. Before I was clothyd with precyous
stones and gold, and had my chaunges, and dayly ther
was offeryd gold and precyous stones, now I am skarsly
coueryd with halffe a gowne and that is all beeyten
with mysse. My yerly rentes be now so smalle that I am
skarsly able to fynde my pore quere kepar to light a
wax cãdle before me. Yet all this myght be sufferyd,
but you be abowt to pluke away greater thynges, you be
abowt (as they say) that what so euer any saynte hathe
in any place, to take hyt frome the churches, but take
hede what you doo. For ther is no saynte without a way
to reuêge his wronge. If you cast saynt Petre forthe of
the churche, he may serue || you of the same sauce, and
shite vp heuyngates ayenst you. ye saynt Paule hathe
his sworde. Barthylmew is nat withowt his great knyffe.
Saynt Wyllyam is harnysyd vnder his monkes cloke, nat
withowt a greate speare. What canst thou doo ayenst
saynt George whiche is bothe a knyght & all armyd with
hys longe spere and his fearfull sword? Nor saynt
Antony is nat withowt hys weapenes for he hathe holy
fyre with hym. Ye the rest of the sayntes haue theyr
weapones or myschefues, whiche they send apon whome
they liste. But as for me thou canst not cast owt,
except thou cast owt my sone, whiche I hold in myne
armes. I wyll nat be seperat frome hym, other thou
shalt cast hym owt with me or els thou shalt let vs
bothe be, except that you wold haue a temple withowt a
Christe. These be the thynges that I wold || yow shall
know ymagyne you therfore what shal be your answer. For
this thinge pleasythe me very well. Frome oure stony
churche the calendes of Auguste, the yere frome my
sonnes passyon a M. CCCCC. xiiij. I stony lady
subscrybyd thys with myne owne hande. _Me._ Trewly that
was a soro and fearfull epistle, I suppose that
Glaucoplutus wyll beware frõ hêsforthe. _Ogy._ Ye & if
he be wyse. _Me._ Wherfore dyd nat that good saynt
Iames wryte to that man of the same mater. _Ogy._ I can
nat tell, except it be bycause he is so ferre of, and
now a dayes men be moche searchyd for suche maters, &
in theyr iornaye theyr lettres takê frome them. _Me._
I pray you, what god dyd send you into Englõd? _Ogy._
I saw the wynd maruelouse prosperouse thyderward, and
I had almoste promysyd this to that blessyd lady of
Walsyngã that I wold seke || her within .ij. yere,
_Me._ What wold you axe of her. _Ogy._ No new thyngs at
all, but suche as be comen, as to kepe saffe and sownd
my housholde, to encreasse my goodes, and in thys world
to haue a lõge and mery liffe, and whã I dye
euerlastynge lyffe in another worlde. _Me._ May nat owr
lady grante the same at home with vs? She hathe at
Antwarpe a moche more lordly temple thã at Walsyngame.
_Ogy._ I denye nat but it may be so, but in dyuers
places she grantes dyuers thynges, wether it be her
pleasur so to do, or bycause she is so gentle, that as
cõcernynge this purpose, she wyll gyue her selfe to our
affectyões. _Me._ I haue harde oft of saynt Iames, but
I pray you describe to me the kyngdome of Walsyngam.
_Ogy._ Verely I shall tell you as shortly as I canne.
Yt is the most holy name in all England, and you may
fynde some in || that yle, that suppose thayr substãce
shal nat prospayre except they vysyte her with thayr
offerynge euery yere ones as thay be able to gyue.
_Me._ Wher dothe she dwell? _Ogy._ At the vttermost
parte of all England betwyxt the Northe and the Weste,
nat vary ferre from the see, skarsly iii myles, the
towne is almost susteynyd by the resort of pylgrymes.
The college is of Canões, but thay be suche as hathe
thayr name of the Laten tonge and be called Seculares,
a kynd betwyxte monkes & Chanones. _Me._ What you tell
me of *Amphybyanes, [*Amphybyanes be thynges doutfull.]
suche as ye mõstre *Fyber is.[*Fyber is a beste of ye
see & ye land.] _Ogy._ No thay be rather suche as the
*Cocatrice. [*A Cocatrice wil kyll a man with a loke,]
But withowt dissimulation, I shall put you owt of this
dowte in thre wordes. To them that thay hate, thay be
Chanones, and to them that thay loue thay be Monkes
_Menede._ Yet yowe doo nat open thys redle. _Ogy._ ||
I shall paynte it before youre eyes, if the bysshope of
Rome doo shot hys thonderbowlt amõgst all monkes, thay
wyll than be chanones, & nat monkes, but and if he wold
suffre all monkes to take wyues, thã wyll they be
monkes, _Me._ O new partakeres, I wold to god they wold
take away my wyffe. _Ogy._ But to come to our purpose,
the college hathe skarsly any other *emolumêtes
[*Rêttes.] but of the liberalite of our lady. For the
great offeryngs be kepyd stylle, but if ther be any
litle some of monaye offerid that goith to the comens
of the company, & the mayster whome thay call pryoure.
_Me._ Be thay of a vertuous lyffe? _Ogy._ Nat to be
dispraysyd, thay be more vertuous thã ryche of thayr
yerely renttes. The temple ys goodly & goregious, but
oure Lady dwellythe nat in it, but that was purchasyd
for the honor of her sone. She hathe her owne temple,
|| B.|| that she may be of the ryght hand of her sone.
_Me._ Apon the right hãd. Whiche way dothe her sonne
loke than? _Ogy._ It is well remembryd. Whan he lokythe
to the West, his mother is apõ his right hand, but whã
he turnythe hym to the Este she is apon the lefte hand.
But yet she dwellythe nat in that churche, for it is
nat yet buyldyd all vpe, and the wynde runnythe thorow
euery parte with open wyndowes & dowres, and also nat
ferre of is the Occiane seye father of all wyndes.
_Me._ what doo yow tell me wher dothe she dwell thã?
_Ogy._ In ye same churche whiche I told you was nat all
fynyshyd, ther is a lytle chapell seelyd ouer with
wodde, on ether syde a lytle dore wher ye pylgrymes go
thorow, ther is lytle light, but of ye taperes, with a
fragrant smell. _Me._ All these be mete for religyon.
_Ogy._ Ye Menedemus if you loke within you || wyll say
that it is a seate mete for sayntes, all thynges be so
bright in gold, syluer, and precyous stones. _Me._ You
almost moue me to go thyther also. _Ogy._ It shalnat
repente you of your iornay. _Me._ Spryngithe ther no
holy oyle? _Ogy._ I trowe you dote, that spryngythe nat
but owt of the sepulchres of sayntes, as saynt Andrew,
& saynt Katerê, owr lady was nat beried. _Me._ I graût
I sayd amysse, but tell on your tale. _Ogy._ So moche
more as thay persayue youre deuocyõ, so moche larger
reliques wyl thay shew to you. _Me._ Ye and peraduêture
that thay may haue larger offerynges, as is sayd that,
many lytle offerynges makythe a heuy boxe. _Ogygy._ Her
chaplens be alway at hand. _Me._ Be thay of ye
Chanones? _Ogy._ No, thay be nat permyttyd to be with
her, lest that peraduenture by occasyon of that
religyon, thay shuld be plukkyd || B ij.|| frome thayr
owne religyõ, and whylst thay kepe that virgyne, thay
regard very lytle thayr awne virgynyte, alonly in that
inner chapell whiche is our ladyes preuy chãbre, ther
standithe a certayne Chanõ at the autre. _Me._ For what
purpose? _Ogy._ To receyue and kepe, that whiche is
offeryd. _Me._ dothe any man gyue ayenst hys wyll.
_Ogy._ No, but many men hathe suche a gentle
shamfastnes, that thay wyll gyue some thynge to hym
that standythe by, other thay wyll offre more largely,
whiche thay wold nat doo perauêture if that he were
absent, that standithe there. _Me._ You tell me of
mannes affectiones, whiche I my selffe prouyd very
ofte. _Ogy._ Ye trewly there be some so gyuê to our
blessyd lady, that whan thay apere to put vpe thayr
handes to offre, with a pure cõusyance, thay stayl that
whiche other men hathe gyuen. _Me._ Than || lett no man
be there, wyll nat oure Lady shote her thonderbowlte at
suche. _Ogy._ Wherfor shuld our lady rather doo so,
than God hymselffe, whom thay be nat affrayd to pluke
owt hys robes, & breake ye churche walles therfore.
_Mene._ I am in a great doubt whether I shuld, rather
maruayle apon thayre wykyd boldnes, or Goddys great
gêtlenes and longe sufferynge. _Ogy._ Apõ the Northe
parte ther is a certayne gaate, but lest that you
should make a lye, it is nat of the churche, but of the
pale that compassithe a bowte the churche yarde, and
that hathe a lytle wykyt, suche as be in great mennes
gaates, that who so euer wyll entre, must fyrst putin
hys legge, nat withowt some ioperdie, and than bowe
downe hys hedde. _Me._ It is ioperdie to goo thorow
suche a dore, to a mannes enemye. _Ogy._ So it is, the
sexten dyd tell me that || B iij.|| ther was ones a
knyght whiche fleeynge hys enemye, than aprochynge, dyd
ride thorow ye wykyte, and than the wretche dispayrynge
in hym selffe, apon a soden motion, dyd commend
hymselffe to ye blessyd virgyne, whiche was than at
hand. But now commythe the myrakle. By and by that
knyght was all in the churche yarde, and hys aduersary
was ragynge at the dore wowte. _Me._ And dyd he tell
you so maruylous a myrakle for a trewthe? _Ogy._ No
dowte. _Me._ But I suppose that he could nat so
lyghtely doo that to you so a great a philosopher.
_Ogy._ He dyd shewe to me in that same wykytte in a
plate of coper, the ymage of the knyght fastenyd with
nayles and with the same garmentes that the Englishmen
were wontyd to wayre at that tyme, as you may see in
that olde pictures, whiche wyl nat lye, Barbours had ||
but lytle lyuynge at that tyme: and dieres & websteres
gotte but litle monay. _Me._ Why so? _Ogy._ For he had
a berd like a goote, and his cote had neuer a plyte,
& it was so litle, that with strayte gyrdynge it mayd
hys body to apere lesse than it was. Ther was another
plate, that was in quantyte and fourme like to a
cheste. _Me._ Well now it is nat to be doubtyd apõ.
_Ogy._ Under ye wykyte ther was a grate of yrne, that
no man cã passe theryn but a footemã, for it is nat
conuenyent that any horsse shuld tread after apon ye
place, whiche the knyght dyd cõsecrate to owr lady.
_Me._ Nat withowt a good cause. _Ogy._ Frome that parte
toward the Este, there is a litle chapell, full of
maruayles and thyther I wête, ther was I receyuyd of
another of our ladyes chaplenes, ther we knelyd downe,
to make our litle prayeres. By & by, he broght forthe
|| B iiij.|| the ioynte of a mannes fynger, the
greatyste of thre, which I kyssyd, & askyd whose
relyques thay were, he dyd say that thay were saynt
Petres. What thapostle sayd I. Ye sayd he. Than I dyd
better beholde the ioynte, whiche for hys greatenes
myght well haue be a Gyãtes ioynte, rather than a
mannes. Than sayd I, saynt Peter must nedys be a great
man of stature. But at that word, ther was one of the
gentlemê that stode by, that could not forbere
lawghynge, for the which I was very sory. For if he had
holden hys pease, we had sene all the relyques, yet we
metely well pleasyd mayster Sextê, with gyuynge hym
.ij. or .iij. grotes. Before that chapell there was a
litle howsse, which he sayd ones in wynter tyme whan
that there was litle rowme to couer the reliques, that
it was sodenly broght & sett in that place. Under that
house || there was a couple of pittes, bothe fulle of
water to the brynkys, and thay say that ye sprynge of
thos pittes is dedicate to our lady, that water is very
colde, and medycynable for the hede ake and that
hartburnynge. _Me._ If that cold water wyll hele the
paynes in the hede and stomake, than wyll oyle put owte
fyre from hensforthe. _Ogy._ It is a myrakle that I
tell, good syr, or els what maruayle shuld it be, that
cowld water shuld slake thurste? _Me._ This may well be
one parte of your tale. _Ogy._ Thay say that the
fowntayne dyd sodenly sprynge owte of the erthe at the
commaundement of our lady, & I dilygently examenynge
althynges, dyd aske hym how many yeres it was sythe
that howsse was so sodenly broght thyther. Many yeres
agone saythe he. Yet, sayde I, the wallys doo nat apere
so old. He dyd nat denay it. No mor thes woden
|| B v.|| pyleres. He cowld nat denay but that they
were sette there nat longe agoo, and also the mater dyd
playnly testyfye ye same. Afterward, sayd I, thys roffe
which is all of rede dothe apere nat to be very olde,
& he granted also, thes greete bemes which lye
ouerthwerte, and these rafteres that hold vpe that
howsse were nat sett longe agone. He affyrmyd my
saynge. Well sayd I seynge that no parte of the housse
is lefte but all is new, how can yow say that this was
the house whiche was broght hyther so longe agoo. _Me._
I pray you how dyd the howskeper, auoyde hymselffe
frome your argumêt. _Ogy._ By & by he dyd shew to vs
the mater by the skyne of a bayre whiche had hangyd be
the rafteres a longe season, and dyd almost moke the
symplenes of owre wyttes that could nat perceyue so
manyfeste an argumête we beynge || perswadyd by this
argument, askid pardon of our ignorance, and callid
into our communycacyon the heuêly mylke of our lady.
_Me._ O how like to the sone is the mother, for he hath
left to vs so moche blood here in erthe, & she so moche
mylke, that a man wyl skarysly beleue a woman to haue
so moche mylke of one chylde, in case the chyld shuld
sukke none at all. _Ogy._ Thay saye the same of the
holy crosse, whiche is shewyd in so many places bothe
openly, and pryuately, that if ye fragmentes were
gathered apon one heape, they wold apere to be a iuste
fraghte for a shipe, and yet Christe dyd bere all his
crosse hymselffe. _Me._ But do nat you maruayll at
this? _Ogy._ It may welbe a strãge thynge, but no
maruayle, seynge that the lord whiche dothe encreasse
this at hys pleasure, is almyghty. _Me._ It is very
gently expownded, but I am || afrayd, that many of thes
be faynyd for lukre. _Ogy._ I suppose that God wold nat
suffre hymselffe to be deludyd of suche a fasshion.
_Mene._ Yis, haue nat you sene that whã bothe the
mother, the sone, the father, and the holy ghoste hathe
be robbyd of thes sacrilegyous theues, that thay
woldnat ones moue, or styre nother with bekke or crakke
wherby thay myght fray away the theues. So great is the
gentles of God. _Ogy._ So it is, but here out me tale.
This mylke is kepyd apon the hye aultre, and in the
myddys ther is Christe, with his mother apon hys ryght
hand, for her honor sake, the mylke dothe represente
the mother. _Me._ It may be sene than? _Ogy._ It is
closyd in crystalle. _Me._ It is moyste thã? _Ogy._
What tell you me of moystenes, whã it was mylkyd more
than a thowsand and fyue hunthrithe yere agone, it is
so congelyd, that a mã wold || saye that it were chalke
temperyd with the whyte of a egge. _Me._ Ye, but do
thay sette it forthe bare? _Ogy._ No, lest so holy
mylke shuld be defowlyd with the kyssynge of men. _Me._
You say well. For I suppose that ther be many that
kysse it, whiche be nother clene mouthyd, nor yet be
pure virgynes. _Ogy._ Whan ye sexten sawe vs, he dyd
runne to the aultre, & put apon hym his surplese, & his
stole about his nekke, knelyd downe relygyously, and
worshipyd it, and streghtforthe dyd offre the mylke to
vs to kysse. And at the ende of the aultre we knelyd
downe deuoutly, & the fyrste of all we salutyd Christe,
& than after we callyd apon our lady with thys prayer,
whiche we had mayd redy for the same purpose. O mother
& mayde, whiche dyd gyue sukke with thy virgynes teates
the lorde of heuen and yerthe, thy sone Iesus Christe,
we beynge puryfyed || thorowe hys precyous blode, do
desyre that we may attayne, and come to that blessyd
infancye of thy colombynes meknes, whiche is immaculate
without malice, frawde, or diseyte, and with all
affectyon of harte dothe couett and stody for the
heuenly mylke of the euangelicall doctryne, to go
forthe and encrease with it into a perfaycte man, into
the mesure of the plentefulnes of Christe, of whose
cõpany thou haste the fruycyon, togyther with the
father, & the holy ghost for euermore, so be it. _Me._
Uerely thys is a holy prayer. But what dyd she?
_Ogygy._ Thay bothe bekkyd at vs, excepte my eyes
waggyd, and me thoght that the mylke daunsyd. In the
meanseson the sexten came to vs, withowt any wordes,
but he held out a table suche as the Germanes vse to
gather tolle apon bridges. _Me._ By my trothe I haue
cursyd veryofte suche || crauynge boxes, whan I dyd
ryde thorowe Germany. _Ogy._ We dyd gyue hym certayne
monay whiche he offeryd to our lady. Thã I axyd by a
certayne yonge man, yt was well learnyd, whiche dyd
expownde and tell vs the saynge of ye Sextê, hys name
(as fere as I remembre) was Robert alderisse, by what
tokenes or argumêtes he dyd know that it was the mylke
of owr lady. And that I very fayne, & for a good
purpose desyred to knowe, that I myght stope the
mowthes of certayne newfanglyd felowes, that be wotyd
to haue suche holy relyques in derysyon and mokage.
Fyrst of all the Sexten with a froward cowntenãce wold
nat tell, but I desyryd the yong man to moue hym more
instantly, but somwhat more gently he so courtesly
behauyd hymselffe, that and he had prayd owr lady
herselffe || after that fashion, she wold nat haue be
dysplesyd therwith. And thã this mystycall chapleyn, as
and if he had be inspyryd with ye holy ghoste, castynge
at vs a frounynge loke, as & if he wold haue shote at
vs ye horryble thonderbolte of the greate curse, what
nede you (saythe he) to moue suche questyones, whan yow
see before your eyes so autentycall & old a table. And
we were afrayd lest that he wold haue cast vs out of
the churche for heretykes, but that oure monay dyd
tempte hys greate furye. _Mene._ What dyd you in the
meaneseason? _Ogygyus._ What suppose you? We were
amasyd as and if a man had stryke vs with a clube, or
we had be slayne with a thonderclape, and we very lowly
axid pardon of oure folishe boldenes, and gote vs frome
thens. For so must we entreate holy thynges. || Frome
thens we went in to ye howse where owre lady dwellithe,
and whan we came there, we sawe another Sexten whiche
was but a noues, he lokyd famylarly as and if he had
knowê vs, and whã we came a litle further in, we sawe
another, that lokyd moch after suche a fashion, at the
last came the thyrd. _Me._ Perauenture thay desyryd to
descrybe you. _Ogy._ But I suspecte another mater.
_Mene._ What was it? _Ogygy._ There was a certayne
theffe that had stole almost all owr ladyes frontlet,
and I supposyd that they had me in suspycyon thereof.
And therfore whan I was within the chapell I mayd my
prayers to our lady after thys fashiõ. Oh cheffe of all
women Mary the mayd, most happy mother, moste pure
virgyne, we vnclene, and synners, doo vysyte the pure &
holy, and after our abylytye we haue offeryd vnto the,
we pray thy that thy || C.|| sone may grante this to
vs, that we may folow thy holy lyffe, and that we may
deserue thorow the grace of the holy ghoste,
spirytually to cõceyue the lord Iesus Christ, & after
that conceptyon neuer to be separat from hym, Amen.
This done I kyssyd the aultre, and layd downe certayne
grotes for myne offerynge and went my waye. _Me._ What
dyde our lady now, dyd nat she make one sygne, that you
myght know that she had hard youre prayeres. _Ogy._ The
lyght (as I told you before) was but litle, and she
stode at the ryght ende of the aultre in the derke
corner, at the last the communicatyõ of the fyrst
Sexten had so discoregyd me, that I durst not ones loke
vpe with myne eyes. _Me._ This pylgremage came but to
smale effecte. _Ogy.._ Yes, it had a very good & mery
ende. _Me._ You haue causyd me to take harte of grasse,
for (as Homere || saythe) my harte was almost in my
hose. _Ogy._ Whan dynar was done, we returnyd to ye
temple. _Me._ Durste you goo & be susspecte of felonye?
_Ogy._ Perauenture so, but I had nat my selffe in
suspiciõ, a gyltles mynde puttythe away feare. I was
very desyrous to see that table whiche the holy Sexten
dyd open to vs. At the last we fownde it, but it was
hãgyd so hye that very fewe could rede it. My eyes be
of that fashion, that I can nother be callyd *Linceus,
[*Linceus ys a beaste so quike eyed that it wyll see
thorow any wall] nother purre blynd. And therefore I
instantly desyryd Alldryge to rede it, whose redynge I
folowyd with myne owne eyes, because I wold skarsly
truste hym in suche a mater. _Me._ Well, now all
doubtes be discussyd. _Ogy._ I was ashamyd that I
doubtyd so moche, ye mater was so playne set forthe
before oure eyes, bothe the name, the place, the thynge
it selffe as it was || C ij.|| done, to be breffe,
there was nothynge lefte owte. There was a mane whos
name was Wylyam whiche was borne in Parise, a man very
deuoute in many thyngs but pryncypally excedynge
relygyous in searchynge for the relyques of all sayntes
thorowowt all the world. He after that he had vysytyd
many places, contrayes, and regyones, at the laste
came to Cõstantynenople. For Wylhelmes brother was
there byshope, whiche dyd make hym pry to a certayne
mayde, whiche had professyd chastyte, that hadde parte
of oure ladyes mylke, which were an excedynge precyous
relyque, if that other with prayer, or monaye, or by
any crafte it myghte be gotte. For all the reliques
that he hadde gotte before were but tryfles to so holy
mylke. Wyllyam wold not rest there tyll that he had
gotte halffe of that holy mylke, but whan he had ||
it, he thoghte that he was richer than Croeseus. _Me._
Why nat, but was it nat withowt any goodhope? _Ogy._ He
went thã streght home, but in hys iornay he fell seke.
_Me._ Iesu there is nothynge in thys worlde that is
other permanent, or alwayes in good state. _Ogy._ But
whan he sawe & perceyuyd that he was in greate ioperdye
of his lyffe, he callyd to him a frenchman, whiche was
a very trusty companyon to hym in hys iornay. And
commaundyd all to auoyd the place, and make sylence, &
pryuyly dyd betake to hym thys mylke, apon this
condycyõ, that if it chãcyd to come home saffe & sownde
he wuld offre that precyous tresure to our ladyes
aultre in Paryse, whiche standythe in the myddys of the
ryuere Sequana, whiche dothe apere to separat hymselffe
to honor and obaye our blessyd lady. But to make short
tale. Wylyam is deade, & || C iij.|| buryed, the
Frenchman mayd hym redy to departe apon hys iornay,
& sodêly fell seke also. And he in great dyspayre of
amendynge, dyd commyth ye mylke to an Englishmã, but
nat withowt great instance, and moche prayer he dyd
that whiche he was mouyd to doo. Than dyed he. And ye
other dyd take the mylke, and put it apon an aultre of
ye same place the Chanones beynge present, whiche were
yt as we call Regulares. Thay be yet in the abbaye of
saynt Genofeffe. But ye Englishmã obtaynyd the halffe
of that mylke, & caryed it to Walsyngã in England, the
holy ghost put suche in hys mynde. _Me._ By my trothe
this is a godly tale. _Ogy._ But lest there shuld be
any doubte of this mater, ye Byshopes whiche dyd grante
pardon to it thayre names be wryten there, as thay came
to vysyte it, nat withowt thayre offerynges, and thay
haue || gyuen to it remyssyon, as moche as thay had to
gyue by thayre authorite. _Me._ How moche is that?
_Ogy._ Fowrty dayes. _Mene._ Yee is there dayes in
hell. _Ogy._ Trewly ther is tyme. Ye but whan thay haue
grãtyd all thayre stynte, thay haue no more to grante.
_Ogy._ That is nat so for whan one parte is gone
another dothe encrease, and it chansythe dyuersly euyn
as the tonne of Canaidus. For that althoghe it be
incontynently fyllyd, yet it is alway emptye: and if
thou be takynge owt of it, yet there is neuer the lesse
in the barell. _Me._ If thay grãte to an hunderithe
thowsand mê fowrty dayes of pardone, wuld euery man
haue elyke? _Ogy._ No doubte of that. _Me._ And if any
haue forty byfore dynar, may he axe other forty at
after souper, is there any thynge left than to gyue
him? _Ogy._ Ye, & if thou aske it ten tymes in one
howre. _Me._ I wold || C iiij.|| to God that I had
suche a pardon bagge, I wold aske but .iij. grotes, and
if thay wold flowe so faste. _Ogy._ Ye but you desyre
to be to ryche, if that you myght for wyshynge, but I
wyl turne to my tale, but there was some good holy man
whiche dyd gyue this argumente of holynes to that
mylke, and sayd that our Ladyes mylke whiche is in many
other places, is precyous & to be worshipyd but thys is
moche more precyous, & to be honoryd, bycause the other
was shauen of stones, but this is the same that came
out of the virgynes brest. _Me._ How kno you that?
_Ogy._ The mayd of Cõstantynople, which dyd gyue it,
dyd saye so. _Me._ Perauenture saynt Barnard dyd gyue
it to her. _Ogy._ So I suppose. For whã he was an old
man, yet he was so happy that he sukkyd of ye same
mylke, that Iesus hymselffe sukkyd apon. _Me._ But I
maruayle why he was || rather callyd a hony sukker than
a mylke sukker. But how is it callyd oure ladyes mylke
that came neuer owt of her breste? _Ogy._ Yes it came
owt at her breste, but perauenture it light apon the
stone that he whiche sukkyd knelyd apon, and ther was
receyuyd, and so is encreasyd, & by ye wyll of god is
so multyplyed. _Me._ It is wel sayd. _Ogy._ Whan we had
sene all thys, whyle that we were walkynge vpe & downe,
if that any thynge of valure were offeryd, so that
anybody were present to see thaym ye Sextens mayd great
haste for feare of crafty cõuayêce, lokynge apõ thaym
as thay wold eate thaym. Thay poynte at hym with there
fynger, thay runne, thay goo, thay come, thay bekke one
to an other, as tho thay wold speake to thaym that
stand by if thay durste haue be bold. _Mene._ Were you
afrayd of nothynge there? _Ogy._ Yis I dyd loke
|| C v.|| apõ hym, lawghynge as who shold saye I wold
moue him to speake to me, at laste he cam to me, and
axid me what was my name, I told him. He axid me if yt
were nat I that dyd hange vpe there a table of my vowe
writen in Hebrew, within .ij. yere before. I confessid
that it was ye same. _Me._ Cã you wryte hebrewe?
_Ogygy._ No but all that thay cãnat vnderstond, thay
suppose to be Hebrewe. And than (I suppose he was send
for) came the posterior pryor. _Me._ What name of
worshipe is that? Haue thay nat an abbate? _Ogy._ No
_Me._ Why so? _Ogy._ For thay cannat speake Hebrew.
_Me._ Haue thay nat a Bishope? _Ogy._ No. _Me._ What is
ye cause? _Ogy._ For oure lady is nat as yet so ryche,
that she is able to bye a crosse, & a mytre, whiche be
so deare, _Me._ Yet at least haue thay nat a
presedente? _Ogy._ No veryly. What lettythe thaym?
_Ogy._ That is a name || of dygnyte and nat of relygyõ.
And also for that cause suche abbayes of Chanones, doo
nat receyue the name of an abbate, thay doo call thaym
maysters? _Me._ Ye, but I neuer hard tell of pryor
posterior before. _Ogy._ Dyd you neuer learne youre
grãmere before. _Me._ Yis I know prior posterior amõgst
the fygures. _Ogy._ That same is it. It is he that is
nexte to the prioure, for there priour is posterior.
_Me._ You speake apon the supprioure. _Ogy._ That same
dyd entertayne me very gently, he told me what greate
labure had be abowt ye readynge of thos verses, & how
many dyd rubbe thayr spectakles abowt thaym. As oft as
any old ancyent doctor other of deuynyte or of the
lawe, resorted thyder, by and by he was broght to that
table, some sayd that thay were lettres of Arabia, some
sayd thay were faynyd lettres. Well || at the last came
one that redde the tytle, it was wryten in laten with
greate Romayne lettres, ye Greke was wryten with
capytale lettres of Greke, whiche at the fyrst syght do
apere to be capytale latê lettres, at thayr desyer I
dyd expownde ye verses in laten, trãslatynge thaym word
for word. But whã thay wold haue gyuyn me for my
labour, I refusyd it, seynge that ther was nothynge so
hard that I wold not doo for our blessyd ladyes sake,
ye thogh she wold commaûd me to bere this table to
Hierusalê. _Me._ What nede you to be her caryoure,
seynge that she hathe so many angelles bothe at her
hedde and at her fette. _Ogy._ Than he pullid owt of
hys purse a pece of wodde, that was cutt owte of the
blokke that our ladye lenyd apon. I perceyuyd by and by
thorow the smell of it, that it was a holy thynge. Than
whan I sawe so || greate a relyque, putt of my cappe,
and fel down flatte, & very deuoutly kyssyd it .iij. or
.iiii tymes, poppyd it in my pursse. _Me._ I pray you
may a man see it? _Ogy._ I gyue you good leue. But if
you be nat fastynge, or if you accompanyed with yowre
wyffe the nyght before, I conceyle you nat to loke apon
it. _Me._ O blessed arte thou that euer thou gotte this
relyque. _Ogy._ I may tell you in cowncell, I wold nat
gyue thys litle pece for all ye gold that Tagus hathe,
I wyll sett it in gold, but so that it shall apere
thorow a crystall stone. And than the Supprioure whã he
sawe that I dyd take the relyque so honorably, he
thoght it shuld nat be lost, in case he shuld shew me
greater mysteries, he dyd aske me whether I hadde euer
sene our ladyes secretes, but at that word I was
astonyed, yet I durst nat be so so bold as to demande
what thos || secretes were. For in so holy thynges to
speake a mysse is no small danger. I sayd that I dyd
neuer se thaym but I sayd that I wold be very glade to
see thaym. But now I was broght in, and as I had be
inspired with the holy ghost, than thay lyghted a
couple of taperes, & set forthe a litle ymage, nat
couryously wroght, nor yet very gorgeous, but of a
meruelous virtue. _Me._ That litle body hathe smale
powre to worke myrakles. I saw saynt Christopher at
Parise, nat a carte lode, but as moche as a greate
hylle, yet he neuer dyd myrakles as farre as euer I
herd telle. _Ogy._ At our ladyes fette there is a
precyous stone, whos name as it is nother in Greke nor
Laten. The Frenchemã gaue it the name of a tode,
bycause it is so like, that no man (althoghe he be
conynge) can set it forthe more lyuely. But so moche
greater is || the myrakle, that the stone is litle, the
fourme of the tode dothe nat apere, but it shynythe as
it were enclosyd within that precyous stone. _Me._
Perauenture they ymagyne ye symylytude of a tode to
be there, euyn as we suppose whan we cutte ye fearne
stalke there to be an egle, and euyn as chyldren
(whiche they see nat indede) in ye clowdes, thynke they
see dragones spyttynge fyre, & hylles flammynge with
fyre, & armyd mê encownterynge. _Ogy._ No, I wold you
shuld know it, there is no lyuynge tode that more
euydêtly dothe expresse hymselffe than it dyd there
playnly apere. _Me._ Hetherto I haue sufferyd thy lyes,
but now get the another that wyll beleue the, thy tale
of a tode. _Ogy._ No maruayle Menedemus thogh you be so
disposyd, for all the world cannot make me to beleue
yt, not & all doctoures of dyuynyte wold swere || it
were trewe. But that I sawe it with myne eyes, ye with
thes same eyes, dyd I proue it. But in ye meanseson me
thynke you regard naturall phylosophye but litle. _Me._
why so, because I wyll nat beleue ye asses flye? _Ogy._
An do you nat se, how nature the worker of all thynges,
dothe so excell in expressynge ye fourme bewty, &
coloure of thaym maruylously in other thynges, but
pryncypaly in precyous stones? moreouer she hathe gyuen
to ye same stones wonderouse vertu and strêkthe that is
almost incredyble, but that experience dothe otherwyse
testyfye. Tell me, do you beleue that a Adamand stone
wold drawe vnto him stele withowt any towchynge therof,
and also to be separate frome him ayen of hys owne
accorde, excepte that yow had sene it with yowre eyes.
_Me._ No verely, nat and if .x. Arystoteles wold
perswade me || to the contrarye. _Ogy._ Therfore
bycause you shuld nat say thys were a lye, in case you
here any thynge, whiche you haue not sene prouyd. In a
stone callyd Ceraunia we see ye fashon of lightnynge,
in the stone Pyropo wyldfyre, Chelazia dothe expresse
bothe the coldnes and the fourme of hayle, and thoghe
thou cast in to the hote fyre, an Emrode, wyll
expresse the clere water of the seye. Carcinas dothe
counterfayte ye shape of a crabfishe. Echites of the
serpente vyper. But to what purpose shuld I entreat, or
inuestygate the nature of suche thynges whiche be
innumerable, whã there is no parte of nature nor in the
elementes, nother in any lyuynge creature, other in
planetes, or herbes ye nature euyn as it were all of
pleasure hathe not expressyd in precyous stones? Doo
yow maruayle thã that in thys stone at owre ladies
fote, || D.|| is the fourme and fashon of a tode. _Me._
I maruayle that nature shuld haue so moche lesure, so
to counterfayt the nature of althynges. _Ogy._ It was
but to exercyse, or occupye the curyosytye of mannes
wytte, and so at the lest wyse to kepe vs frome
ydlenes, and yet as thoghe we had nothynge to passe ye
tyme with all, we be in a maner made apon foles, apon
dyesse, and crafty iogeleres. _Me._ You saye very
truthe. _Ogy._ There be many men of no smale grauytye,
that wyll say thys kynd of stones, if that you put it
in vynagre, it wyll swyme, thoge you wold thruste it
downe with violence. _Me._ Wherfore do thay sette a
tode byfore our lady? _Ogy._ Bycause she hathe
ouercome, trode vnderfote, abolyshyd all maner of
vnclennes, poysõ, pryde, couytousnes, and all wordly
affectyones that raygne in man. _Me._ Woo be to vs,
that hathe so many todes in owre hartes. || _Ogygy._
We shal be purgyd frome thaym all, if we dylygêtly
worshipe owre lady. _Me._ How wold she be worshipyd.
_Ogy._ The most acceptable honor, that thou canste doo
to her is to folowe her lyuynge. _Me._ You haue told
all at ones. But this is hard to brynge to pass. _Ogy._
You saye truthe, but it is an excellente thynge. _Me._
But go to, and tell on as you begane. _Ogy._ After thys
to come to owre purpose, the Supprioure shewyed to me
ymages of gold and syluer, and sayd, thes be pure gold,
and thes be syluer and gyltyd, he told the pryce of
euery one of thaym, and the patrone. Whan I wonderyd,
reioycynge of so maruelous ryches, as was abowt our
lady, than saythe the Sextê bycause I percayue, that
you be so vertuously affecte, I suppose it greate
wronge, to hyde any thynge frome you, but now you shall
see the pryuytyes || D ij.|| of our lady, and than he
pullyd owt of the aultre a whole world of maruayles, if
I shuld tell you of all, a whole daye wold nat suffyse,
& so thys pylgremage chansyd to me most happy. I was
fyllyd euyn full withe goodly syghts, and I brynge also
with me this wonderous relyque, whiche was a tokê gyuen
to me frõe our lady. _Me._ Haue you nat it prouyd, what
valewre your woden relyque is on? _Ogy._ Yis, that I
haue, in a certayne Inne within thys thre dayes, ther I
fownde a certayne man that was bestraght of hys wytte,
whiche shuld haue be bownde, but thys woden relyque was
put vnder hys nekke pryuyly, wherapon he gad a sadde
and sownd sleape, but in the mornynge he was hole and
sownde as euer he was before. _Me._ It was nat the
phrenysy, but the dronkê dropsye, sleape ys wontyd to
be a good medicyne for ye dysease. || _Ogy._ Whã you be
dysposyd to skoffe Menedemus, yt ys best that you gette
a nother maner of gestynge stokke than thys, for I tell
you it is nother good nor holsome, to bowrde so with
sayntes. For thys same mã dyd say, that a woman dyd
apere to hym, in hys sleape, after a maruelouse
fashion, which shold gyue hym a cuppe to drynke apon.
_Mene._ I suppose it was *Elleborû. [*Elleborum wyll
restore a man to hys senses that hathe lost thê.]
_Ogy._ That is vncertayne, but I kno well ye mã was
well broght into hys mynde ayen. _Me._ Dyd you other
come or goo by Sante Thomas of Cantorbury that good
archebishope. _Ogy._ What els/there ys no pylgremage
more holy. _Me._ I wold fayne here of yt, and I shold
nat trouble you. _Ogy._ I pray you here, & take good
hedd. Kente ys callyd that parte of England, that
buttythe apon Fraûce and Flanders, the cheffe cytye
there of ys Cantorburye, in yt there be ij. || D iij.||
Abbayes, bothe of thaym be of Saynte Benedycts ordre,
but that which ys callyd Saynte Augustyns dothe apere
to be the oldre, that whiche ys callyd now Saynte
Thomas dothe apere to haue be the Archebyshope of
Cantorburys see, where as he was wontyd to lyue with a
sorte of monkes electe for hymselffe, as Byshopes now
adayes be wontyd to haue thayr howses nye vnto the
churche, but aparte frome other canons howses. In tymes
paste bothe Byshopes & Chanones were wontyde to be
monkes, as may be playnly prouyd by many argumentes.
The churche which ys dedycate to Saynte Thomas, dothe
streche vpe apon heght so gorgeously, that it wyll moue
pylgrymes to deuocion a ferre of, and also withe hys
bryghtnes and shynynge he dothe lyght hys neybures,
& the old place whiche was wontyd to be most holy, ||
now in respecte of it, is but a darke hole and a lytle
cotage. There be a couple of great hye toures, which
doo seme to salute strangeres aferre of, and thay dow
fyll all the contray abowt bothe farre and nere, with
the sownde of great belles, in the fronte of the
temple, whiche is apõ the southe syde, there stand
grauen in a stone thre armyd men, whiche with thayr
cruell handes dyd sleye the most holy saynte Thomas,
and there is wryten thayr surnames Tracy, Breton, and
Beryston. _Me._ I pray you wharfore doo thay suffer
thos wykyd knyghtes be so had in honoure. _Ogy._ Euyn
suche honor is gyuen to thaym as was gyuê to Iudas,
Pylate, and Caiphas, & to the compauy of the wykyd
sowdyeres, as you may se payntyd in the tables that be
sett before aultres. Thayr surnames be putto lest any
man hereafter shuld vsurpe any || D iiij.|| cause of
thayr prayse. Thay be payntyd byfore mennes eyes,
bycause that no cowrtyer after thys shuld laye violêt
handes other apõ Byshopes, or the churche goodes. For
thes thre of this garde strayght apon that wykyd acte,
wente starke madde, nor thay had neuer had thayr mynde
ayen, but that thay prayd to blessyd saynt Thomas.
_Me._ O blessyd pacyence of suche martyres. _Ogy._ At
our entre in, lord what a pryncely place dyd apere vnto
vs, where as euery mã that wyll may goo in. _Me._ Is
there no maruayle to be sene. _Ogy._ Nothynge but the
greate wydnes of the place, and a sorte of bokes,
that be bownde to pyleres wherein is the gospell of
Nicodemus, and I cannat tell whos sepulkre. _Me._ What
than? _Ogy._ Thay do so dylygêtle watche lest any mã
shulde entre in to the quere of yron, that thay wyll
skarsly suffre a man || to loke apon it, whiche is
betwyxte the greate churche & the hye quere (as thay
calle it) a man that wyll go thyther must clyme vp many
stayres byfore, vndre the whiche there is a certayne
wykyt with a barre that openythe the dore apon the
northe syde. There standythe forthe a certayne aultre
whiche is dedycate to our lady, it is but a lytle one,
and I suppose set there for no other purpose, but to be
a olde monumêt or sygne, that in thos dayes there was
no greate superfluyte. There thay saye that thys
blessyd martyr sayd his last good nyght to our lady,
whã he shuld departe hensse. In ye aultre is the poynte
of the sword that styryd abowt the braynes of thys
blessyd martyr. And there lye his braynes shed apon the
yerthe, whereby you may well knowe yt he was nere
deade. But the holly ruste of thys grat I deuoutly
kyssed for loue of ye || D v.|| blessyd martyr. From
thens we wêt vndre the crowdes, whiche is nat withowt
hys chaplaynes, & there we sawe the brayne panne of
that holy martyr whiche was thraste quyte thorow, all
the other was coueryd with syluer, the ouerparte of the
brayne panne was bare to be kyssyd, and there with all
is seth forthe a certayn leden table hauynge grauyd in
hym a tytle of saynte Thomas of Acrese. There hange
also the sherte of heyre, & hys gyrdle with hys heren
breches where with that noble champyõ chastnyd hys
body, thay be horryble to loke apon, and greatly
reproue oure delycate gorgeousnes. _Me._ Ye perauêture
so thay do the mõkes slotefulnes. _Ogy._ As for that
mater I cãnat affyrme nor yet denye, nor yet it is no
poynte of my charge. _Me._ Ye saye truthe. _Ogy._ Frome
thens we returnyd in to the quere, & apon || ye northe
syde be ye relyques shewyd, a wonderouse thynge to se,
what a sort of bones be broght forthe, skulles, iawes,
thethe, handes, fyngres, hole armes, whã we had
worshipyd thaym all, we kyssyd thaym, that I thoght we
shuld neuer haue mayd an ende, but that my pylgremage
felow whiche was an vnmete companyon for suche a
busynes, prayd thaym to make an end of sethynge forthe
thayre relyques. _Me._ What felowe was that? _Ogy._
He was an Englyshma callyd Gratiane colte a man bothe
vertuouse and well learnyd, but he had lesse affectyon
toward pylgremages than I wold that he shuld haue.
_Me._ One of Wyclyffes scoleres I warrante you? _Ogy._
I thynke nat, althoghe he had redde hys bokes, how he
came by thaym I cannat tell. _Me._ He dysplesyd mayster
Sextê greuosly. _Ogy._ Thã was there broght forthe ||
an arme whiche had yet the redde fleshe apon it, he
abhorryd to kysse it, a man myght se by hys countenance
that he was nothynge well pleasyd, & than by and by
mayster Sexten put vp hys relyques. But than we lokyd
apõ the table whiche was apõ the aultre, and all hys
gorgeousnes, aftrewarde thos thyngs that were hydde
vnder the aultre. ther was nothynge but riches
excedynge, a man wold accompte both Midas and Cresus
beggers in respecte of thos riches that ther was sett
abrode. _Me._ Was ther no more kyssynge thê? _Ogy._ No,
but an other affection and desyre came apõ me. _Me._
What was that? _Ogy._ I syghed that I had no suche
relyques at home. _Me._ Oh a wycked desyre & an euyl
thought _Ogy._ I graunt, and therefore I axyd,
forgyfnes of saynt Thomas before I remouyd one fote, to
departe out of the church. After || thes thus we were
brought in to ye reuestry, o good lorde what a goodly
syght was ther of vestmêtes of veluet & clothe of
golde, what a some of candlestykes of gold? We sawe
ther saynt Thomas crosse staffe, ther was seê also a
rede ouerlayed with syluer, it was but of a smalle
wyght, vnwrought, nor no longer then wold retch vnto a
mans mydgle. _Me._ Was ther no crosse? _Ogy._ I sawe
none at all, ther was shewed vs a robe of sylke treuly,
but sowed with cowrse threde, garnysshyd with nother
gold nor stone. Ther was also a napkyn full of swette
blody, wher with saynt Thomas wypyd bothe hys nose and
hys face, these thynges as monumêtes of auncyent
sobernes we kyssed gladely. _Me._ Be not these thynges
showed to euery body? _Ogy._ No for sothe good syr.
_Me._ How happened it that you were in so good
credens, that no || secret thynges were hyd frome you?
_Ogy._ I was well acquyntede with the reuerende father
Gwylyame warham the archbyshope. He wrote .ij. or .iij.
wordes in my fauour. _Me._ I here of many that he is a
mã of syngler humanite. _Ogy._ But rather thou woldest
call hym humanite it selfe if thou dydest well know
hym. For ther is in hym soche lernynge, so vertuouse
lyffe, soche purenes of maneres, that a mã cowld wyshe
no gyfte of a parfayte Byshope in him, that he hathe
nat. Frome thens afterward we were ladde to greater
thynges. For behynde the hyghe aultre, we ascêdyd as it
were in to a nother new churche, ther was shewed vs in
a chapell the face of the blessed man ouergylted and
with many precyous stones goodly garnysshed. A soden
chaunse here had almost marred the matter and put vs
out of conceyte. _Me._ I tary || to knowe what euyl
chaunse yow wyll speke of. _Ogy._ Here my companyõ
Gratiã gote hym lytle fauoure, for he, after we had mad
an ende of praynge, inquyred of hym that sate by the
hede, herke, he seyd, good father, is it true that I
here, that saynt Thomas whyl he it lyued was mercyfull
toward ye poer people? That is very true saythe he, and
he begã to tell greatly of his liberalyte and
compassyon that he shewede to the poer and nedy. Then
sayd Gratiã: I thynke that affection and good mynd in
him not to be chaungyde, but that it is now moche
better. Unto this graunted ye keper of the hede, agayn
sayd he, then in as moche as thys holy man was so
gratyouse vnto ye poer, whan he was yet poer, & he hym
selfe had nede of monay for ye necessarys of hys body,
thynke ye nat that he wold be contêt, now that he is so
ryche, and also nedethe || nothynge, that if a poer
womã hauynge at home chylderne lakynge mete and drynke,
or els doughters beynge in danger to lose ther
virginite, for defaute of ther substaunce to mary them
with, or hauynge her husbande sore syke, and destitute
of all helpe, in case she askyd lycens, & pryuyly stole
away a small porcyon of so greate riches, to sukkre her
howshold, as and if the shold haue it of one that wold
other leane, or gyue it to herre? And whan he wold nat
answere that kepyd the golden hedde, Gracyane, as he is
som what hasty, I, saythe he, doo suppose playnly, that
this holy man wold be gladde, yf that she, now beynge
deade, myght sustayne the necestiye of pore people. But
there mayster parson begone to frowne, & byte hys
lyppe, with hys holowe eyes lyke to *Gorgone [*A mõster
that hathe snakes for heares apon her hedde.] ye
monstre to luke apõ vs. I doo not dowbte he wold haue
|| cast vs out of the temple, and spytte apõ vs,
but that he dyd knowe that we were comendyd of the
archebsyhope. But I dyd somwhat myttygate the manes
ire, with my fayre wordes, saynge that Gratiane dyd nat
speake as he thoghte, but that he gestyd as he was
wontyd to doo, and stoppyd hys mouthe with a fewe pens.
_Mene._ Treuly I do greatly alow your goodly fashion,
but oftentymes ernestly I cõsyder, by what meaynes they
may be acõpted without faute & blame, that bestow so
moche substance in buyldyng churchys, in garnysshynge,
and enrychynge them without all mesure. I thynke as
touchyng the holy vestmentes, & the syluer plate of the
temple ther ought to be gyuyn, to the solempne seruys,
hys dygnyte and comlynes, I wyll also that the buyldyng
of the churche shall haue hys maiesty decent and
|| E.|| conuenyent. But to what purpose seruyth so many
holy water pottes, so many cãdlestyckes, so many ymages
of gold. What nede there so many payre of organes (as
thay call them) so costely & chargeable? For one payre
can not serue vs: what profyteth ye musicall criynge
out in the temples that is so derely bought and payed
for, whan in the meaneseson our brothers and systers
the lyuely temples of Christe liynge by the walles/dye
for hungre & colde. _Ogy._ Ther is no vertuouse or wyse
man, that wold nat desyre a meane to be hadde in thes
thynges. But in as moche as thys euyl is growen and
spronge vp of superstityon beyond mesure, yet may it
better be sufferde, specially when we consyder on the
other syde the euyll conscience and behauyor of them
that robb the churches of what so euer iuellys ther may
be so founde, thes || ryches were gyuen in a maner
great men, & of pryncys, the whiche they wold haue
bestowede vpon a worse vse, that is to say other at the
dyce or in the warres. And if a man take any thynge
from thense. Fyrst of all it is taken sacrylege, then
they hold ther handes that were accustomed to gyfe,
besyde that morouer they be allured & mouyde to
robbynge & vaynynge. Therfore thes mene be rather the
kepers of thys treasures thê lordes. And to speake a
worde for all, me thynket it is a better syght to
beholde a temple rychely adourned, as ther be some with
bare wolles, fylthy and euyl fauorde, more mete for
stables to put horses then churches for Chrysten
people. _Me._ Yet we rede that Byshopes in tymes paste
were praysede and cõmended bycause they solde the holy
vesseles of theyr churches, and with that money helped
and releued the || E ij.|| nedy and poure people.
_Ogy._ Thay be praysede also now in our tyme, but thay
be praysed onely, to folow ther doynge (I suppose) thay
may not, nor be any thynge dysposede. _Me._ I
interrupte and lett yowr cõmunycatyon. I loke now for
the cõclusyon of ye tale. _Ogy._ Gyffe audyence, I wyll
make an ende shortly. In the meane seson comyth forthe
he that is the cheffe of them all. _Me._ Who is he? the
abbot of the place? _Ogy._ He werythe a mytre, he may
spend so moche as an abbot, he wãted nothynge but ye
name, and he is called prior for this cause
tharchebyshope is takê in the abbotes sted. For in old
tyme who so euer was archbyshope of ye dyocese, the
same was also a monke. _Me._ In good faythe I wold be
content to be namyde a Camelle, if I myght spende
yerely the rentes and reuennes of an abbot. _Ogy._ Me
semede he was a || man bothe vertuous and wyse, and not
vnlearnede Duns diuinite. He opened the shryne to vs in
whiche ye holle body of the holy mã, thay say, dothe
rest and remayne. _Me._ Dydste thou see hys bones.
_Ogy._ That is not conuenient, nor we cowld not come to
it, except we sett vp laders, but a shryne of wod
couerede a shryne of gold, when that is drawne vp with
cordes, thã apperith treasure and riches inestimable.
_Me._ What do I here? the vilest part and worst was
golde, all thynges dyd shyne, florishe, and as it were
with lyghtnynge appered with precyouse stones and those
many and of great multitude: some were greater than a
gowse egge. Dyuerse of ye monks stode ther aboute with
greate reuerence, the couer takyn a way, all we kneled
downe and worshyped. The pryor with a whyte rodde
showed vs euery stone, addynge therto the || E iij.||
frenche name, the value, & the autor of the gyfte, for
the cheffe stonys were sent thyther by great prynces.
_Me._ He ought to be a man of an excedyng witt &
memory. _Ogy._ You gesse well, how beit exercyse & vse
helpeth moche, for euyn the same he dothe oftentymes.
He brought vs agayne in to the crowdes. Our lady hathe
ther an habitacyon, but somwhat darke, closed rownde
aboute with double yren grats. _Me._ What feared she?
_Ogy._ Nothinge I trow, except theues. For I saw neuer
any thing more laden with riches synse I was borne of
my mother. _Me._ You show vnto me blinde ryches.
_Ogy._ Whê they brought vs candells we saw a sight
passynge ye ryches of any kynge. _Me._ Dothe it excede
our lady of walsyngã? _Ogy._ To loke vpõ this, is
richer, the secret tresure she knoweth her selfe, but
this is not shewede, but to great || men, or to
specyall frendes. At the last we were brought agayne in
to the reuettry, there was taken out a cofer couered
with blacke lether, it was sett downe apon the table,
it was sett open, by and by euery body kneled downe and
worshipyd. _Me._ What was in it? _Ogy._ Certayne torne
ragges of lynnen clothe, many hauynge yet remaynynge in
them the token of the fylthe of the holy mannes nose.
With these (as they say) saynt Thomas dyd wype a way
the swett of hys face or hys neke, ye fylthe of hys
nose, or other lyke fylthynes with whiche mannes body
dothe abownde. Then my companyon Gratian, yet ones
agayn, got hym but smalle fauour. Unto hym an Englyshe
man and of famylyare acquayntenance and besyde that,
a man of no smalle authorite, the Prior gaff gentylly
one of the lynnê ragges, thynkynge to haue gyuen
|| E iiij.|| a gyfte very acceptable & pleasaunt, But
Gratian there with lyttle plea sede and content, not
with out an euydent synge of dyspleasure, toke one of
them betwene hys fyngers, and dysdaynyngly layd it down
agayne, made a mocke and a mow at it, after
the maner of puppettes, for thys was hys maner, if any
thing lykede hym not, that he thought worthy to be
despysede. Wher at I was bothe ashamed and wonderously
afrayed. Not withstondynge the Prior as he is a man not
at all dull wytted, dyd dyssemble the matter, & after
he had caused vs drinke a cuppe of wyne, gentylly he
let vs departe. When we came agayne to London. _Me._
What shuld ye do at Londo: seynge ye were not farre
from the see cost, to seale in to yowr cuntre? _Ogy._
It is true. But that see cost I refused and gladely dyd
fle from it, as from a place that is || noted and more
euyl spoken of it, for robbyng, stelynge, and vntrue
dealynge, then is of dangerouse ioperdy in the see, be
that hyll Malea wher many shyppes be drowned & vtterly
destroyed for euer. I wyll tell the what I dyd se the
last passage, at my commynge ouer. We were many caryed
in a bote frome Calys shore to go to the shyppe.
Amongest vs all was a pour yõge mã of Fraûce, and
barely appayrelled. Of hym he demauuded halfe a grote.
For so moche thay dow take and exacte of euery one for
so smalle a way rowynge. He allegede pouerty, then for
ther pastyme thay searched hym, plucked of his shoes,
and betwene the shoo and the soule, thay fownde .x. or
.xij. grotes, thay toke thê from hym laughyng at the
mater: mockinge and scornyng the poer & myserable
Frenchman. _Me._ What dyd ye fellow than? _Ogy._ What
thyng dyd || E v.|| he? He wept. _Me._ Whether dyd they
thys by any authoryte? _Ogy._ Suerly by the same
authoryte that thay steyle and pycke straungers males
and bowgettes, by the whiche they take a way mennes
pursys, if they se tyme and place conuenyent. _Me._
I meruayll that they dare be so bold to doo soch a
dede, so many lokynge vpon them. _Ogy._ They be so
accustomed, that they thynk it well done. Many that
were in the shyp lokede owt and sawe it also, in the
bote were dyuerse Englyshe marchauntes, whiche grudged
agaynst it, but all in vayne. The botemê as it had ben
a tryflyng mater reiosed and were glade that they had
so taken and handelyd the myserable Frenchman. _Me._
I wold play and sporte with these see theues, & hange
them vpon the gallowes. _Ogy._ Yet of such both the
shores swarme full. Here tell me, I pray the. What ||
wyll great mê do, whê theues take vpõ them to
enterpryse soch masterys. Therfore, herafter I had
leuer go fourty myllys aboute, thê to go that way,
thoffe it be moche shorter. Morouer euyn as ye goynge
downe to hell, is easy and leyght, but ye cõmynge frome
thens of greate dyffyculty, so to take shyppynge of
this syde the see, is not very easy, and the landynge
very hard & dangeroufe. Ther was at London dyuerse
maryners of Antwerpe, with them I purposed to take the
see. _Me._ Hathe that cûtre so holy maryners? _Ogy._
As an ape is euer an ape, I graûte, so is a maryner
euer a maryner: yet if thou compare them vnto these,
ye lyfe by robbynge, and pyllynge and pollynge, they
be angelles. _Me._ I will remembre thy saynge, if at
any tyme I be dysposed to go and se Englãde. But come
agayne in to ye waye, frome whens I broght the
|| E vi.|| owt. _Ogy._ Then as we whent toward London not
farre from Canterbury, we came in to a great hollow and
strayt way, morouer bowyng so downe, with hyllys of
eyther syde, that a man can not escape, nor it cannot
be auoyed, but he must nedes ryde that way. Upõ the
lefte hand of the way, ther is an almes howse for olde
people, frome them runnyth on owt, as sone as they here
a horseman commynge, he casteth holy water vpon hym,
and anone he offereth hym the ouerlether of a shoo
bownde abowte with an yerne whope, wherin is a glasse
lyke a precyouse stone, they that kysse it gyf a pece
of monay. _Me._ In soche a way I had leuer haue an almes
howse of olde folkes, then a company of stronge theues.
_Ogy._ Gratian rode vpon my lefte hande nerer the almes
howse, he caste holy water vpon hym, he toke it in
worthe so so, || when the shoo was proferred hym, he
asked what he ment by it, saythe he, it is saynt Thomas
shoo. There at he turned and was very angry, & turned
toward me: what (saythe he) meane these bestes, that
wold haue vs kysse ye shoes of euery good man? Why doo
they not lyke wyse gyue vs to kysse the spottel, &
other fylthe & dyrt of the body? I was sory for the old
mã, & gaue hym a pece of money to cõforthe hym with
all. _Me._ In myn opynyõ Gratian was not all together
angry with owt a good cause. If shoes and slyppers were
kept for a tokê of sobre lyuynge, I wold not be moch
dyscontent ther with, but me thynks it is a shame full
fashyon for shoes, slyppers, and breches to be offered
to kysse to any man. If some wold do it by there owne
fre wyll, of a certene affectyõ of holynes, I thynke
they were whorthy of pardon. _Ogy._ It were || better
not to thes thynges, if I may say as I thynke, yet owt
of thes thynges that cannat forthwith be amended, it is
my maner if ther be any goodnes thereyn, to take it
out, and apply it to the best. In ye meanseson that
contemplacyõ and light delited my mynde, that a good mã
is lykened to a shepe, an euyll man to a benemouse
best. The serpent after she is dede, cã stynge no more,
not withstondyng with her euyll sauour and poyson she
infecteth and corruptyth other. The shepe as lõge as
she is a lyue norryseth with her mylke, clothet with
her wolle, makyth riche with her lambes, when she is
deade she gyueth vs good and profytable lether, and all
her body is good meat. Euen so, cruell men, gyuen all
to the world, so longe as they lyue be vnprofitable to
all mê, when they be deade, what with ryngyng of
bellys, and pompyouse || funeralles they greue them
that be on lyue, and often tymes vexe ther successours
with new exactyones. Good men of the other syde at all
assais be profytable to all men, and hurtfull to noo
man. As thys holy man, whyle he was yet alyue, by hys
good example, hys doctryne, his goodly exhortatyons
prouokyd vs to vertuouse lyuynge, he dyd cõfort the
cõforthlesse, he helped ye poure, ye and now that he is
deade, he is in a maner more profytable. He hathe
buylded thys costly & gorgeouse churche, he hath caused
greate authoryte thorough out all Englande vnto the
ordre and presthode. At ye last, thys pece of the show
dothe susteyne a company of poure people. _Me._ Thys is
of my faythe a godely cõtemplacyõ, but I maruayll
greatly, seyng you ar thus mynded, that ye neuer dyd
vysyte saynt Patryckes purgatory in Yerlande, of the ||
whiche the comyn people boost many wonderouse thynges,
whiche seme to me not lyke to be true. _Ogy._ Of a
suerty ther is not so meruelouse talkynge of it here,
but the thynge it selffe doth fare excede. _Me._ Hast
thou bene ther than, & gonne thorow saynt Patryckes
purgatory? _Ogy._ I haue saylede ouer a ryuer ot hell,
I went downe vnto the gates of hell, I saw what was dõe
ther. _Me._ Thou dost me a greate pleasure, if thou
wyll wotsaue to tell me. _Ogy._ Lett this be the
prohemy or begynnynge of owr communycatyon, longe
enough as I suppose. I wyll gett me home, & cause my
souper to be made redy, for I am yet vndynede. _Me._
Why haue you not yet dyned? is it bycause of holynes?
_Ogy._ Noo of a truthe, but it is bycause of enuy and
euyll will. _Me._ Owe ye euyll wyll to yowr bely? _Ogy._
No, but to the couetyse || tauerners euer catchynge and
snatchynge the whiche when they wyll not sett afore a
man that is mete & conuenyent, yet they are not afearde
to take of straûgers that, whiche is bothe vnright and
agaynst good consciens. Of thys fashyõ I am acustomed
to be auengede vpon thê. If I thynke to fare well at
souper other with myne acquayntauns, or with some host
som what an honest man, at dyner tyme I am sycke in my
stomacke, but if I chaunce to fare after myne appetyte
at dyner, before souper also I begynne to be well at
ease in my stomacke. _Me._ Wre ye not ashamede to be
taken for a couetouse fellow & a nygerde? _Ogy._
Menedeme they that make cost of shame in soche thynges,
beleue me, bestow theyr money euyll. I haue lerned to
kepe my shame for other purposys. _Me._ Now I longe for
the rest of yowr comunycacyon, || wherfore loke to haue
me yowr geste at souper, where ye shall tell it more
conuenyently. _Ogy._ For sothe I thanke you, that ye
offere yowr selfe to be my gest vndesyred, when many
hertely prayed refuse it, but I wyll gyue yow double
thankes, if ye wyll soupe to day at home. For I must
passe that tyme in doynge my dewty to my howsehold. But
I haue counsell to eyther of vs moche more profytable.
To morrow vnto me and my wyfe, prepare our dyner at
yowr howse, then and if it be to souper tyme, we will
not leyue of talkynge, vntyll you say that ye are wery,
and if ye wyll at souper also we wyll not forsake you.
Why, claw you your hede? prepare for vs in good fayth
we wyll come. _Me._ I had leuer haue no tales at all.
Well go to, you shall haue a dyner, but vnsauery,
except you spyce it with good & mery tales. _Ogy._ But
here || you, are ye not mouyd and styrrede in your
mynde, to take vpon yow these pylgremages? _Me._
Perauenture it wyll sett me a fyre, after ye haue told
me the resydew, as I am now mynded, I haue enough to do
with my statyons of Rome. _Ogy._ Of Rome, that dyd
neuer see Rome?. _Me._ I wyll tell you, thus I go my
statyons at home, I go in to the parler, and I se vnto
the chast lyuynge of my doughters, agayne frome thense
I go in to my shope, I beholde what my seruauntes,
bothe men and women be doynge. Frome thense into
the kytchyn, lokynge abowt, if ther nede any
of my cownsell, frome thense hyther and thyther
obseruynge howe my chylderne be occupyed, what
my wyffe dothe, beynge carefull that euery
thynge be in ordre, these be statyons of Rome.
_Ogy._ But these thynges saynt Iames wold dow
|| for yow. _Mene._ That I shuld se vn-
to these thynges holy scriptu-
re commaundethe, that
I shuld commyt the
charge to sayntes
I dyd rede yt
neuer com-
maun-
ded.
God saue the kynge
FINIS.
* * * * *
[Corrected Errors:
_v_ = verso (back of page)
[+] iiij.
the pryuate iudgmegt of certayne
_was_ iudgmegt
[+] v.
cõsolacyõ of his gracys faythfull and true comens
_was_ ofh is
[+] v. _v_
prudently
_was_ prudenly, but catchword has _prudently_
[+] vi.
but also (to theyr greate laude and prayse)
_was_ prayse(
[+] vi. _v_
Desiderius Erasmus
_was_ Dsiderius Erasmus
B
Whan he lokythe to the West
_was_ te West
D iij. _v_
to the company of the wykyd sowdyeres
_was_ compauy
D v.
Frome thens we returnyd in to the quere
_was_ returuyd
E ij. _v_
Me semede he was a man bothe vertuous and wyse
word _a_ printed only as catchword
E viij.
I haue saylede ouer a ryuer to hell
_was_ ot
Additional Problems:
[+] iiij.
to use theme as goddes
_u_ printed for _v_
whervpon thes brotherhoddes and systerhoodes
_v_ printed for _u_
A Good morow Ogygyus. / Good morow to you Menedemus.
change of speaker not marked
C v.
_Ogy._ No veryly. What lettythe thaym? _Ogy._ That is
a name of dygnyte and nat of relygyõ.
change of speaker not marked
E ij. _v_
What do I here? the vilest part and worst was golde,
change of speaker unclear
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