The Pilgrimage of Pure Devotion eBook
The Pilgrimage of Pure Devotion by Desiderius Erasmus
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Table of Contents
Page 1
[Transcriber’s note: The original text
has no page numbers; instead, the first few leaves
of each 16-page signature are marked. This information
is shown between paired double lines: || A iij.||.
Other page breaks have been marked with double lines
||
A few apparent typographic errors were corrected and
are listed at the end of the text. Other possible
errors are also noted but were left unchanged.
All other spelling and punctuation are as in the original.]
* * * *
*
A dialoge
or communication of
two persons, deuysyd
and set forthe in the la-
te tonge, by the noble
and famose clarke.
Desiderius Erasmus
intituled ye pyl-
gremage of
pure de-
uoty-
on.
Newly traslatyd 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 comewealthe,
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 vpo, very fewe can fynde ye entrye,
wherby thorough faythe in the redeptyon 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 the, 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 chaugynge
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 repugnauce
Page 2
of synne agaynst the omnypotet 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 dapnable 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 gyue 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
Page 3
& 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 & cosolacyo of his gracys faythfull
and true comens. I requyre him which brethethe
where he willithe and raygnethe eternall gode to graut
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 amede) 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.
+
Page 4
* * * *
*
|| A.||
A pylgremage, for pure deuocyo.
Menedemus. [Signifieth to forsake.] What
new thynge ys it, that I se? doo I nat see _Ogygyus_
my neybur, whom no ma 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 comunicacyo 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 ||
lade 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 Walsynga 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 relygyo 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 thake 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 wha 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 ma 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
Page 5
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 ma saynt Iames dothe,
and howe he farythe. Ogy. Moche colder tha 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 wotyd to stand
all in precyous stones & gold, now stadythe 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
apo the aultre, wherof he prechythe to whome it was
sent. And lest there shuld be any suspectyo of
crafty couayance 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
argumet? 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 obligacyo
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.]
Page 6
Ogy. Mary the mother of Iesu to Glaucoplutus
[Glaucoplutus desirus of ryches.] sedythe gretynge.
Insomoche as you folowe Luther, you nobly perswade,
that it is but in vayne to call apo 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 apo my
breste, that yet he wold be at my commaundemet 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
comytte 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 comythe 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 tha folishe. The
mayd cryeth & saythe, O swet Mary send me a fayre
and riche husbond. The maryed woma saythe send
me goodly chylderen. Now laborythe the woman
with chyld, and cryeth dere lady dylyuer me of my
bondes. Than comythe 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 aye.
Tha comythe forth the phylosopher and cryethe send
me some argumetis that be isoluble. The great
prest cryeth send me a fat benefyce. Tha || saythe
the bysshope kepe well my churche. Tha cryethe
ye hye Iustyce shew me thy sone or I passe out of this
worlde. Tha 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 comytte 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 me, 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 discomodytye
Page 7
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 cadle 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 reuege 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 fro hesforthe. 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 take frome
them. Me. I pray you, what god dyd send you
into Englod? Ogy. I saw the wynd maruelouse
prosperouse thyderward, and I had almoste promysyd
this to that blessyd lady of Walsynga 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 loge and mery liffe, and wha 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 tha at Walsyngame.
Ogy. I denye nat but it may be so, but in dyuers
Page 8
places she grantes dyuers thynges, wether it be her
pleasur so to do, or bycause she is so gentle, that
as cocernynge this purpose, she wyll gyue her selfe
to our affectyoes. 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 substace 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 Canoes, 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 mostre 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 amogst all monkes, thay wyll
than be chanones, & nat monkes, but and if he wold
suffre all monkes to take wyues, tha 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
emolumetes [Rettes.] 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 tha 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 had. Whiche way dothe her sonne
loke than? Ogy. It is well remembryd. Whan
he lokythe to the West, his mother is apo his right
hand, but wha 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 tha? 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
Page 9
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 Katere,
owr lady was nat beried. Me. I graut I sayd
amysse, but tell on your tale. Ogy. So moche
more as thay persayue youre deuocyo, so moche larger
reliques wyl thay shew to you. Me. Ye and peradueture
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 religyo, and whylst thay kepe that
virgyne, thay regard very lytle thayr awne virgynyte,
alonly in that inner chapell whiche is our ladyes
preuy chabre, ther standithe a certayne Chano 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 peraueture 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 gyue to our blessyd lady,
that whan thay apere to put vpe thayr handes to offre,
with a pure cousyance, 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 getlenes and longe sufferynge. Ogy. Apo
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,
Page 10
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 apo. Ogy. Under ye wykyte ther was
a grate of yrne, that no man ca passe theryn but a
footema, for it is nat conuenyent that any horsse
shuld tread after apon ye place, whiche the knyght
dyd cosecrate 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 wete, 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 Gyates 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 gentleme 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 Sexte,
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
Page 11
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 argumet. 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 argumete we beynge || perswadyd by
this argument, askid pardon of our ignorance, and
callid into our communycacyon the heuely 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 strage 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 wha 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 tha? Ogy. What tell
you me of moystenes, wha it was mylkyd more than a
thowsand and fyue hunthrithe yere agone, it is so
congelyd, that a ma 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
Page 12
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 copany 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. Tha I axyd
by a certayne yonge man, yt was well learnyd, whiche
dyd expownde and tell vs the saynge of ye Sexte, hys
name (as fere as I remembre) was Robert alderisse,
by what tokenes or argumetes 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
cowntenace 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 tha
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
Page 13
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 knowe vs, and wha 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 fashio. 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 coceyue 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 communicatyo
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 suspicio,
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 hagyd 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
Page 14
of all sayntes thorowowt all the world. He after
that he had vysytyd many places, contrayes, and regyones,
at the laste came to Costantynenople. 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 tha
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
condycyo, that if it chacyd 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, & sodely fell seke also. And
he in great dyspayre of amendynge, dyd commyth ye
mylke to an Englishma, 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 Englishma obtaynyd the
halffe of that mylke, & caryed it to Walsynga 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 gratyd
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 grate
to an hunderithe thowsand me fowrty dayes of pardone,
wuld euery man haue elyke? Ogy. No doubte of
Page 15
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 Costantynople,
which dyd gyue it, dyd saye so. Me. Perauenture
saynt Barnard dyd gyue it to her. Ogy. So I
suppose. For wha 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 couayece, lokynge apo 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.|| apo 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. Ca you
wryte hebrewe? Ogygy. No but all that thay
canat 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 relygyo. And
also for that cause suche abbayes of Chanones, doo
nat receyue the name of an abbate, thay doo call thaym
Page 16
maysters? Me. Ye, but I neuer hard tell of pryor
posterior before. Ogy. Dyd you neuer learne
youre gramere before. Me. Yis I know prior
posterior amogst 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 late lettres,
at thayr desyer I dyd expownde ye verses in laten,
traslatynge thaym word for word. But wha 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 commaud
me to bere this table to Hierusale. 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 wha 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
Page 17
herd telle. Ogy. At our ladyes fette there is
a precyous stone, whos name as it is nother in Greke
nor Laten. The Frenchema 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 me encownterynge. Ogy.
No, I wold you shuld know it, there is no lyuynge
tode that more euydetly 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 strekthe 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, wha 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 tha 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
Page 18
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, poyso, 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 dylygetly 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 Sexte 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 toke gyuen to me froe
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 dronke dropsye, sleape
ys wontyd to be a good medicyne for ye dysease. ||
Ogy. Wha 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 ma 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 Elleboru. [Elleborum wyll restore a
man to hys senses that hathe lost the.] Ogy.
That is vncertayne, but I kno well ye ma was well
broght into hys mynde ayen. Me. Dyd you other
come or goo by Sante Thomas of Cantorbury that good
Page 19
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 Frauce 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 apo 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 gyue 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 violet handes other
apo 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 ma 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 dylygetle watche
lest any ma 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
Page 20
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 monumet 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, wha 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 wet 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 champyo chastnyd
hys body, thay be horryble to loke apon, and greatly
reproue oure delycate gorgeousnes. Me. Ye peraueture
so thay do the mokes slotefulnes. Ogy. As for
that mater I canat 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, wha 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 Sexte greuosly.
Ogy. Tha 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
apo the table whiche was apo 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 the? Ogy.
No, but an other affection and desyre came apo me.
Me. What was that? Ogy. I syghed that
Page 21
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 vestmetes
of veluet & clothe of golde, what a some of candlestykes
of gold? We sawe ther saynt Thomas crosse staffe,
ther was see 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 monumetes 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 ma 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 ma 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 ascedyd 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 companyo
Gratia 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 bega to tell greatly of his
liberalyte and compassyon that he shewede to the poer
and nedy. Then sayd Gratia: 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 contet, now that he is so ryche, and also
nedethe || nothynge, that if a poer woma 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
Page 22
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 moster that hathe snakes for heares apon her
hedde.] ye monstre to luke apo vs. I doo not
dowbte he wold haue || cast vs out of the temple,
and spytte apo 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 cosyder, by what meaynes they may be acopted 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 cadlestyckes, 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 the 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 comended
Page 23
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 comunycatyon. I loke now for the coclusyon
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 wated
nothynge but ye name, and he is called prior for this
cause tharchebyshope is take 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 ma, 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,
tha 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. Whe they brought vs
candells we saw a sight passynge ye ryches of any
kynge. Me. Dothe it excede our lady of walsynga?
Ogy. To loke vpo 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
Page 24
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 lynne 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 yoge ma of Frauce, 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 the 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 boteme 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
Page 25
the shores swarme full. Here tell me, I pray
the. What || wyll great me do, whe theues take
vpo them to enterpryse soch masterys. Therfore,
herafter I had leuer go fourty myllys aboute, the
to go that way, thoffe it be moche shorter. Morouer
euyn as ye goynge downe to hell, is easy and leyght,
but ye comynge 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 cutre so holy maryners? Ogy. As an ape
is euer an ape, I graute, 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 Englade. 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. Upo 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 ma,
& gaue hym a pece of money to coforthe hym with all.
Me. In myn opynyo Gratian was not all together
angry with owt a good cause. If shoes and slyppers
were kept for a toke 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 affectyo
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 contemplacyo
and light delited my mynde, that a good ma is lykened
to a shepe, an euyll man to a benemouse best.
The serpent after she is dede, ca stynge no more,
Page 26
not withstondyng with her euyll sauour and poyson she
infecteth and corruptyth other. The shepe as loge
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 me, 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 cofort the coforthlesse, 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 cotemplacyo, 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 doe 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 straugers that, whiche is bothe vnright and
agaynst good consciens. Of thys fashyo I am acustomed
to be auengede vpon the. 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
Page 27
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. cosolacyo 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
Page 28
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 relygyo.
change of speaker not marked
E ij. v
What do I here? the vilest part and worst was golde,
change of speaker unclear