No More Learning

] 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.