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_ I denye nat but it may be so, but in dyuers
places she grantes dyuers thynges, wether it be her
pleasur so to do, or bycause she is so gentle, that as
cõcernynge this purpose, she wyll gyue her selfe to our
affectyões. _Me. _ I haue harde oft of saynt Iames, but
I pray you describe to me the kyngdome of Walsyngam.
_Ogy. _ Verely I shall tell you as shortly as I canne.
Yt is the most holy name in all England, and you may
fynde some in || that yle, that suppose thayr substãce
shal nat prospayre except they vysyte her with thayr
offerynge euery yere ones as thay be able to gyue.
_Me. _ Wher dothe she dwell? _Ogy. _ At the vttermost
parte of all England betwyxt the Northe and the Weste,
nat vary ferre from the see, skarsly iii myles, the
towne is almost susteynyd by the resort of pylgrymes.
The college is of Canões, but thay be suche as hathe
thayr name of the Laten tonge and be called Seculares,
a kynd betwyxte monkes & Chanones. _Me. _ What you tell
me of *Amphybyanes, [*Amphybyanes be thynges doutfull. ]
suche as ye mõstre *Fyber is. [*Fyber is a beste of ye
see & ye land. ] _Ogy. _ No thay be rather suche as the
*Cocatrice. [*A Cocatrice wil kyll a man with a loke,]
But withowt dissimulation, I shall put you owt of this
dowte in thre wordes. To them that thay hate, thay be
Chanones, and to them that thay loue thay be Monkes
_Menede. _ Yet yowe doo nat open thys redle. _Ogy. _ ||
I shall paynte it before youre eyes, if the bysshope of
Rome doo shot hys thonderbowlt amõgst all monkes, thay
wyll than be chanones, & nat monkes, but and if he wold
suffre all monkes to take wyues, thã wyll they be
monkes, _Me. _ O new partakeres, I wold to god they wold
take away my wyffe. _Ogy. _ But to come to our purpose,
the college hathe skarsly any other *emolumêtes
[*Rêttes. ] but of the liberalite of our lady. For the
great offeryngs be kepyd stylle, but if ther be any
litle some of monaye offerid that goith to the comens
of the company, & the mayster whome thay call pryoure.
_Me. _ Be thay of a vertuous lyffe? _Ogy. _ Nat to be
dispraysyd, thay be more vertuous thã ryche of thayr
yerely renttes. The temple ys goodly & goregious, but
oure Lady dwellythe nat in it, but that was purchasyd
for the honor of her sone. She hathe her owne temple,
|| B. || that she may be of the ryght hand of her sone.
_Me. _ Apon the right hãd. Whiche way dothe her sonne
loke than? _Ogy. _ It is well remembryd. Whan he lokythe
to the West, his mother is apõ his right hand, but whã
he turnythe hym to the Este she is apon the lefte hand.
But yet she dwellythe nat in that churche, for it is
nat yet buyldyd all vpe, and the wynde runnythe thorow
euery parte with open wyndowes & dowres, and also nat
ferre of is the Occiane seye father of all wyndes.
_Me. _ what doo yow tell me wher dothe she dwell thã?
_Ogy. _ In ye same churche whiche I told you was nat all
fynyshyd, ther is a lytle chapell seelyd ouer with
wodde, on ether syde a lytle dore wher ye pylgrymes go
thorow, ther is lytle light, but of ye taperes, with a
fragrant smell. _Me. _ All these be mete for religyon.
_Ogy. _ Ye Menedemus if you loke within you || wyll say
that it is a seate mete for sayntes, all thynges be so
bright in gold, syluer, and precyous stones. _Me. _ You
almost moue me to go thyther also. _Ogy. _ It shalnat
repente you of your iornay. _Me. _ Spryngithe ther no
holy oyle? _Ogy. _ I trowe you dote, that spryngythe nat
but owt of the sepulchres of sayntes, as saynt Andrew,
& saynt Katerê, owr lady was nat beried. _Me. _ I graût
I sayd amysse, but tell on your tale. _Ogy. _ So moche
more as thay persayue youre deuocyõ, so moche larger
reliques wyl thay shew to you. _Me. _ Ye and peraduêture
that thay may haue larger offerynges, as is sayd that,
many lytle offerynges makythe a heuy boxe. _Ogygy. _ Her
chaplens be alway at hand. _Me. _ Be thay of ye
Chanones? _Ogy. _ No, thay be nat permyttyd to be with
her, lest that peraduenture by occasyon of that
religyon, thay shuld be plukkyd || B ij. || frome thayr
owne religyõ, and whylst thay kepe that virgyne, thay
regard very lytle thayr awne virgynyte, alonly in that
inner chapell whiche is our ladyes preuy chãbre, ther
standithe a certayne Chanõ at the autre. _Me. _ For what
purpose? _Ogy. _ To receyue and kepe, that whiche is
offeryd. _Me. _ dothe any man gyue ayenst hys wyll.
_Ogy. _ No, but many men hathe suche a gentle
shamfastnes, that thay wyll gyue some thynge to hym
that standythe by, other thay wyll offre more largely,
whiche thay wold nat doo perauêture if that he were
absent, that standithe there. _Me. _ You tell me of
mannes affectiones, whiche I my selffe prouyd very
ofte. _Ogy. _ Ye trewly there be some so gyuê to our
blessyd lady, that whan thay apere to put vpe thayr
handes to offre, with a pure cõusyance, thay stayl that
whiche other men hathe gyuen. _Me. _ Than || lett no man
be there, wyll nat oure Lady shote her thonderbowlte at
suche. _Ogy. _ Wherfor shuld our lady rather doo so,
than God hymselffe, whom thay be nat affrayd to pluke
owt hys robes, & breake ye churche walles therfore.
_Mene. _ I am in a great doubt whether I shuld, rather
maruayle apon thayre wykyd boldnes, or Goddys great
gêtlenes and longe sufferynge. _Ogy. _ Apõ the Northe
parte ther is a certayne gaate, but lest that you
should make a lye, it is nat of the churche, but of the
pale that compassithe a bowte the churche yarde, and
that hathe a lytle wykyt, suche as be in great mennes
gaates, that who so euer wyll entre, must fyrst putin
hys legge, nat withowt some ioperdie, and than bowe
downe hys hedde. _Me. _ It is ioperdie to goo thorow
suche a dore, to a mannes enemye. _Ogy. _ So it is, the
sexten dyd tell me that || B iij. || ther was ones a
knyght whiche fleeynge hys enemye, than aprochynge, dyd
ride thorow ye wykyte, and than the wretche dispayrynge
in hym selffe, apon a soden motion, dyd commend
hymselffe to ye blessyd virgyne, whiche was than at
hand. But now commythe the myrakle. By and by that
knyght was all in the churche yarde, and hys aduersary
was ragynge at the dore wowte. _Me. _ And dyd he tell
you so maruylous a myrakle for a trewthe? _Ogy. _ No
dowte. _Me. _ But I suppose that he could nat so
lyghtely doo that to you so a great a philosopher.
_Ogy. _ He dyd shewe to me in that same wykytte in a
plate of coper, the ymage of the knyght fastenyd with
nayles and with the same garmentes that the Englishmen
were wontyd to wayre at that tyme, as you may see in
that olde pictures, whiche wyl nat lye, Barbours had ||
but lytle lyuynge at that tyme: and dieres & websteres
gotte but litle monay. _Me. _ Why so? _Ogy. _ For he had
a berd like a goote, and his cote had neuer a plyte,
& it was so litle, that with strayte gyrdynge it mayd
hys body to apere lesse than it was. Ther was another
plate, that was in quantyte and fourme like to a
cheste. _Me. _ Well now it is nat to be doubtyd apõ.
_Ogy. _ Under ye wykyte ther was a grate of yrne, that
no man cã passe theryn but a footemã, for it is nat
conuenyent that any horsse shuld tread after apon ye
place, whiche the knyght dyd cõsecrate to owr lady.
_Me. _ Nat withowt a good cause. _Ogy. _ Frome that parte
toward the Este, there is a litle chapell, full of
maruayles and thyther I wête, ther was I receyuyd of
another of our ladyes chaplenes, ther we knelyd downe,
to make our litle prayeres. By & by, he broght forthe
|| B iiij. || the ioynte of a mannes fynger, the
greatyste of thre, which I kyssyd, & askyd whose
relyques thay were, he dyd say that thay were saynt
Petres. What thapostle sayd I. Ye sayd he. Than I dyd
better beholde the ioynte, whiche for hys greatenes
myght well haue be a Gyãtes ioynte, rather than a
mannes. Than sayd I, saynt Peter must nedys be a great
man of stature. But at that word, ther was one of the
gentlemê that stode by, that could not forbere
lawghynge, for the which I was very sory. For if he had
holden hys pease, we had sene all the relyques, yet we
metely well pleasyd mayster Sextê, with gyuynge hym
. ij. or . iij. grotes. Before that chapell there was a
litle howsse, which he sayd ones in wynter tyme whan
that there was litle rowme to couer the reliques, that
it was sodenly broght & sett in that place. Under that
house || there was a couple of pittes, bothe fulle of
water to the brynkys, and thay say that ye sprynge of
thos pittes is dedicate to our lady, that water is very
colde, and medycynable for the hede ake and that
hartburnynge. _Me. _ If that cold water wyll hele the
paynes in the hede and stomake, than wyll oyle put owte
fyre from hensforthe. _Ogy. _ It is a myrakle that I
tell, good syr, or els what maruayle shuld it be, that
cowld water shuld slake thurste? _Me. _ This may well be
one parte of your tale. _Ogy. _ Thay say that the
fowntayne dyd sodenly sprynge owte of the erthe at the
commaundement of our lady, & I dilygently examenynge
althynges, dyd aske hym how many yeres it was sythe
that howsse was so sodenly broght thyther. Many yeres
agone saythe he. Yet, sayde I, the wallys doo nat apere
so old. He dyd nat denay it. No mor thes woden
|| B v. || pyleres. He cowld nat denay but that they
were sette there nat longe agoo, and also the mater dyd
playnly testyfye ye same. Afterward, sayd I, thys roffe
which is all of rede dothe apere nat to be very olde,
& he granted also, thes greete bemes which lye
ouerthwerte, and these rafteres that hold vpe that
howsse were nat sett longe agone. He affyrmyd my
saynge. Well sayd I seynge that no parte of the housse
is lefte but all is new, how can yow say that this was
the house whiche was broght hyther so longe agoo. _Me. _
I pray you how dyd the howskeper, auoyde hymselffe
frome your argumêt. _Ogy. _ By & by he dyd shew to vs
the mater by the skyne of a bayre whiche had hangyd be
the rafteres a longe season, and dyd almost moke the
symplenes of owre wyttes that could nat perceyue so
manyfeste an argumête we beynge || perswadyd by this
argument, askid pardon of our ignorance, and callid
into our communycacyon the heuêly mylke of our lady.
_Me. _ O how like to the sone is the mother, for he hath
left to vs so moche blood here in erthe, & she so moche
mylke, that a man wyl skarysly beleue a woman to haue
so moche mylke of one chylde, in case the chyld shuld
sukke none at all. _Ogy. _ Thay saye the same of the
holy crosse, whiche is shewyd in so many places bothe
openly, and pryuately, that if ye fragmentes were
gathered apon one heape, they wold apere to be a iuste
fraghte for a shipe, and yet Christe dyd bere all his
crosse hymselffe. _Me. _ But do nat you maruayll at
this? _Ogy. _ It may welbe a strãge thynge, but no
maruayle, seynge that the lord whiche dothe encreasse
this at hys pleasure, is almyghty. _Me. _ It is very
gently expownded, but I am || afrayd, that many of thes
be faynyd for lukre. _Ogy. _ I suppose that God wold nat
suffre hymselffe to be deludyd of suche a fasshion.
_Mene. _ Yis, haue nat you sene that whã bothe the
mother, the sone, the father, and the holy ghoste hathe
be robbyd of thes sacrilegyous theues, that thay
woldnat ones moue, or styre nother with bekke or crakke
wherby thay myght fray away the theues. So great is the
gentles of God. _Ogy. _ So it is, but here out me tale.
This mylke is kepyd apon the hye aultre, and in the
myddys ther is Christe, with his mother apon hys ryght
hand, for her honor sake, the mylke dothe represente
the mother. _Me. _ It may be sene than? _Ogy. _ It is
closyd in crystalle. _Me. _ It is moyste thã? _Ogy. _
What tell you me of moystenes, whã it was mylkyd more
than a thowsand and fyue hunthrithe yere agone, it is
so congelyd, that a mã wold || saye that it were chalke
temperyd with the whyte of a egge. _Me. _ Ye, but do
thay sette it forthe bare? _Ogy. _ No, lest so holy
mylke shuld be defowlyd with the kyssynge of men. _Me. _
You say well. For I suppose that ther be many that
kysse it, whiche be nother clene mouthyd, nor yet be
pure virgynes. _Ogy. _ Whan ye sexten sawe vs, he dyd
runne to the aultre, & put apon hym his surplese, & his
stole about his nekke, knelyd downe relygyously, and
worshipyd it, and streghtforthe dyd offre the mylke to
vs to kysse. And at the ende of the aultre we knelyd
downe deuoutly, & the fyrste of all we salutyd Christe,
& than after we callyd apon our lady with thys prayer,
whiche we had mayd redy for the same purpose. O mother
& mayde, whiche dyd gyue sukke with thy virgynes teates
the lorde of heuen and yerthe, thy sone Iesus Christe,
we beynge puryfyed || thorowe hys precyous blode, do
desyre that we may attayne, and come to that blessyd
infancye of thy colombynes meknes, whiche is immaculate
without malice, frawde, or diseyte, and with all
affectyon of harte dothe couett and stody for the
heuenly mylke of the euangelicall doctryne, to go
forthe and encrease with it into a perfaycte man, into
the mesure of the plentefulnes of Christe, of whose
cõpany thou haste the fruycyon, togyther with the
father, & the holy ghost for euermore, so be it. _Me. _
Uerely thys is a holy prayer. But what dyd she?
_Ogygy. _ Thay bothe bekkyd at vs, excepte my eyes
waggyd, and me thoght that the mylke daunsyd. In the
meanseson the sexten came to vs, withowt any wordes,
but he held out a table suche as the Germanes vse to
gather tolle apon bridges. _Me. _ By my trothe I haue
cursyd veryofte suche || crauynge boxes, whan I dyd
ryde thorowe Germany. _Ogy. _ We dyd gyue hym certayne
monay whiche he offeryd to our lady.
Thã I axyd by a
certayne yonge man, yt was well learnyd, whiche dyd
expownde and tell vs the saynge of ye Sextê, hys name
(as fere as I remembre) was Robert alderisse, by what
tokenes or argumêtes he dyd know that it was the mylke
of owr lady. And that I very fayne, & for a good
purpose desyred to knowe, that I myght stope the
mowthes of certayne newfanglyd felowes, that be wotyd
to haue suche holy relyques in derysyon and mokage.
Fyrst of all the Sexten with a froward cowntenãce wold
nat tell, but I desyryd the yong man to moue hym more
instantly, but somwhat more gently he so courtesly
behauyd hymselffe, that and he had prayd owr lady
herselffe || after that fashion, she wold nat haue be
dysplesyd therwith. And thã this mystycall chapleyn, as
and if he had be inspyryd with ye holy ghoste, castynge
at vs a frounynge loke, as & if he wold haue shote at
vs ye horryble thonderbolte of the greate curse, what
nede you (saythe he) to moue suche questyones, whan yow
see before your eyes so autentycall & old a table. And
we were afrayd lest that he wold haue cast vs out of
the churche for heretykes, but that oure monay dyd
tempte hys greate furye. _Mene. _ What dyd you in the
meaneseason? _Ogygyus. _ What suppose you? We were
amasyd as and if a man had stryke vs with a clube, or
we had be slayne with a thonderclape, and we very lowly
axid pardon of oure folishe boldenes, and gote vs frome
thens. For so must we entreate holy thynges. || Frome
thens we went in to ye howse where owre lady dwellithe,
and whan we came there, we sawe another Sexten whiche
was but a noues, he lokyd famylarly as and if he had
knowê vs, and whã we came a litle further in, we sawe
another, that lokyd moch after suche a fashion, at the
last came the thyrd. _Me. _ Perauenture thay desyryd to
descrybe you. _Ogy. _ But I suspecte another mater.
_Mene. _ What was it? _Ogygy. _ There was a certayne
theffe that had stole almost all owr ladyes frontlet,
and I supposyd that they had me in suspycyon thereof.
And therfore whan I was within the chapell I mayd my
prayers to our lady after thys fashiõ. Oh cheffe of all
women Mary the mayd, most happy mother, moste pure
virgyne, we vnclene, and synners, doo vysyte the pure &
holy, and after our abylytye we haue offeryd vnto the,
we pray thy that thy || C. || sone may grante this to
vs, that we may folow thy holy lyffe, and that we may
deserue thorow the grace of the holy ghoste,
spirytually to cõceyue the lord Iesus Christ, & after
that conceptyon neuer to be separat from hym, Amen.
This done I kyssyd the aultre, and layd downe certayne
grotes for myne offerynge and went my waye. _Me. _ What
dyde our lady now, dyd nat she make one sygne, that you
myght know that she had hard youre prayeres. _Ogy. _ The
lyght (as I told you before) was but litle, and she
stode at the ryght ende of the aultre in the derke
corner, at the last the communicatyõ of the fyrst
Sexten had so discoregyd me, that I durst not ones loke
vpe with myne eyes. _Me. _ This pylgremage came but to
smale effecte. _Ogy. . _ Yes, it had a very good & mery
ende. _Me. _ You haue causyd me to take harte of grasse,
for (as Homere || saythe) my harte was almost in my
hose. _Ogy. _ Whan dynar was done, we returnyd to ye
temple. _Me. _ Durste you goo & be susspecte of felonye?
_Ogy. _ Perauenture so, but I had nat my selffe in
suspiciõ, a gyltles mynde puttythe away feare. I was
very desyrous to see that table whiche the holy Sexten
dyd open to vs. At the last we fownde it, but it was
hãgyd so hye that very fewe could rede it. My eyes be
of that fashion, that I can nother be callyd *Linceus,
[*Linceus ys a beaste so quike eyed that it wyll see
thorow any wall] nother purre blynd. And therefore I
instantly desyryd Alldryge to rede it, whose redynge I
folowyd with myne owne eyes, because I wold skarsly
truste hym in suche a mater. _Me. _ Well, now all
doubtes be discussyd. _Ogy. _ I was ashamyd that I
doubtyd so moche, ye mater was so playne set forthe
before oure eyes, bothe the name, the place, the thynge
it selffe as it was || C ij. || done, to be breffe,
there was nothynge lefte owte. There was a mane whos
name was Wylyam whiche was borne in Parise, a man very
deuoute in many thyngs but pryncypally excedynge
relygyous in searchynge for the relyques of all sayntes
thorowowt all the world. He after that he had vysytyd
many places, contrayes, and regyones, at the laste
came to Cõstantynenople. For Wylhelmes brother was
there byshope, whiche dyd make hym pry to a certayne
mayde, whiche had professyd chastyte, that hadde parte
of oure ladyes mylke, which were an excedynge precyous
relyque, if that other with prayer, or monaye, or by
any crafte it myghte be gotte. For all the reliques
that he hadde gotte before were but tryfles to so holy
mylke. Wyllyam wold not rest there tyll that he had
gotte halffe of that holy mylke, but whan he had ||
it, he thoghte that he was richer than Croeseus. _Me. _
Why nat, but was it nat withowt any goodhope? _Ogy. _ He
went thã streght home, but in hys iornay he fell seke.
_Me. _ Iesu there is nothynge in thys worlde that is
other permanent, or alwayes in good state. _Ogy. _ But
whan he sawe & perceyuyd that he was in greate ioperdye
of his lyffe, he callyd to him a frenchman, whiche was
a very trusty companyon to hym in hys iornay. And
commaundyd all to auoyd the place, and make sylence, &
pryuyly dyd betake to hym thys mylke, apon this
condycyõ, that if it chãcyd to come home saffe & sownde
he wuld offre that precyous tresure to our ladyes
aultre in Paryse, whiche standythe in the myddys of the
ryuere Sequana, whiche dothe apere to separat hymselffe
to honor and obaye our blessyd lady. But to make short
tale. Wylyam is deade, & || C iij. || buryed, the
Frenchman mayd hym redy to departe apon hys iornay,
& sodêly fell seke also. And he in great dyspayre of
amendynge, dyd commyth ye mylke to an Englishmã, but
nat withowt great instance, and moche prayer he dyd
that whiche he was mouyd to doo. Than dyed he. And ye
other dyd take the mylke, and put it apon an aultre of
ye same place the Chanones beynge present, whiche were
yt as we call Regulares. Thay be yet in the abbaye of
saynt Genofeffe. But ye Englishmã obtaynyd the halffe
of that mylke, & caryed it to Walsyngã in England, the
holy ghost put suche in hys mynde. _Me. _ By my trothe
this is a godly tale. _Ogy. _ But lest there shuld be
any doubte of this mater, ye Byshopes whiche dyd grante
pardon to it thayre names be wryten there, as thay came
to vysyte it, nat withowt thayre offerynges, and thay
haue || gyuen to it remyssyon, as moche as thay had to
gyue by thayre authorite. _Me. _ How moche is that?
_Ogy. _ Fowrty dayes. _Mene. _ Yee is there dayes in
hell. _Ogy. _ Trewly ther is tyme. Ye but whan thay haue
grãtyd all thayre stynte, thay haue no more to grante.
_Ogy. _ That is nat so for whan one parte is gone
another dothe encrease, and it chansythe dyuersly euyn
as the tonne of Canaidus. For that althoghe it be
incontynently fyllyd, yet it is alway emptye: and if
thou be takynge owt of it, yet there is neuer the lesse
in the barell. _Me. _ If thay grãte to an hunderithe
thowsand mê fowrty dayes of pardone, wuld euery man
haue elyke? _Ogy. _ No doubte of that. _Me. _ And if any
haue forty byfore dynar, may he axe other forty at
after souper, is there any thynge left than to gyue
him? _Ogy. _ Ye, & if thou aske it ten tymes in one
howre. _Me. _ I wold || C iiij. || to God that I had
suche a pardon bagge, I wold aske but . iij. grotes, and
if thay wold flowe so faste. _Ogy. _ Ye but you desyre
to be to ryche, if that you myght for wyshynge, but I
wyl turne to my tale, but there was some good holy man
whiche dyd gyue this argumente of holynes to that
mylke, and sayd that our Ladyes mylke whiche is in many
other places, is precyous & to be worshipyd but thys is
moche more precyous, & to be honoryd, bycause the other
was shauen of stones, but this is the same that came
out of the virgynes brest. _Me. _ How kno you that?
_Ogy. _ The mayd of Cõstantynople, which dyd gyue it,
dyd saye so. _Me. _ Perauenture saynt Barnard dyd gyue
it to her. _Ogy. _ So I suppose. For whã he was an old
man, yet he was so happy that he sukkyd of ye same
mylke, that Iesus hymselffe sukkyd apon. _Me. _ But I
maruayle why he was || rather callyd a hony sukker than
a mylke sukker. But how is it callyd oure ladyes mylke
that came neuer owt of her breste? _Ogy. _ Yes it came
owt at her breste, but perauenture it light apon the
stone that he whiche sukkyd knelyd apon, and ther was
receyuyd, and so is encreasyd, & by ye wyll of god is
so multyplyed. _Me. _ It is wel sayd. _Ogy. _ Whan we had
sene all thys, whyle that we were walkynge vpe & downe,
if that any thynge of valure were offeryd, so that
anybody were present to see thaym ye Sextens mayd great
haste for feare of crafty cõuayêce, lokynge apõ thaym
as thay wold eate thaym. Thay poynte at hym with there
fynger, thay runne, thay goo, thay come, thay bekke one
to an other, as tho thay wold speake to thaym that
stand by if thay durste haue be bold. _Mene. _ Were you
afrayd of nothynge there? _Ogy. _ Yis I dyd loke
|| C v. || apõ hym, lawghynge as who shold saye I wold
moue him to speake to me, at laste he cam to me, and
axid me what was my name, I told him. He axid me if yt
were nat I that dyd hange vpe there a table of my vowe
writen in Hebrew, within . ij. yere before. I confessid
that it was ye same. _Me. _ Cã you wryte hebrewe?
_Ogygy. _ No but all that thay cãnat vnderstond, thay
suppose to be Hebrewe. And than (I suppose he was send
for) came the posterior pryor. _Me. _ What name of
worshipe is that? Haue thay nat an abbate? _Ogy. _ No
_Me. _ Why so? _Ogy. _ For thay cannat speake Hebrew.
_Me. _ Haue thay nat a Bishope? _Ogy. _ No. _Me. _ What is
ye cause? _Ogy. _ For oure lady is nat as yet so ryche,
that she is able to bye a crosse, & a mytre, whiche be
so deare, _Me. _ Yet at least haue thay nat a
presedente? _Ogy. _ No veryly. What lettythe thaym?
_Ogy. _ That is a name || of dygnyte and nat of relygyõ.
And also for that cause suche abbayes of Chanones, doo
nat receyue the name of an abbate, thay doo call thaym
maysters? _Me. _ Ye, but I neuer hard tell of pryor
posterior before. _Ogy. _ Dyd you neuer learne youre
grãmere before. _Me. _ Yis I know prior posterior amõgst
the fygures. _Ogy. _ That same is it. It is he that is
nexte to the prioure, for there priour is posterior.
_Me. _ You speake apon the supprioure. _Ogy. _ That same
dyd entertayne me very gently, he told me what greate
labure had be abowt ye readynge of thos verses, & how
many dyd rubbe thayr spectakles abowt thaym. As oft as
any old ancyent doctor other of deuynyte or of the
lawe, resorted thyder, by and by he was broght to that
table, some sayd that thay were lettres of Arabia, some
sayd thay were faynyd lettres. Well || at the last came
one that redde the tytle, it was wryten in laten with
greate Romayne lettres, ye Greke was wryten with
capytale lettres of Greke, whiche at the fyrst syght do
apere to be capytale latê lettres, at thayr desyer I
dyd expownde ye verses in laten, trãslatynge thaym word
for word. But whã thay wold haue gyuyn me for my
labour, I refusyd it, seynge that ther was nothynge so
hard that I wold not doo for our blessyd ladyes sake,
ye thogh she wold commaûd me to bere this table to
Hierusalê. _Me. _ What nede you to be her caryoure,
seynge that she hathe so many angelles bothe at her
hedde and at her fette. _Ogy. _ Than he pullid owt of
hys purse a pece of wodde, that was cutt owte of the
blokke that our ladye lenyd apon. I perceyuyd by and by
thorow the smell of it, that it was a holy thynge. Than
whan I sawe so || greate a relyque, putt of my cappe,
and fel down flatte, & very deuoutly kyssyd it . iij. or
. iiii tymes, poppyd it in my pursse. _Me. _ I pray you
may a man see it? _Ogy. _ I gyue you good leue. But if
you be nat fastynge, or if you accompanyed with yowre
wyffe the nyght before, I conceyle you nat to loke apon
it. _Me. _ O blessed arte thou that euer thou gotte this
relyque. _Ogy. _ I may tell you in cowncell, I wold nat
gyue thys litle pece for all ye gold that Tagus hathe,
I wyll sett it in gold, but so that it shall apere
thorow a crystall stone. And than the Supprioure whã he
sawe that I dyd take the relyque so honorably, he
thoght it shuld nat be lost, in case he shuld shew me
greater mysteries, he dyd aske me whether I hadde euer
sene our ladyes secretes, but at that word I was
astonyed, yet I durst nat be so so bold as to demande
what thos || secretes were. For in so holy thynges to
speake a mysse is no small danger. I sayd that I dyd
neuer se thaym but I sayd that I wold be very glade to
see thaym. But now I was broght in, and as I had be
inspired with the holy ghost, than thay lyghted a
couple of taperes, & set forthe a litle ymage, nat
couryously wroght, nor yet very gorgeous, but of a
meruelous virtue. _Me. _ That litle body hathe smale
powre to worke myrakles. I saw saynt Christopher at
Parise, nat a carte lode, but as moche as a greate
hylle, yet he neuer dyd myrakles as farre as euer I
herd telle. _Ogy.