A dialoge or communication of two persons deuysyd and set forthe in the late[n] tonge, by the noble and famose clarke. Desiderius Erasmus intituled [the] pylgremage of pure deuotyon. Newly tra[n]slatyd into Englishe. — Colloquia. English. Selections

A dialoge or communication of two persons deuysyd and set forthe in the late[n] tonge, by the noble and famose clarke. Desiderius Erasmus intituled [the] pylgremage of pure deuotyon. Newly tra[n]slatyd into Englishe. — Colloquia. English. Selections

Table of contents

§

Title page

To the reder.

¶A pylgremage, for pure deuocyō.

[Page]

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¶A pylgremage, for pure deuocyō.

MEnedemus.

Signifieth to forsake. What new thynge ys it, that I se? doo I nat see Ogygyus my neybur, whom no mā 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 morowwas faynyd of an old kynge of Thebanes. Ogygyus. 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 comunicacyō 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 suche 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 [Page] ladē on euery [...]yde with bruches of lead and tynne. And you be pretely garnyshyd wt wrethes of strawe & your arme is full ofSignifyeth bedes. Walsyngam ys callyd para thalass [...] by cause it is ny to ye see. snakes egges.

Ogy.

I haue bene on pylgremage at saynt Iames in Compostella, & at my retourne I dyd more relygyously vysyte our lady of Walsyngā 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 relygyō 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 thāke hym.

Me.

Dyd you salute saynt Iames alonly in your name, and your mothers.

Ogy.

No, in the name of all owre house.

Me.

[Page]Uerely I thynke yt 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 whā I dyd offre, me tought he dyd lawghe vpon me, and becke at me with his 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 mā 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 [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] shall fast twyse in on weke, do you beleue yt I can fulfyll 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 [...]opertye had you be in?

Ogy.

I graunt, he could not haue had an accyon ayenst me in ye law, but he myght fromhensforthe 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 mā saynt Iames dothe, and howe he farythe.

Ogy.

Moche colder thā he was wontyd to do.

Me.

What is the cause of it? His age?

Ogy.

Oh you scoffer, yow [Page] 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 nothynge, 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 wō tyd to stand all in precyous stones & gold, now stādythe 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.

Our ladi of stone in Raurachia whiche is a certayne cuntre. She yt hathe her name of a stone.

Me.

I trawe it is in Raurachia.

Ogy.

That same [Page] 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 apō the aultre, wherof he prechythe to whome it was sent. And lest there shuld be any suspectyō of crafty cō uayence in you, you shall se the epistle wryten wt 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 argumēt?

Ogy.

I haue redde yt Is a scripture wryten on a graue. Epithaphe of Bede which was grauyd of the angell: and the letteres agre in all thynges. I haue reddē also ye obligacyō 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 [Page] preuy.

Me.

Oh you shall speake to a stone.

Ogy.

Ther be stones now a dayes of that name very [...]lawnderous, that wyll hyde nothynge.

Me.

you shall speake to a domme man, & yow trust nat a stone.

Ogy.

Apon yt 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 toGlaucoplutꝰ desirus of ryches. Glaucoplutus sē dythe gretynge. Insomoche as you folowe Luther, you nobly perswade, that it is but in vayne to call apō sayntes, do ye well know for that to be grettly in my fauore. For vntyll thys day I haue almost be slayne wt 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 apō my breste, that yet he wold be at my commaundemēt and durst nat denye my petycyon, dredynge that if he denye my petycyon, [Page] that I shuld denye hym myte ate whan he is a thurst: and veryoft 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 cōmytte 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 cōmythe 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 [Page] 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 thā folishe. The mayd cryeth & saythe, O swet Mary send me a fayre and riche husbond. The maryed womā saythe send me goodly chylderen. Now laborythe the woman with chyld, and cryeth dere lady dylyuer me of my bondes. Than cōmythe ye olde wyffe, and saythe flowre of all women send me to lyue longe withowt coghe and drynes. Now crepythe the dotynge oldman & saythe, lady send me for to wax yonge ayē. Thā cōmythe forth the phylosopher and cryethe send me some argumē tis that be īsoluble. The great prest cryethe send me a fat benefyce. Thā [Page] saythe the bysshope kepe well my churche. Thā cryethe ye hye Iustyce shew me thy sone or I passe out of this worlde. Thā 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 cōmytte it to me sone, I here them say, he wyll what so euer you wyll. Shall I than alone bothe a woman and a mayd helpe maryneres, sawd yeres, marchantmen, dyasseres, maryedmē, 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 discōmodytye with hym. I [Page] 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 a [...]e 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 [...] gowne and that is all beeyten with mysse. My yerly rentes be now so smalle yt I am skarsly able to fynde my pore quere kepar to light a wax cādle 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 reuēge his wronge. If you cast saynt Petre forthe of the churche, he may serue [Page] you of the same sauce, and shite vp heuyngates ayenst you. Ye saynt Paule hathe his sworde. Barthylmew is nat wtowt 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 wt 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 orels thou shalt let vs bothe be, except that you wold haue a temple withowt a Christe.

These be the thynges that I wold [Page] yow shall know ymagyne you therfore what shalbe 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 frōhēsforthe.

Ogy.

Ye & if he be wyse.

Me.

Wherfore dyd nat that good saynt Iames wryte to yt 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 takē frome them.

Me.

I pray you, what god dyd send you into Englōd?

Ogy.

I saw the wynd maruelouse prosperouse thyderward, and I had almoste promysyd this to that blessyd lady of Walsyngā that I wold seke [Page] her within .ij. yere,

Me.

What wold yo [...] axe of her.

Ogy.

No newthyngꝭ 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 alōge and mery liffe, and whā 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 thā at Walsynganie.

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 cōcernynge this purpose, she wyll gyue her selfe to our affectyōes.

Me.

I haue harde oft of saynt Iames, but I pray you describe to me the kyngdome of Walsyngam.

Ogy.

Uerely I shall tell you as shortly as I canne. Yt is the most holy name in all England, and you may fynde some in [Page] that y [...]e, that suppose thayr substāce 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 frome the see, skarsly iij myles, the towne is almost susteynyd by the resort of pylgrymes. The college is of Canōes, 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 be thynges doutfull.Amphybyanes, suche as ye mōstre Fyber is abeste of ye see & ye land.Fyber is.

Ogy.

No thay be rather suche as theA Cocatrice wil kyll a man with a loke, Cocatrice. 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 he Monkes

Menede.

Yet yowe doo nat open thys redle.

Ogy.

[Page] I shall paynte it before youre eyes, if the bysshope of Rome doo shot hys thonderbowlt amōgst all monkes, thay wyll than be chanones, & nat monkes, but and if he wold suffre all monkes to take wyues, thā 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 otherRēttes. emolumētes but of the liberalite of our lady. For the great offeryngꝭ 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 thā ryche of thayr yerely renttes. The temple ys goodly & goregious, but oure Lady dwellythe nat in it, but yt was purchasyd for the honor of her sone. She hathe her owne temple, [Page] that she may be of the ryght hand of her sone.

Me.

Apon the righthād? Whiche way dothe her sonne loke than?

Ogy.

It is well remembryd. Whan he lokythe to te West, his mother is apō his right hand, but whā he turnythe hym to the Este she is apon the lefte hand. But yet she dwelly the 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 thā?

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 [Page] wyll say that it is a seate mete for sayntes, all thynges be so bright wt gold, syluer, and precyous stones.

Me.

You almost moue me to go thyther also.

Ogy.

It sh [...]l nat 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 Katerē, owr lady was nat beried.

Me.

I graūt I sayd amysse, but tell on your tale.

Ogy.

So moche more as thay persayue youre deuocyō, so moche larger reliques wyl thay shew to you.

Me.

Ye and peraduēture that thay may haue larger offerynges, as is sayd that, many lytle offerynges makythe a heuy boxe.

Ogygy.

Her chaplenꝭ 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 [Page] frome thayr owne religyō, and whylst thay kepe that virgyne, thay regard very lytle thayr awne virgynyte, alonly in that inner chapell whiche is our ladyes preuy chābre, ther standithe a certayne Chanō at the autre.

Me.

For what purpose?

Ogy.

To receyue and kepe, yt 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 that wold nat doo perauē ture if that he were absent, yt standithe there.

Me.

You tell me of mannes affectiones, whiche I my selffe prouyd very ofte.

Ogy.

Ye trewly there be some so gyuē to our blessyd lady, that whan thay apere to putvpe thayr handes to offre, with a ꝓpre cōuayance, thay stayl yt whiche other men hathe gyuen.

Me.

Than [Page] 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 gētlenes and longe sufferynge.

Ogy.

Apō 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 [Page] 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 wt owte.

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 wt the same garmentes yt the Englishmen were wontyd to wayre at that tyme, as you may see in that olde pictures, whiche wylnat lye, Barbourꝭ had [Page] 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 apō.

Ogy.

Under ye wykyte ther was a grate of yrne, that no man cā passe theryn but a footemā, for it is nat conuenyent that any horsse shuld tread after apon y• place, whiche the knyght dyd cōsecrate 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 wēte, ther was I receyuyd of another of our ladyes chaplenes, ther we knelyd downe, to make our litle prayeres. By & by, he broght for the [Page] the ioynte of a mannes fynger, the greatyste of thre, whiche 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 Gyātes 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 gentlemē that stode by, that could not forbere lawghynge, for the whiche I was very sory. For if he had holden hys pease, we had sene all the relyques, yet we metely well pleasyd mayster Sextē, with gyuynge hym .ii. or .iij. grotes. Before that chapell there was a litle howsse, whiche he sayd ones in wynter tyme whan yt there was litle rowme to couer the reliques, that it was sodenly broght & sett in that place. Under that house [Page] 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 putowte fyre from hensforthe.

Ogy.

It is a myrakle that I tell, good syr, orels what maruayle shuld it be, yt 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 [Page] pyleres. He cowld nat denay but yt they were sette there nat longe agoo, and also the mater dyd playnly testyfye ye same. Afterward, sayd I, thys roffe whiche is all of rede dothe apere nat to be very olde, & he grantyd also, thes greete bemes whiche 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 argumēt.

Ogy.

By & by he dyd shew to vs the mater by the skyne of a bayre whiche had hangyd be the rafteres alonge season, and dyd almost moke the symplenes of owre wyttes that could nat perceyue so manyfeste an argumēte we beynge [Page] perswadyd by this argument, askid pardon of our ignorance, and callid into our communycacyon the heuēly 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 gatheryd 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 strāge thynge, but no maruayle, seynge that the lord whiche dothe encreasse this at hys pleasure, is almyghty.

Me.

It is very gently expowndyd, but I am [Page] afrayd, that many of thes be faynyd for lukre.

Ogy.

I suppose yt God wold nat suffre hymselffe to be deludyd of suche a fasshion.

Mene.

Yis, Haue nat you sene that whā bothe the mother, the sone, the father, and the holy ghoste hathe be robbyd of thes sacrile gyous 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, wt 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 thā?

Ogy.

What tell you me of moystenes, whā it was mylkyd more than a thowsand and fyue hunthrithe yere agone, it is so congelyd, that a mā wold [Page] 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 yt 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 [Page] 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 for the and encrease with it into a perfaycte man, into the mesure of the plentefulnes of Christe, of whos cōpany 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 thought yt 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 very ofte suche [Page] crauynge boxes, whan I dyd ryde thorowe Germany.

Ogy.

We dyd gyue hym certayne monay whiche he offeryd to our lady. Thā I axyd by a certayne yonge man, yt was well learnyd, whiche dyd expownde and tell vs the saynge of ye Sextē, hys name (as fere as I remembre) was Robert alderisse, by what tokenes or argumētes he dyd know that it was the mylke of owr lady. And that I very fayne, & for a good purpose desyred to knowe, yt I myght stope the mowthes of certayne newfanglyd felowes, that be w [...]tyd to haue suche holy relyques in derysyon and mokage. Fyrst of all the Sexten wt a froward cowntenāce wold nat tell, but I desyryd the yong man to moue hym more instantly, but somwhat more gently he so courtesly behauyd hymselffe, yt and he had prayd owr lady herselffe [Page] after yt fashion, she wold nat haue be dysplesyd therwith. And thā 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 byfore 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 tempre hys grea, te 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. [Page] 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 knowē vs, and whā we came a litle further in, we sawe another, yt 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 yt had stole almost all owr ladyes frontlet, and I supposyd yt they had me in suspycyon therof. And therfore whan I was within the chapell I mayd my prayers to ourlady after thys fashiō. 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 [Page] 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, spirytual [...]y to cō ceyue the lord Iesus Christ, & after that conceptyon neuer to be separat frome 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 commumcatyō of the fyrst Sexten had so discoregyd me, that I durst nat 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 [Page] saythe) my harte was almost in my hose.

Ogy.

Whan dynar was done, we returnyd to ye temple.

Me.

Durfte you God & be susspecte of felonye?

Ogy.

Perauenture so, but I had nat my selffe in suspiciō, 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 hāgyd so hye that very fewe could rede it. My eyes be of that fashion, that I can nother be callyd Linceus ys abeaste so quike eyed yt it wyll see thorow any wallLinceus, 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 setforthe before oure eyes, bothe the name, the p [...]ace. the thynge it selffe as it was [Page] 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 thyngꝭ, but pryncypally excedynge relygyous in searchynge forthe relyques of all sayntes thorowo wt all the worlde. He after that he had vysytyd many places, contrayes, and regyones, at the laste came to Cōstantynenople. For Wylhelmes brother was there byshope, whiche dyd make hym pryuy to a certayne mayde, whiche had professyd chastyte, that hadde parte of oure ladyes mylke, whiche 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 [...] [...]ylke. Wyllyam wold nat rest there tyll that he had gotte halffe of that holy mylke, but whan he had [Page] it, he thoghte that he was richer than Croeseus.

Me.

Why nat, but was it nat withowt any good hope?

Ogy.

He went thā streght home, but in hys iornay he fell seke.

Me.

Iesu there is nothynge in thys worlde yt 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 condycyō, that if it chāsyd to come home saffe & sownde he shuld 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 h [...]nor and obaye our blessyd lady. But to make short tale. Wylyam is deade, & [Page] buryed, the Frenchman mayd hym redy to departe apon hys iornay, & sodēly fell seke also. And he in great dyspayre of amendynge, dyd commyth ye mylke to an Englishmā, 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 presente, whiche were yt as we call Regulares. Thay be yet in the abbaye of saynt Genofeffe. But ye Englishmā obtaynyd the halffe of that mylke, & caryed it to Walsyngā 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 [Page] 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 grā tyd 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 [...]anaidus. 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 grāte to an hunderithe thowsand mē fowrty dayes of pardone, shuld euery man haue elyke?

Ogy.

No doubte of that.

Me.

And if any haue forty byfore dynar, may he axe other forty at after sou [...]er, is there any thynge lest than to gyue him?

Ogy.

Ye, & if thou aske it tentymes in one howre.

Me.

I wold [Page] 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 yt 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 Cōstantynople, which dyd gyue it, dyd saye so.

Me.

Perauenture saynt Barnard dyd gyue it to her.

Ogy.

So I suppose. For whā he was an old man, yet he was so happy yt he sukkyd of y• same mylke, that Iesus hymselffe sukkyd apon.

Me.

But I maruayle why he was [Page] 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 yt 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 yt any body were present to see thaym ye Sextens mayd great haste for feare of crafty cōuayēce, lokynge apō 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 af [...]rayd of nothynge there?

Ogy.

Yis I dyde loke [Page] apō hym, lawghynge as who shold saye I wold m [...]e hym to spe [...]ke to me [...], at [...]ste he cam to me, and a [...]id me what was my name, I told him. He axid me if yt were nat I that dyd hange vpe there a table of [...]y vowe writen in Hebrew, with i [...] .ij. yere before. I confessi [...] that it was ye same.

Me.

Cā you wryte hebrewe?

Ogygy.

No but all that thay cānat vnderstond, thay suppose to be Hebrewe. And than (I suppose he was send for) came the posterior pryor.

Me.

What name of worshipe is yt? 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 [Page] of dignyte and nat of relygyō. 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 grāmere before.

Me.

Yis I know prior posterior amōgst 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, resortyd thyder, by and by he was broght to that table, some sayd yt thay were lettres of Arabia, some sayd thay were faynyd lettres. Well [Page] 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 latē lettres, at thayr desyer I dyd expownde ye verses in laten, trāslatynge thaym word for word. But whā thay wold haue gyuyn me for my labour, I refusyd it, seynge that ther was no [...]thynge so hard that I wold not doo for our blessyd ladyes sake, ye thogh she wold commaūd me to bere this table to Hierusalē.

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 pur [...]e 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 [Page] greate a relyque, putt of my cappe, and feldowne flatte, & very deuoutly kyssyd it .iij. or .iiij 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 yt it shall apere thorow a crystall stone. And than the Supprioure whā 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 [Page] 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 lyghtyd a couple of taperes, & setforthe a litle ymage, nat couryously wroght, nor yet very gorgeous, but of a meruelous [...]tue.

Me.

That litle body hathe smale powre to worke myrakles. I saw saynt Christopher at Parise, nat a cartelode, but as moche as a greate hy [...] le yet he neuer dyd myrakles as farre as euer I herd telle.

Ogy.

At our ladyes fette there is a precyous stone, whos name as it is nother in Greke nor Laten. The Frenchemā 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 [Page] 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 mē encownterynge.

Ogy.

No, I wold you shuld know it, there is no lyuynge tode that more euydētly dothe expresse hymselffe than it dyd there playnly apere.

Me.

Hetherto I haue sufferyd thy lyes, but now get the another what 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 [Page] 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 a [...]es 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 strēkthe that is almost incredyble, but that experience dothe otherwyse testyfye. Tell me, do you beleue that a Adam and [...] stone wold drawe vnto him stele wtowt any towchynge therof, and also to be seꝑate 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 [Page] to the cōtrarye.

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 crabfish [...]. Echites of the serpente vyper. But to what purpose shuld I entreat, or inuestygate the nature of suche thynges whiche be innumerable, whā 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 thā yt in thys stone at owre ladies fote, [Page] is the fourme and fashon of a tode?

Me.

I maruayle that nature shuld haue so moche lesure, so to counterfayt the nature of althynges.

Ogy.

It was but to exercyse, or occupye the curyosytye of mannes wytte, and so at the lest wyse to kepe vs frome ydlenes, and yet as thoghe we had nothynge to passe ye tyme with all, we be in 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, poysō, pryde, couytousnes, and all wordly affectyones that raygne in man.

Me.

Woo be to vs, that haue so many todes in owre hartes.

[Page]Ogygy.

We shalbe purgyd frome thaym all, if we dylygētly worshipe owre lady.

Me.

How wold she be worshipyd.

Ogy.

The most a [...]eptable honor, that thou canste [...] to her is to folowe her lyuynge.

Me.

You haue told all atones. But this is hard to brynge to pass.

Ogy.

You saye truthe, but it is an excellen [...]e thynge.

Me.

But go to, and tell on as you begane.

Ogy.

After thys to come to owre purpose, the Supprioure shewyd 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, reioysynge of so maruelouse ryches, as was abowt our lady, than saythe the Sextē 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 [Page] 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 tokē gyuen to me frōe our lady.

Me.

Haue you nat it prouyd, what valewre your woden relyque is on?

Ogy.

Yis, yt I haue, in a certayne Inne within thys thre dayes, ther I fownde a certayne man yt 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 dronkē dropsye, sleape ys wontyd to be a good medicyne for yt dysease.

[Page]Ogy.

Whā you be dysposyd to skoffe Menedemus, yt ys best yt you gette a nother maner of gestynge stokke than thys, for I tell you it is nother good nor holsome, to bowrde so wt sayntes. For thys same mā dyd say, that a woman dyd apere to hym, in hys sleape, after a maruelouse fashion, whiche shold gyue hym a cuppe to drynke apon.

Mene.

I suppose it wasElleborum wyll restore a man to hys senses that hathe lost thē. Elleborū.

Ogy.

That is vncertayne, but I kno well yt mā was well broght into hys mynde ayen.

Me.

Dyd you other come or goo by Sante Thomas of Cantorbury that good archebishope.

Ogy.

What els / there ys no pylgremage more holy.

Me.

I wold fayne here of yt, and I shold nat trouble you.

Ogy.

I pray you here, & take good hedd. Kente ys callyd that parte of England, yt buttythe apon Fraūce and Flanders, the cheffe cytye there of ys Cantorburye, in yt there be ij. [Page] Abbayes, bothe of thaym be of Saynte Benedyctꝭ ordre, but yt which ys callyd Saynte Augustynꝭ 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 wt a sorte of monkes electe for hym selffe, as Byshopes now adayes be wontyd to haue thayr howses nye vnto the churche, but aparte frome other canonꝭ 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, [Page] 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, wt the sownde of great belles, in the fronte of the temple, whiche is apō 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 gyuē to Iudas, Pylate, and Caiphas, & to the compa [...]y of the wykyd so wdyeres, as you may se payntyd in the tables that be sett byfore aultres. Thayr surnames be put to lest any man hereafter shuld vsurpe any [Page] cause of thayr prayse. Thay be payntyd byfore mennes eyes, bycause that no cowrtyer after thys shuld laye violēt han [...]es other apō Byshopes, or the churche goodes. For thes thre of this garde strayght a [...]on 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 mā 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, yt be bownde to pyleres wherein is the gospell of Nicodemus, and I cannat tell whos sepulkre.

Me.

What than?

Ogy.

Thay do so dylygētly watche lest any mā shulde entre in to the quere of yron, that thay wyll skarsly fuffre a man [Page] to loke apon it, whiche is betwyxte the greate churche & the hye quere (as thay calle it) a man that wyll go thyther must clyme vp many stayres byfore, vndre the whiche there is a certayne wykyt with a barre yt openythe the dore apon the northe syde. There standythe forthe a certayne aultre whiche is dedycate to our lady, it is but a lytleone, and I suppose set there for no other purpose, but to be a olde monumēt 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, whā 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, wherby you may well knowe yt he was nere deade. But the holly ruste of thys grat I deuoutly kyssyd for loue of ye [Page] blessyd martyr. From thens we wēt 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 sethforthe 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 champyō chastnyd hys body, thay be horryble to loke apon, and greatly reproue oure delycate gorgeousnes.

Me.

Ye perauē ture so thay do the mōkes slotefulnes.

Ogy.

As for that mater I cā nat 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 [Page] 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, whā 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 Englyshmā 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 hadde redde hys bokes, how he came by thaym I cannattell.

Me.

He dysplesyd mayster. Sextē greuofly.

Ogy.

Thā was there broght forthe [Page] 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 apō the table whiche was apō the aultre, and all hys gorgeousnes, aftrewarde thos thyngꝭ 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 thē?

Ogy.

No, but an other affection and desyre came apō me.

Me.

What was that?

Ogy.

I syghed yt I had no suche relyques at home.

Me.

Oh a wycked desyre & an euyl thought

Ogy.

I graunt, and there [...]fore I axyd, forgyfnes of Saynt Thomas before I remouyd one fote, to departe out of the churche. After [Page] thes thus we were brought in to ye reuestry, o good lorde what a goodly syght was ther of vestmētes of veluet & clothe of golde, what a some of candlestykes of gold? We sawe ther saynt Thomas crosse staffe, ther was seē 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 wt 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 monumētes 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 [Page] 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 mā 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 mā cowld wyshe no gyfte of a ꝑfayte Byshope in him, that he hathe nat. Frome thens afterward we were ladde to greater thynges. For behyndethe hyghe aultre, we ascēdyd 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 [Page] to knowe what euyl chaunse yow wyll speke of.

Ogy.

Here my companyō Gratiā 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, yt saynt Thomas whyl he it lyued was mercyfull toward ye poer people? That is very true saythe he, and he begā to tell greatly of his liberalyte and compassyon that he shewede to the poer and nedy. Then sayd Gratiā: I thynke that affection and good mynd in him not to be chaungyde, but yt 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 contēt, now that he is so ryche, and also nedethe [Page] nothynge, that if a poer womā 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 fore syke, and destitute of all helpe, in case she askyd [...]y [...]ns, & pryuyly stole a way a small porcyon of so greate riches, to sukkre her how shold, as and if she shold haue it of one that wold other leane, or gyue it to herre? And whan he wold nat answere that [...]epyd the golden hedde, Gracyane, as he is somwhat hasty, I, saythe he, doo suppose playnly, that this holy man wold be gladde, yf yt he, now beynge deade, myght sustayne the neces [...]iye of pore people. But there mayster parsone begone to frowne, & byte hys lyppe, with hys holowe eyes lyke to A mōster yt hathe snakes for heares apon her hedde.Gorgone ye monstre to luke apō vs. I doo not dowbte he wold haue [Page] cast vs out of the temple, and spytte apō vs, but that he dyd knowe that we were comendyd of the archebyshope. 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 cōsyder, by what meaynes they may be acō pted 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 [Page] conuenyent. But to what purpose seruyth so many holy water pottes, so many cādlestyckes, 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 yt 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 confyder on the other syde the euyll conscience and behauyor of them that robb the churchys of whatso euer iuellys ther may be founde, thes ryches [Page] 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 thē 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 cō mended bycause they solde the holy vesseles of theyr churches, and wt that money helped and releued the [Page] 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 cō munycatyon. I loke now for the cō clusyon 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 wā ted nothynge but ye name, and he is called prior for this cause tharchebyshope is takē 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 [Page] man bothe vertuous and wyse, and not vnlearnede Duns diuinite. He opened the shryne to vs in whiche ye [...]olle body of the holy mā, 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, thā 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 m [...]ltitude: some were greater than a gowse egge. Dyuerse of ye monkꝭ stode ther aboute with greate reuerence, the couer takyn a way, all we kneled downe and worshyped. The pryor wt a whyte rodde showed vs euery stone, addynge therto the [Page] 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 gratꝭ.

Me.

What feared the?

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.

Whē they brought vs candellꝭ we saw a sight passynge ye ryches of any kynge.

Me.

Dothe it excede our lady of walsyngā?

Ogy.

To loke vpō this, is richer, the secret tresure she knoweth her selfe, but this is not [...], but to great [Page] men, or tospecy all frendes. At the last we were brought agayne in to the reueitry, there was taken out a cofer couered with blacke lether, it was sett downe apon the table, it was sett open, by and by euery body kneled downe and worshipyd.

Me.

What was in it?

Ogy.

Certayne torne ragges of lynnen clothe, many hauynge yet remaynynge in them the token of the fylthe of the holy mannes nose. With thes (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 famyly are acquayntenance and besyde that, a man of no smalle authorite, the Prior ga [...] gentylly one of the lynnē ragges, thynkynge to haue gyuen [Page] a gyfte very acceptable & pleasaunt, But Gratian there with lyttle pleasede 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 thyng lykede hym not, yt he thought worthy to be despysede. Wher at I was bothe ashamed and wonderously afrayed. Notwithstondynge 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 London: seynge ye were not farre from the see co [...]t, 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 [Page] 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 pass [...] ge, at me commynge ouer. We were many caryed in a bote frome Calys shore to go to the shyppe. Amongest vs all was a pour yōge mā of Fraū ce, and barely appayrelled. Of hym he demau [...]ded 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 hys shoes, and betwene the shoo and the soule, thay fownde x. or .xij. grotes, thay toke thē from hym laughyng at the mater: mockynge and scornyng the poer & myserable Frenchman.

Me.

What dyd ye fellow than?

Ogy.

What thyng dyd [Page] 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, it 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 he grudged agaynst it, but all in vayne. The botemē as it had ben a tryflyng mater reiosed and were glade that they had so taken and handelyd the myserable Frenchman.

Me.

I wold play and sporte with these see theues, & hange them vpon the gallowes.

Ogy.

Yet of such both the shores swarme full. Here tell me, I pray the. What [Page] wyll great mē do, whē theues take vpō them to enterpryse soch masterys. Therfore, her after I had leuer go fourty myllys aboute, thē to go yt way, thoffe it be moche shorter. Morouer euyn as ye goynge downe to hell, is easy and leyght, but ye cō mynge frome thens of greate dyffyculty, so to take shyppynge of this syde the see, is not very easy, and the landynge very hard & dangerouse. Ther was at London dyuerse maryners of Antwerpe, with them I purposed to take thesee.

Me.

Hathe that cūtre so holy maryners?

Ogy.

As an ape is euer an ape, I graūte, so is a maryner euer a maryner: yet if thou compare them vnto these, yt 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 Englāde. But come agayne in to ye waye, frome whens I broght the [Page] 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. Upō 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 ouer lether of a shoo bownde abowte with an yerne whope, wherin is a glasse lyke a precyouse stone, they yt kysse it gy [...] 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. [Page] When the shoo was proferred hym, he asked what he ment by it, saythe he, it is saynt Thomas shoo. There at he fumed 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 mā, & gaue hym a pece of money to cōforthe hym with all.

Me.

In myn opynyō Gratian was noe all to gether angry with owt a good cause. If shoes and slyppers were kept for a tokē of sobre lyuynge, I wold not be moch dyscontent ther wt, but me thynkꝭ it is a shamefull 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 affectyō of holynes, I thynke they were whorthy of pardon.

Ogy.

It were [Page] better not to thes thynges, if I may say as I thynke, yet owt of thes thynges that cannat forthwith he amended, it is my maner if ther be any goodnes theryn, to take it out, and apply it to the best. In ye meanseson that contemplacyō and sight delited my mynde, that a good mā is lykened to a shepe, an euyll man to a venemouse best. The serpent after she is dede, cā stynge no more, notwithstondyng with her euyll sauour and poyson she infecteth and corruptyth other. The shepe as lōge as she is a lyue norrysheth 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 mē, when they be deade, what with ryngyng of bellys, and pompyouse [Page] 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 cōfort the cōforthlesse, 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 cōtemplacyō, but I maruayll greatly, seyng you ar thus mynded, that ye neuer dyd vysyte saynt Patryckes purgatory in Yerlande, of the [Page] 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 p [...]rgatory?

Ogy.

I haue saylede ouer a ryuer of hell, I went downe vnto the gates of hell, I saw what was dōe 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 [Page] 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 straūgers that, whiche is bothe vnright and agaynst good consciens. Of thys fashyō I am acustomed to be auengede vpon thē. If I thynke to fare well at souper other with myne acquayntauns, or with some host somwhat 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.

Are ye not ashamede to be taken for a couetouse fellow & a nygerde?

Ogy.

Menedeme they that make co [...]t 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 communycacyon, [Page] wherfore loke to haue me yowr geste at souper, where ye shall tell it more conuenyently.

Ogy.

For sothe I thanke you, that ye offere yowr selfe to be my gest vndesyred, when many hertely prayed refuse it, but I wyll gyue yow double thankes, if ye wyll soupe to day at home. For I must passe that tyme in doynge my dewty to my howsehold. But I haue counsell to eyther of vs moche more profytable. To morrow vnto me and my wyfe, prepare our dyner at yowr howse, then and if it be to souper tyme, we wyll 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 t [...]les.

Ogy.

But here [Page] 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 chastlyuynge 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 [Page] for yow.

Mene.

That I shuld [...]e vnto these thynges holy scripture commaundethe, that I shuld commyt the charge to sayntes I dyd rede yt neuer commaunded.

God saue the kynge

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

Effigiem Desiderij tibj Sculptor ErasmiExprimit; Ingenium, Scripta diserta suum

§

§

[Page]

A dialoge or communication of two persons, deuysyd and setforthe in the latē tonge, by the noble and famose clarke. Desiderius Erasmus intituled ye pylgremage of pure deuotyon. Newly trāslatyd into Englishe.

To the reder.

[Page]

[Page]

AMongest the writinges of all men, dearly belouyd reder, not onely of the diuersyte of tongues, but also the noble drawghtꝭ 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 comēwealthe, that ther is (as I suppose) no parte of the scripture, which is not so e [...]powndyde, furnysshed, and setforthe, but that euery Christen man, therby [...]ay lerne his dewty to god, hys prynce, and hys nebure, and so consequently passe thourough the strayte pathe of the whiche scripture doth testyfye vpō, very fewe can fynde ye entrye, wherby thorough faythe in the redēptyon of the worlde thorowe ye bloode of Christe the sone of god, to rayne [Page] with the father and the holy go [...]e eternally, accordynge to the promyse of Christe, sayinge. In my fathers hawse therbe 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 thē, 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 chaū gynge the glory of gode immortall in to the ymage of a corruptyble man, and therfore so lycentiously he hathe suffrede them to wandre in theyr clowdes of ygnoraunce, preferrynge the lyes and corrupte [Page] 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 repugnaū ce of synne agaynst the omnypotēt power of gode, left 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 Godꝭ in my syght, that it is sore to be dreadde the same iudgement to be gyuyn [Page] vpon vs that was gyuen vpon the cytye of Ninyue to be absorped of the yerthe in to the yre and venge [...] a [...]ce of gode, whiche hathe ben the cau [...]e that so many wryters b [...]he 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, ry [...]ges, bedes, gyrdles, bolles, [Page] belles, [...]okes, gioues, ropes, raperes, 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 iudgmegt 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 palmesondaye they play the foles sadely, drawynge after them an asse in a [Page] 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 setforthe 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 dāpnableA tresure boxe of ye Iewes Corbane 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 comynaltye to theyre dampnable ypocrysye and conspyracy, myndyng [Page] and goynge about to preuente our most soueraigne lordes iudgment, not yet gyuē vpon theyr Sodomiticall actes, and most horryble ypocrysy. But the worde of the lorde whiche they so tyrannously go aboute to suppresse wt all the fauerours therof shall ouercome & destroy all soch most to be abhorred & deceyuable inuegelers & dysturbers of ye symple people to soch detestable treason. And that it may so do to the terryble example of thes and all other rebelles and most dysloyal subiectes, and to ye greate comforthe & cōsolacyō ofh is gracys faythfull and true comens. I requyre him which brethethe where he willithe and raygnethe eternall gode to graūt vnto our seyde most dradde soueraygne lorde whose maiesty as it euydently appereth onely applieth his diligence to the aduaunsynge [Page] & settynge 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 amēde) 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 maie [...]ye hath pruden [...]y [Page] 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 commaundementꝭ wherby they shall not onely do the thyng agreable to goddes wylle & teachynges, in yt 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, [Page] for whiche intent and purpose the sayd most noble and famous clarke Dsiderius Erasmus, compiled & made this dialoge in Laten, as it foloweth her after nowe lately translated into our mother the Englishhe tonge. Auoyd therfore, most deare readere, all abuses wherby 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 [Page] spoken of at the begynnynge to the whiche the lorde Iesus Christe brynge vs all with a perfaycte quyetnes, So be it.

Information about this book

Title statement

A dialoge or communication of two persons deuysyd and set forthe in the late[n] tonge, by the noble and famose clarke. Desiderius Erasmus intituled [the] pylgremage of pure deuotyon. Newly tra[n]slatyd into Englishe.Colloquia. English. Selections

Erasmus, Desiderius, d. 1536.

Edition statement

1540

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A00331

ID [STC]

STC 10454

ID [STC]

ESTC S111331

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99846697

ID [PROQUEST]

99846697

ID [VID]

11684

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A00331)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 11684)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 38:17)

Source

— A dialoge or communication of two persons deuysyd and set forthe in the late[n] tonge, by the noble and famose clarke. Desiderius Erasmus intituled [the] pylgremage of pure deuotyon. Newly tra[n]slatyd into Englishe., Colloquia. English. Selections, Erasmus, Desiderius, d. 1536..

Extent

[100] p.

n.p.,. [London? :: 1540?]. (Imprint suggested by STC.) (Signatures: [greek cross] A-D E¹⁰ (-greek cross8).) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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