"(As to my oppynyoun,)
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The body outward (thus I mene)
Sholde the soule inward sustene.
Yiff ye grante to speke at large,
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Thyng that conteneth, berth [[bereth St.]] the charge,
And bereth vp al, to myn entent:
And thyng, wyth-Inne that ys content,
That thyng ys born, as semeth me.
And her-vp-on I woldë se,
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Syth that ye ben prudent & wys,
A good answere, by your avys."
Grace dieu:
'Vp-on thy questioun to conclude
An answere, as by symylytude:
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Conceyuë fyrst in thyn entent,
Thy clothyng & thy vestyment.
Contene thy boady [[Body St.]] euerydel
Wyth-Innen: yiff thow loke wel,
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Thy body closyd ys wyth-Inne;
And but yiff thow fro resoun twynne,
Thow wylt nat geyn-seyn vn-to me,
Thow beryst thy clothys, & they nat the,
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And fully ben in thy depoos;
And yet thow art wyth-Inne hem cloos; [Stowe folio 172b]
And, (yiff thow clerly kanst dyscerne,)
At thy lust dost hem gouerne; [folio 151b]
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And (to seyn shortly in substaunce,)
Thow hast off hem the gouernaunce.'
The pylgrym:
"And ys yt lyk, ma dame," quod I,
"In al, off me & my body?"
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Grace dieu:
'To yive thé [[the the St.]] mor cler evydence,
I putte a maner dyfference;
Leff the chaff, & tak the corn:
The sowle bereth, & ys born.
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ffor, ffyrst, the sowle pryncypally
Susteneth & bereth the body;
And parcel-lyk [[poelle lyke St.]] (to thyn entent)
The body bereth by accident
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