Nor was no pylgrym in certeyn.
But whan we mette, thus he gan seyn: [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
Line 10344
The rude Cherl. [[Later in margin. 'The rewd churle' in Stowe's hand. 'The Rwde Cherl' St.]]
'What may thys be?' quod he a-noon; [folio 160a]
'Whyder shal thys pylgrym gon?
To what cost ys hys vyage?
Or whyther [[whedir St.]] goth he on pylgrymage?
Line 10348
ffor he semeth (yt ys no nay)
To ben a pylgrym, by hys array.
But he get no bettre grace,
Or he passe out of thys place;
Line 10352
He shal ffyrst (in cónclusioun)
Answere to [[vn-to St.]] my questioun.'
Wheroff I wex [[wexide St.]] abaysshed tho,
Whan I herde hym spekyn so:
Line 10356
I draddë, by hys fers vysage,
That he, in hys sodeyn rage,
By hys lookys & hys chere
As he gan a-prochen nere,
Line 10360
That he wolde assayllen me: [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
The Pylgrym. [[St., om. C.]] [Stowe folio 183a]
But, lowly, in [[thus in St.]] my degre
I axedë [[askyde St.]] hym what he wold; [folio 160b]
And platly vn-to hym I tolde,
Line 10364
(As me sempte no thyng amys,)
I axede no-thyng that was hys.
I seyde, 'I wente on pylgrimage;
Prayynge hym that my passage
Line 10368
He sholde nat lette in no degre,
Syth the weye was large & ffre.'
The Rwde Vyleyn. [[St., 'rude vyleyn' in margin, C.]]
Thys boystous, sturdy, ffers vyleyn,
To me answerdë thus ageyn,
Line 10372
(Off whom to-forn I ha yow told)
'How artow hardy; how artow bold,
ffor to go for-by thys place,
The lawe and statutys for to passe, [[pace St.]]
Line 10376
Or to do swych dysplesaunce
