And lynë ryht vn-to the gaate
The weye I held, by hyr byddynge, [Stowe folio 207a]
Wher as she stood hyr sylff lenyng. [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
Line 11760
The pylgrym:
And lyst she ffounde in me som lak,
Vn-to hyre ryht thus I spak:
"Ma dame," quod I / "I stonde in wher [[where St.]]
Touchynge thys weyës that ben her;
Line 11764
I not off hem wych I shal holde."
And she to me fful goodly tolde
And specyally gan chargë me,
The fforeyn [[Stowe]] posternys ffor to ffle; [folio 180b]
Line 11768
[Vertu Moral]
'And do thy power and thy myght
To holde the weyë that goth ryht,
The weye (I menë) ryht as lyne,
Wher I stonde, & nat declyne
Line 11772
On nouther party, nyht nor day,
Also ffer fforth as thow may.'
She sayd ek, as I vnderstood,
That 'he ys an archer good
Line 11776
Wych ffaylleth nat hym-sylff taquyte,
Alway the markë ffor to smyte;
And no man blamen hym ne may,
Thogh he hytte yt nat alway:
Line 11780
So he do trewly hys deuer,
Wyth hys arme to smyte yt ner
In al hys bestë ffeythfful wyse,
Yt doth ynowh to hym suffyse
Line 11784
That in hys drawyng he nat ffeyne. [Stowe folio 207b] [[C. & St.]]
And therfor do thy besy peyne [[C. & St.]]
Aforn, thy sylff so to provyde, [[C. & St.]]
Teschewe the weyes that gon asyde;
Line 11788
Hold the myd, in especyal.
'ffor I am callyd 'vertu moral,
Polytyk, & general';
And myn offyce her-wyth-al
Line 11792
I contene (as clerkys shewes)
Al [[And al St.]] the pathys to goodë thewes,
