'Thys secounde cours (yt ys no dred,)
Line 15439
Doth gret good vn-to hyr hed; [[drede. grete goode/.hede St.]]
Whan she hath sowpyd that potage,
Off verray custoom and vsage;
ffor wych I am mad [[mad om. St.]] 'cusyner,'
And for hyr mouth, 'cheff potager."
Line 15444
The Pylgryme: [[St., om. C.]]
"ffor auht that I espyë kan
Sythe tymë that the world began,
I sawh neuer, nor fond or now, [Stowe folio 272b]
A wersë best than art thow."
Line 15448
Detraccioun: [[St., om. C.]]
'Al ys trewe that thow dost telle,
ffor I am wers than any helle; [folio 233a]
ffor trewly hellë hath no myght
To don harm to Any whyht
Line 15452
But to the ffolk that he hath bounde.
'But I kan hurte, and make a wounde,
Nat only to folk present,
But vn-to hem that ben absent.
Line 15456
Helle ek (as I tellë kan,)
May damáge noon hooly man;
ffor thogh in hellë wer seyn Iohn,
Off peynë sholde he ffelyn noon,
Line 15460
ffor hys parfyt hoolynesse
Sholdë lyhte al ther dyrknesse,
And quenche also (yt ys no drede)
The brennynge ek off euery glede.
Line 15464
'But I kan hurtë (trustë me,)
An hundryd myle by-yowndë se.
ffro my wondyng, (thys no iape)
By absence no man may eskape.
Line 15468
Afftere, I hurte in absence
Mor Grevously than in presence,
Goodë folk as wel as badde,
That to-forn good rénoun hadde.
Line 15472
'Trust ek wel (yiff thow lyst knowe)
Yiff seyn Iohn were in erthë lowe,—
That hadde for hys perfectyoun
And holynesse, so gret Renoun,—
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