'to [[to St., om. Tib.]] Byholde hem-silffe ther-ynne,
Wher they be clecne, or ffoule of synne.
'But, som ffolke hem-silffe byholde
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ffor to hyde her ffylthës oolde,
Whiche ther bewete dothe apayre.
And sommë merrours schewen ffayre,
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By apparence off bewte,
Though that ther be no bewte:
Alle these thynges (who takith kep)
I haue hem towched on an hep.
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Ȝeue here be aught that may ȝou pleese,
Take it at thyne ownë eese.'
[The Pilgrim:]
¶ In these thynges ffresche off delyte,
I sawgh there-in fful greet proffyte,
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And also in her ácqueyntaunce,
Preyed hir to haue suffraunce, [Tib folio 93b]
To graunte me leyser, and good ese,
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To seen what thyng me myghtë [[myhte me St., me myght Tib.]] pleese.
And, by good inspeccyoun,
Haddë turned al [[all tournyd St.]] vp so doun,
Ȝeue eny thyng I koude espye
Amonge alle hir mercerye.
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Vp and down I dydë se
What thyng lyked beste to me;
But, amonge hir thyngës alle,
Vp-on a merour I was ffalle,
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Whiche schewyd me, in his glas,
More ffayre in sothenesse than I was,
By ápparencë sodeynely
The merour lyed verily: [[sodeynely Tib., verily St.]]
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I knewe it wel in éxystence
And by oolde experyence.
Whan the trouthë was conceyved,
I wystë wel I was deceyved;
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To hir sayde, (in myne avys,)
That to hir it was no prys
To schewen out swyche mercerye,
Off merours to make men to prye.
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¶ Agyographe:
