'and I wil first, of good resoun,
knowen his entencïoun;
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or go thy self, by my biddyng,
And axe the cause of his comyng.'
And sodeynly, good hede I took; [folio 294a]
and cast on syde on hym my look,
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which, lich a dwerf, (this the caas,)
of his fetures shapen was.
a pyk of Iren, sharp and longe,
he held, that was of makyng strong.
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Pilgrim: [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
And to me-ward his look he layde. [[St., om. C.]]
but first, to hym ryght thus I sayde.
"Telle on, thou dwerf, (ha no shame,)
To vs, thyn office and thy name."
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Sterelite: [[St., om. C.]]
'I called am (yef thou list se)
Of folkës alle, 'Sterility,' [Stowe folio 370a]
which ha this hous maad ful bareyn,
bothe of frut and ek of greyn.
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Ther good, their lond, (yef it be sought,)
I ha distruyed and brought to nought:
This my craft and myn offys;
and therfor (by gret avys)
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to castë folk in pouerte,
I am called 'Sterilite;'
foul and ougly of look and cher:
In Egypt I dwellëd vij yer.
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wher I abyde, (be wel certeyn,)
I make the land to be bareyn.'
Grace Dieu: [[St., om. C.]]
Quod Gracë Dieu, 'a litel space,
Go thy way out of this place;
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and what-so-euere herafter falle,
whan me list, I shal the calle.'
And whan that tourned was his bak, [folio 291b]
Gracë dieu thus to me spak:
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'touchyng the goodës, day be day,
which that I ha take away
fro this placë here present,
