She was of gret sobrenesse,
Line 23916
of gret reuerence and honeste,
and of gret maturyte;
saad of look, and ek of cher,
Egle-eyëd, bryght and cler.
Line 23920
[The Pilgrim]:
"Ma dame," quod I, "of good entent,
Gracë Dieu hath to you sent,
that ye sholde (in wordës fewe)
Line 23923
the playnë trouthë [[playn trouth C., playn truthe St.]] to me shewe,
wher ye puttë the rychesse
that ye receyve, in sothfastnesse."
Celerar: [[St., after l. 23928, om. C.]]
And she that spak no word in vyyn,
to me answerd thus agayn;
Line 23928
'al that I haue in my depos,
from hir ther shal nothyng be clos.
Kome forth in hast, and folwe me,
and thou shalt the trouthë [[trouth C., truthe St.]] se.'
Line 23932
and I cam after (for the best),
and she gan vnlokke a chest,
the whichë, [[whiche St., which C.]] whan I dedë se,
I gan gretly abasshë me,
Line 23936
for the huchche (it is no doute)
was ful of holës round aboute;
and at ech hole (as thoughtë [[thought C., thowght St.]] me)
an hand put out, I didë se,
Line 23940
(who [[wher C., who St.]] -so euere slepe or wake) [folio 295b]
Redy to receyve and [[and St., and to C.]] take.
Pilgrim: [[St., om. C.]] [[Blank for Illumination.]]
I prayëd her, to specifye
what thyng it dedë signefye.
Line 23944
Celerar: [[St., om. C.]]
'To telle, and voiden al deceyt,
this the place of the receyt
of goodës, which that, day and nyght,
kome to this place of verray ryght,
Line 23948
(forto speke in general,)
but this handes consumen al,
Spende and waste on euery syde, [Stowe folio 371a]
