Ogy. No for sothe good syr.
Me. How happened it that you were in so good credens, that no secret thynges were hyd frome you?
Ogy. I was well acquyntede with the reuerende father Gwylyame warham the archbyshope. He wrote .ii. or .iii. wordes in my fauour.
Me. I here of many that he is a mã of syngler humanite.
Ogy. But rather thou woldest call hym humanite it selfe if thou dydest well know hym. For ther is in hym soche lernynge, so vertuouse lyffe, soche purenes of maneres, that a mã cowld wyshe no gyfte of a pfayte Byshope in him, that he hathe nat. Frome thens afterward we were ladde to greater thynges. For behynde the hyghe aultre, we ascêdyd as it were in to a nother new churche, ther was shewed vs in a chapell the face of the blessed man ouergylted and with many precyous stones goodly garnysshed. A soden chaunse here had almost marred the matter and put vs out of conceyte.
Me. I tary to knowe what euyl chaunse yow wyll speke of.
Ogy. Here my companyõ Gratiã gote hym lytle fauoure, for he, after we had mad an ende of praynge, inquyred of hym that sate by the hede, herke, he seyd, good father, is it true that I here, yt saynt Thomas whyl he it lyued was mercyfull toward ye poer people? That is very true saythe he, and he begã to tell greatly of his liberalyte and compassyon that he shewede to the poer and nedy. Then sayd Gratiã: I thynke that affection and good mynd in him not to be chaungyde, but yt it is now moche better. Unto this graunted ye keper of the hede, agayn sayd he, then in as moche as thys holy man was so gratyouse vnto ye poer, whan he was yet poer, & he hym selfe had nede of monay for ye necessarys of hys body, thynke ye nat that he wold be contêt, now that he is so ryche, and also nedethe nothynge, that if a poer womã hauynge at home chylderne lakynge mete and drynke, or els doughters beynge in danger to lose ther virginite, for defaute of ther substaunce to mary them with, or hauynge her husbande sore syke, and destitute of all helpe, in case she askyd lycens, & pryuyly stole away a small porcyon of so greate riches, to sukkre her howshold, as and if the shold haue it of one that wold other leane, or gyue it to herre? And whan he wold nat answere that kepyd the golden hedde, Gracyane, as he is som what hasty, I, saythe he, doo suppose playnly, that this holy man wold be gladde, yf yt she, now beynge deade, myght sustayne the necestiye of pore people. But there mayster parson begone to frowne, & byte hys lyppe, with hys holowe eyes lyke to
A mõster yt hathe snakes for heares apon her hedde.