Man. Be they close nuns as other be?
Sens. Close, quod a? nay, nay, parde!
That guise were not good—
Ye must beware of that gere!
Nay, all is open that they do there;
As open as a goose eye!
Man. And cometh any man into their cells?
Sens. Yea, yea, God forbid else!
It is free for everybody;
And, beside all this, they be
Ex omni gente cognite.
No nation they forsake;
Without it be beggars, going by the way,
That have never a penny to pay
For that that they do take.
And yet can I beggars thither lead
Where they shall, for lumps of bread,
Satisfy their desire:
Such drabs some there be
That require none other fee,
Not yet any other hire.
Man. Be they not wedded, as other folk be?
Sens. Wedded, quod a? no, so mot I thee!
They will not tarry therefore;
They can wed themselves alone.
"Come kiss me, John;" "Gramercy, Joan!"
Thus wed they evermore.
And it is the more to commend;
For, if the woman hap to offend,
As it is their guise,
A man may let her alone with sorrow
And wed another whore on the morrow;
Even of the same wise.
Man. Forsooth! this is a noble religion;
It stirreth me to great devotion
For to see that place—
Canst thou bring me thither, well enow?
Sens. Yea, and it were midnight, I make God avow!
As dark as ever it was.
Man. But, where is Bodily Lust now?
Then cometh in Bodily Lust, with him Worldly Affection:
Sensuality standeth aside.
Bod. Lust. Marry, sir! I have seeken and sought you
This three or four hours.
Man. I make God avow!
Ye give shrewd attendance;
All this two days I could not thee espy.