Such marriages lead to jealousy, bickerings, and open rupture, disgraceful to husband and wife, and annoying to others. Therefore Piers counsels
"all Christians,
Covet not to be wedded
For covetise of chattels.
Not of kindred rich;
But maidens and maidens
Make you together;
Widows and widowers
Worketh the same;
For no lands, but for love,
Look you be wedded";—
adding the sound bit of spiritual and worldly advice,
"And then get ye the grace of God;
And goods enough, to live with."
The touch of shrewd humor in the last line finds its counterpart in many other passages. Thus, when the dreamer sits down to rest by the wayside, his iteration of the prescribed prayers makes him drowsy:—
"So I babbled on my beads;
They brought me asleep."
The Franciscan friars, his especial aversion, get a sly thrust when he says of Charity that
"in a friar's frock
He was founden once;
But it is far ago,
In Saint Francis's time:
In that sect since
Too seldom hath he been found."
When Covetousness has confessed his numerous misdeeds, and is asked if he ever repented and made restitution, he replies,
"Yes, once I was harbored
With a heap of chapmen.[37]
I rose when they were at rest
And rifled their males[38]";—