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In hope of having heaven's bliss after;

As nuns and as hermits that in their cells hold them,
Covet not careering about through the country,
With no lustful luxuries their living to pamper.

And some took to trade, to thrive by the better,
As to our sight it seemeth that such men prosper.

And some, merriments to make, with minstrels' cunning
And get gold with their glee,1 guiltless, methinketh;
But jesters and jugglers, Judas'2 children,

10 Forged them wild fantasies as fools pretended,
Yet have wit at their will to work, were they willing.
What Paul preacheth of them prove here I dare not:
Qui loquitur turpiloquium3 he is Lucifer's henchman.
Bidders and beggars fast about bustled,

15 Till their bags and their bellies were brimful and bulging;
Faking for their food, and fighting at the alehouse,
In gluttony, God wot,5 go they to slumber,
And rise up with ribaldry," these robber rascals;
Sleep and sloth too pursue them forever.

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Pilgrims and palmers' pledged them together
To seek St. James's and saints' shrines at Rome too;
Went they forth on their way with many wise stories,
And had leave to be liars all their lives after.

Parsons and parish priests complain to their bishops 25 That their parish hath been poor since the pestilence season, To have a license and leave in London to linger,

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To sing there for simony,

for sweet is silver.

There hovered a hundred in hoods of silk stuff;

It seemed they were sergeants to serve in the law courts,
To plead for pennies and pounds for verdicts,
Not for love of our Lord unloose their lips ever.

1 music, singing.

scandal.

4 Satan's.

2 the disciple who betrayed Christ. 3 who talks 5 knows. 6 coarseness, vulgarity. 7 wan

dering monks, carrying palm branches to show that they had visited the 8 for hire, traffic in that which is sacred. 9 counselors,

Holy Land.

lawyers.

Thou couldst better measure the mist on Malvern hillsides Than get a mum1 of their mouths till money were showed them.

I saw there bishops bold and bachelors of divinity

Become clerks of account
Archdeacons and deans,
To preach to the people

and king's own servants. whose duty binds them

and poor men to care for,

Have lighted out to London, by leave of their bishops,

To be clerks of the King's Bench, the country to injure.

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Barons and burgesses and bondmen also

I saw in that assembly, as I shall show later;
Bakers, butchers, and brewers many;
Woolen-weavers and weavers of linen;
Tailors, tanners, and tuckers likewise;

Masons, miners, and many other craftsmen;

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Dikers and diggers that do their deeds badly,

And drive forth the long day with "Dieu save Dame

Emme!"5

Cooks and their cookboys crying, "Hot pies! hot!

Good geese and piglets! Go we dine, go we!"
Tavern-keepers told them a tale of traffic,
With wine of Alsace and wine of Gascon,

Of the Rhine and the Rochelle, the roast to digest well.
All this saw I sleeping, and seven times more.

1 sound, syllable. 2 representatives in Parliament. 3 fullers of cloth. 4 ditchers.

5 a popular song.

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SIR THOMAS MALORY

LE MORTE DARTHUR1

[How Arthur was chosen King]

Then stood the realm in great jeopardy long while, for every lord that was mighty of men made him strong, and many weened to have been king. Then Merlin went to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and counselled him for to send for 5 all the lords of the realm, and all the gentlemen of arms, that they should to London come by Christmas, upon pain of cursing; and for this cause, that Jesus, that was born on that night, that he would of his great mercy show some miracle, as he was come to be king of mankind, for to show some 10 miracle who should be rightways king of this realm. So the Archbishop, by the advice of Merlin, sent for all the lords and gentlemen of arms that they should come by Christmas even unto London. And many of them made them clean of their life, that their prayer might be the more acceptable 15 unto God. So in the greatest church of London (whether it were Paul's or not the French book maketh no mention) all the estates were long or day in the church for to pray. And when matins and the first mass was done, there was seen in the churchyard, against the high altar, a great stone four 20 square, like unto a marble stone, and in midst thereof was like an anvil of steel a foot on high, and therein stuck a fair sword naked by the point, and letters there were written in gold about the sword that said thus:-Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise king born of all 25 England. Then the people marvelled, and told it to the Archbishop. I command, said the Archbishop, that ye keep you within your church, and pray unto God still; that no man

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1 Reprinted from Hopkins and Hughes, The English Novel before the Nineteenth Century, Ginn and Company, publishers. 2 thought,

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touch the sword till the high mass be all done. So when all masses were done all the lords went to behold the stone and the sword. And when they saw the scripture,1 some essayed,2 such as would have been king. But none might stir the sword nor move it. He is not here, said the Archbishop, that 5 shall achieve the sword, but doubt not God will make him known. But this is my counsel, said the Archbishop, that we let purvey3ten knights, men of good fame, and they to keep this sword. So it was ordained, and then there was made a cry, that every man should essay that would, for to win the sword. 10 And upon New Year's Day the barons let make a jousts* and a tournament," that all knights that would joust or tourney there might play, and all this was ordained for to keep the lords and the commons together, for the Archbishop trusted that God would make him known that should win the sword. 15 So upon New Year's Day, when the service was done, the barons rode unto the field, some to joust and some to tourney, and so it happened that Sir Ector, that had great livelihood" about London, rode unto the jousts, and with him rode Sir Kay his son, and young Arthur that was his nourished 20. brother; and Sir Kay was made knight at All Hallowmass afore. So as they rode to the joustsward, Sir Kay had lost his sword, for he had left it at his father's lodging, and so he prayed young Arthur for to ride for his sword. I will well, said Arthur, and rode fast after the sword, and when he came 25 home, the lady and all were out to see the jousting. Then was Arthur wroth, and said to himself, I will ride to the churchyard, and take the sword with me that sticketh in the stone, for my brother Sir Kay shall not be without a sword this day. So when he came to the churchyard, Sir Arthur alit 30 and tied his horse to the stile, and so he went to the tent, and found no knights there, for they were at jousting; and so he handled the sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely

1 inscription. 2 tried.

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3 have provided. 4a combat between 5a jousting contest between two

two knights on horseback with lances. groups of knights. 6 estates. 7 foster.

8 November 1.

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pulled it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode his way until he came to his brother Sir Kay, and delivered him the sword. And as soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he wist well it was the sword of the stone, and so he rode to his father Sir Ector, and said: Sir, lo here is the sword of the stone, wherefore I must be king of this land. When Sir Ector beheld the sword, he returned again and came to the church, and there they alit all three, and went into the church. And anon he made Sir Kay to swear upon a book how he came to that Io sword. Sir, said Sir Kay, by my brother Arthur, for he brought it to me. How gat ye this sword? said Sir Ector to Arthur. Sir, I will tell you. When I came home for my brother's sword, I found nobody at home to deliver me his sword, and so I thought my brother Sir Kay should not be 15 swordless, and so I came hither eagerly and pulled it out of the stone without any pain. Found ye any knights about this sword? said Sir Ector. Nay, said Arthur. Now, said Sir Ector to Arthur, I understand ye must be king of this land. Wherefore I, said Arthur, and for what cause? Sir, 20 said Ector, for God will have it so, for there should never man have drawn out this sword, but he that shall be rightways king of this land. Now let me see whether ye can put the sword there as it was, and pull it out again. That is no mastery, said Arthur, and so he put it in the 25 stone, therewithal Sir Ector essayed to pull out the sword and failed.

And at the feast of Pentecost all manner of men essayed to pull at the sword that would essay, but none might prevail but Arthur, and pulled it out afore all the lords and commons 30 that were there; wherefore all the commons cried at once, We will have Arthur unto our king, we will put him no more in delay, for we all see that it is God's will that he shall be our king, and who that holdeth against it, we will slay him. And therewith they all kneeled at once, both rich and poor,

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