ef that paineth him so sore. But let him go to no
leechcraft nor any manner of physic--other than good meat and
strong drink--for medicines would pickle him up. But he shall have
five leaves of valerian that she enchanted with a charm and
gathered with her left hand. Let him fasten those five leaves to
his right thumb by a green thread--not bind it fast, but let it
hang loose. He shall never need to change it, provided it fall not
away, but let it hang till he be whole and he shall need it no
more. In such wise witches, and in such mad medicines, have many
fools a great deal more faith than in God.

And thus, cousin, as I tell you, all these folk who in their
tribulation call not upon God, but seek for their ease and help
elsewhere--to the flesh and the world, and to the flinging
fiend--the tribulation that God's goodness sendeth them for good,
they themselves by their folly turn into their harm. And those who,
on the other hand, seek unto God therein, both comfort and profit
they greatly take thereby.

XIX

VINCENT: I like well, good uncle, all your answers therein. But
one doubt yet remaineth there in my mind, which ariseth upon this
answer that you make. And when that doubt is solved, I will, mine
own good uncle, encumber you no further for this time. For
methinketh that I do you very much wrong to give you occasion to
labour yourself so much in matter of some study, with long talking
at once. I will therefore at this time move you but one thing, and
seek some other time at your greater ease for the rest.

My doubt, good uncle, is this: I perceive well by your answers,
gathered and considered together, that you will well agree that a
man may both have worldly wealth and yet well go to God; and that,
on the other hand, a man may be miserable and live in tribulation
and yet go to the devil. And as a man may please God by patience in
adversity, so may he please God by thanks given in prosperity. Now
since you grant these things to be such that either of them both
may be matter of virtue or else matter of sin, matter of damnation
or matter of salvation, they seem neither good nor bad of their own
nature, but things of themselves equal and indifferent, turning to
good or to the contrary according as they be taken. And then if
this be thus, I can perceive no cause why you should give the
pre-eminence unto tribulation, or wherefore you should reckon more
cause of comfort in it than in prosperity, but rather a great