nde of praynge, inquyred of hym that sate by the
hede, herke, he seyd, good father, is it true that I
here, that saynt Thomas whyl he it lyued was mercyfull
toward ye poer people? That is very true saythe he, and
he bega to tell greatly of his liberalyte and
compassyon that he shewede to the poer and nedy. Then
sayd Gratia: I thynke that affection and good mynd in
him not to be chaungyde, but that 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 contet, now that he is so
ryche, and also nedethe || nothynge, that if a poer
woma 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 that 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 *Gorgone [*A moster
that hathe snakes for heares apon her hedde.] ye
monstre to luke apo vs. I doo not dowbte he wold haue
|| cast vs out of the temple, and spytte apo vs,
but that he dyd knowe that we were comendyd of the
archebsyhope. But I dyd somwhat myttygate the manes
ire, with my fayre wordes, saynge that Gratiane dyd nat
speake as he thoghte, but that he gestyd as he was
wontyd to doo, and stoppyd hys mouthe with a fewe pens.
_Mene._ Treuly I do greatly alow your goodly fashion,
but oftentymes ernestly I cosyder, by what meaynes they
may be acopted without faute & blame, that bestow so
moche substance in buyldyng churchys, in garnysshynge,
and enrychynge them without all mesure. I thynke as
touchyng the holy vestmentes, & the syluer plate of the
temple ther ought to be gyuyn, to the solempne seruys,
hys dygnyte and comlynes, I wyll also that the buyldyng
of the churche shall haue hys maiesty decent and
|| E.|| conuenyent. But to what purpose seruyth