PALMER.[315] Now God be here; who keepeth this place? Now by my faith I cry you mercy; Of reason I must sue for grace, My rudeness showeth me[316] so homely. Whereof your pardon axed and won, I sue you[317], as courtesy doth me bind, To tell this, which shall be begun, In order as may come best in mind. I am a Palmer, as ye[318] see, Which of my life much part have[319] spent In many a fair and far[320] country. As Pilgrims do of good intent. At Jerusalem[321] have I been Before Christ's blessed sepulchre: The mount of Calvary have I seen[322], A holy place, you may be sure. To Jehosaphat and Olivet[323] On foot, God wot, I went right bare: Many a salt tear did I sweat, Before thy carcase could [324] come there. Yet have I been at Rome also, And gone the stations [325] all a-row: St Peter's shrine and many mo, Than, if I told all, ye do know. Except that there be any such, That hath been there, and diligently Hath taken heed, and marked much, Then can they speak as much as I. Then at the Rhodes[326] also I was; And round about to Amias.[327] At St Uncumber and St Trunnion;[328] At St Botoph[329] and St Anne of Buxton.[330] On the hills of Armenia, where I saw[331] Noe's ark;[332] With holy Job, and St George in Southwark;[333] At Waltham[334] and at Walsingham;[335] And at the good rood[336] of Dagenham[337]; At Saint Cornelys[338]; at Saint James in Gales[339]; And at Saint Wenefrid's well[340] in Wales; At our Lady of Boston;[341] at Saint Edmund's burgh;[342] And straight to Saint Patrick's Purgatory[343]; At Redburne,[344] and at the blood of Hales,[345] Where pilgrims' pains right much avails; At Saint David's,[346] and at Saint Denis;[347] At Saint Matthew, and Saint Mark in Venice;[348] At Master John Shorn at Canterbury;[349] The great God of Catwade,[350] at King Henry[351] At Saint Saviour's;[352] at our lady of Southwell;[353] At Crome,[354] at Willesden,[355] and at Muswell;[356] At Saint Richard,[357] and at Saint Rock;[358] And at Our Lady that standeth in the oak.[359] To these, with other many one, Devoutly have I prayed and gone, Praying to them to pray for me Unto the blessed Trinity, By whose prayers and my daily pain I trust the sooner to obtain[360] For my salvation, grace, and mercy. For be ye sure I think surely,[361] Who seeketh saints for Christ's sake, And namely such as pain do take On foot, to punish their[362] frail body, Shall thereby merit more highly Than by anything done by man. PARDONER.[363] And when ye have gone as far as ye[364] can, For all your labour and ghostly intent, Ye[365] will come home as wise as ye went. PALMER. Why, sir, despised ye pilgrimage? PARDONER. Nay,[366] fore God, sir, then did I rage; I think ye right well occupied, To seek these saints on every side. Also your pain[367] I not dispraise it; But yet I discommend your wit: And ere[368] we go, even so shall ye, If you in this will answer me. I pray you show what the cause is, Ye went all these pilgrimages?