Knowest thou not by the divine mouth gracious, That against the infernal fiend Lucifer We should not only live by bread here, But by our good works, wherein I take some pain: If ye know not my mind now, all is in vain. MEL. Show me, mother, hardily all thy necessity, And, if I can, I shall provide the remedy. CEL. My necessity! nay, God wot, it is not for me: As for mine, I left it at home surely. To eat when I will, and drink when I am dry; And I thank God ever one penny hath been mine, To buy bread when I list, and to have four for wine. Before I was widow, I cared never for it, For I had wine enough of mine own to sell; And with a toast in wine by the fire I could sit, With two dozen sops the colic to quell; But now with me it is not so well, For I have nothing but that is brought me In a pitcher-pot of quarts scant three. Thus I pray God help them that be needy; For I speak not for myself alone, But as well for other, however speed I. The infirmity is not mine, though that I groan, It is for another that I make moan, And not for myself: it is another way, But what I must moan, where I dare not say. MEL. Say what thou wilt, and for whom thou lest.[63] CEL. Now, gracious damsel, I thank you then, That to give audience ye be so prest, With liberal readiness to me old woman, Which giveth me boldness to show what I can Of one that lieth in danger by sickness Remitting his languor to your gentleness. MEL. What meanest thou, I pray thee, gentle mother? Go forth with thy demand, as thou hast done. On the one part thou provokest me to anger, And on the other side to compassion: I know not how thy answer to fashion. The words which thou speakest in my presence Be so misty, I perceive not thy sentence. CEL. I said I left one in danger of sickness, Drawing to death for ought that I can see: Now choose you or no to be murderess, Or revive him with a word to come from thee? MEL. I am happy, if my word be of such necessity, To help any Christian man, or else gods forbid: To do a good deed is liking to God, For good deeds to good men be allowable, And specially to needy above all other; And ever to good deeds ye shall find me agreeable, Trusting ye will exhort me to none other. Therefore, fear not, speak your petition, good mother, For they that may heal sick folk, and do refuse them, Surely of their death they cannot excuse them. CEL. Full well and graciously the case ye consider, For I never believed that God in vain Would give you such countenance and beauty together, But charity therewith to relieve folk in pain; And as God hath given you, so give him again. For folks be not made for themselves only, For then they should live like beasts all rudely,