And the old man answered there, Joyously like a clerk, ‘Come after me, I go before; Follow me, I will conduct you Where you will find a good hostelry. For love of King Edward You shall have lodging and good care, Your leader I will myself be, And your host.’ He leads them on; They enter a city, They have found a good hostelry, The table prepared, and good treatment, Linen and bed, and other preparatives; The tired ones, who had great need, Repose themselves after supper. In the morning, when they depart, They find their host and leader, Who, when they have issued from the gate, Gently thus comforts them. ‘Be not troubled nor sad, I am John the Evangelist; For love of Edward the King, I neither will nor ought to fail you; For he is my especial Friend and loyal King. With me he has joined company, Since he has chosen to lead a chaste life, We shall be peers in paradise. And I tell you, dear good friends, You shall arrive, be assured, In your country safe and sound. You shall go to King Edward, Salute him from me, And that you attempt not a falsehood To say, you shall carry proofs-- A ring, which he will know, Which he gave to me, John, When he was at the service Where my church was dedicated; There I besought him, for the love Of John; it was I in poor array. And let King Edward know well, To me he shall come before six months (are over). And since he resembles me, In paradise shall we be together And that of this he may be confidently assured You shall tell him all that whatever I tell you.’ They, who well understand his words, Give him thanks for all his benefits, And when they are possessed of the ring The saint departed and vanished; And the pilgrims depart, Who now are on the certain path Without ill, and without trouble; The saint leads and conducts them; They hasten to go to King Edward, That they have not arrived seems tardy to them, And they relate their adventure, Show the ring at once, Whatever they relate he believes true, When he sees the proofs; Of this witness bears the whole Company, large in numbers. _Demons imprisoned in Rings._ P. 132.