But there is a more serious indictment still.
In the year 1407, a certain priest named Thorpe, a prisoner for
heretical opinions, was allowed to state these opinions to Archbishop
Arundel. An account remains, written by the priest himself, of his
arguments and of the Archbishop's replies. On the subject of pilgrimage
he is very strong.
'Wherefore, Syr, I have prechid and taucht openlie, and so I purpose all
my lyfe tyme to do with God's helpe saying that suche fonde people wast
blamefully God's goods in ther veyne pilgrimagis, spending their goodes
upon vicious hostelers, which ar ofte unclene women of their bodies: and
at the leste those goodes with the which thei should doo werkis of
mercie after Goddis bidding to pore nedy men and women. Thes poor mennis
goodes and their lyvelode thes runners aboute offer to rich priestis,
which have mekill more lyvelode than they need: and thus those goodes
they waste wilfully and spende them unjustely against Goddis bidding
upon straungers, with which they shoulde helpe and releve after Goddis
will their poor nedy neighbours at home: ye, and over this foly, ofte
tymes diverse men and women of thes runners thus madly hither and
thither in to pilgrimage borowe hereto other mennis goodes, ye and
sometymes they stele mennis goodes hereto, and they pay them never
again. Also, Syr, I know well that when diverse men and women will go
thus often after their own willes, and finding out one pilgrimage, they
will order with them before to have with them both men and women that
can well syng countre songes and some other pilgremis will have with
them baggepipes; so that every timme they come to rome, what with the
noyse of their synging and with the sounde of their piping and with the
jangeling of their Canterbury bellis, and with the barking out of doggis
after them, that they make more noise than if the King came there away
with all his clarions, and many other minstrellis. And if these men and
women be a moneth in their pilgrimage, many of them shall be an half
year after great jangelers, tale tellers, and lyers.'
'And the Archbishop said to me, "Leude Losell, Thou seest not ferre
ynough in this matter, for thou considerest not the great trauel of
pilgremys, therefore thou blamest the thing that is praisable. I say to
the that it is right well done that pilgremys have with them both
singers and also pypers, that whan one of them that goeth barfoote
striketh his toe upon a stone and hurteth hym sore, and makyth him to
blede: it is well done that he or his felow begyn then a songe, or else
take out of his bosom a baggepipe for to drive away with suche myrthe
the hurt of his felow. For with soche solace the trauel and weeriness of
pilgremys is lightely and merily broughte forth."'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account