THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER

The author sheweth that of those miracles that are told and written to be done at divers pilgrimages, and commonly believed for very true, we certainly knew some falsely feigned, yet were that no cause to mistrust the remnant.

BUT be it that among so many miracles as be daily told and written, done at divers pilgrimages, between which miracles and other, why ye put a difference, we shall, as I said before, know further your mind hereafter. And be it also that of such as long have been reputed and still taken for true, yourself undoubtedly knew some for very false, would ye therefore think that among all that remnant there were never one true? What if ye find some fair woman painted whose colour ye had went were natural, will ye never after believe that any woman in the world hath a fair colour of herself? If ye find some false flatterers that long seemed friendly, will ye take ever after all the world for such? If some prove stark hypocrites who the world would have sworn good and godly men, shall we therefore mistrust all other for their sake and ween there were none good at all?

By my truth, quod he, I rode once in good company, and to say the truth for good company, to Walsingham in pilgrimage, where a

A MERRY TALE