And They Be So
Chaste, And Lead So Good Life, As That They Were Religious Men, And
They Fast All Days.
And because they be so true and so rightfull,
and so full of all good conditions, they were never
Grieved with
tempests, ne with thunder, ne with light, ne with hail, ne with
pestilence, ne with war, ne with hunger, ne with none other
tribulation, as we be, many times, amongst us, for our sins.
Wherefore, it seemeth well, that God loveth them and is pleased
with their creaunce for their good deeds. They believe well in
God, that made all things, and him they worship. And they prize
none earthly riches; and so they be all rightfull. And they live
full ordinately, and so soberly in meat and drink, that they live
right long. And the most part of them die without sickness, when
nature faileth them, for eld.
And it befell in King Alexander's time, that he purposed him to
conquer that isle and to make them to hold of him. And when they
of the country heard it, they sent messengers to him with letters,
that said thus; What may be enough to that man to whom all the
world is insufficient? Thou shalt find nothing in us, that may
cause thee to war against us. For we have no riches, ne none we
covet, and all the goods of our country be in common. Our meat,
that we sustain withal our bodies, is our riches. And, instead of
treasure of gold and silver, we make our treasure of accord and
peace, and for to love every man other. And for to apparel with
our bodies we use a silly little clout for to wrap in our carrion.
Our wives ne be not arrayed for to make no man pleasance, but only
convenable array for to eschew folly. When men pain them to array
the body for to make it seem fairer than God made it, they do great
sin. For man should not devise ne ask greater beauty, than God
hath ordained man to be at his birth. The earth ministereth to us
two things, - our livelihood, that cometh of the earth that we live
by, and our sepulture after our death. We have been in perpetual
peace till now, that thou come to disinherit us. And also we have
a king, not only for to do justice to every man, for he shall find
no forfeit among us; but for to keep noblesse, and for to shew that
we be obeissant, we have a king. For justice ne hath not among us
no place, for we do to no man otherwise than we desire that men do
to us. So that righteousness ne vengeance have nought to do among
us. So that nothing thou may take from us, but our good peace,
that always hath dured among us.
And when King Alexander had read these letters, he thought that he
should do great sin, for to trouble them.
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