[21] Richard Rawson was Archdeacon of Essex from 1503 to 1543, and was
perhaps the person here intended. See Le Neve's _Fasti_, ed. Hardy, ii.
336.
+ _Of two freres whereof the one loued nat the ele heed nor the other
the tayle._ xiii.
+ Two freres satte at a gentylmans tabyll, whiche had before hym on a
fastyng day an ele and cut the hed of the ele and layd it vpon one of
the frerys trenchars; but the frere, bycause he wold haue had of the
middle parte of the ele, sayd to the gentylman he louyd no ele hedes.
Thys gentylman also cut the tayle of the ele, and layde it on the other
frerys trenchar. He lyke wyse, because he wolde haue had of the myddle
parte of the ele, sayde he loued no ele tayles. This gentylman,
perceuynge that, gaue the tayle to hym that sayd he louyd not the hed,
and gaue the hed to hym that sayd he loued not the tayle. And as fore
the myddell part of the ele, he ete parte hym selfe and parte he gaue to
other folke at the table; wherfore these freres for anger wolde ete
neuer a morsell, and so they for al theyr craft and subtylte were not
only deceyued of the best morsell of the ele, but thereof had no parte
at all.
By this ye se that they that couet the best parte somtyme therfore lese
the meane parte and all.
+ _Of the welche man that shroue hym for brekynge of hys faste on the
fryday._ xiv.
+ A Welcheman, dwellynge in a wylde place of Walys, cam to hys curate in
the tyme of Lente and was confessyd; and when hys confessyon was in
maner at the end, the curate askyd hym, and[22] he had any other thyng
to say that greuyd his conscience. Which sore abasshid answered no worde
a great whyle; at last by exhortacyon of his goostly fader he sayde that
there was one thyng in his mynde that greatly greued his conscyence,
which he was asshamed to vtter: for it was so greuous that he trowed God
wold neuer forgyue hym. To whom the curate answerd and sayd, that Goddes
mercy was aboue all, and bad hym not dyspayre in the mercy of God. For
what so euer it was, yf he were repentant, that God wolde forgyue hym. +
And so by longe exortacyon at the last he shewyd it and seyde thus. Syr,
it happenyd ones that, as my wyfe was makynge a chese vpon a Fryday, I
wolde fayne haue sayed whether it had ben salt or fresshe, and toke a
lytyll of the whey in my hande, and put it in my mouthe; and or[23] I
was ware, parte of it went downe my throte agaynst my wyll and so I
brake my faste. To whom the curate sayde: and if there be non other
thynge, I warant God shall forgyue the. So whan he had well comforted
hym with the mercy of God, the curate prayed hym to answere a questyon
and to tell hym trueth; and when the welchman had promysed to tell the
truth, the curate sayd that there were robberyes and murders done nye
the place where he dwelte and diuers men found slayn; and asked hym
whether _he knew ought_ poyntynge[24] to any of them. To whom he
answeryd and sayd yes and sayd _he had ben priuye_ to many of them, and
dyd helpe to robe and to slee dyuers of them. _Then the_ curate asked
hym, why he dyd not conffesse hym therof. The Welshman _answeryd_ and
sayde he toke that for no synne: for it was a custome amongest _them
that_, when any boty cam of any ryche merchant rydyng, that it was but a
_trewe_ neyboure dede one to help another when one callyd another; and
so they _held it_ but for good felowshyp and neyghbourhood.
_Here_ maye ye se that some haue remorse of conscyence of small venyall
_sinnis and_ fere not to do gret offencys without shame of the
worled[25] or drede of _God_; and, as the comon prouerbe is, they
stumble at a strawe and lepe ouer a blocke.