RalphGoethHisWaysFromtheAbbeyofSt。MaryatHighamItwasthemonkwhohadbeenhisguidethedaybeforewhohadnowwakedhim，andhestoodbythebedsideholdingagreatbowlofmilkinhishand，andasRalphsatup，andrubbedhiseyes，withallhisyouthfulslothuponhim，themonklaughedandsaid：
“Thatiswell，lord，thatiswell！Ilovetoseeayoungmansosleepyinthemorning；itisasignofthriving；
andIseethouartthrivingheartilyforthetimewhenthoushaltcomebacktoustoleadmylord’shostinbattle。”
“Wherebethebale-fires？”saidRalph，notyetfullyawake。
“Wherebethey！”saidthebrother，“wherebethey！Theybesunkentocoldcoalslongago，likemanyaman’sdesiresandhopes，whohathnotyetlaidhisheadonthebosomofthemother，thatisHolyChurch。Come，mylord，arise，anddrinkthemonk’swineofmorning，andthenifyemustneedride，ridebetimes，andridehard；fortheWoodPerilousbeginnethpresentlyasyewendyourways；anditwerewellfortheetoreachtheBurgoftheFourFrithserethoubebenighted。
For，son，therebeuntowardthingsinthewood；andthoughsomeofthembeofthoseforwhomChrist’sCrosswasshapen，yethavetheyforgottenhell，andhopenotforheaven，andtheirby-wordis，’ThoushaltlackereIlack。’
Furthermorethereareworsewightsinthewoodthantheybe——
Godsaveus！——butagainstthemhaveIagoodhauberk，aneck-guardwhichIwillgivethee，son，intokenthatIlooktoseetheeagainatthelovelyhouseofMaryourMother。”
Ralphhadtakenthebowlandwasdrinking，buthelookedoverthebrim，andsawhowthemonkdrewfromhisfrockapairofbeads，asliketoDameKatherine’sgiftasonepeatoanother，savethatattheendthereofwasalittleboxshapencrosswise。
Ralphemptiedthebowlhastily，gotoutofbed，andsatonthebednaked，savethatonhisneckwasDameKatherine’sgift。
Hereachedouthishandandtookthebeadsfromthemonkandreddenedtherewith，aswashiswontwhenhehadtobeginacontestinwords：
buthesaid：
“Ithankthee，father；yetGodwotifthesebeadswillliesweetlyalongsidethecollarwhichIbearonmyneckasnow，whichisthegiftofadearfriend。”
Themonkmadeupasolemncountenanceandsaid：
“Thousayestsooth，myson；itismostlikethatmychaplet，whichhathbeenblessedtimewasbytheholyRichard，isnomeetfellowforthegiftofsomelightloveofthine：
oreven。”quothhe，notingRalph’sflushdeepen，andhisbrowknit，“orevenifitwerethegiftofawell-willer，yetbelikeitisaworldlygift；therefore，sincethyjourneyiswithperil，thouwertbestdoitoffandletmekeepitfortheetillthoucomestagain。”
Nowashespakehelookedanxiously，nay，itmaybesaidgreedily，attheyoungman。ButRalphsaidnought；forinhishearthewasdeterminednottochafferawayhisgossip’sgiftforanyshaveling’stoken。
Yetheknewnothowtosethisyouthfulwordsagainstthefather’swisdom；
sohestoodup，andgothisshirtintohishand，andashediditoverhisheadhefelltosingingtohimselfasongofeventideoftheHighHouseofUpmeads，thewordswhereofweresomewhatliketothese：
Artthouman，artthoumaid，throughthelonggrassa-going？
Forshortshirtthoubearest，andnobeardIsee，Andthelastwinderemoonriseabouttheeisblowing。
Would’stthoumeetwiththymaidenorlook’stthouforme？
Brightshineththemoonnow，Iseethygownlonger；
AnddownbythehazelsJoanmeetethherlad：
Buthardisthypalm，lass，andscarcelywerestrongerWat’sgripthanthinehand-kissthatmakethmeglad。
Andnowasthecandlesshineonusandover，Fullshapelythyfeetare，butbrownonthefloor，Asthebare-footedmowersamidstofthecloverWhenthegowk’snoteisbrokenandmid-Juneiso’er。
Ohardareminehand-palmsbecauseontheridgesIcarriedthereap-hookandsmoteforthysake；
Andinthehotnoon-tideIbeatoffthemidgesAsthouslep’st’neaththelindeno’er-loathetoawake。
AndbrownaremyfeetnowbecausethesunburnethHighuponthedown-sideamidstofthesheep，Andthereinthehollowwherefromthewindturneth，Thoulay’stinmylapwhileIsungtheetosleep。
Ofriendoftheearth，Ocomenigherandnigher，Thouartsweetwiththesun’skissasmeadsoftheMay，O’ertherocksofthewaste，o’erthewaterandfire，WillIfollowthee，love，tillearthwanethaway。
Themonkhearkenedtohimwithknittedbrow，andasonethatlikethnotthespeechofhisfellow，thoughitbenotwisetoquestionit：
thenhewentoutofthechamber，butleftthepairofbeadslyinginthewindow。ButRalphcladhimselfinhaste，andwhenhewasfullyclad，wentuptothewindowandtookthebeadsinhishand，andlookedintothemcuriouslyandturnedthemover，butleftthemlyingthere。
Thenhewentforthalso，andcameintotheforecourtofthehouse，andfoundthereasquireofthemen-at-armswithhisweaponsandhorse，whohelpedhimtodoonhiswar-gear。
Sothen，justashewassettinghisfootinthestirrup，cametheBrotheragain，withhisfaceoncemoregrownsmilingandhappy；
andinhislefthandheheldthechaplet，butdidnotofferittoRalphagain，butnoddedhisheadtohimkindly，andsaid：
“Now，lord，Icanseebythyfacethatthouartsetonbeholdingthefashionofthisworld，andmostlikeitwillgivetheetherue。”
ThencameawordintoRalph’smouth，andhesaid：
“Wiltthoutellme，father，whoseworkwastheworld’sfashion？”
Themonkreddened，butanswerednought，andRalphspakeagain：
“Forsooth，didthecraftsmanofitfumbleoverhiswork？”
Thenthemonkscowled，butpresentlyheenforcedhimselftospeakblithely，andsaid：“Suchmattersareoverhighformyspeechorthine，lord；butI
tellthee，whoknoweth，thattherearemeninthisHousewhohavetriedtheworldandfounditwanting。”
Ralphsmiled，andsaidstammering：
“Father，didtheworldtrythem，andfindthemwantingperchance？”
Thenhereddened，andsaid：“AreyeverilyallsuchasthisinthisHouse？
Whothenisitwhohathmadesofairalordship，andsogoodlyagovernanceforsomanypeople？Knowyenotatalloftheworld’sways！”
“Fairsir。”saidthemonksternly，“theythatworkforusworkfortheLordandallhisservants。”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“soitis；andwilltheLordbecontentwiththeserviceofhimwhomthedevilhathcastoutbecausehehathfoundhimadastard？”
Themonkfrowned，yetsmiledsomewhatwithal，andsaid：
“Sir，thouartyoung，butthywitsareoveroldforme；
buttherearetheyinthisHousewhomayanswertheefeatly；
menwhohavereadthebooksofthewisemenoftheheathen，andthedoctorsofHolyChurch，andareevennowmakingbooksforthescribestocopy。”Thenhisvoicesoftened，andhesaid：
“Dearlord，weshouldberightfainoftheehere，butsincethoumustneedsgo，gowithmyblessing，anddoubleblessingshaltthouhavewhenthoucomestbacktous。”ThenRalphrememberedhispromisetotheshepherdsandtookagoldcrownfromhispouch，andsaid：
“Father，Ipraytheesayamassfortheshepherddownsmen；
andthisisfortheoffering。”
Themonkpraisedthegiftandthebidding，andkissedRalph，whoclombintohissaddle；andthebrotherhospitalierbroughthimhiswalletwithgoodmeatanddrinkthereinfortheway。
ThenRalphshookhisrein，androdeoutoftheabbey-gate，smilingatthelay-brethrenandthemen-at-armswhohungaboutthere。
Buthesighedforpleasurewhenhefoundhimselfinthestreetagain，andlookedontheshopsofthechapmenandtheboothsofthepettycraftsmen，asshoe-smithsandglovers，andtinsmithsandcoppersmiths，andhornersandthelike；andthefolkthathemetasherodetowardthesoutherngateseemedtohimmerryandingoodcase，andgoodlytolookon。
Andhethoughtitpleasanttogazeonthedamselsinthestreet，whowerefairandwellclad：andtherewereamanyofthemabouthiswaynow，especiallyashedrewnighthegatebeforethestreetsbranchedoff：
forfolkwerecominginfromthecountrysidewithvictualandotherwaresforthetownandtheAbbey；andsurelyashelookedonsomeofthemaidenshedeemedthatHall-songofUpmeadsagoodone。
TheMaidenofBourtonAbbasSowenthethroughthegate，andmany，bothofmenandmaidsgazedathim，forhewasfairtolookon，butnonemeddledwithhim。
Therewasagoodlyfauburgoutsidethegate，andthereinwerefairhouses，notafew，withgardensandorchardsaboutthem；andwhenthesewerepastherodethroughveryexcellentmeadowslyingalongthewater，whichhecrossedthrice，oncebyagoodlystonebridgeandtwicebyfords；
fortheroadwasstraight，andtheriverwoundaboutmuch。
Afteralittlewhiletheroadledhimofftheplainmeadsintoacountryoflittlehillsanddales，thehill-sidescoveredwithvineyardsandorchards，andthedalesplenteousofcorn-fields；
andnowamongstthesedalesHighamwashiddenfromhim。
Throughthistillageandvine-landherodeagoodwhile，andthoughthehadneverseenagoodlierland；andashewenthecameonhusbandmenandwomenofthecountrygoingabouttheirbusiness：
yetweretheynottoobusytogazeonhim，andmostgreetedhim；
andwithsomehegaveandtookalittlespeech。
Thesepeoplealsohedeemedwellbeforetheworld，fortheywerewellcladandbuxom，andmadenogreathasteastheywent，butlookedaboutthemasthoughtheydeemedtheworldworthlookingat，andasiftheyhadnofeareitherofabloworahardwordforloitering。
Soherodetillitwasnoon，andhewasamidstalittlethorpofgreystonehouses，trimenough，inavalleywhereintherewasmoreofwild-woodtreesandlessoffruit-bearersthanthosebehindhim。
InthethorpwasatavernwiththesignoftheNicholas，soRalphdeemeditbutrighttoenterahousewhichwasundertheguardofhismasterandfriend；thereforehelighteddownandwentin。
