The Body to the Sowle

Capitulo lxiI

`This answere', quod the body, `suffiseth to myn entente, for that thynge only that is corrupt and stynketh, and is of euil sauour, soo that bothe the waxe and the matche haue take corrupcion only of that fyre, that hath alterate the mater and appeyered hit, specially at the forletynge of that same mater. For why thou hast no cause to repreue me by cause that I stynke. For in me hast thou ben as fyre in the wax, and me thou hast corruptyd and caused that I stynke. In as moche as thou hast thus forleten me, thou owest of right more to be blamed than I, and more cause haue I to compleyne on the than thou hast on me. And that semyth wel by the fowle sauour that thou felyst, whiche ascendith fro me to the, compleynyng of the corrupcion whiche that thou thy self hast caused in me. The stynke that thou felyst in me is nought elles but thyne owne synne.

` And I seye the ferthermore, that ther ben many one lyeng on this place al hole withouten ony corrupcion in theyr sepulture, wherof the cause is nought elles but that they were wel taught and disciplyned and kepte out of synne, and gouerned in a ful gracious scole, vnder a full good and gracious mayster that had them vnder gouernaunce. And yf thou haddest also holden me short, I had nought now so fowle be corrupte. For only by thy synnes it is that I am so lothely and of so fowle sauour.'