[025]
And who shall question but that yet others there are who will
say that I have an evil tongue and venomous, because here and there
I tell the truth about the friars?
[026]
Now for them that so say there
is forgiveness, for that 'tis not to be believed but that they have just
cause; seeing that the friars are good folk, and eschew hardship for
the love of God, and grind intermittently, and never blab; and, were
they not all a trifle malodorous, intercourse with them would be
much more agreeable. [027]Nevertheless, I acknowledge that the things
of this world have no stability, but are ever undergoing change; and
this may have befallen my tongue, albeit, no great while ago, one of
my fair neighbours--for in what pertains to myself I trust not my
own judgment, but forgo it to the best of my power--told me 'twas
the goodliest and sweetest tongue in the world; and in sooth, when
this occurred, few of the said stories were yet to write;
[028]
nor, for that
those who so tax me do it despitefully, am I minded to vouchsafe
them any further answer.
