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shall men be but little holpen by making all their wares so easily and with
so little labour。〃
I smiled again and said： 〃Yea； but it shall not be so； not only shall
men be multiplied a hundred and a thousand fold； but the distance of one
place from another shall be as nothing； so that the wares which lie ready
for market in Durham in the evening may be in London on the morrow
morning； and the men of Wales may eat corn of Essex and the men of
Essex wear wool of Wales； so that； so far as the flitting of goods to market
goes； all the land shall be as one parish。 Nay； what say I？ Not as to this
land only shall it be so； but even the Indies； and far countries of which
thou knowest not； shall be； so to say； at every man's door； and wares which
now ye account precious and dear…bought； shall then be common things
bought and sold for little price at every huckster's stall。 Say then； John；
shall not those days be merry； and plentiful of ease and contentment for all
men？〃
〃Brother；〃 said he； 〃meseemeth some doleful mockery lieth under
these joyful tidings of thine； since thou hast already partly told me to my
sad bewilderment what the life of man shall be in those days。 Yet will I
now for a little set all that aside to consider thy strange tale as of a minstrel
from over sea； even as thou biddest me。 Therefore I say； that if men still
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abide men as I have known them； and unless these folk of England change
as； the land changethand forsooth of the men； for good and for evil； I can
think no other than I think now； or behold them other than I have known
them and loved themI say if the men be still men； what will happen
except that there should be all plenty in the land； and not one poor man
therein； unless of his own free will he choose to lack and be poor； as a man
in religion or such like； for there would then be such abundance of all
good things； that； as greedy as the lords might be； there would be enough
to satisfy their greed and yet leave good living for all who laboured with
their hands； so that these should labour far less than now； and they would
have time to learn knowledge； so that there should be no learned or
unlearned； for all should be learned； and they would have time also to
learn how to order the matters of the parish and the hundred； and of the
parliament of the realm； so that the king should take no more than his own；
and to order the rule of the realm； so that all men； rich and unrich； should
have part therein； and so by undoing of evil laws and making of good ones；
that fashion would come to an end whereof thou speakest； that rich men
make laws for their own behoof； for they should no longer be able to do
thus when all had part in making the laws； whereby it would soon come
about that there would be no men rich and tyrannous； but all should have
enough and to spare of the increase of the earth and the work of their own
hands。 Yea surely； brother； if ever it cometh about that men shall be able
to make things； and not men； work for their superfluities； and that the
length of travel from one place to another be made of no account； and all
the world be a market for all the world； then all shall live in health and
wealth； and envy and grudging shall perish。 For then shall we have
conquered the earth and it shall be enough； and then shall the kingdom of
heaven be come down to the earth in very deed。 Why lookest thou so sad
and sorry？ what sayest thou？〃
I said： 〃Hast thou forgotten already what I told thee； that in those
latter days a man who hath nought save his own body （and such men shall
be far the most of men） must needs pawn his labour for leave to labour？
Can such a man be wealthy？ Hast thou not called him a thrall？〃
〃Yea；〃 he said； 〃but how could I deem that such things could be when
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those days should be come wherein men could make things work for
them？〃
〃Poor man！〃 said I。 〃Learn that in those very days； when it shall be
with the making of things as with the carter in the cart； that there he sitteth
and shaketh the reins and the horse draweth and the cart goeth； in those
days； I tell thee； many men shall be as poor and wretched always； year by
year； as they are with thee when there is famine in the land； nor shall any
have plenty and surety of livelihood save those that shall sit by and look
on while others labour； and these； I tell thee； shall be a many； so that they
shall see to the making of all laws； and in their hands shall be all power；
and the labourers shall think that they cannot do without these men that
live by robbing them； and shall praise them and wellnigh pray to them as
ye pray to the saints； and the best worshipped man in the land shall be he
who by forestalling and regrating hath gotten to him the most money。〃
〃Yea；〃 said he； 〃and shall they who see themselves robbed worship the
robber？ Then indeed shall men be changed from what they are now； and
they shall be sluggards； dolts； and cowards beyond all the earth hath yet
borne。 Such are not the men I have known in my life…days； and that now
I love in my death。〃
〃Nay；〃 I said； 〃but the robbery shall they not see； for have I not told
thee that they shall hold themselves to be free men？ And for why？ I
will tell thee： but first tell me how it fares with men now； may the
labouring man become a lord？〃
He said： 〃The thing hath been seen that churls have risen from the
dortoir of the monastery to the abbot's chair and the bishop's throne； yet
not often； and whiles hath a bold sergeant become a wise captain； and they
have made him squire and knight； and yet but very seldom。 And now I
suppose thou wilt tell me that the Church will open her arms wider to this
poor people； and that many through her shall rise into lordship。 But what
availeth that？ Nought were it to me if the Abbot of St。 Alban's with his
golden mitre sitting guarded by his knights and sergeants； or the Prior of
Merton with his hawks and his hounds； had once been poor men； if they
were now tyrants of poor men； nor would it better the matter if there were
ten times as many Houses of Religion in the land as now are； and each
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with a churl's son for abbot or prior over it。〃
I smiled and said： 〃Comfort thyself； for in those days shall there be
neither abbey nor priory in the land； nor monks nor friars； nor any
religious。〃 （He started as I spoke。） 〃But thou hast told me that hardly
in these days may a poor man rise to be a lord： now I tell thee that in the
days to come poor men shall be able to become lords and masters and do…
nothings； and oft will it be seen that they shall do so； and it shall be even
for that cause that their eyes shall be blinded to the robbing of themselves
by others； because they shall hope in their souls that they may each live to
rob others： and this shall be the very safeguard of all rule and law in those
days。〃
〃Now am I sorrier than thou hast yet made me；〃 said he； 〃for when
once this is established； how then can it be changed？ Strong shall be the
tyranny of the latter days。 And now meseems； if thou sayest sooth； this
time of the conquest of the earth shall not bring heaven down to the earth；
as erst I deemed it would； but rather that it shall bring hell up on to the
earth。 Woe's me； brother； for thy sad and weary foretelling！ And yet
saidst thou that the men of those days would seek a remedy。 Canst thou
yet tell me； brother； what that remedy shall be； lest the sun rise upon me
made hopeless by thy tale of what is to be？ And； lo you； soon shall she
rise upon the earth。〃
In truth the dawn was widening now； and the colours coming into the
pictures on wall and in window； and as well as I could see through the
varied glazing of these last （and one window before me had as yet nothing
but white glass in it）； the ruddy glow； which had but so