264 KANSAS UNIVERSITY QUARTERLY. 



PiigriniManti the pilgrims and palmers there seems to be nothing 

 Painiei-M. even nominally religious, except the pilgrimage itself, 



which Langland is disinclined to accept as a religious observance. 

 Their leave to lie (C, I., 48) if not granted by the Pope, existed by 

 common consent; and in another sense, a palmer, notwithstanding all 

 his journeying, had not the remotest conception of the way to Truth. 

 iVunfi. There is quarreling and unchastity even in the nunneries; a 

 statement with which Gower is in accord (Morley, E. W., IV., 187). 

 Langland approves the ordinance of Gregory that women shall not be 

 admitted to the priesthood (B, V., 166; C, VII., 132-150). 



L.oiierH. Partly in the church and partly out of it belongs the 

 class of idle vagabonds, lollers, of whom are many hermits and pil- 

 grims, besides many who think neither of hermitage nor pilgrimage. 

 Langland resembled these, although they thought little of him (C, 

 VI., 1-4). The growing tendency to apply the term to those who 

 held and practiced new doctrines, or peculiar theories of life, is ap- 

 parent in the poem; but the formal definition of it as given by Lang- 

 land is as follows: (C, X., 215) 



"He that lolleth is lame, other his leg out of ioynte, 

 Other meymed in som membre, for to meschief hit souncth (liinteth)." 

 But he himself applies it to a certain class lame only in a metaphorical 

 sense, — 



"And ryght so sothlyche such manere t-remytes 

 Lollen ajen the byleyve and lawe of holy churche;" 



showing that there was a general appreciation of the similarity be- 

 tween the idle beggars of the church; and the idle beggars who lay by 

 the wayside, and feigned themselves wounded, crippled, or dis- 

 eased. 



Meroiianttii. The especial charge against the merchants is, of course, 

 that of deceitful dealing (confession of Avarice, C, VII.. 196 ff.); but 

 the dignity of their occupation is recognized, and they are bidden to 

 buy and sell, and use their winnings in specified works of charity (C, 

 X., 22 ff. ; see also C, III., 222; C, IV., 112). The dangers and un- 

 certainties of their business are also hinted at (C, VII., 278; C, 

 IV., ZZ). 



ijawyers. Lawyers, the term including political officials of all sorts, 

 are particular friends of Lady Meed, and there is not one from the 

 highest to the lowest who does not woo her. These are liars, lechers, 

 brokers of evil, malicious prosecutors, extortioners, shielders of the 

 guilty; they allow prisoners to escape either by opening doors, or by 

 buying off the prosecutor, at the same time appealing to his sym- 

 pathy, as was done in the case of Wrong (C, V., 45-65)- Thus did 

 many a bright noble baldly bear adown the wit and wisdom of West- 



