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gives his decision (C, V., ^^). Their respective functions would 

 seem at first to be those of counselor and magistrate, but eventually 

 Reason is appointed chancellor, and Conscience royal justice (C, V.,. 

 1 85 J, thus assigning them the same functions, but giving Reason the 

 higher station. Again Reason is a pope, and Conscience bearer of 

 his crosier (C, VI., 113). Thus Conscience seems to be made 

 subject to the liible, the Church and Reason. 



Throughout the rest of the poem, Conscience is the personal 

 adviser, guide and director of men, and leader of the forces of Holy 

 Church. It is always therefore that enlightened intellectual faculty 

 which judges and tlirects with regard to moral matters; appearing 

 most often as the accuser and jniblic prosecutor of Wrong. 



Wit. We have next to distinguish Conscience or Inwit from 

 Wit pure and simple. In Wdl's search for Dowel he follows a 

 logically ascending scale of inquiry. First he meets Thought, and 

 after receiving some information is directetl to Wit; from Wit he 

 passes to his wife. Study. Wit and Study should result in learning, 

 and accordingly Study soon refers Langland to Clergy, whose wife. 

 Scripture, (interpreted written knowledge) she has instructed (C, XL 

 and XII). Advancing in this line of intellectual development, 

 Langland raises so many objections to some of the teachings received 

 that he is finally accused of seeking knowlcilge only to cavil at it, and 

 further knosvledge is refused him. This is true in all the texts except 

 A. In this (Passus XII) Scripture takes pity on Will, and directs 

 him to her cousin, Kynde Wit; a proceeding that is apparently, in one 

 sense, sending him back whence he started. 



This sequence, with the exception of the fifth step of A, XII., 

 which may be simply an inadvertence, becomes reasonably clear 

 when examined by the light of the later definition of faculties. By 

 comparing texts B and C, Thought is identified with Mens (C, XVII. , 

 185; B, XV., 25), and Mens was defined as the mind, the funda- 

 mental povver which underlies all mental action. The only reference 

 to Wit here given is in the definition of Sensus as "whenne ich fele 

 that folke telleth" and "that is witte and wisedome the welle of alle 

 craftes. " From this it appears that Wit means the mind as applied 

 to the perception of truth, either mental or physical. Thought is the 

 instrument, Wit its natural use. Wit applied to books becomes 

 Study; the books are Scripture; the result of the application is 

 Clergy. 



What, then, is meant by Kynde Wit if it is not synonymous with 

 Wit as already defined? The way to it is to be pointed out by the 

 guide " Prove-all-things," until the seekers reach the burg, " Hold- 

 fast-that-which-is-good." This seems to be the road to natural 



