Margery Kempe travels with her fellow pilgrims to Constance despite their disputes in Zierikzee. As the text does not specifically state how they travelled, it can be assumed that like most pilgrims, they walked. Margery does not provide the amount of time this journey took, however she does mention that her fellow pilgrims caused her “much shame and reproof as they went along” during the journey by making her wear a short gown and “some white canvas in a kind of sacking apron” so that “she would be taken for a fool” (98). This visual form of shaming through an outfit that is sexual (as implied by its length) and ugly suggests a cultural importance placed on female appearance in Margery’s society. Her group makes her dress a certain way so she is “taken for a fool,” directly connecting a woman’s visual appearance to how she would be treated (with signs of sexuality or aesthetically unappealing qualities leading to a woman being treated with less respect). Margery details that her group continues to shame her by making her sit at the end of the table when eating, “so that she scarcely dared speak a word” (98). This enforcement of her silence suggests another cultural expectation placed on Margery– for women to be quiet while the men speak.

However, Margery also describes that “the good man of the house where they were staying… would always do whatever he could to cheer her up before them all and sent her what he had from his own meal” (98). Practically, this description implies that Margery and her group of pilgrims were housed and fed (seemingly generously) by a man of Constance, perhaps suggesting an emphasis on religious obligation in Constance. Further, this man’s kind treatment of Margery, despite her group’s annoyance, may suggest kinder or more polite treatment of women in Constance. 

Interestingly, while in Constance, Margery describes her experiences with an English friar rather than depicting the religious community in Constance (though the English friar’s presence infers a Catholic presence). Margery shares her strained relationship with her group and the legate offers her religious comfort. The group invites the legate to dinner, where they ask him to command Margery to eat meat like the rest of them and stop weeping so much. The legate responds that he will not order her to not eat meat when “our Lord gives her strength to abstain” or restrain her weeping when “it is the gift of the holy ghost” (100). He adds that “As for her talking I will ask her to stop until she comes somewhere that people will hear her more gladly than you do” (100). These words from the friar/legate once more suggest that in Margery’s culture, she can draw some forms of power and personal autonomy through religion, however, the expectation to remain silent if men do not want to hear her speak is fairly constant, even if she is discussing religion. 

The text continues to state that the pilgrims “gave Margery over to the legate,” wanting nothing more to do with her (100). This phrasing that Margery can be “given” to someone like an object reflects another way she lacks control in her society. The primary way the group transfers Margery over to the legate is by taking charge of her money (implying that women for the most part were not meant to hold their own money). The legate “organized for her the exchange of her English money into foreign money,” also suggesting that Margery is reaching territory where English money is no longer accepted as much. Additionally, Margery describes the legate as treating her “as though she had been his mother” (100). This comparison suggests the type of control or responsibilities (monetary) a son might have had over his mother in Margery’s society. 

Overall, the near complete lack of detail Margery offers about Constance (including how long she is there) emphasizes that Margery is recording her journey for very personal and religious reasons. While her stop at Constance provides us with little information about the culture there, it does offer insight on Margery’s culture (and its treatment of women). Further, this stop demonstrates a consistent tension throughout Margery’s traveling between patriarchal control and her ability to draw power from religion.