Chapter 13

CHAPTER IX.Knowen may it wel ben now of these thinges toforndeclared, that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnessewhich by dutè of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no wayby him-selfe may he it gete ne kepe; and after he it hath, if he it5lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherforethe comune sentence of the people in opinion, that every thingafter destenee is ruled, false and wicked is to beleve. For thoughpredestinacion be as wel of good as of badde, sithen that it issayd, god †hath destenees made, whiche he never ne wrought; but,10for he suffreth hem to be maked, as that he hardeth, whan henaught missayth, or †let in-to temptacion, whan he not delivereth:wherfore it is non inconvenient if in that maner be sayd, god tofornhave destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes, whanhem ne their yvel dedes [he] neyther amendeth ne therto hem15grace †leneth. But specialliche, predestinacion of goodnessealone is sayd by these grete clerkes; for in him god doth thatthey ben, and that in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatifherof in badnesse is holden, as the Lady of Love hath me lerned,who-so aright in this booke loketh. And utterly it is to weten,20that predestinacion properly in god may not ben demed, no morethan beforn-weting. For in the chapitre of goddes beforn-weting,as Love me rehersed, al these maters apertly may ben founden.Al thinges to god ben now †togider and in presence duringe.Trewly, presence and predestinacion in nothing disacorden;25wherfore, as I was lerned how goddes before-weting and freechoice of wil mowe stonden †togider, me thinketh the same resonme ledeth, that destenye and free wil accorden, so that neyther ofhem bothe to other in nothing contrarieth. And resonablichemay it not ben demed, as often as any thing falleth [thorow] free30wil werching (as if a man another man wrongfully anoyeth, wherforehe him sleeth), that it be constrayned to that ende, as mokelfolk cryeth and sayth: 'Lo, as it was destenyed of god tofornknowe, so it is thorow necessitè falle, and otherwyse might it notbetyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wrong wrought, ne he that35him-selfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorow necessitè wrought;for if that [oon] with free wil there had it not willed, neyther had[he] wrought that he perfourmed; and so utterly grace, that freewil in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth, and fro badnesse it tourneth,in al thinge moste thank deserveth. This grace maketh40sentence in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule, in fulplentee of conninge, after their good deserving in the everlastingejoye, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwelle; and theyshul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love andof grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest in glorie rejoice45and ben gladded, as if he the same joye had. What wonder,sith god is the gretest love and the *gretest wisdom? In hemshal he be, and they in god. Now than, whan al false folk beashamed, which wenen al bestialtè and erthly thing be sweter andbetter to the body than hevenly is to the soule; this is the grace50and the frute that I long have desyred; it doth me good thesavour to smelle.Crist, now to thee I crye of mercy and of grace; and graunt,of thy goodnes, to every maner reder ful understanding in thisleude pamflet to have; and let no man wene other cause in55this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy, alinnocentes to shende; wherfore I wolde that good speche envyevermore hinder.But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddeswerke passeth man[ne]s; no man[ne]s wit to parfit werke may by no60way purvay th'ende. How shuld I than, so leude, aught wene ofperfeccion any ende to gete? Never-the-later, grace, glorie, andlaude I yelde and putte with worshipful reverences to the sothfastgod, in three with unitè closed, whiche that the hevy langour ofmy sicknesse hath turned in-to mirthe of helth to recover. For65right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manifoldesickly sorow, so mirth [of] ayencoming helth hath me glad[d]edand gretly comforted. I beseche and pray therfore, and I cryeon goddes gret pitè and on his mokel mercy, that this[e] presentscorges of my flessh mow maken medecyne and lechecraft of70my inner man[ne]s helth; so that my passed trespas and tenesthrough weping of myn eyen ben wasshe, and I, voyded fromal maner disese, and no more to wepe herafter, y-now be keptthorow goddes grace; so that goddes hand, whiche that merciablyme hath scorged, herafter in good plite from thence merciably me75kepe and defende.In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unnethshul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holygost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, forgoddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to80my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to benenfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe notother mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere whatI shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerningeyet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not85sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for mydul wit is hindred by †stepmoder of foryeting and with cloudeof unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle,wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre notonly a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender,90in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only thismede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseër and herer ofthis leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greetjuge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his domemy sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for95other for him-selfe travayleth.Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow whatintencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, thatsightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituelmete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it †norisshed;100and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewelbetokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle.Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom ofgod, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holyflesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth105lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshlyunderstandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth.'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.'Charitè is love; and love is charitè.God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended!110And thusThe Testament of Loveis ended.

CHAPTER IX.

Knowen may it wel ben now of these thinges toforndeclared, that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnessewhich by dutè of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no wayby him-selfe may he it gete ne kepe; and after he it hath, if he it5lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherforethe comune sentence of the people in opinion, that every thingafter destenee is ruled, false and wicked is to beleve. For thoughpredestinacion be as wel of good as of badde, sithen that it issayd, god †hath destenees made, whiche he never ne wrought; but,10for he suffreth hem to be maked, as that he hardeth, whan henaught missayth, or †let in-to temptacion, whan he not delivereth:wherfore it is non inconvenient if in that maner be sayd, god tofornhave destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes, whanhem ne their yvel dedes [he] neyther amendeth ne therto hem15grace †leneth. But specialliche, predestinacion of goodnessealone is sayd by these grete clerkes; for in him god doth thatthey ben, and that in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatifherof in badnesse is holden, as the Lady of Love hath me lerned,who-so aright in this booke loketh. And utterly it is to weten,20that predestinacion properly in god may not ben demed, no morethan beforn-weting. For in the chapitre of goddes beforn-weting,as Love me rehersed, al these maters apertly may ben founden.Al thinges to god ben now †togider and in presence duringe.Trewly, presence and predestinacion in nothing disacorden;25wherfore, as I was lerned how goddes before-weting and freechoice of wil mowe stonden †togider, me thinketh the same resonme ledeth, that destenye and free wil accorden, so that neyther ofhem bothe to other in nothing contrarieth. And resonablichemay it not ben demed, as often as any thing falleth [thorow] free30wil werching (as if a man another man wrongfully anoyeth, wherforehe him sleeth), that it be constrayned to that ende, as mokelfolk cryeth and sayth: 'Lo, as it was destenyed of god tofornknowe, so it is thorow necessitè falle, and otherwyse might it notbetyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wrong wrought, ne he that35him-selfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorow necessitè wrought;for if that [oon] with free wil there had it not willed, neyther had[he] wrought that he perfourmed; and so utterly grace, that freewil in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth, and fro badnesse it tourneth,in al thinge moste thank deserveth. This grace maketh40sentence in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule, in fulplentee of conninge, after their good deserving in the everlastingejoye, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwelle; and theyshul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love andof grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest in glorie rejoice45and ben gladded, as if he the same joye had. What wonder,sith god is the gretest love and the *gretest wisdom? In hemshal he be, and they in god. Now than, whan al false folk beashamed, which wenen al bestialtè and erthly thing be sweter andbetter to the body than hevenly is to the soule; this is the grace50and the frute that I long have desyred; it doth me good thesavour to smelle.

Knowen may it wel ben now of these thinges toforn

declared, that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnesse

which by dutè of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no way

by him-selfe may he it gete ne kepe; and after he it hath, if he it

lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherfore

the comune sentence of the people in opinion, that every thing

after destenee is ruled, false and wicked is to beleve. For though

predestinacion be as wel of good as of badde, sithen that it is

sayd, god †hath destenees made, whiche he never ne wrought; but,

for he suffreth hem to be maked, as that he hardeth, whan he

naught missayth, or †let in-to temptacion, whan he not delivereth:

wherfore it is non inconvenient if in that maner be sayd, god toforn

have destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes, whan

hem ne their yvel dedes [he] neyther amendeth ne therto hem

grace †leneth. But specialliche, predestinacion of goodnesse

alone is sayd by these grete clerkes; for in him god doth that

they ben, and that in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatif

herof in badnesse is holden, as the Lady of Love hath me lerned,

who-so aright in this booke loketh. And utterly it is to weten,

that predestinacion properly in god may not ben demed, no more

than beforn-weting. For in the chapitre of goddes beforn-weting,

as Love me rehersed, al these maters apertly may ben founden.

Al thinges to god ben now †togider and in presence duringe.

Trewly, presence and predestinacion in nothing disacorden;

wherfore, as I was lerned how goddes before-weting and free

choice of wil mowe stonden †togider, me thinketh the same reson

me ledeth, that destenye and free wil accorden, so that neyther of

hem bothe to other in nothing contrarieth. And resonabliche

may it not ben demed, as often as any thing falleth [thorow] free

wil werching (as if a man another man wrongfully anoyeth, wherfore

he him sleeth), that it be constrayned to that ende, as mokel

folk cryeth and sayth: 'Lo, as it was destenyed of god toforn

knowe, so it is thorow necessitè falle, and otherwyse might it not

betyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wrong wrought, ne he that

him-selfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorow necessitè wrought;

for if that [oon] with free wil there had it not willed, neyther had

[he] wrought that he perfourmed; and so utterly grace, that free

wil in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth, and fro badnesse it tourneth,

in al thinge moste thank deserveth. This grace maketh

sentence in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule, in ful

plentee of conninge, after their good deserving in the everlastinge

joye, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwelle; and they

shul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love and

of grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest in glorie rejoice

and ben gladded, as if he the same joye had. What wonder,

sith god is the gretest love and the *gretest wisdom? In hem

shal he be, and they in god. Now than, whan al false folk be

ashamed, which wenen al bestialtè and erthly thing be sweter and

better to the body than hevenly is to the soule; this is the grace

and the frute that I long have desyred; it doth me good the

savour to smelle.

Crist, now to thee I crye of mercy and of grace; and graunt,of thy goodnes, to every maner reder ful understanding in thisleude pamflet to have; and let no man wene other cause in55this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy, alinnocentes to shende; wherfore I wolde that good speche envyevermore hinder.

Crist, now to thee I crye of mercy and of grace; and graunt,

of thy goodnes, to every maner reder ful understanding in this

leude pamflet to have; and let no man wene other cause in

this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy, al

innocentes to shende; wherfore I wolde that good speche envy

evermore hinder.

But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddeswerke passeth man[ne]s; no man[ne]s wit to parfit werke may by no60way purvay th'ende. How shuld I than, so leude, aught wene ofperfeccion any ende to gete? Never-the-later, grace, glorie, andlaude I yelde and putte with worshipful reverences to the sothfastgod, in three with unitè closed, whiche that the hevy langour ofmy sicknesse hath turned in-to mirthe of helth to recover. For65right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manifoldesickly sorow, so mirth [of] ayencoming helth hath me glad[d]edand gretly comforted. I beseche and pray therfore, and I cryeon goddes gret pitè and on his mokel mercy, that this[e] presentscorges of my flessh mow maken medecyne and lechecraft of70my inner man[ne]s helth; so that my passed trespas and tenesthrough weping of myn eyen ben wasshe, and I, voyded fromal maner disese, and no more to wepe herafter, y-now be keptthorow goddes grace; so that goddes hand, whiche that merciablyme hath scorged, herafter in good plite from thence merciably me75kepe and defende.

But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddes

werke passeth man[ne]s; no man[ne]s wit to parfit werke may by no

way purvay th'ende. How shuld I than, so leude, aught wene of

perfeccion any ende to gete? Never-the-later, grace, glorie, and

laude I yelde and putte with worshipful reverences to the sothfast

god, in three with unitè closed, whiche that the hevy langour of

my sicknesse hath turned in-to mirthe of helth to recover. For

right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manifolde

sickly sorow, so mirth [of] ayencoming helth hath me glad[d]ed

and gretly comforted. I beseche and pray therfore, and I crye

on goddes gret pitè and on his mokel mercy, that this[e] present

scorges of my flessh mow maken medecyne and lechecraft of

my inner man[ne]s helth; so that my passed trespas and tenes

through weping of myn eyen ben wasshe, and I, voyded from

al maner disese, and no more to wepe herafter, y-now be kept

thorow goddes grace; so that goddes hand, whiche that merciably

me hath scorged, herafter in good plite from thence merciably me

kepe and defende.

In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unnethshul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holygost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, forgoddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to80my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to benenfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe notother mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere whatI shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerningeyet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not85sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for mydul wit is hindred by †stepmoder of foryeting and with cloudeof unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle,wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre notonly a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender,90in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only thismede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseër and herer ofthis leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greetjuge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his domemy sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for95other for him-selfe travayleth.

In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth

shul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holy

gost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, for

goddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to

my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to ben

enfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe not

other mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere what

I shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerninge

yet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not

sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for my

dul wit is hindred by †stepmoder of foryeting and with cloude

of unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle,

wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre not

only a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender,

in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only this

mede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseër and herer of

this leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greet

juge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his dome

my sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for

other for him-selfe travayleth.

Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow whatintencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, thatsightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituelmete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it †norisshed;100and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewelbetokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle.Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom ofgod, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holyflesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth105lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshlyunderstandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth.'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.'Charitè is love; and love is charitè.God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended!110And thusThe Testament of Loveis ended.

Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow what

intencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, that

sightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituel

mete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it †norisshed;

100

and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewel

betokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle.

Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom of

god, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holy

flesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth

105

lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshly

understandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth.

'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.'

Charitè is love; and love is charitè.

God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended!

110

And thusThe Testament of Loveis ended.

Ch. IX.1. nowe. toforne. 4. get. 7. destenye. thoughe. 9. sayde. god hadnest (!);readgod hath destenees. 11. missaythe. ledde;readlet = ledeth. 12. none. toforne. 14.I supplyhe. 15. leueth.

16. sayde. great. dothe. 17. negatyfe. 21. beforne (twice). 22. apertely maye. 23. nowe to-gyther. 24. nothynge. 25. howe. 26. togyther. reason. 27. leadeth. frewyl. 28. reasonablyche. 29. demyd.I supplythorow. frewyl. 32. folke. toforne know. 33. thorowe. fal. 34. wronge. 35. thorowe. 36-7.I supplyoonandhe. 39. thanke. 41. plentie. 42. ioy. dwel. 43. kyngdome. affecte. 44-6. greatest (twice). *A break here inTh. 47. folke. 48. swetter. 50. dothe. 51. smel.

52. Christ. the. 59. mans;readmannes (twice). 61. get. 62. put. 63. thre. 66.I supplyof. 68. this;readthise. 69. medecyn. lechcraft. 70. mans. 72. I now;fory-now. 73. thorowe. hande. 80. great. desyre. 84. made. 86. wytte.-mother;readmoder.

89. onely. booke. 90. correction. onely. 92. great. 94. released. 96. thorowe. 97. treatyse. Howe. 99. meate. norissheth;readnorisshed. 100. Christ. 101. stone. 103. thorowe. made. 104. saythe. spyrite. 105. lyfe. 109. al;readallë.

II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.

Here beginneth the Plowmans Prologue.The Plowman plucked up his plow,Whan midsommer mone was comen in,And sayd, 'his beestes shuld ete y-now,And lig in the grasse, up to the chin;5They ben feble, both oxe and cow,Of hem nis left but boon and skin.'He shook of share, and cultre of-drow,And hong his harneys on a pin.He took his tabard and his staf eke,10And on his heed he set his hat;And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke,On pilgrimage he goth forth plat.In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes,He was forswonke and all forswat;15Men might have seen through both his chekes,And every wang-toth and where it sat.Our hoste beheld wel all about,And saw this man was sunne y-brent;He knew well by his senged snout,20And by his clothes that were to-rent,He was a man wont to walke about,He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent;He coud not religiousliche lout,And therfore was he fully shent.25Our host him axed, 'what man art thou?''Sir,' quod he, 'I am an hyne;For I am wont to go to the plow,And erne my mete yer that I dyne.To swete and swinke I make avow,30My wyf and children therwith to fynd,And servë god, and I wist how;But we lewd men ben full[y] blynd.For clerkes saye, we shullen be faynFor hir lyvelod [to] swete and swinke,35And they right nought us give agayn,Neyther to ete ne yet to drinke.They mowe by lawë, as they sayn,Us curse and dampne to hell[e] brinke;Thus they putten us to payn,40With candles queynt and belles clinke.They make us thralles at hir lust,And sayn, we mowe nat els be saved;They have the corn and we the dust,Who speketh ther-agayn, they say he raved.'45'What, man,' quod our host, 'canst thou preche?Come neer, and tell us some holy thing.''Sir,' quod he, 'I herde ones techeA prest in pulpit a good preching.''Say on,' quod our host, 'I thee beseche.'50'Sir, I am redy at your bidding.I pray you that no man me reprocheWhyl that I am my tale telling.Thus endeth the prologue, and here foloweth the firstpart of the tale.PART I.A sternë stryf is stered neweIn many stedes in a stounde,55Of sondry sedes that ben sewe;It semeth that som ben unsounde.For some be gretë growen †on grounde,Some ben souple, simple and small;Whether of hem is falser founde,60The falser, foul mote him befall!That oon syde is, that I of tell,Popes, cardinals, and prelates,Parsons, monkes, and freres fell,Priours, abbottes of grete estates;65Of heven and hell they kepe the yates,And Peters successours they ben all;This is demed by oldë dates;But falshed, foul mote it befall!The other syde ben poore and pale,70And people put [al] out of prees;And semë caytifs sore a-cale,And ever in oon without encrees,†I-cleped lollers and londlees;Who toteth on hem, they been untall.75They ben arayed all for the pees;But falshed, foul mote it befall!Many a countrey have I sought,To know the falser of these two;But ever my travail was for nought,80All so fer as I have go.But as I wandred in a wro,In a wode besyde a wall,Two foules saw I sitte tho;The falser, foul mote him befall!85That oon did plede on the Popes syde,A Griffon of a grim stature.A Pellicane withouten prydeTo these lollers layde his lure;He mused his matter in mesure,90To counsayl Christ ever gan he call.The Griffon shewed as sharp as fyre,But falshed, foul mote it befall!The Pellican began to precheBoth of mercy and of mekeness;95And sayd, that "Christ so gan us teche,And meke and merciable gan bless.The Evangely bereth witnessA lamb, he lykneth Christ over-all,In tokening that he mekest was,100Sith pryde was out of heven fall.And so shulde every Christned be;Preestes, Peters successours,Beth lowlich and of low degree,And usen none erthly honours,105Neyther crown, ne curious cove[r]tours,Ne †pelure, ne other proudë pall;Ne nought to cofren up greet tresours;For falshed, foul mote it befall!Preest[e]s shuld for no cattel plede,110But chasten hem in charitè;Ne to no batail shuld men ledeFor inhaunsing of hir own degree;Nat wilnë sittings in hy see,Ne soverayntè in hous ne hall;115All worldly worship defye and flee;For who willeth highnes, foul shal fall!Alas! who may such sayntes callThat wilneth welde erthly honour?As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall,120In baleful blacknesse y-builde hir bour;That eggeth the people to errour,And maketh hem to hem [be] thrall;To Christ I hold suche oon traytour,As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall.125That willeth to be kinges peres,And hygher than the emperour;Some that were but pore freresNow wollen waxe a warryour.God is nat hir governour,130That holdeth no man his †peragall;Whyl covetyse is hir counsaylour,All such falshed mot nedë fall.That hye on horse willeth rydeIn glitterand golde of grete aray,135I-paynted and portred all in pryde;No commun knight may go so gay.Chaunge of clothing every day,With golden girdles grete and small;As boystous as is bere at bay;140All such falshed mot nedë fall.With prydë †punysheth the pore,And somë they sustayn with sale;Of holy churche maketh an hore,And filleth hir wombe with wyne and ale;145With money filleth many a male,And chaffren churches when they fall,And telleth the people a lewed tale;Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!With chaunge of many maner metes,150With song and solace sitting long,And filleth hir wombë, and fast fretes,And from the metë to the gong;And after mete with harp and song,And ech man mot hem lordes call;155And hotë spyces ever among;Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!And myters mo than oon or two,I-perled as the quenes heed;A staf of golde, and †perrey, lo!160As hevy as it were mad of leed;With cloth of gold both newe and reed,With glitterand †gown as grene as gall,By dome will dampnë men to deed;All suche faytours, foul hem fall!165And Christes people proudly curseWith brode bokes, and braying bell;To putte pennyes in hir purseThey woll sell both heven and hell;And in hir sentence, and thou wilt dwell,170They willen gesse in hir gay hall;And though the soth thou of hem tell,In greet cursinge shalt thou fall.That is blessed, that they blesse,And cursed, that they cursë woll;175And thus the people they oppresse,And have their lordshippes at full;And many be marchauntes of woll,And to purse penyes woll come thrall;The porë people they all to-pull,180Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!Lordes motë to hem loute,Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing;They ryden with hir royall routeOn a courser, as it were a king;185With saddle of golde glitt[e]ringWith curious harneys quayntly crallit,Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling;All suche falshed, foul befall it!Christes ministers †cleped they been,190And rulen all in robberye;But Antichrist they serven clene,Attyred all in tyrannye;Witnesse of Johns prophecye,That Antichrist is hir admirall,195Tiffelers attyred in trecherye;All suche faytours, foul hem fall!Who sayth, that some of hem may sinne,He shal be †demed to be deed;Some of hem woll gladly winne200All ayenst that which god forbed;"All-holyest" they clepen hir heed,That of hir rulë is regall;Alas! that ever they eten breed;For all such falshed woll foul fall.205Hir heed loveth all honour,And to be worshipped in worde and dede;Kinges mot to hem knele and coure;To the apostles, that Christ forbede;To popes hestes such taketh more hede210Than to kepe Christes commaundëment;Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede,They holdeth him hole omnipotent.He ordayneth by his ordinaunceTo parish-preestes a powére;215To another a greter avaunce,A greter poynt to his mystere;But for he is hyghest in erth here,To him reserveth he many a poynt;But to Christ, that hath no pere,220Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt.So semeth he above[n] all,And Christ aboven him nothing;Whan he sitteth in his stall,Dampneth and saveth as him think.225Such pryde tofore god doth stink;An angell bad John to him nat knele,But only to god do his bowing;Such willers of worship must evil fele.They ne clepen Christ butsanctus deus,230And clepen her heedSanctissimus;They that such a sect[ë] sewis,I trowe, they taken hem amisse.In erth[ë] here they have hir blisse,Hir hye master is Belial;235†Christ his people from hem wisse!For all such falsë will foul fall!They mowë both[ë] binde and lose,And all is for hir holy lyf;To save or dampne they mowë chose,240Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf.Many a man is killed with knyf,To wete which of hem have lordship shall;For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve;For all such falshed will foul fall.245Christ sayd:Qui gladio percutitWith swerdë shall [he surely] dye;He bad his preestes pees and grith,And bad hem not drede for to dye;And bad them be both simple and slye,250And carkë not for no cattall,And †truste on god that sitteth on hye;For all [such] falsë shull foul fall.These wollen makë men to swereAyenst Christes commaundëment;255And Christes membres all to-tereOn rode as he wer newe y-rent.Suche lawes they make by commun assent,Ech on it choweth as a ball;Thus the pore be fully shent,260But ever falshed foule it †fall!They usen [never] no symonye,But sellen churches and prioryes;Ne [yet] they usen no envye,But cursen all hem contraryes;265And hyreth men by dayes and yeresWith strength to holde hem in hir stall;And culleth all hir adversaryes;Therefor, falshed! foul thou fall!With purse they purchase personage,270With purse they paynen hem to plede;And men of warrë they woll wage,To bringe hir enemyes to the dede.And lordes lyves they woll lede,And moche take, and give but small;275But he it so get, from it shall shede,And make such falsë right foul fal!They halowe nothing but for hyre,Churchë, font, ne vestëment;And make[n] orders in every shyre,280But preestes paye for the parchement;Of ryatours they taken rent,Therwith they smere the shepes skall;For many churches ben oft suspent;All such falshed, yet foul it fall!285Some liveth nat in lecherye,But haunten wenches, widdowes, and wyves,And punisheth the pore for putrye;Them-selfe it useth all their lyves.And but a man to them [him] shryves,290To heven comë never he shall;He shal be cursed as be captyves,To hell they sayn that he shall fall.There was more mercy in Maximien,And in Nero, that never was good,295Than [there] is now in some of †hemWhan he hath on his furred hood.They folowe Christ that shedde his bloodTo heven, as bucket in-to the wall;Suche wreches ben worse than wood;300And all such faytours, foule hem fall!They give hir almesse to the riche,To maynteynours, and to men of lawe;For to lordes they woll be liche,An harlottes sone nat worth an hawe!305Sothfastnessë suche han slawe,They kembe hir crokets with cristall;And drede of god they have down drawe;All suche faytours, foul hem fall!They maken parsons for the penny,310And canons of hir cardinals;Unnethes amongest hem all anyThat he ne hath glosed the gospell fals!For Christ made never no cathedrals,Ne with him was no cardinall315Wyth a reed hatte as usen mynstrals;But falshed, foul mote it befall!†Hir tything, and hir offring both,They cle[y]meth it by possessio[u]n;Thérof nill they none forgo,320But robben men as [by] raunsoun.The tything ofTurpe lucrumWith these maisters is meynall;Tything of bribry and larsonWill makë falshed full foul fall!325They taken to fermë hir sompnoursTo harme the people what they may;To pardoners and false faytoursSell hir seles, I dar well say;And all to holden greet array,330To multiply hem more metall,They drede full litell domes dayWhan all such [falsë] shall foul fall.Suche harlottes shull men disclaunderFor they shullen make hir gree,335And ben as proude as Alexaunder,And sayn to the pore, "wo be ye!"By yere ech preest shall paye his feeTo encrese his lemmans call;Suche herdes shull well yvell thee,340And all such falsë shull foul fall!And if a man be falsly famed,And woldë make purgacioun,Than woll the officers be agramed,And assigne him fro town to town;345So nede he must[e] paye raunsounThough he be clene as is cristall,And than have an absolutioun;But all such falsë shull foul fall!Though he be gilty of the dede,350And that he [yet] may money pay,All the whyle his purse woll bledeHe may use it fro day to day!These bishoppes officers goon full gay,And this game they usen over-all;355The pore to pill is all †hir pray;All such falsë shull foul fall!Alas! god ordayned never such lawe,Ne no such craft of covetyse;He forbad it, by his sawe,360Such governours mowen of god agryse;For all his rules †ben rightwyse.These newe poyntes ben pure papall,And goddes lawë they dispyse;And all such faytours shul foul fall!365They sayn that Peter had the keyOf hevin and hell, to have and hold;I trowe Peter took no moneyFor no sinnes that he sold!Such successours ben to bold,370In winning all their wit they wrall;Hir conscience is waxen cold;And all such faytours, foule hem fall!Peter was never so great a foleTo leve his key with such a lorell,375Or to take such cursed such a toleHe was advysed nothing well.I trowe, they have the key of hell;†Hir maister is of that place marshall;For there they dressen hem to dwell,380And with fals Lucifer there to fall.They ben as proude as Lucifer,As angry, and as envious;From good fayth they ben full fer,In covetyse they ben curious;385To catche catell as covytousAs hound, that for hunger woll yall;Ungoodly, and ungracious;And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall!The pope, and he were Peters heyr,390Me think, he erreth in this cas,Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr,To chosen hem in dyvers place;A lord shall write to him for grace,For his clerke †pray anon he shall;395So shall he spede[n] his purchas;And all such falsë, foule hem fall!Though he †conne no more good,A lordes prayer shal be sped;Though he be wild of will or wood,400Nat understanding what men han red,A boster, and (that god forbede!)As good a bishop †as my hors Ball,Suche a pope is foule be-sted,And at [the] lastë woll foul fall!405He maketh bishops for erthly thank,And nothing for Christes sake;Such that ben ful fatte and rank,To soulë hele non hede they take.Al is well don what ever they make,410For they shal answere at †ones for all;For worldes thank, such worch and wake,And all such falsë shall foul fall!Suche that †connë nat hir CredeWith prayer shull be mad prelates;415Nother †conne the gospell rede,Such shull now welde hye estates.The hye goodes frendship hem makes,They toteth on hir somme totall;Such bere the keyes of hell-yates,420And all such falsë shall foul fall.They forsake, for Christes love,Traveyl, hunger, thurst, and cold;For they ben ordred ever all aboveOut of youthe til they ben old.425By the dore they go nat in-to the fold,To helpe †hir sheep they nought travall;Hyred men all suche I holde,And all such falsë, foule hem fall!For Christ hir king they woll forsake,430And knowe him nought for his povert;For Christes lovë they woll wake,And drink pyment [and] ale apart.Of god they seme nothing a-ferd;As lusty liveth, as Lamuall,435And dryve hir sheep into desert;All such faytours shull foul fall!Christ hath twelve apostels here;Now say they, ther may be but oon,That may nat erre in no manere;440Who leveth nat this, ben lost echoon!Peter erred, so dide nat John;Why is he cleped the principall?Christ cleped him Peter, but himself the stoon;All falsë faytours, foule hem fall!445Why cursen they the croysery,Christes Christen crëatures?For bytwene hem is now envyTo be enhaunsed in honours.And Christen livers, with hir labours,450For they leve on no man mortall,†Ben do to dethe with dishonours;And all such falsë, foule hem fall!What knoweth a tillour at the plowThe popes name, and what he hat?455His crede suffyseth him y-now,And knoweth a cardinall by his hat.Rough is the pore, unrightly lat,That knoweth Christ his god royall;Such maters be nat worth a gnat;460But such false faytours, foule hem fall!A king shall knele and kisse his sho;Christ suffred a sinfull kisse his feet.Me thinketh, he holdeth him hye y-now,So Lucifer did, that hye †seet.465Such oon, me thinketh, him-self foryet,Either to the trouth he was nat call;Christ, that suffred woundes wet,Shall makë such falshed foul fall!They layeth out hir largë nettes470For to take silver and gold,Fillen coffers, and sackes fettes,There-as they soules cacche shold.Hir servaunts be to †hem unhold,But they can doublin †hir rentall475To bigge hem castels, and bigge hem hold;And all such falsë, foule hem fall!Here endeth the first part of this tale, and herafterfoloweth the seconde part.PART II.To accorde with this wordë "fal"No more English can I find;Shewe another now I shall,480For I have moche to say behind,How preestes han the people pynd,As curteys Christ hath me [y-]kend,And put this matter in my mindTo make this maner men amend.485Shortly to shende hem, and shewe nowHow wrongfully they worche and walke;O hye god, nothing they tell, ne how,But in goddes word, †tell many a balke.In hernes holde hem and in halke,490And prechin of tythes and offrend,And untruely of the gospell talke;For his mercy, god it amend!What is Antichrist to sayBut evin Christes adversáry?495Such hath now ben many a dayTo Christes bidding full contráry,That from the trouthë clenë vary;Out of the wayë they ben wend;And Christes people untruely cary;500God, for his pitè, it amend!That liven contráry to Christes lyf,In hye pride agaynst mekenesse;Agaynst suffraunce they usen stryf,And angre ayenst sobrenesse;505Agaynst wisdom, wilfulnesse;To Christes tales litell tend;Agaynst mesúre, outragiousnesse;But whan god woll, it may amend!Lordly lyf ayenst lowlinesse,510And demin all without mercy;And covetyse ayenst largesse,Agaynst trewth[e], trechery;And agaynst almesse, envy;Agaynst Christ they comprehend.515For chastitè, they maynteyn lechery;God, for his gracë, this amend!Ayenst penaunce they use delytes,Ayenst suffraunce, strong defence;Ayenst god they use yvel rightes,520Agaynst pitè, punishments;Open yvell ayenst continence;Hir wicked winning wors dispend;Sobrenesse they sette in-to dispence;But god, for his goodnesse, it amend!525Why cleymen they hoolly his powére,And wranglen ayenst all his hestes?His living folowen they nothing here,But liven wors than witles beestes.Of fish and flesh they loven feestes,530As lordes, they ben brode y-kend;Of goddes pore they haten gestes;God, for his mercy, this amend!With †Dives such shall have hir doomThat sayn that they be Christes frendes,535And do nothing as they shuld doon;All such ben falser than ben fendes.On the people they ley such bendes,As god is in erthe, they han offend;Sucour for suchë Christ now sende us.540And, for his mercy, this amend!A token of Antichrist they be,His careckes ben now wyde y-know;Receyved to preche shall no man beWithout[ë] token of him, I trow.545Ech Christen preest to prechen ow,From god abovë they ben send.Goddes word to all folk for to show,Sinfull man for to amend.Christ sente the pore for to preche;550The royall riche he did nat so;Now dar no pore the people teche,For Antichrist is over-all hir fo.Among the people he mot go;He hath bidden, all such suspend;555Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo;But all this god may well amend.All tho that han the world forsake,And liven lo[w]ly, as god bad,In-to hir prison shullen be take,560Betin and bounden, and forth lad.Herof I rede no man be drad;Christ sayd, his [servaunts] shulde be shend;Ech man ought herof be glad;For god ful well it woll amend.565They take on hem royáll powére,And saye, they havë swerdes two,Oon curse to hell, oon slee men here;For at his taking Christ had no mo,Yet Peter had [that] oon of tho.570But Christ to Peter smyte gan defend,And in-to the sheth bad putte it tho;And all such mischeves god amend!Christ bad Peter kepe his sheep,And with his swerde forbad him smyte;575Swerd is no tole with sheep to kepeBut to shep[h]erdes that sheep woll byte.Me thinketh, suche shep[h]erdes ben to wyteAyen hir sheep with swerd that contend;They dryve hir sheep with greet dispyte;580But al this god may well amend.So successours to Peter be they noughtWhom [that] Christ madë cheef pastour;A swerd no shep[h]erde usen oughtBut he wold slee as a bochour.585For who-so were Peters successourShuld bere his sheep till his bak bend,And shadowe hem from every shour;And all this god may wel amend.Successours to Peter ben these590In that that Peter Christ forsook,That had lever the love of god [to] leseThan a shep[h]erde had to lese his hook.He culleth the sheep as doth the cook;Of hem [they] taken the woll untrend,595And falsely glose the gospell-book;God, for his mercy, †hem amend!After Christ had take Peter the kay,Christ sayd, he mustë dye for man;That Peter to Christ gan withsay;600Christ bad him, 'go behind, Sathan!'Such counsaylours many of these men hanFor worldes wele, god to offend;Peters successours they ben for-than,But all such god may well amend.605For Sathan is to say no moreBut he that contrary to Christ is;In this they lernë Peters lore,They sewen him whan he did mis;They folowe Peter forsothe in this,610In al that Christ wolde †him reprende,Nat in that that longeth to hevin blis;God for his mercy hem amend!Some of the apostels they sewen in cas,Of ought that I can understonde,615Him that betrayed Christ, Judas,That bar the purse in every londe;And al that he might sette on honde,He hidde and stal, and [gan] mispend;His rule these traytours han in honde;620Almighty god [now] hem amend!And at last his lord gan trayCursedly, through his covetyse;So wolde these trayen him for money,And they wisten in what wyse!625They be seker of the selfe ensyse;From all sothnesse they ben frend;And covetyse chaungen with queyntyse;Almighty god all suche amend!Were Christ on erthë here eft-soon,630These wolde dampnë him to dye;All his hestes they han fordon,And sayn, his sawes ben heresy;Ayenst his †maundëments they cry,And dampne all his to be [y-]brend;635For it lyketh nat hem, such losengery;God almighty hem amend!These han more might in England hereThan hath the king and all his lawe,They han purchased hem such powére640To taken hem whom [they] list nat knawe;And say, that heresy is hir sawe,And so to prison woll hem send;It was nat so by elder dawe,God, for his mercy, it amend!645The kinges lawe wol no man demeAngerliche, withouten answere;But, if any man these misqueme,He shal be baited as a bere;And yet wel wors they woll him tere,650And in prisón woll hem [be] pendIn gyves, and in other gere;Whan god woll, it may [a]mend.The king taxeth nat his menBut by assent of the comminaltè;655But these, ech yere, woll raunsom hemMaysterfully, more than doth he;Hir seles, by yerë, better beThan is the kinges in extend;Hir officers han gretter fee;660But this mischeef [may] god amend!For who-so woll prove a testamentThát is natt all worth ten pound,He shall paye for the parchëmentThe third part of the money all round.665Thus the people is raunsound,They say, such part to hem shulde apend;There as they grypen, it goth to ground;God, for his mercy, it amend!A simple fornicacioun,670Twenty shillings he shall pay;And than have an absolucioun,And al the yere usen it forth he may!Thus they letten hem go a-stray,They recke nat though the soul be brend;675These kepin yvell Peters key,And all such shep[h]erdes god amend!Wonder is, that the parliamentAnd all the lordes of this londHere-to taken so litell entent680To helpe the people out of hir hond;For they ben harder in †hir bond,Wors bete[n] and [more] bitter brendThan to the king is understond;God him helpe this to amend!685What bisshoppes, what religio[u]nsHan in this lande as moch lay-fee,Lordshippes, and possessio[u]nsMore than the lordes, it semeth me!That maketh hem lese charitè,690They mowë nat to god attend;In erthe they have so high degree,God, for his mercy, it amend!The emperour yaf the pope somtymeSo hyghe lordship him about,695That, at [the] laste, the sely kyme,The proudë popë putte him out!So of this realme is in dout,But lordes be ware and †hem defend;For now these folk be wonder stout,700The king and lordes now this amend!Thus endeth the seconde part of this tale, and herafterfoloweth the thirde.PART III.Moyses lawe forbood it tho,That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde,Christes gospel biddeth alsoThát they shuld no lordship helde;705Ne Christes apostels were never so boldNo such lordshippes to †hem enbrace;But smeren hir sheep and kepe hir fold;God amende hem for his grace!For they ne ben but countrefet,710Men may knowe hem by hir fruit;Hir gretnesse maketh hem god foryet,And take his mekenesse in dispyt.And they were pore and had but lyte,They nolde nat demen after the face,715But norishe hir sheep, and hem nat byte;God amende hem for his grace!"Grifon."What canst thou preche ayenst chanonsThát men clepen seculere?"Pelican."They ben curates of many towns,720On erthë they have greet powére.They han greet prebendes and dere,Some two or three, and some [han] mo,A personage to ben a playing-fere,And yet they serve the king also;725And let to fermë all that fareTo whom that woll most give therfore;Some woll spende, and some woll spare,And some woll laye it up in store.A cure of soule[s] they care nat for,730Só they mowë money take;Whether hir soules be wonne or lore,Hir profits they woll nat forsake.They have a gedering procuratourThat can the pore people enplede,735And robben hem as a ravinour,And to his lord the money lede;And cacche of quicke and eke of dede,And richen him and his lord eke,And to robbe the pore can give good rede740Of olde and yonge, of hole and seke.Therwith they purchase hem lay-feeIn londë, there hem lyketh best,And builde †als brode as a citèBoth in the est, and eke in the west.745To purchase thus they ben ful prest,But on the pore they woll nought spend,Ne no good give to goddes gest,Ne sende him some that all hath send.By hir service such woll live,750And trusse that other in-to tresour;Though all hir parish dye unshrive,They woll nat give a rosë-flour.Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrourBothe to lered and to leude also,755And teche the people hir leel labour;Such mister men ben all misgo.Some of hem ben hardë nigges,And some of hem ben proude and gay;Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges,760And finden hem of greet aray.Alas! what think these men to sayThat thus dispenden goddis good?At the dredfull domes daySuch wrecches shul be worse than wood.765Some hir churc[h]es never ne sye,Ne never o peny thider ne sende;Though the pore parishens for hunger dye,O peny on hem wil they nat spende.Have they receivinge of the rent,770They reck never of the remënant;Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent!Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant.And usen horedom and harlotry,Covetysë, pompe, and pride,775Slouthë, wrathe, and eke envy,And sewen sinne by every syde.Alas! where thinkë such t'abyde?How woll they accomptes yeld?From hy god they mow hem nat hyde,780Such willers wit is nat worth a neld.They ben so roted in richesse,That Christes povert is foryete,Served with so many messe,Hem thinketh that manna is no mete.785All is good that they mow get,They wenë to live evermore;But, whan god at dome is set,Such tresour is a feble store.Unneth mot they matins say,790For counting and for court-holding;And yet he jangleth as a jay,And understont him-self nothing.He woll serve bothe erl and kingFor his fynding and his fee,795And hyde his tything and his offring;This is a feble charitè.Other they ben proude, or coveytous,Or they ben harde, or [els] hungry,Or they ben liberall or lecherous,800Or els medlers with marchandry;Or maynteyners of men with maistry,Or stewardes, countours, or pledours,And serve god in hypocrisy;Such preestes ben Christes fals traytours!805They ben false, they ben vengeable,And begylen men in Christes name;They ben unstedfast and unstable;To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame.To servë god they ben full lame,810Goddes theves, and falsly stele;And falsly goddes word defame;In winning is hir worldes wele.Antichrist these serven all;I pray thee, who may say [me] nay?815With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall,They folowen him in dede and fay;They servin him in riche array,To servë Christ such falsly fayn;Why, at the dredful domes day,820Shull they not folowe him to payn?That knowen hem-self, that they don illAyenst Christes commaundëment,And amende hem never ne will,But serve Sathan by one assent.825Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent,Or speketh ayenst hir fals living;Who-so well liveth shal be brent,For such ben gretter than the king!Pope, bishoppes, and cardinals,830Chanons, persons, and vicaire,In goddes service, I trow, ben fals,That sacramentës sellen here.And ben as proude as Lucifere;Ech man loke whether that I ly!835Who-so speketh ayenst hir powére,It shall be holden heresy.Loke how many orders takeOnly of Christ, for his servyce,That the worldes goodes forsake?840Who-so taketh orders †on other wyse,I trow, that they shall sore agryse!For all the glose that they conne,All sewen not this [same] assyse;In yvell tyme they thus bigonne.845Loke how many among hem allHolden not this hyë way!With Antichrist they shullen fall,For they wolden god betray.God amende hem, that best may!850For many men they maken shende;They weten well, the sothe I say,Bút the divell hath foule hem blend.Some [up]on hir churches dwell,Apparailled porely, proude of port;855The seven sacraments they don sell,In cattel-cacching is hir comfort.Of ech mattér they wollen mell,And don hem wrong is hir disport;To afray the people they ben fell,860And holde hem lower then doth the lord.For the tythinge of a ducke,Or of an apple, or an ay,They make men swere upon a boke;Thus they foulen Christes fay.865Such beren yvell heven-kay,They mowen assoyl, they mowë shryve;With mennes wyves strongly play,With trewë tillers sturte and stryveAt the wrestling, and at the wake;870And chefe chauntours at the nale;Market-beters, and medling make,Hoppen and houten with heve and hale.At fayrë freshe, and at wynë stale,Dyne and drinke, and make debat;875The seven sacraments set at sale;How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat?Mennes wyves they wollen holde;And though that they ben right sory,To speke they shull not be so bolde880For sompning to the consistory;And make hem say [with] mouth "I ly,"Though they it sawë with hir y;His lemman holden openly,No man so hardy to axë why!885He wol have tythinge and offringe,Maugrè who-so-ever it gruche;And twyës on the day woll singe;Goddes prestes nere none suche!He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he,890And blowen his horn, and cryën "hey!"And sorcery usen as a wicche;Such kepen yvell Peters key.Yet they mot have som stocke or stoonGayly paynted, and proudly dight,895To maken men [to] †leven upon,And say, that it is full of might;About such, men sette up greet light,Other such stockes shull stand therbyAs darkë as it were midnight,900For it may make no ma[i]stry.That lewed people see it mow,Thou, Mary, worchest wonder thinges;About that, that men offren to now,Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes;905The preest purchaseth the offringes,But he nill offre to none image;Wo is the soule that he for singes,That precheth for suche a pilgrimage!To men and women that ben pore,910That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse,Men shullen offre at hir doreThat suffren honger and distresse;And to suche imáges offre lesse,That mow not felë thurst ne cold;915The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse,Therfore offreth to feble and old.Buckelers brode, and swerdes longe,†Baudriks, with baselardes kene,Such toles about hir necke they honge;920With Antichrist such preestes been;Upon hir dedes it is well seneWhom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren;Antichristes they ben clene,And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren.925Of scarlet and grene gay[ë] gownes,That mot be shapë for the newe,To clippen and kissen counten in townesThe damoseles that to the daunce sewe;Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe,930With longë pykes on hir shoon;Our goddes gospell is not trewe,Eyther they serven the divell or noon!Now ben prestes pokes so wyde,Men must enlarge the vestëment;935The holy gospell they don hyde,For they contrarien in rayment.Such preestes of Lucifer ben sent,Lyk conquerours they ben arayd,Proude pendaunts at hir ars y-pent,940Falsly the truthe they han betrayd.Shryft-silver suchë wollen aske is,And woll men crepë to the crouche;None of the sacraments, save askes,Without[ë] mede shall no man touche.945On hir bishop their warant vouche,That is lawe of the decrè;With mede and money thus they mouche,And †this, they sayn, is charitè!In the middes of hir masse950They nill have no man but for hyre,And, full shortly, let forth passe;Such shull men finde[n] in ech shyreThat personages for profite desyre,To live in lykinge and in lustes;955I dar not sayn,sans ose ieo dyre,That such ben Antichristes preestes.Or they yef the bishops why,Or they mot ben in his servyce,And holden forth hir harlotry;960Such prelats ben of feble empryse.Of goddes grame such men agryse,For such mattérs that taken mede;How they excuse hem, and in what wyse,Me thinketh, they ought greetly drede.965They sayn, that it to no man longethTo reprove †hem, though they erre;But falsely goddes good they fongeth,And therwith maynteyn wo and werre.Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre,970Hir living, lewed mannes light;They say, the popë may not erre,Nede must that passë mannes might.Though a prest ly with his lemman al night,And tellen his felowe, and he him,975He goth to massë anon-right,And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne!His bryde abydeth him at his inne,And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle;He singeth his masse for he wolde winne,980And so he weneth god begyle!Hem thinketh long till they be met;And that they usen forth all the yere;Among the folk when he is set,He holdeth no man half his pere;985Of the bishop he hath powéreTo soyle men, or els they ben lore;His absolucion may make †hem skere;And wo is the soul that he singeth for!"The Griffon began for to threte,990And sayd, "of monkes canst thou ought?"The Pellican sayd, "they ben full grete,And in this world moch wo hath wrought.Saynt Benet, that hir order brought,Ne made hem never on such manere;995I trowe, it cam never in his thoughtThat they shulde use so greet powér[e];That a man shulde a monk lord cal,Ne serve on kneës, as a king.He is as proud as prince in pall1000In mete, and drink, and [in] all thing;Some weren myter and ring,With double worsted well y-dight,With royall mete and riche drink,And rydeth on courser as a knight.1005With hauke[s] and with houndes eke,With broches or ouches on his hode,Some say no masse in all a weke,Of deyntees is hir moste fode.With lordshippes and with bondmen1010This is a royall religioun;Saynt Benet made never none of hemTo have lordship of man ne town.Now they ben queynte and curious,With fyn cloth cladde, and served clene,1015Proude, angry, and envyous,Malyce is mochë that they mene.In cacching crafty and covetous,Lordly liven in greet lyking;This living is not religious1020According to Benet in his living.They ben clerkes, hir courtes they oversee,Hir pore tenaunts fully they flyte;The hyer that a man amerced be,The gladlyer they woll it wryte.1025This is fer from Christes povertè,For all with covetyse they endyte;On the pore they have no pitè,Ne never hem cherish, but ever hem byte.And comunly suche ben comen1030Of pore people, and of hem begete,That this perfeccion han y-nomen;Hir †faders ryde not but on hir fete,And travaylen sore for that they ete,In povert liveth, yonge and old;1035Hir †faders suffreth drought and wete,Many hongry meles, thurst, and cold.All this the monkes han forsakeFor Christes love and saynt Benet;To pryde and esë have hem take;1040This religio[u]n is yvell beset.Had they ben out of religioun,They must have honged at the plow,Threshing and dyking fro town to townWith sory mete, and not half y-now.1045Therfore they han this all forsake,And taken to riches, pryde, and ese;Full fewe for god woll monkes hem make,Litell is suche order for to prayse!Saynt Benet ordayned it not so,1050But bad hem be [ful] cherelich;In churlich maner live and go,Boystous in erth, and not lordlych.They disclaunder saynt Benet,Therfore they have his holy curse;1055Saynt Benet with hem never metBut-if they thought to robbe his purse!I can no more herof [now] tell,But they ben lykë tho before,And clenë serve the divell of hell,1060And ben his tresour and his store.And all suche other counterfaytours,Chanons, canons, and such disgysed,Ben goddes enemies and traytours,His true religion han foul dispysed.1065Of freres I have told beforeIn a making of a 'Crede,'And yet I coud tell worse and more,But men wold werien it to rede!As goddes goodnes no man tell might,1070Wryte ne speke, ne think in thought,So, hir falshed and hir unrightMay no man tell, that ever god wrought."The Gryffon sayd, "thou canst no good,Thou cam never of no gentill kind;1075Other, I trow, thou waxest wood,Or els thou hast [y-]lost thy mynd.Shuld holy churchë have no heed?Who shuld be her governayl?Who shuld her rule, who shuld her reed,1080Who shuld her forthren, who shuld avayl?Ech man shall live by his travayl;Who best doth, shall have moste mede;With strength if men the churche assayl,With strength men must defende her nede.1085And the pope were purely pore,Nedy, and nothing ne had,He shuld be driven from dore to dore;The wicked of him nold not be drad.Of such an heed men wold be sad,1090And sinfully liven as hem †list;With strength, amendes †shuld be made,With wepen, wolves from sheep be †wist.If the pope and prelats woldSo begge and bidde, bowe, and borowe,1095Holy churche shuld stand full cold,Hir servaunts sitte and soupë sorowe!And they were noughty, foule, and horowe,To worship god men woldë wlate;Bothe on even and on morowe1100Such harlotry men woldë hate.Therfore men of holy churcheShuld ben honest in all thing,Worshipfully goddes workes werche,So semeth it, to serve Christ hir king1105In honest and in clene clothing;With vessels of golde and clothes riche,To god honestly to make offring;To his lordship non is liche."The Pellican caste an houge cry,1110And sayd, "alas! why sayest thou so?Christ is our heed that sitteth on hy,Heddes ne ought we have no mo.We ben his membres both also,And †fader he taught us to cal him als;1115Maysters be called defended he tho;All other maysters ben wicked and fals,That taketh maystry in his name,Gostly, and for erthly good;Kinges and lordes shuld lordship han,1120And rule the people with myldë mode.Christ, for us that shedde his blood,Bad his preestes no maystership have,Ne carkë nat for cloth ne fode;From every mischef he will hem save.1125Hir riche clothing shal be rightwysnesse,Hir tresour, trewë lyf shal be;Charitè shal be hir richesse,Hir lordship shal be unitè;Hope in god, hir honestè;1130Hir vessell, clenë conscience;Pore in spirit, and humilitè,Shal be holy churches defence.""What," sayd the Griffon, "may thee greveThat other folkes faren wele?1135What hast thou to donë with hir †leve?Thy falsheed ech man may fele.For thou canst no catell gete,But livest in londe, as a lorell,With glosing gettest thou thy mete;1140So fareth the devell that wonneth in hell.He wold that ech man ther shuld dwell,For he liveth in clene envy;So with the tales that thou doest tellThou woldest other people distry,1145With your glose, and your heresy,For ye can live no better lyf,But clenë in hypocrisy,And bringest thee in wo and stryf.And therwith have [ye] not to done,1150For ye ne have[n] here no cure;Ye serve the divell, †not god ne man,And he shall payë you your hyre.For ye woll farë well at feestes,And warm [be] clothed for the colde,1155Therfore ye glose goddes hestes,And begyle the people, yonge and olde.And all the seven sacramentsYe speke ayenst, as ye were sly,Ayenst tythings with your entents,1160And on our lordes body falsly ly.All this ye don to live in ese,As who sayeth, ther ben non suche;And sayn, the pope is not worth a pese,To make the people ayen him gruche.1165And this commeth in by fendes,To bringe the Christen in distaunce;For they wold that no man were frendes;Leve thy chattring, with mischaunce!If thou live well, what wilt thou more?1170Let other men live as hem list;Spende in good, or kepe in store;Other mennes conscience never thou nist.Ye han no cure to answere for;What meddell ye, that han not to don?1175Let men live as they han don yore,For thou shalt answere for no †mon."The Pellican sayd, "Sir, nay, [nay],I dispysed not the pope,Ne no sacrament, soth to say;1180But speke in charitè and good hope.But I dispyse hir hyë pryde,Hir richesse, that shuld be pore in spryt;Hir wickednesse is knowe so wyde,They servë god in fals habyt;1185And turnen mekenesse into pryde,And lowlinesse into hy degrè,And goddes wordes turne and hyde;And that am I moved by charitèTo lettë men to livë so1190With all my conning and al my might,And to warne men of hir woAnd to tell hem trouth and right.The sacraments be soulë-heleIf they ben used in good use;1195Ayenst that speke I never a del,For then were I nothing wyse.But they that use hem in mis manére,Or sette hem up to any sale,I trow, they shall abye hem dere;1200This is my reson, this is my tale.Who-so taketh hem unrightfullicheAyenst the ten commaundëments,Or by glosë wrechedlicheSelleth any of the sacraments,1205I trow, they do the devell homageIn that they weten they do wrong;And therto, I dar well wage,They serven Satan for al her song.To tythen and offren is hoolsom lyf,1210So it be don in dew manére;A man to houselin and to shryve,Wedding, and all the other in-fere,So it be nother sold ne bought,Ne take ne give for covetyse;1215And it be so taken, it is nought;Who selleth hem so, may sore agryse.On our Lordes body I do not ly,I say soth, thorow trewë rede,His flesh and blood, through his mystry,1220Is there, in the forme of brede.How it is there, it nedeth not stryve,Whether it be subget or accident,But as Christ was, when he was on-lyve,So is he there, verament.1225If pope or cardinall live good lyve,As Christ commaunded in his gospell,†Ayenës that woll I not stryve;But, me thinketh, they live not well.For if the pope lived as god bede,1230Pryde and hyghnesse he shuld dispyse,Richesse, covetyse, and crowne on hede,Mekenesse and povert he shulde use."The Gryffon sayd, he shulde abye—"Thou shal[t] be brent in balefull fyre;1235And all thy secte I shall distrye,Ye shal be hanged by the swyre!Ye shullen be hanged and to-drawe.Who giveth you levë for to preche,Or speke †agaynës goddes lawe,1240And the people thus falsly teche?Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell,And dissevered from holy churche,And clene y-dampned into hell,Otherwyse but ye woll worche!"1245The Pellican sayd, "that I ne drede;Your cursinge is of litell value;Of god I hope to have my mede,For it is falshed that ye shewe.For ye ben out of charitè1250And wilneth vengeaunce, as did Nero;To suffren I woll redy be;I drede not that thou canst do.Christ bad ones suffre for his love,And so he taught all his servaunts;1255And but thou amend for his sake above,I drede not all thy mayntenaunce.For if I drede the worldes hate,Me thinketh, I were litell to prayse;I drede nothing your hye estat,1260Ne I drede not your disese.Wolde ye turne and leve your pryde,Your hyë port, and your richesse,Your cursing shuld not go so wyde;God bring you into rightwysnesse!1265For I drede not your tyranny,For nothing that ye can doon;To suffre I am all redy,Siker, I recke never how soon!"The Griffon grinned as he were wood,1270And loked lovely as an owle!And swor, by cockes hertë blood,He wolde him terë, every doule!"Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule!For thy resons I woll thee all to-race;1275And make thy flesh to rote and moule;Losell, thou shalt have hardë grace!"The Griffon flew forth on his way;The Pellican did sitte and weep;And to him-selfë he gan say,1280"God wolde that any of Christes sheepHad herd, and y-takë kepeEche a word that here sayd was,And wolde it wryte and well it kepe!God wolde it were all, for his grace!"1285Plowman.I answerde, and sayd I wolde,If for my travayl any wold pay.Pelican.He sayd, "yes; these that god han sold;For they han [greet] store of money!"Plowman.I sayd, "tell me, and thou may,1290Why tellest thou mennës trespace?"Pelican.He said, "to amende hem, in good fay,If god woll give me any grace.For Christ him-selfe is lykned to me,That for his people dyed on rode;1295As fare I, right so fareth he,He fedeth his birdes with his blode.But these don yvell †ayenës good,And ben his foon under frendes face;I tolde hem how hir living stood;1300God amende hem, for his grace!"Plowman."What ayleth the Griffon, tell [me] why,That he holdeth on that other syde?"Pellican."For they two ben [of kind], lykly,And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde.1305The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde,As Lucifer, that hygh †flowe was;And sith he did him in evell hyde,For he agilted goddes grace.As bird [that] flyeth up in the ayr,1310And liveth by birdes that ben meke,So these be flowe up in dispayr,And shenden sely soules eke.The soules that ben in sinnes seke,He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas!1315For brybry goddes forbode breke,God amende it, for his grace!The hinder part is a lyoun,A robber and a ravinere,That robbeth the people in erth a-down,1320And in erth holdeth non his pere;So fareth this foul, both fer and nere;With temporel strength they people chase,As a lyon proud in erthë here;God amende hem for hys grace!"1325He flew forth with his winges twayn,All drouping, dased, and dull.But soone the Griffon cam agayn,Of his foules the erth was full;The Pellican he had cast to pull.1330So greet a nombre never seen ther was;What maner of foules, tellen I woll,If god woll give me of his grace.With the Griffon comen foules fele,Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye,1335Gray foules, agadred wele,Y-gurd, above they woldë hye.Gledes and bosardes weren hem by;Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place;And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly,1340This felowship han for-gerd hir grace.Longe the Pellican was out,But at [the] laste he cometh agayn;And brought with him the Phenix stout.The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn;1345His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn,The Phenix tho began hem chace;To fly from him it was in vayn,For he did vengeaunce and no grace.He slew hem down without mercy,1350Ther astartë neyther free ne thrall;On him they cast a rufull cryWhen the Griffon down was fall.He beet hem not, but slew hem all;Whither he hem drove, no man may trace;1355Under the erthe, me thought, they yall;Alas! they had a feble grace!The Pellican then axed right,"For my wryting if I have blame,Who woll for me fight of flight?1360Who shall sheldë me from shame?He that had a mayd to dame,The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was,Shall sheldë me from gostly blame;For erthly harm is goddes grace.1365Therfore I praye every man,Of my wryting have me excused."This wryting wryteth the Pellican,That thus these people hath dispysed;For I am, fresh, fully advysed,1370I nill not maynteyn his manace.For the devell is †oft disguysed,To bringe a man to yvell grace.Wyteth the Pellican, and not me,For herof I nil not avowe,1375In hy ne in low, ne in no degrè,But as a fable take it ye mowe.To holy churche I will me bowe;Ech man to amende him, Christ send space!And for my wryting me alowe1380He that is almighty, for his grace.'Finis.

Here beginneth the Plowmans Prologue.

The Plowman plucked up his plow,Whan midsommer mone was comen in,And sayd, 'his beestes shuld ete y-now,And lig in the grasse, up to the chin;5They ben feble, both oxe and cow,Of hem nis left but boon and skin.'He shook of share, and cultre of-drow,And hong his harneys on a pin.

The Plowman plucked up his plow,

Whan midsommer mone was comen in,

And sayd, 'his beestes shuld ete y-now,

And lig in the grasse, up to the chin;

They ben feble, both oxe and cow,

Of hem nis left but boon and skin.'

He shook of share, and cultre of-drow,

And hong his harneys on a pin.

He took his tabard and his staf eke,10And on his heed he set his hat;And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke,On pilgrimage he goth forth plat.In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes,He was forswonke and all forswat;15Men might have seen through both his chekes,And every wang-toth and where it sat.

He took his tabard and his staf eke,

And on his heed he set his hat;

And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke,

On pilgrimage he goth forth plat.

In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes,

He was forswonke and all forswat;

Men might have seen through both his chekes,

And every wang-toth and where it sat.

Our hoste beheld wel all about,And saw this man was sunne y-brent;He knew well by his senged snout,20And by his clothes that were to-rent,He was a man wont to walke about,He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent;He coud not religiousliche lout,And therfore was he fully shent.

Our hoste beheld wel all about,

And saw this man was sunne y-brent;

He knew well by his senged snout,

And by his clothes that were to-rent,

He was a man wont to walke about,

He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent;

He coud not religiousliche lout,

And therfore was he fully shent.

25Our host him axed, 'what man art thou?''Sir,' quod he, 'I am an hyne;For I am wont to go to the plow,And erne my mete yer that I dyne.To swete and swinke I make avow,30My wyf and children therwith to fynd,And servë god, and I wist how;But we lewd men ben full[y] blynd.

Our host him axed, 'what man art thou?'

'Sir,' quod he, 'I am an hyne;

For I am wont to go to the plow,

And erne my mete yer that I dyne.

To swete and swinke I make avow,

My wyf and children therwith to fynd,

And servë god, and I wist how;

But we lewd men ben full[y] blynd.

For clerkes saye, we shullen be faynFor hir lyvelod [to] swete and swinke,35And they right nought us give agayn,Neyther to ete ne yet to drinke.They mowe by lawë, as they sayn,Us curse and dampne to hell[e] brinke;Thus they putten us to payn,40With candles queynt and belles clinke.

For clerkes saye, we shullen be fayn

For hir lyvelod [to] swete and swinke,

And they right nought us give agayn,

Neyther to ete ne yet to drinke.

They mowe by lawë, as they sayn,

Us curse and dampne to hell[e] brinke;

Thus they putten us to payn,

With candles queynt and belles clinke.

They make us thralles at hir lust,And sayn, we mowe nat els be saved;They have the corn and we the dust,Who speketh ther-agayn, they say he raved.'

They make us thralles at hir lust,

And sayn, we mowe nat els be saved;

They have the corn and we the dust,

Who speketh ther-agayn, they say he raved.'

45'What, man,' quod our host, 'canst thou preche?Come neer, and tell us some holy thing.''Sir,' quod he, 'I herde ones techeA prest in pulpit a good preching.''Say on,' quod our host, 'I thee beseche.'50'Sir, I am redy at your bidding.I pray you that no man me reprocheWhyl that I am my tale telling.

'What, man,' quod our host, 'canst thou preche?

Come neer, and tell us some holy thing.'

'Sir,' quod he, 'I herde ones teche

A prest in pulpit a good preching.'

'Say on,' quod our host, 'I thee beseche.'

'Sir, I am redy at your bidding.

I pray you that no man me reproche

Whyl that I am my tale telling.

Thus endeth the prologue, and here foloweth the firstpart of the tale.

Thus endeth the prologue, and here foloweth the first

part of the tale.

PART I.

A sternë stryf is stered neweIn many stedes in a stounde,55Of sondry sedes that ben sewe;It semeth that som ben unsounde.For some be gretë growen †on grounde,Some ben souple, simple and small;Whether of hem is falser founde,60The falser, foul mote him befall!

A sternë stryf is stered newe

In many stedes in a stounde,

Of sondry sedes that ben sewe;

It semeth that som ben unsounde.

For some be gretë growen †on grounde,

Some ben souple, simple and small;

Whether of hem is falser founde,

The falser, foul mote him befall!

That oon syde is, that I of tell,Popes, cardinals, and prelates,Parsons, monkes, and freres fell,Priours, abbottes of grete estates;65Of heven and hell they kepe the yates,And Peters successours they ben all;This is demed by oldë dates;But falshed, foul mote it befall!

That oon syde is, that I of tell,

Popes, cardinals, and prelates,

Parsons, monkes, and freres fell,

Priours, abbottes of grete estates;

Of heven and hell they kepe the yates,

And Peters successours they ben all;

This is demed by oldë dates;

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

The other syde ben poore and pale,70And people put [al] out of prees;And semë caytifs sore a-cale,And ever in oon without encrees,†I-cleped lollers and londlees;Who toteth on hem, they been untall.75They ben arayed all for the pees;But falshed, foul mote it befall!

The other syde ben poore and pale,

And people put [al] out of prees;

And semë caytifs sore a-cale,

And ever in oon without encrees,

†I-cleped lollers and londlees;

Who toteth on hem, they been untall.

They ben arayed all for the pees;

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

Many a countrey have I sought,To know the falser of these two;But ever my travail was for nought,80All so fer as I have go.But as I wandred in a wro,In a wode besyde a wall,Two foules saw I sitte tho;The falser, foul mote him befall!

Many a countrey have I sought,

To know the falser of these two;

But ever my travail was for nought,

All so fer as I have go.

But as I wandred in a wro,

In a wode besyde a wall,

Two foules saw I sitte tho;

The falser, foul mote him befall!

85That oon did plede on the Popes syde,A Griffon of a grim stature.A Pellicane withouten prydeTo these lollers layde his lure;He mused his matter in mesure,90To counsayl Christ ever gan he call.The Griffon shewed as sharp as fyre,But falshed, foul mote it befall!

That oon did plede on the Popes syde,

A Griffon of a grim stature.

A Pellicane withouten pryde

To these lollers layde his lure;

He mused his matter in mesure,

To counsayl Christ ever gan he call.

The Griffon shewed as sharp as fyre,

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

The Pellican began to precheBoth of mercy and of mekeness;95And sayd, that "Christ so gan us teche,And meke and merciable gan bless.The Evangely bereth witnessA lamb, he lykneth Christ over-all,In tokening that he mekest was,100Sith pryde was out of heven fall.

The Pellican began to preche

Both of mercy and of mekeness;

And sayd, that "Christ so gan us teche,

And meke and merciable gan bless.

The Evangely bereth witness

A lamb, he lykneth Christ over-all,

In tokening that he mekest was,

100

Sith pryde was out of heven fall.

And so shulde every Christned be;Preestes, Peters successours,Beth lowlich and of low degree,And usen none erthly honours,105Neyther crown, ne curious cove[r]tours,Ne †pelure, ne other proudë pall;Ne nought to cofren up greet tresours;For falshed, foul mote it befall!

And so shulde every Christned be;

Preestes, Peters successours,

Beth lowlich and of low degree,

And usen none erthly honours,

105

Neyther crown, ne curious cove[r]tours,

Ne †pelure, ne other proudë pall;

Ne nought to cofren up greet tresours;

For falshed, foul mote it befall!

Preest[e]s shuld for no cattel plede,110But chasten hem in charitè;Ne to no batail shuld men ledeFor inhaunsing of hir own degree;Nat wilnë sittings in hy see,Ne soverayntè in hous ne hall;115All worldly worship defye and flee;For who willeth highnes, foul shal fall!

Preest[e]s shuld for no cattel plede,

110

But chasten hem in charitè;

Ne to no batail shuld men lede

For inhaunsing of hir own degree;

Nat wilnë sittings in hy see,

Ne soverayntè in hous ne hall;

115

All worldly worship defye and flee;

For who willeth highnes, foul shal fall!

Alas! who may such sayntes callThat wilneth welde erthly honour?As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall,120In baleful blacknesse y-builde hir bour;That eggeth the people to errour,And maketh hem to hem [be] thrall;To Christ I hold suche oon traytour,As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall.

Alas! who may such sayntes call

That wilneth welde erthly honour?

As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall,

120

In baleful blacknesse y-builde hir bour;

That eggeth the people to errour,

And maketh hem to hem [be] thrall;

To Christ I hold suche oon traytour,

As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall.

125That willeth to be kinges peres,And hygher than the emperour;Some that were but pore freresNow wollen waxe a warryour.God is nat hir governour,130That holdeth no man his †peragall;Whyl covetyse is hir counsaylour,All such falshed mot nedë fall.

125

That willeth to be kinges peres,

And hygher than the emperour;

Some that were but pore freres

Now wollen waxe a warryour.

God is nat hir governour,

130

That holdeth no man his †peragall;

Whyl covetyse is hir counsaylour,

All such falshed mot nedë fall.

That hye on horse willeth rydeIn glitterand golde of grete aray,135I-paynted and portred all in pryde;No commun knight may go so gay.Chaunge of clothing every day,With golden girdles grete and small;As boystous as is bere at bay;140All such falshed mot nedë fall.

That hye on horse willeth ryde

In glitterand golde of grete aray,

135

I-paynted and portred all in pryde;

No commun knight may go so gay.

Chaunge of clothing every day,

With golden girdles grete and small;

As boystous as is bere at bay;

140

All such falshed mot nedë fall.

With prydë †punysheth the pore,And somë they sustayn with sale;Of holy churche maketh an hore,And filleth hir wombe with wyne and ale;145With money filleth many a male,And chaffren churches when they fall,And telleth the people a lewed tale;Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

With prydë †punysheth the pore,

And somë they sustayn with sale;

Of holy churche maketh an hore,

And filleth hir wombe with wyne and ale;

145

With money filleth many a male,

And chaffren churches when they fall,

And telleth the people a lewed tale;

Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

With chaunge of many maner metes,150With song and solace sitting long,And filleth hir wombë, and fast fretes,And from the metë to the gong;And after mete with harp and song,And ech man mot hem lordes call;155And hotë spyces ever among;Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

With chaunge of many maner metes,

150

With song and solace sitting long,

And filleth hir wombë, and fast fretes,

And from the metë to the gong;

And after mete with harp and song,

And ech man mot hem lordes call;

155

And hotë spyces ever among;

Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

And myters mo than oon or two,I-perled as the quenes heed;A staf of golde, and †perrey, lo!160As hevy as it were mad of leed;With cloth of gold both newe and reed,With glitterand †gown as grene as gall,By dome will dampnë men to deed;All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

And myters mo than oon or two,

I-perled as the quenes heed;

A staf of golde, and †perrey, lo!

160

As hevy as it were mad of leed;

With cloth of gold both newe and reed,

With glitterand †gown as grene as gall,

By dome will dampnë men to deed;

All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

165And Christes people proudly curseWith brode bokes, and braying bell;To putte pennyes in hir purseThey woll sell both heven and hell;And in hir sentence, and thou wilt dwell,170They willen gesse in hir gay hall;And though the soth thou of hem tell,In greet cursinge shalt thou fall.

165

And Christes people proudly curse

With brode bokes, and braying bell;

To putte pennyes in hir purse

They woll sell both heven and hell;

And in hir sentence, and thou wilt dwell,

170

They willen gesse in hir gay hall;

And though the soth thou of hem tell,

In greet cursinge shalt thou fall.

That is blessed, that they blesse,And cursed, that they cursë woll;175And thus the people they oppresse,And have their lordshippes at full;And many be marchauntes of woll,And to purse penyes woll come thrall;The porë people they all to-pull,180Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

That is blessed, that they blesse,

And cursed, that they cursë woll;

175

And thus the people they oppresse,

And have their lordshippes at full;

And many be marchauntes of woll,

And to purse penyes woll come thrall;

The porë people they all to-pull,

180

Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

Lordes motë to hem loute,Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing;They ryden with hir royall routeOn a courser, as it were a king;185With saddle of golde glitt[e]ringWith curious harneys quayntly crallit,Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling;All suche falshed, foul befall it!

Lordes motë to hem loute,

Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing;

They ryden with hir royall route

On a courser, as it were a king;

185

With saddle of golde glitt[e]ring

With curious harneys quayntly crallit,

Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling;

All suche falshed, foul befall it!

Christes ministers †cleped they been,190And rulen all in robberye;But Antichrist they serven clene,Attyred all in tyrannye;Witnesse of Johns prophecye,That Antichrist is hir admirall,195Tiffelers attyred in trecherye;All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

Christes ministers †cleped they been,

190

And rulen all in robberye;

But Antichrist they serven clene,

Attyred all in tyrannye;

Witnesse of Johns prophecye,

That Antichrist is hir admirall,

195

Tiffelers attyred in trecherye;

All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

Who sayth, that some of hem may sinne,He shal be †demed to be deed;Some of hem woll gladly winne200All ayenst that which god forbed;"All-holyest" they clepen hir heed,That of hir rulë is regall;Alas! that ever they eten breed;For all such falshed woll foul fall.

Who sayth, that some of hem may sinne,

He shal be †demed to be deed;

Some of hem woll gladly winne

200

All ayenst that which god forbed;

"All-holyest" they clepen hir heed,

That of hir rulë is regall;

Alas! that ever they eten breed;

For all such falshed woll foul fall.

205Hir heed loveth all honour,And to be worshipped in worde and dede;Kinges mot to hem knele and coure;To the apostles, that Christ forbede;To popes hestes such taketh more hede210Than to kepe Christes commaundëment;Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede,They holdeth him hole omnipotent.

205

Hir heed loveth all honour,

And to be worshipped in worde and dede;

Kinges mot to hem knele and coure;

To the apostles, that Christ forbede;

To popes hestes such taketh more hede

210

Than to kepe Christes commaundëment;

Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede,

They holdeth him hole omnipotent.

He ordayneth by his ordinaunceTo parish-preestes a powére;215To another a greter avaunce,A greter poynt to his mystere;But for he is hyghest in erth here,To him reserveth he many a poynt;But to Christ, that hath no pere,220Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt.

He ordayneth by his ordinaunce

To parish-preestes a powére;

215

To another a greter avaunce,

A greter poynt to his mystere;

But for he is hyghest in erth here,

To him reserveth he many a poynt;

But to Christ, that hath no pere,

220

Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt.

So semeth he above[n] all,And Christ aboven him nothing;Whan he sitteth in his stall,Dampneth and saveth as him think.225Such pryde tofore god doth stink;An angell bad John to him nat knele,But only to god do his bowing;Such willers of worship must evil fele.

So semeth he above[n] all,

And Christ aboven him nothing;

Whan he sitteth in his stall,

Dampneth and saveth as him think.

225

Such pryde tofore god doth stink;

An angell bad John to him nat knele,

But only to god do his bowing;

Such willers of worship must evil fele.

They ne clepen Christ butsanctus deus,230And clepen her heedSanctissimus;They that such a sect[ë] sewis,I trowe, they taken hem amisse.In erth[ë] here they have hir blisse,Hir hye master is Belial;235†Christ his people from hem wisse!For all such falsë will foul fall!

They ne clepen Christ butsanctus deus,

230

And clepen her heedSanctissimus;

They that such a sect[ë] sewis,

I trowe, they taken hem amisse.

In erth[ë] here they have hir blisse,

Hir hye master is Belial;

235

†Christ his people from hem wisse!

For all such falsë will foul fall!

They mowë both[ë] binde and lose,And all is for hir holy lyf;To save or dampne they mowë chose,240Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf.Many a man is killed with knyf,To wete which of hem have lordship shall;For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve;For all such falshed will foul fall.

They mowë both[ë] binde and lose,

And all is for hir holy lyf;

To save or dampne they mowë chose,

240

Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf.

Many a man is killed with knyf,

To wete which of hem have lordship shall;

For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve;

For all such falshed will foul fall.

245Christ sayd:Qui gladio percutitWith swerdë shall [he surely] dye;He bad his preestes pees and grith,And bad hem not drede for to dye;And bad them be both simple and slye,250And carkë not for no cattall,And †truste on god that sitteth on hye;For all [such] falsë shull foul fall.

245

Christ sayd:Qui gladio percutit

With swerdë shall [he surely] dye;

He bad his preestes pees and grith,

And bad hem not drede for to dye;

And bad them be both simple and slye,

250

And carkë not for no cattall,

And †truste on god that sitteth on hye;

For all [such] falsë shull foul fall.

These wollen makë men to swereAyenst Christes commaundëment;255And Christes membres all to-tereOn rode as he wer newe y-rent.Suche lawes they make by commun assent,Ech on it choweth as a ball;Thus the pore be fully shent,260But ever falshed foule it †fall!

These wollen makë men to swere

Ayenst Christes commaundëment;

255

And Christes membres all to-tere

On rode as he wer newe y-rent.

Suche lawes they make by commun assent,

Ech on it choweth as a ball;

Thus the pore be fully shent,

260

But ever falshed foule it †fall!

They usen [never] no symonye,But sellen churches and prioryes;Ne [yet] they usen no envye,But cursen all hem contraryes;265And hyreth men by dayes and yeresWith strength to holde hem in hir stall;And culleth all hir adversaryes;Therefor, falshed! foul thou fall!

They usen [never] no symonye,

But sellen churches and prioryes;

Ne [yet] they usen no envye,

But cursen all hem contraryes;

265

And hyreth men by dayes and yeres

With strength to holde hem in hir stall;

And culleth all hir adversaryes;

Therefor, falshed! foul thou fall!

With purse they purchase personage,270With purse they paynen hem to plede;And men of warrë they woll wage,To bringe hir enemyes to the dede.And lordes lyves they woll lede,And moche take, and give but small;275But he it so get, from it shall shede,And make such falsë right foul fal!

With purse they purchase personage,

270

With purse they paynen hem to plede;

And men of warrë they woll wage,

To bringe hir enemyes to the dede.

And lordes lyves they woll lede,

And moche take, and give but small;

275

But he it so get, from it shall shede,

And make such falsë right foul fal!

They halowe nothing but for hyre,Churchë, font, ne vestëment;And make[n] orders in every shyre,280But preestes paye for the parchement;Of ryatours they taken rent,Therwith they smere the shepes skall;For many churches ben oft suspent;All such falshed, yet foul it fall!

They halowe nothing but for hyre,

Churchë, font, ne vestëment;

And make[n] orders in every shyre,

280

But preestes paye for the parchement;

Of ryatours they taken rent,

Therwith they smere the shepes skall;

For many churches ben oft suspent;

All such falshed, yet foul it fall!

285Some liveth nat in lecherye,But haunten wenches, widdowes, and wyves,And punisheth the pore for putrye;Them-selfe it useth all their lyves.And but a man to them [him] shryves,290To heven comë never he shall;He shal be cursed as be captyves,To hell they sayn that he shall fall.

285

Some liveth nat in lecherye,

But haunten wenches, widdowes, and wyves,

And punisheth the pore for putrye;

Them-selfe it useth all their lyves.

And but a man to them [him] shryves,

290

To heven comë never he shall;

He shal be cursed as be captyves,

To hell they sayn that he shall fall.

There was more mercy in Maximien,And in Nero, that never was good,295Than [there] is now in some of †hemWhan he hath on his furred hood.They folowe Christ that shedde his bloodTo heven, as bucket in-to the wall;Suche wreches ben worse than wood;300And all such faytours, foule hem fall!

There was more mercy in Maximien,

And in Nero, that never was good,

295

Than [there] is now in some of †hem

Whan he hath on his furred hood.

They folowe Christ that shedde his blood

To heven, as bucket in-to the wall;

Suche wreches ben worse than wood;

300

And all such faytours, foule hem fall!

They give hir almesse to the riche,To maynteynours, and to men of lawe;For to lordes they woll be liche,An harlottes sone nat worth an hawe!305Sothfastnessë suche han slawe,They kembe hir crokets with cristall;And drede of god they have down drawe;All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

They give hir almesse to the riche,

To maynteynours, and to men of lawe;

For to lordes they woll be liche,

An harlottes sone nat worth an hawe!

305

Sothfastnessë suche han slawe,

They kembe hir crokets with cristall;

And drede of god they have down drawe;

All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

They maken parsons for the penny,310And canons of hir cardinals;Unnethes amongest hem all anyThat he ne hath glosed the gospell fals!For Christ made never no cathedrals,Ne with him was no cardinall315Wyth a reed hatte as usen mynstrals;But falshed, foul mote it befall!

They maken parsons for the penny,

310

And canons of hir cardinals;

Unnethes amongest hem all any

That he ne hath glosed the gospell fals!

For Christ made never no cathedrals,

Ne with him was no cardinall

315

Wyth a reed hatte as usen mynstrals;

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

†Hir tything, and hir offring both,They cle[y]meth it by possessio[u]n;Thérof nill they none forgo,320But robben men as [by] raunsoun.The tything ofTurpe lucrumWith these maisters is meynall;Tything of bribry and larsonWill makë falshed full foul fall!

†Hir tything, and hir offring both,

They cle[y]meth it by possessio[u]n;

Thérof nill they none forgo,

320

But robben men as [by] raunsoun.

The tything ofTurpe lucrum

With these maisters is meynall;

Tything of bribry and larson

Will makë falshed full foul fall!

325They taken to fermë hir sompnoursTo harme the people what they may;To pardoners and false faytoursSell hir seles, I dar well say;And all to holden greet array,330To multiply hem more metall,They drede full litell domes dayWhan all such [falsë] shall foul fall.

325

They taken to fermë hir sompnours

To harme the people what they may;

To pardoners and false faytours

Sell hir seles, I dar well say;

And all to holden greet array,

330

To multiply hem more metall,

They drede full litell domes day

Whan all such [falsë] shall foul fall.

Suche harlottes shull men disclaunderFor they shullen make hir gree,335And ben as proude as Alexaunder,And sayn to the pore, "wo be ye!"By yere ech preest shall paye his feeTo encrese his lemmans call;Suche herdes shull well yvell thee,340And all such falsë shull foul fall!

Suche harlottes shull men disclaunder

For they shullen make hir gree,

335

And ben as proude as Alexaunder,

And sayn to the pore, "wo be ye!"

By yere ech preest shall paye his fee

To encrese his lemmans call;

Suche herdes shull well yvell thee,

340

And all such falsë shull foul fall!

And if a man be falsly famed,And woldë make purgacioun,Than woll the officers be agramed,And assigne him fro town to town;345So nede he must[e] paye raunsounThough he be clene as is cristall,And than have an absolutioun;But all such falsë shull foul fall!

And if a man be falsly famed,

And woldë make purgacioun,

Than woll the officers be agramed,

And assigne him fro town to town;

345

So nede he must[e] paye raunsoun

Though he be clene as is cristall,

And than have an absolutioun;

But all such falsë shull foul fall!

Though he be gilty of the dede,350And that he [yet] may money pay,All the whyle his purse woll bledeHe may use it fro day to day!These bishoppes officers goon full gay,And this game they usen over-all;355The pore to pill is all †hir pray;All such falsë shull foul fall!

Though he be gilty of the dede,

350

And that he [yet] may money pay,

All the whyle his purse woll blede

He may use it fro day to day!

These bishoppes officers goon full gay,

And this game they usen over-all;

355

The pore to pill is all †hir pray;

All such falsë shull foul fall!

Alas! god ordayned never such lawe,Ne no such craft of covetyse;He forbad it, by his sawe,360Such governours mowen of god agryse;For all his rules †ben rightwyse.These newe poyntes ben pure papall,And goddes lawë they dispyse;And all such faytours shul foul fall!

Alas! god ordayned never such lawe,

Ne no such craft of covetyse;

He forbad it, by his sawe,

360

Such governours mowen of god agryse;

For all his rules †ben rightwyse.

These newe poyntes ben pure papall,

And goddes lawë they dispyse;

And all such faytours shul foul fall!

365They sayn that Peter had the keyOf hevin and hell, to have and hold;I trowe Peter took no moneyFor no sinnes that he sold!Such successours ben to bold,370In winning all their wit they wrall;Hir conscience is waxen cold;And all such faytours, foule hem fall!

365

They sayn that Peter had the key

Of hevin and hell, to have and hold;

I trowe Peter took no money

For no sinnes that he sold!

Such successours ben to bold,

370

In winning all their wit they wrall;

Hir conscience is waxen cold;

And all such faytours, foule hem fall!

Peter was never so great a foleTo leve his key with such a lorell,375Or to take such cursed such a toleHe was advysed nothing well.I trowe, they have the key of hell;†Hir maister is of that place marshall;For there they dressen hem to dwell,380And with fals Lucifer there to fall.

Peter was never so great a fole

To leve his key with such a lorell,

375

Or to take such cursed such a tole

He was advysed nothing well.

I trowe, they have the key of hell;

†Hir maister is of that place marshall;

For there they dressen hem to dwell,

380

And with fals Lucifer there to fall.

They ben as proude as Lucifer,As angry, and as envious;From good fayth they ben full fer,In covetyse they ben curious;385To catche catell as covytousAs hound, that for hunger woll yall;Ungoodly, and ungracious;And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall!

They ben as proude as Lucifer,

As angry, and as envious;

From good fayth they ben full fer,

In covetyse they ben curious;

385

To catche catell as covytous

As hound, that for hunger woll yall;

Ungoodly, and ungracious;

And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall!

The pope, and he were Peters heyr,390Me think, he erreth in this cas,Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr,To chosen hem in dyvers place;A lord shall write to him for grace,For his clerke †pray anon he shall;395So shall he spede[n] his purchas;And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

The pope, and he were Peters heyr,

390

Me think, he erreth in this cas,

Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr,

To chosen hem in dyvers place;

A lord shall write to him for grace,

For his clerke †pray anon he shall;

395

So shall he spede[n] his purchas;

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

Though he †conne no more good,A lordes prayer shal be sped;Though he be wild of will or wood,400Nat understanding what men han red,A boster, and (that god forbede!)As good a bishop †as my hors Ball,Suche a pope is foule be-sted,And at [the] lastë woll foul fall!

Though he †conne no more good,

A lordes prayer shal be sped;

Though he be wild of will or wood,

400

Nat understanding what men han red,

A boster, and (that god forbede!)

As good a bishop †as my hors Ball,

Suche a pope is foule be-sted,

And at [the] lastë woll foul fall!

405He maketh bishops for erthly thank,And nothing for Christes sake;Such that ben ful fatte and rank,To soulë hele non hede they take.Al is well don what ever they make,410For they shal answere at †ones for all;For worldes thank, such worch and wake,And all such falsë shall foul fall!

405

He maketh bishops for erthly thank,

And nothing for Christes sake;

Such that ben ful fatte and rank,

To soulë hele non hede they take.

Al is well don what ever they make,

410

For they shal answere at †ones for all;

For worldes thank, such worch and wake,

And all such falsë shall foul fall!

Suche that †connë nat hir CredeWith prayer shull be mad prelates;415Nother †conne the gospell rede,Such shull now welde hye estates.The hye goodes frendship hem makes,They toteth on hir somme totall;Such bere the keyes of hell-yates,420And all such falsë shall foul fall.

Suche that †connë nat hir Crede

With prayer shull be mad prelates;

415

Nother †conne the gospell rede,

Such shull now welde hye estates.

The hye goodes frendship hem makes,

They toteth on hir somme totall;

Such bere the keyes of hell-yates,

420

And all such falsë shall foul fall.

They forsake, for Christes love,Traveyl, hunger, thurst, and cold;For they ben ordred ever all aboveOut of youthe til they ben old.425By the dore they go nat in-to the fold,To helpe †hir sheep they nought travall;Hyred men all suche I holde,And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

They forsake, for Christes love,

Traveyl, hunger, thurst, and cold;

For they ben ordred ever all above

Out of youthe til they ben old.

425

By the dore they go nat in-to the fold,

To helpe †hir sheep they nought travall;

Hyred men all suche I holde,

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

For Christ hir king they woll forsake,430And knowe him nought for his povert;For Christes lovë they woll wake,And drink pyment [and] ale apart.Of god they seme nothing a-ferd;As lusty liveth, as Lamuall,435And dryve hir sheep into desert;All such faytours shull foul fall!

For Christ hir king they woll forsake,

430

And knowe him nought for his povert;

For Christes lovë they woll wake,

And drink pyment [and] ale apart.

Of god they seme nothing a-ferd;

As lusty liveth, as Lamuall,

435

And dryve hir sheep into desert;

All such faytours shull foul fall!

Christ hath twelve apostels here;Now say they, ther may be but oon,That may nat erre in no manere;440Who leveth nat this, ben lost echoon!Peter erred, so dide nat John;Why is he cleped the principall?Christ cleped him Peter, but himself the stoon;All falsë faytours, foule hem fall!

Christ hath twelve apostels here;

Now say they, ther may be but oon,

That may nat erre in no manere;

440

Who leveth nat this, ben lost echoon!

Peter erred, so dide nat John;

Why is he cleped the principall?

Christ cleped him Peter, but himself the stoon;

All falsë faytours, foule hem fall!

445Why cursen they the croysery,Christes Christen crëatures?For bytwene hem is now envyTo be enhaunsed in honours.And Christen livers, with hir labours,450For they leve on no man mortall,†Ben do to dethe with dishonours;And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

445

Why cursen they the croysery,

Christes Christen crëatures?

For bytwene hem is now envy

To be enhaunsed in honours.

And Christen livers, with hir labours,

450

For they leve on no man mortall,

†Ben do to dethe with dishonours;

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

What knoweth a tillour at the plowThe popes name, and what he hat?455His crede suffyseth him y-now,And knoweth a cardinall by his hat.Rough is the pore, unrightly lat,That knoweth Christ his god royall;Such maters be nat worth a gnat;460But such false faytours, foule hem fall!

What knoweth a tillour at the plow

The popes name, and what he hat?

455

His crede suffyseth him y-now,

And knoweth a cardinall by his hat.

Rough is the pore, unrightly lat,

That knoweth Christ his god royall;

Such maters be nat worth a gnat;

460

But such false faytours, foule hem fall!

A king shall knele and kisse his sho;Christ suffred a sinfull kisse his feet.Me thinketh, he holdeth him hye y-now,So Lucifer did, that hye †seet.465Such oon, me thinketh, him-self foryet,Either to the trouth he was nat call;Christ, that suffred woundes wet,Shall makë such falshed foul fall!

A king shall knele and kisse his sho;

Christ suffred a sinfull kisse his feet.

Me thinketh, he holdeth him hye y-now,

So Lucifer did, that hye †seet.

465

Such oon, me thinketh, him-self foryet,

Either to the trouth he was nat call;

Christ, that suffred woundes wet,

Shall makë such falshed foul fall!

They layeth out hir largë nettes470For to take silver and gold,Fillen coffers, and sackes fettes,There-as they soules cacche shold.Hir servaunts be to †hem unhold,But they can doublin †hir rentall475To bigge hem castels, and bigge hem hold;And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

They layeth out hir largë nettes

470

For to take silver and gold,

Fillen coffers, and sackes fettes,

There-as they soules cacche shold.

Hir servaunts be to †hem unhold,

But they can doublin †hir rentall

475

To bigge hem castels, and bigge hem hold;

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

Here endeth the first part of this tale, and herafterfoloweth the seconde part.

Here endeth the first part of this tale, and herafter

foloweth the seconde part.

PART II.

To accorde with this wordë "fal"No more English can I find;Shewe another now I shall,480For I have moche to say behind,How preestes han the people pynd,As curteys Christ hath me [y-]kend,And put this matter in my mindTo make this maner men amend.

To accorde with this wordë "fal"

No more English can I find;

Shewe another now I shall,

480

For I have moche to say behind,

How preestes han the people pynd,

As curteys Christ hath me [y-]kend,

And put this matter in my mind

To make this maner men amend.

485Shortly to shende hem, and shewe nowHow wrongfully they worche and walke;O hye god, nothing they tell, ne how,But in goddes word, †tell many a balke.In hernes holde hem and in halke,490And prechin of tythes and offrend,And untruely of the gospell talke;For his mercy, god it amend!

485

Shortly to shende hem, and shewe now

How wrongfully they worche and walke;

O hye god, nothing they tell, ne how,

But in goddes word, †tell many a balke.

In hernes holde hem and in halke,

490

And prechin of tythes and offrend,

And untruely of the gospell talke;

For his mercy, god it amend!

What is Antichrist to sayBut evin Christes adversáry?495Such hath now ben many a dayTo Christes bidding full contráry,That from the trouthë clenë vary;Out of the wayë they ben wend;And Christes people untruely cary;500God, for his pitè, it amend!

What is Antichrist to say

But evin Christes adversáry?

495

Such hath now ben many a day

To Christes bidding full contráry,

That from the trouthë clenë vary;

Out of the wayë they ben wend;

And Christes people untruely cary;

500

God, for his pitè, it amend!

That liven contráry to Christes lyf,In hye pride agaynst mekenesse;Agaynst suffraunce they usen stryf,And angre ayenst sobrenesse;505Agaynst wisdom, wilfulnesse;To Christes tales litell tend;Agaynst mesúre, outragiousnesse;But whan god woll, it may amend!

That liven contráry to Christes lyf,

In hye pride agaynst mekenesse;

Agaynst suffraunce they usen stryf,

And angre ayenst sobrenesse;

505

Agaynst wisdom, wilfulnesse;

To Christes tales litell tend;

Agaynst mesúre, outragiousnesse;

But whan god woll, it may amend!

Lordly lyf ayenst lowlinesse,510And demin all without mercy;And covetyse ayenst largesse,Agaynst trewth[e], trechery;And agaynst almesse, envy;Agaynst Christ they comprehend.515For chastitè, they maynteyn lechery;God, for his gracë, this amend!

Lordly lyf ayenst lowlinesse,

510

And demin all without mercy;

And covetyse ayenst largesse,

Agaynst trewth[e], trechery;

And agaynst almesse, envy;

Agaynst Christ they comprehend.

515

For chastitè, they maynteyn lechery;

God, for his gracë, this amend!

Ayenst penaunce they use delytes,Ayenst suffraunce, strong defence;Ayenst god they use yvel rightes,520Agaynst pitè, punishments;Open yvell ayenst continence;Hir wicked winning wors dispend;Sobrenesse they sette in-to dispence;But god, for his goodnesse, it amend!

Ayenst penaunce they use delytes,

Ayenst suffraunce, strong defence;

Ayenst god they use yvel rightes,

520

Agaynst pitè, punishments;

Open yvell ayenst continence;

Hir wicked winning wors dispend;

Sobrenesse they sette in-to dispence;

But god, for his goodnesse, it amend!

525Why cleymen they hoolly his powére,And wranglen ayenst all his hestes?His living folowen they nothing here,But liven wors than witles beestes.Of fish and flesh they loven feestes,530As lordes, they ben brode y-kend;Of goddes pore they haten gestes;God, for his mercy, this amend!

525

Why cleymen they hoolly his powére,

And wranglen ayenst all his hestes?

His living folowen they nothing here,

But liven wors than witles beestes.

Of fish and flesh they loven feestes,

530

As lordes, they ben brode y-kend;

Of goddes pore they haten gestes;

God, for his mercy, this amend!

With †Dives such shall have hir doomThat sayn that they be Christes frendes,535And do nothing as they shuld doon;All such ben falser than ben fendes.On the people they ley such bendes,As god is in erthe, they han offend;Sucour for suchë Christ now sende us.540And, for his mercy, this amend!

With †Dives such shall have hir doom

That sayn that they be Christes frendes,

535

And do nothing as they shuld doon;

All such ben falser than ben fendes.

On the people they ley such bendes,

As god is in erthe, they han offend;

Sucour for suchë Christ now sende us.

540

And, for his mercy, this amend!

A token of Antichrist they be,His careckes ben now wyde y-know;Receyved to preche shall no man beWithout[ë] token of him, I trow.545Ech Christen preest to prechen ow,From god abovë they ben send.Goddes word to all folk for to show,Sinfull man for to amend.

A token of Antichrist they be,

His careckes ben now wyde y-know;

Receyved to preche shall no man be

Without[ë] token of him, I trow.

545

Ech Christen preest to prechen ow,

From god abovë they ben send.

Goddes word to all folk for to show,

Sinfull man for to amend.

Christ sente the pore for to preche;550The royall riche he did nat so;Now dar no pore the people teche,For Antichrist is over-all hir fo.Among the people he mot go;He hath bidden, all such suspend;555Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo;But all this god may well amend.

Christ sente the pore for to preche;

550

The royall riche he did nat so;

Now dar no pore the people teche,

For Antichrist is over-all hir fo.

Among the people he mot go;

He hath bidden, all such suspend;

555

Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo;

But all this god may well amend.

All tho that han the world forsake,And liven lo[w]ly, as god bad,In-to hir prison shullen be take,560Betin and bounden, and forth lad.Herof I rede no man be drad;Christ sayd, his [servaunts] shulde be shend;Ech man ought herof be glad;For god ful well it woll amend.

All tho that han the world forsake,

And liven lo[w]ly, as god bad,

In-to hir prison shullen be take,

560

Betin and bounden, and forth lad.

Herof I rede no man be drad;

Christ sayd, his [servaunts] shulde be shend;

Ech man ought herof be glad;

For god ful well it woll amend.

565They take on hem royáll powére,And saye, they havë swerdes two,Oon curse to hell, oon slee men here;For at his taking Christ had no mo,Yet Peter had [that] oon of tho.570But Christ to Peter smyte gan defend,And in-to the sheth bad putte it tho;And all such mischeves god amend!

565

They take on hem royáll powére,

And saye, they havë swerdes two,

Oon curse to hell, oon slee men here;

For at his taking Christ had no mo,

Yet Peter had [that] oon of tho.

570

But Christ to Peter smyte gan defend,

And in-to the sheth bad putte it tho;

And all such mischeves god amend!

Christ bad Peter kepe his sheep,And with his swerde forbad him smyte;575Swerd is no tole with sheep to kepeBut to shep[h]erdes that sheep woll byte.Me thinketh, suche shep[h]erdes ben to wyteAyen hir sheep with swerd that contend;They dryve hir sheep with greet dispyte;580But al this god may well amend.

Christ bad Peter kepe his sheep,

And with his swerde forbad him smyte;

575

Swerd is no tole with sheep to kepe

But to shep[h]erdes that sheep woll byte.

Me thinketh, suche shep[h]erdes ben to wyte

Ayen hir sheep with swerd that contend;

They dryve hir sheep with greet dispyte;

580

But al this god may well amend.

So successours to Peter be they noughtWhom [that] Christ madë cheef pastour;A swerd no shep[h]erde usen oughtBut he wold slee as a bochour.585For who-so were Peters successourShuld bere his sheep till his bak bend,And shadowe hem from every shour;And all this god may wel amend.

So successours to Peter be they nought

Whom [that] Christ madë cheef pastour;

A swerd no shep[h]erde usen ought

But he wold slee as a bochour.

585

For who-so were Peters successour

Shuld bere his sheep till his bak bend,

And shadowe hem from every shour;

And all this god may wel amend.

Successours to Peter ben these590In that that Peter Christ forsook,That had lever the love of god [to] leseThan a shep[h]erde had to lese his hook.He culleth the sheep as doth the cook;Of hem [they] taken the woll untrend,595And falsely glose the gospell-book;God, for his mercy, †hem amend!

Successours to Peter ben these

590

In that that Peter Christ forsook,

That had lever the love of god [to] lese

Than a shep[h]erde had to lese his hook.

He culleth the sheep as doth the cook;

Of hem [they] taken the woll untrend,

595

And falsely glose the gospell-book;

God, for his mercy, †hem amend!

After Christ had take Peter the kay,Christ sayd, he mustë dye for man;That Peter to Christ gan withsay;600Christ bad him, 'go behind, Sathan!'Such counsaylours many of these men hanFor worldes wele, god to offend;Peters successours they ben for-than,But all such god may well amend.

After Christ had take Peter the kay,

Christ sayd, he mustë dye for man;

That Peter to Christ gan withsay;

600

Christ bad him, 'go behind, Sathan!'

Such counsaylours many of these men han

For worldes wele, god to offend;

Peters successours they ben for-than,

But all such god may well amend.

605For Sathan is to say no moreBut he that contrary to Christ is;In this they lernë Peters lore,They sewen him whan he did mis;They folowe Peter forsothe in this,610In al that Christ wolde †him reprende,Nat in that that longeth to hevin blis;God for his mercy hem amend!

605

For Sathan is to say no more

But he that contrary to Christ is;

In this they lernë Peters lore,

They sewen him whan he did mis;

They folowe Peter forsothe in this,

610

In al that Christ wolde †him reprende,

Nat in that that longeth to hevin blis;

God for his mercy hem amend!

Some of the apostels they sewen in cas,Of ought that I can understonde,615Him that betrayed Christ, Judas,That bar the purse in every londe;And al that he might sette on honde,He hidde and stal, and [gan] mispend;His rule these traytours han in honde;620Almighty god [now] hem amend!

Some of the apostels they sewen in cas,

Of ought that I can understonde,

615

Him that betrayed Christ, Judas,

That bar the purse in every londe;

And al that he might sette on honde,

He hidde and stal, and [gan] mispend;

His rule these traytours han in honde;

620

Almighty god [now] hem amend!

And at last his lord gan trayCursedly, through his covetyse;So wolde these trayen him for money,And they wisten in what wyse!625They be seker of the selfe ensyse;From all sothnesse they ben frend;And covetyse chaungen with queyntyse;Almighty god all suche amend!

And at last his lord gan tray

Cursedly, through his covetyse;

So wolde these trayen him for money,

And they wisten in what wyse!

625

They be seker of the selfe ensyse;

From all sothnesse they ben frend;

And covetyse chaungen with queyntyse;

Almighty god all suche amend!

Were Christ on erthë here eft-soon,630These wolde dampnë him to dye;All his hestes they han fordon,And sayn, his sawes ben heresy;Ayenst his †maundëments they cry,And dampne all his to be [y-]brend;635For it lyketh nat hem, such losengery;God almighty hem amend!

Were Christ on erthë here eft-soon,

630

These wolde dampnë him to dye;

All his hestes they han fordon,

And sayn, his sawes ben heresy;

Ayenst his †maundëments they cry,

And dampne all his to be [y-]brend;

635

For it lyketh nat hem, such losengery;

God almighty hem amend!

These han more might in England hereThan hath the king and all his lawe,They han purchased hem such powére640To taken hem whom [they] list nat knawe;And say, that heresy is hir sawe,And so to prison woll hem send;It was nat so by elder dawe,God, for his mercy, it amend!

These han more might in England here

Than hath the king and all his lawe,

They han purchased hem such powére

640

To taken hem whom [they] list nat knawe;

And say, that heresy is hir sawe,

And so to prison woll hem send;

It was nat so by elder dawe,

God, for his mercy, it amend!

645The kinges lawe wol no man demeAngerliche, withouten answere;But, if any man these misqueme,He shal be baited as a bere;And yet wel wors they woll him tere,650And in prisón woll hem [be] pendIn gyves, and in other gere;Whan god woll, it may [a]mend.

645

The kinges lawe wol no man deme

Angerliche, withouten answere;

But, if any man these misqueme,

He shal be baited as a bere;

And yet wel wors they woll him tere,

650

And in prisón woll hem [be] pend

In gyves, and in other gere;

Whan god woll, it may [a]mend.

The king taxeth nat his menBut by assent of the comminaltè;655But these, ech yere, woll raunsom hemMaysterfully, more than doth he;Hir seles, by yerë, better beThan is the kinges in extend;Hir officers han gretter fee;660But this mischeef [may] god amend!

The king taxeth nat his men

But by assent of the comminaltè;

655

But these, ech yere, woll raunsom hem

Maysterfully, more than doth he;

Hir seles, by yerë, better be

Than is the kinges in extend;

Hir officers han gretter fee;

660

But this mischeef [may] god amend!

For who-so woll prove a testamentThát is natt all worth ten pound,He shall paye for the parchëmentThe third part of the money all round.665Thus the people is raunsound,They say, such part to hem shulde apend;There as they grypen, it goth to ground;God, for his mercy, it amend!

For who-so woll prove a testament

Thát is natt all worth ten pound,

He shall paye for the parchëment

The third part of the money all round.

665

Thus the people is raunsound,

They say, such part to hem shulde apend;

There as they grypen, it goth to ground;

God, for his mercy, it amend!

A simple fornicacioun,670Twenty shillings he shall pay;And than have an absolucioun,And al the yere usen it forth he may!Thus they letten hem go a-stray,They recke nat though the soul be brend;675These kepin yvell Peters key,And all such shep[h]erdes god amend!

A simple fornicacioun,

670

Twenty shillings he shall pay;

And than have an absolucioun,

And al the yere usen it forth he may!

Thus they letten hem go a-stray,

They recke nat though the soul be brend;

675

These kepin yvell Peters key,

And all such shep[h]erdes god amend!

Wonder is, that the parliamentAnd all the lordes of this londHere-to taken so litell entent680To helpe the people out of hir hond;For they ben harder in †hir bond,Wors bete[n] and [more] bitter brendThan to the king is understond;God him helpe this to amend!

Wonder is, that the parliament

And all the lordes of this lond

Here-to taken so litell entent

680

To helpe the people out of hir hond;

For they ben harder in †hir bond,

Wors bete[n] and [more] bitter brend

Than to the king is understond;

God him helpe this to amend!

685What bisshoppes, what religio[u]nsHan in this lande as moch lay-fee,Lordshippes, and possessio[u]nsMore than the lordes, it semeth me!That maketh hem lese charitè,690They mowë nat to god attend;In erthe they have so high degree,God, for his mercy, it amend!

685

What bisshoppes, what religio[u]ns

Han in this lande as moch lay-fee,

Lordshippes, and possessio[u]ns

More than the lordes, it semeth me!

That maketh hem lese charitè,

690

They mowë nat to god attend;

In erthe they have so high degree,

God, for his mercy, it amend!

The emperour yaf the pope somtymeSo hyghe lordship him about,695That, at [the] laste, the sely kyme,The proudë popë putte him out!So of this realme is in dout,But lordes be ware and †hem defend;For now these folk be wonder stout,700The king and lordes now this amend!

The emperour yaf the pope somtyme

So hyghe lordship him about,

695

That, at [the] laste, the sely kyme,

The proudë popë putte him out!

So of this realme is in dout,

But lordes be ware and †hem defend;

For now these folk be wonder stout,

700

The king and lordes now this amend!

Thus endeth the seconde part of this tale, and herafterfoloweth the thirde.

Thus endeth the seconde part of this tale, and herafter

foloweth the thirde.

PART III.

Moyses lawe forbood it tho,That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde,Christes gospel biddeth alsoThát they shuld no lordship helde;705Ne Christes apostels were never so boldNo such lordshippes to †hem enbrace;But smeren hir sheep and kepe hir fold;God amende hem for his grace!

Moyses lawe forbood it tho,

That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde,

Christes gospel biddeth also

Thát they shuld no lordship helde;

705

Ne Christes apostels were never so bold

No such lordshippes to †hem enbrace;

But smeren hir sheep and kepe hir fold;

God amende hem for his grace!

For they ne ben but countrefet,710Men may knowe hem by hir fruit;Hir gretnesse maketh hem god foryet,And take his mekenesse in dispyt.And they were pore and had but lyte,They nolde nat demen after the face,715But norishe hir sheep, and hem nat byte;God amende hem for his grace!"

For they ne ben but countrefet,

710

Men may knowe hem by hir fruit;

Hir gretnesse maketh hem god foryet,

And take his mekenesse in dispyt.

And they were pore and had but lyte,

They nolde nat demen after the face,

715

But norishe hir sheep, and hem nat byte;

God amende hem for his grace!"

Grifon."What canst thou preche ayenst chanonsThát men clepen seculere?"Pelican."They ben curates of many towns,720On erthë they have greet powére.They han greet prebendes and dere,Some two or three, and some [han] mo,A personage to ben a playing-fere,And yet they serve the king also;

Grifon."What canst thou preche ayenst chanons

Thát men clepen seculere?"

Pelican."They ben curates of many towns,

720

On erthë they have greet powére.

They han greet prebendes and dere,

Some two or three, and some [han] mo,

A personage to ben a playing-fere,

And yet they serve the king also;

725And let to fermë all that fareTo whom that woll most give therfore;Some woll spende, and some woll spare,And some woll laye it up in store.A cure of soule[s] they care nat for,730Só they mowë money take;Whether hir soules be wonne or lore,Hir profits they woll nat forsake.

725

And let to fermë all that fare

To whom that woll most give therfore;

Some woll spende, and some woll spare,

And some woll laye it up in store.

A cure of soule[s] they care nat for,

730

Só they mowë money take;

Whether hir soules be wonne or lore,

Hir profits they woll nat forsake.

They have a gedering procuratourThat can the pore people enplede,735And robben hem as a ravinour,And to his lord the money lede;And cacche of quicke and eke of dede,And richen him and his lord eke,And to robbe the pore can give good rede740Of olde and yonge, of hole and seke.

They have a gedering procuratour

That can the pore people enplede,

735

And robben hem as a ravinour,

And to his lord the money lede;

And cacche of quicke and eke of dede,

And richen him and his lord eke,

And to robbe the pore can give good rede

740

Of olde and yonge, of hole and seke.

Therwith they purchase hem lay-feeIn londë, there hem lyketh best,And builde †als brode as a citèBoth in the est, and eke in the west.745To purchase thus they ben ful prest,But on the pore they woll nought spend,Ne no good give to goddes gest,Ne sende him some that all hath send.

Therwith they purchase hem lay-fee

In londë, there hem lyketh best,

And builde †als brode as a citè

Both in the est, and eke in the west.

745

To purchase thus they ben ful prest,

But on the pore they woll nought spend,

Ne no good give to goddes gest,

Ne sende him some that all hath send.

By hir service such woll live,750And trusse that other in-to tresour;Though all hir parish dye unshrive,They woll nat give a rosë-flour.Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrourBothe to lered and to leude also,755And teche the people hir leel labour;Such mister men ben all misgo.

By hir service such woll live,

750

And trusse that other in-to tresour;

Though all hir parish dye unshrive,

They woll nat give a rosë-flour.

Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrour

Bothe to lered and to leude also,

755

And teche the people hir leel labour;

Such mister men ben all misgo.

Some of hem ben hardë nigges,And some of hem ben proude and gay;Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges,760And finden hem of greet aray.Alas! what think these men to sayThat thus dispenden goddis good?At the dredfull domes daySuch wrecches shul be worse than wood.

Some of hem ben hardë nigges,

And some of hem ben proude and gay;

Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges,

760

And finden hem of greet aray.

Alas! what think these men to say

That thus dispenden goddis good?

At the dredfull domes day

Such wrecches shul be worse than wood.

765Some hir churc[h]es never ne sye,Ne never o peny thider ne sende;Though the pore parishens for hunger dye,O peny on hem wil they nat spende.Have they receivinge of the rent,770They reck never of the remënant;Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent!Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant.

765

Some hir churc[h]es never ne sye,

Ne never o peny thider ne sende;

Though the pore parishens for hunger dye,

O peny on hem wil they nat spende.

Have they receivinge of the rent,

770

They reck never of the remënant;

Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent!

Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant.

And usen horedom and harlotry,Covetysë, pompe, and pride,775Slouthë, wrathe, and eke envy,And sewen sinne by every syde.Alas! where thinkë such t'abyde?How woll they accomptes yeld?From hy god they mow hem nat hyde,780Such willers wit is nat worth a neld.

And usen horedom and harlotry,

Covetysë, pompe, and pride,

775

Slouthë, wrathe, and eke envy,

And sewen sinne by every syde.

Alas! where thinkë such t'abyde?

How woll they accomptes yeld?

From hy god they mow hem nat hyde,

780

Such willers wit is nat worth a neld.

They ben so roted in richesse,That Christes povert is foryete,Served with so many messe,Hem thinketh that manna is no mete.785All is good that they mow get,They wenë to live evermore;But, whan god at dome is set,Such tresour is a feble store.

They ben so roted in richesse,

That Christes povert is foryete,

Served with so many messe,

Hem thinketh that manna is no mete.

785

All is good that they mow get,

They wenë to live evermore;

But, whan god at dome is set,

Such tresour is a feble store.

Unneth mot they matins say,790For counting and for court-holding;And yet he jangleth as a jay,And understont him-self nothing.He woll serve bothe erl and kingFor his fynding and his fee,795And hyde his tything and his offring;This is a feble charitè.

Unneth mot they matins say,

790

For counting and for court-holding;

And yet he jangleth as a jay,

And understont him-self nothing.

He woll serve bothe erl and king

For his fynding and his fee,

795

And hyde his tything and his offring;

This is a feble charitè.

Other they ben proude, or coveytous,Or they ben harde, or [els] hungry,Or they ben liberall or lecherous,800Or els medlers with marchandry;Or maynteyners of men with maistry,Or stewardes, countours, or pledours,And serve god in hypocrisy;Such preestes ben Christes fals traytours!

Other they ben proude, or coveytous,

Or they ben harde, or [els] hungry,

Or they ben liberall or lecherous,

800

Or els medlers with marchandry;

Or maynteyners of men with maistry,

Or stewardes, countours, or pledours,

And serve god in hypocrisy;

Such preestes ben Christes fals traytours!

805They ben false, they ben vengeable,And begylen men in Christes name;They ben unstedfast and unstable;To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame.To servë god they ben full lame,810Goddes theves, and falsly stele;And falsly goddes word defame;In winning is hir worldes wele.

805

They ben false, they ben vengeable,

And begylen men in Christes name;

They ben unstedfast and unstable;

To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame.

To servë god they ben full lame,

810

Goddes theves, and falsly stele;

And falsly goddes word defame;

In winning is hir worldes wele.

Antichrist these serven all;I pray thee, who may say [me] nay?815With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall,They folowen him in dede and fay;They servin him in riche array,To servë Christ such falsly fayn;Why, at the dredful domes day,820Shull they not folowe him to payn?

Antichrist these serven all;

I pray thee, who may say [me] nay?

815

With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall,

They folowen him in dede and fay;

They servin him in riche array,

To servë Christ such falsly fayn;

Why, at the dredful domes day,

820

Shull they not folowe him to payn?

That knowen hem-self, that they don illAyenst Christes commaundëment,And amende hem never ne will,But serve Sathan by one assent.825Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent,Or speketh ayenst hir fals living;Who-so well liveth shal be brent,For such ben gretter than the king!

That knowen hem-self, that they don ill

Ayenst Christes commaundëment,

And amende hem never ne will,

But serve Sathan by one assent.

825

Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent,

Or speketh ayenst hir fals living;

Who-so well liveth shal be brent,

For such ben gretter than the king!

Pope, bishoppes, and cardinals,830Chanons, persons, and vicaire,In goddes service, I trow, ben fals,That sacramentës sellen here.And ben as proude as Lucifere;Ech man loke whether that I ly!835Who-so speketh ayenst hir powére,It shall be holden heresy.

Pope, bishoppes, and cardinals,

830

Chanons, persons, and vicaire,

In goddes service, I trow, ben fals,

That sacramentës sellen here.

And ben as proude as Lucifere;

Ech man loke whether that I ly!

835

Who-so speketh ayenst hir powére,

It shall be holden heresy.

Loke how many orders takeOnly of Christ, for his servyce,That the worldes goodes forsake?840Who-so taketh orders †on other wyse,I trow, that they shall sore agryse!For all the glose that they conne,All sewen not this [same] assyse;In yvell tyme they thus bigonne.

Loke how many orders take

Only of Christ, for his servyce,

That the worldes goodes forsake?

840

Who-so taketh orders †on other wyse,

I trow, that they shall sore agryse!

For all the glose that they conne,

All sewen not this [same] assyse;

In yvell tyme they thus bigonne.

845Loke how many among hem allHolden not this hyë way!With Antichrist they shullen fall,For they wolden god betray.God amende hem, that best may!850For many men they maken shende;They weten well, the sothe I say,Bút the divell hath foule hem blend.

845

Loke how many among hem all

Holden not this hyë way!

With Antichrist they shullen fall,

For they wolden god betray.

God amende hem, that best may!

850

For many men they maken shende;

They weten well, the sothe I say,

Bút the divell hath foule hem blend.

Some [up]on hir churches dwell,Apparailled porely, proude of port;855The seven sacraments they don sell,In cattel-cacching is hir comfort.Of ech mattér they wollen mell,And don hem wrong is hir disport;To afray the people they ben fell,860And holde hem lower then doth the lord.

Some [up]on hir churches dwell,

Apparailled porely, proude of port;

855

The seven sacraments they don sell,

In cattel-cacching is hir comfort.

Of ech mattér they wollen mell,

And don hem wrong is hir disport;

To afray the people they ben fell,

860

And holde hem lower then doth the lord.

For the tythinge of a ducke,Or of an apple, or an ay,They make men swere upon a boke;Thus they foulen Christes fay.865Such beren yvell heven-kay,They mowen assoyl, they mowë shryve;With mennes wyves strongly play,With trewë tillers sturte and stryve

For the tythinge of a ducke,

Or of an apple, or an ay,

They make men swere upon a boke;

Thus they foulen Christes fay.

865

Such beren yvell heven-kay,

They mowen assoyl, they mowë shryve;

With mennes wyves strongly play,

With trewë tillers sturte and stryve

At the wrestling, and at the wake;870And chefe chauntours at the nale;Market-beters, and medling make,Hoppen and houten with heve and hale.At fayrë freshe, and at wynë stale,Dyne and drinke, and make debat;875The seven sacraments set at sale;How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat?

At the wrestling, and at the wake;

870

And chefe chauntours at the nale;

Market-beters, and medling make,

Hoppen and houten with heve and hale.

At fayrë freshe, and at wynë stale,

Dyne and drinke, and make debat;

875

The seven sacraments set at sale;

How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat?

Mennes wyves they wollen holde;And though that they ben right sory,To speke they shull not be so bolde880For sompning to the consistory;And make hem say [with] mouth "I ly,"Though they it sawë with hir y;His lemman holden openly,No man so hardy to axë why!

Mennes wyves they wollen holde;

And though that they ben right sory,

To speke they shull not be so bolde

880

For sompning to the consistory;

And make hem say [with] mouth "I ly,"

Though they it sawë with hir y;

His lemman holden openly,

No man so hardy to axë why!

885He wol have tythinge and offringe,Maugrè who-so-ever it gruche;And twyës on the day woll singe;Goddes prestes nere none suche!He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he,890And blowen his horn, and cryën "hey!"And sorcery usen as a wicche;Such kepen yvell Peters key.

885

He wol have tythinge and offringe,

Maugrè who-so-ever it gruche;

And twyës on the day woll singe;

Goddes prestes nere none suche!

He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he,

890

And blowen his horn, and cryën "hey!"

And sorcery usen as a wicche;

Such kepen yvell Peters key.

Yet they mot have som stocke or stoonGayly paynted, and proudly dight,895To maken men [to] †leven upon,And say, that it is full of might;About such, men sette up greet light,Other such stockes shull stand therbyAs darkë as it were midnight,900For it may make no ma[i]stry.

Yet they mot have som stocke or stoon

Gayly paynted, and proudly dight,

895

To maken men [to] †leven upon,

And say, that it is full of might;

About such, men sette up greet light,

Other such stockes shull stand therby

As darkë as it were midnight,

900

For it may make no ma[i]stry.

That lewed people see it mow,Thou, Mary, worchest wonder thinges;About that, that men offren to now,Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes;905The preest purchaseth the offringes,But he nill offre to none image;Wo is the soule that he for singes,That precheth for suche a pilgrimage!

That lewed people see it mow,

Thou, Mary, worchest wonder thinges;

About that, that men offren to now,

Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes;

905

The preest purchaseth the offringes,

But he nill offre to none image;

Wo is the soule that he for singes,

That precheth for suche a pilgrimage!

To men and women that ben pore,910That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse,Men shullen offre at hir doreThat suffren honger and distresse;And to suche imáges offre lesse,That mow not felë thurst ne cold;915The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse,Therfore offreth to feble and old.

To men and women that ben pore,

910

That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse,

Men shullen offre at hir dore

That suffren honger and distresse;

And to suche imáges offre lesse,

That mow not felë thurst ne cold;

915

The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse,

Therfore offreth to feble and old.

Buckelers brode, and swerdes longe,†Baudriks, with baselardes kene,Such toles about hir necke they honge;920With Antichrist such preestes been;Upon hir dedes it is well seneWhom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren;Antichristes they ben clene,And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren.

Buckelers brode, and swerdes longe,

†Baudriks, with baselardes kene,

Such toles about hir necke they honge;

920

With Antichrist such preestes been;

Upon hir dedes it is well sene

Whom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren;

Antichristes they ben clene,

And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren.

925Of scarlet and grene gay[ë] gownes,That mot be shapë for the newe,To clippen and kissen counten in townesThe damoseles that to the daunce sewe;Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe,930With longë pykes on hir shoon;Our goddes gospell is not trewe,Eyther they serven the divell or noon!

925

Of scarlet and grene gay[ë] gownes,

That mot be shapë for the newe,

To clippen and kissen counten in townes

The damoseles that to the daunce sewe;

Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe,

930

With longë pykes on hir shoon;

Our goddes gospell is not trewe,

Eyther they serven the divell or noon!

Now ben prestes pokes so wyde,Men must enlarge the vestëment;935The holy gospell they don hyde,For they contrarien in rayment.Such preestes of Lucifer ben sent,Lyk conquerours they ben arayd,Proude pendaunts at hir ars y-pent,940Falsly the truthe they han betrayd.

Now ben prestes pokes so wyde,

Men must enlarge the vestëment;

935

The holy gospell they don hyde,

For they contrarien in rayment.

Such preestes of Lucifer ben sent,

Lyk conquerours they ben arayd,

Proude pendaunts at hir ars y-pent,

940

Falsly the truthe they han betrayd.

Shryft-silver suchë wollen aske is,And woll men crepë to the crouche;None of the sacraments, save askes,Without[ë] mede shall no man touche.945On hir bishop their warant vouche,That is lawe of the decrè;With mede and money thus they mouche,And †this, they sayn, is charitè!

Shryft-silver suchë wollen aske is,

And woll men crepë to the crouche;

None of the sacraments, save askes,

Without[ë] mede shall no man touche.

945

On hir bishop their warant vouche,

That is lawe of the decrè;

With mede and money thus they mouche,

And †this, they sayn, is charitè!

In the middes of hir masse950They nill have no man but for hyre,And, full shortly, let forth passe;Such shull men finde[n] in ech shyreThat personages for profite desyre,To live in lykinge and in lustes;955I dar not sayn,sans ose ieo dyre,That such ben Antichristes preestes.

In the middes of hir masse

950

They nill have no man but for hyre,

And, full shortly, let forth passe;

Such shull men finde[n] in ech shyre

That personages for profite desyre,

To live in lykinge and in lustes;

955

I dar not sayn,sans ose ieo dyre,

That such ben Antichristes preestes.

Or they yef the bishops why,Or they mot ben in his servyce,And holden forth hir harlotry;960Such prelats ben of feble empryse.Of goddes grame such men agryse,For such mattérs that taken mede;How they excuse hem, and in what wyse,Me thinketh, they ought greetly drede.

Or they yef the bishops why,

Or they mot ben in his servyce,

And holden forth hir harlotry;

960

Such prelats ben of feble empryse.

Of goddes grame such men agryse,

For such mattérs that taken mede;

How they excuse hem, and in what wyse,

Me thinketh, they ought greetly drede.

965They sayn, that it to no man longethTo reprove †hem, though they erre;But falsely goddes good they fongeth,And therwith maynteyn wo and werre.Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre,970Hir living, lewed mannes light;They say, the popë may not erre,Nede must that passë mannes might.

965

They sayn, that it to no man longeth

To reprove †hem, though they erre;

But falsely goddes good they fongeth,

And therwith maynteyn wo and werre.

Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre,

970

Hir living, lewed mannes light;

They say, the popë may not erre,

Nede must that passë mannes might.

Though a prest ly with his lemman al night,And tellen his felowe, and he him,975He goth to massë anon-right,And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne!His bryde abydeth him at his inne,And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle;He singeth his masse for he wolde winne,980And so he weneth god begyle!

Though a prest ly with his lemman al night,

And tellen his felowe, and he him,

975

He goth to massë anon-right,

And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne!

His bryde abydeth him at his inne,

And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle;

He singeth his masse for he wolde winne,

980

And so he weneth god begyle!

Hem thinketh long till they be met;And that they usen forth all the yere;Among the folk when he is set,He holdeth no man half his pere;985Of the bishop he hath powéreTo soyle men, or els they ben lore;His absolucion may make †hem skere;And wo is the soul that he singeth for!"

Hem thinketh long till they be met;

And that they usen forth all the yere;

Among the folk when he is set,

He holdeth no man half his pere;

985

Of the bishop he hath powére

To soyle men, or els they ben lore;

His absolucion may make †hem skere;

And wo is the soul that he singeth for!"

The Griffon began for to threte,990And sayd, "of monkes canst thou ought?"The Pellican sayd, "they ben full grete,And in this world moch wo hath wrought.Saynt Benet, that hir order brought,Ne made hem never on such manere;995I trowe, it cam never in his thoughtThat they shulde use so greet powér[e];

The Griffon began for to threte,

990

And sayd, "of monkes canst thou ought?"

The Pellican sayd, "they ben full grete,

And in this world moch wo hath wrought.

Saynt Benet, that hir order brought,

Ne made hem never on such manere;

995

I trowe, it cam never in his thought

That they shulde use so greet powér[e];

That a man shulde a monk lord cal,Ne serve on kneës, as a king.He is as proud as prince in pall1000In mete, and drink, and [in] all thing;Some weren myter and ring,With double worsted well y-dight,With royall mete and riche drink,And rydeth on courser as a knight.

That a man shulde a monk lord cal,

Ne serve on kneës, as a king.

He is as proud as prince in pall

1000

In mete, and drink, and [in] all thing;

Some weren myter and ring,

With double worsted well y-dight,

With royall mete and riche drink,

And rydeth on courser as a knight.

1005With hauke[s] and with houndes eke,With broches or ouches on his hode,Some say no masse in all a weke,Of deyntees is hir moste fode.With lordshippes and with bondmen1010This is a royall religioun;Saynt Benet made never none of hemTo have lordship of man ne town.

1005

With hauke[s] and with houndes eke,

With broches or ouches on his hode,

Some say no masse in all a weke,

Of deyntees is hir moste fode.

With lordshippes and with bondmen

1010

This is a royall religioun;

Saynt Benet made never none of hem

To have lordship of man ne town.

Now they ben queynte and curious,With fyn cloth cladde, and served clene,1015Proude, angry, and envyous,Malyce is mochë that they mene.In cacching crafty and covetous,Lordly liven in greet lyking;This living is not religious1020According to Benet in his living.

Now they ben queynte and curious,

With fyn cloth cladde, and served clene,

1015

Proude, angry, and envyous,

Malyce is mochë that they mene.

In cacching crafty and covetous,

Lordly liven in greet lyking;

This living is not religious

1020

According to Benet in his living.

They ben clerkes, hir courtes they oversee,Hir pore tenaunts fully they flyte;The hyer that a man amerced be,The gladlyer they woll it wryte.1025This is fer from Christes povertè,For all with covetyse they endyte;On the pore they have no pitè,Ne never hem cherish, but ever hem byte.

They ben clerkes, hir courtes they oversee,

Hir pore tenaunts fully they flyte;

The hyer that a man amerced be,

The gladlyer they woll it wryte.

1025

This is fer from Christes povertè,

For all with covetyse they endyte;

On the pore they have no pitè,

Ne never hem cherish, but ever hem byte.

And comunly suche ben comen1030Of pore people, and of hem begete,That this perfeccion han y-nomen;Hir †faders ryde not but on hir fete,And travaylen sore for that they ete,In povert liveth, yonge and old;1035Hir †faders suffreth drought and wete,Many hongry meles, thurst, and cold.

And comunly suche ben comen

1030

Of pore people, and of hem begete,

That this perfeccion han y-nomen;

Hir †faders ryde not but on hir fete,

And travaylen sore for that they ete,

In povert liveth, yonge and old;

1035

Hir †faders suffreth drought and wete,

Many hongry meles, thurst, and cold.

All this the monkes han forsakeFor Christes love and saynt Benet;To pryde and esë have hem take;1040This religio[u]n is yvell beset.Had they ben out of religioun,They must have honged at the plow,Threshing and dyking fro town to townWith sory mete, and not half y-now.

All this the monkes han forsake

For Christes love and saynt Benet;

To pryde and esë have hem take;

1040

This religio[u]n is yvell beset.

Had they ben out of religioun,

They must have honged at the plow,

Threshing and dyking fro town to town

With sory mete, and not half y-now.

1045Therfore they han this all forsake,And taken to riches, pryde, and ese;Full fewe for god woll monkes hem make,Litell is suche order for to prayse!Saynt Benet ordayned it not so,1050But bad hem be [ful] cherelich;In churlich maner live and go,Boystous in erth, and not lordlych.

1045

Therfore they han this all forsake,

And taken to riches, pryde, and ese;

Full fewe for god woll monkes hem make,

Litell is suche order for to prayse!

Saynt Benet ordayned it not so,

1050

But bad hem be [ful] cherelich;

In churlich maner live and go,

Boystous in erth, and not lordlych.

They disclaunder saynt Benet,Therfore they have his holy curse;1055Saynt Benet with hem never metBut-if they thought to robbe his purse!I can no more herof [now] tell,But they ben lykë tho before,And clenë serve the divell of hell,1060And ben his tresour and his store.

They disclaunder saynt Benet,

Therfore they have his holy curse;

1055

Saynt Benet with hem never met

But-if they thought to robbe his purse!

I can no more herof [now] tell,

But they ben lykë tho before,

And clenë serve the divell of hell,

1060

And ben his tresour and his store.

And all suche other counterfaytours,Chanons, canons, and such disgysed,Ben goddes enemies and traytours,His true religion han foul dispysed.1065Of freres I have told beforeIn a making of a 'Crede,'And yet I coud tell worse and more,But men wold werien it to rede!

And all suche other counterfaytours,

Chanons, canons, and such disgysed,

Ben goddes enemies and traytours,

His true religion han foul dispysed.

1065

Of freres I have told before

In a making of a 'Crede,'

And yet I coud tell worse and more,

But men wold werien it to rede!

As goddes goodnes no man tell might,1070Wryte ne speke, ne think in thought,So, hir falshed and hir unrightMay no man tell, that ever god wrought."The Gryffon sayd, "thou canst no good,Thou cam never of no gentill kind;1075Other, I trow, thou waxest wood,Or els thou hast [y-]lost thy mynd.

As goddes goodnes no man tell might,

1070

Wryte ne speke, ne think in thought,

So, hir falshed and hir unright

May no man tell, that ever god wrought."

The Gryffon sayd, "thou canst no good,

Thou cam never of no gentill kind;

1075

Other, I trow, thou waxest wood,

Or els thou hast [y-]lost thy mynd.

Shuld holy churchë have no heed?Who shuld be her governayl?Who shuld her rule, who shuld her reed,1080Who shuld her forthren, who shuld avayl?Ech man shall live by his travayl;Who best doth, shall have moste mede;With strength if men the churche assayl,With strength men must defende her nede.

Shuld holy churchë have no heed?

Who shuld be her governayl?

Who shuld her rule, who shuld her reed,

1080

Who shuld her forthren, who shuld avayl?

Ech man shall live by his travayl;

Who best doth, shall have moste mede;

With strength if men the churche assayl,

With strength men must defende her nede.

1085And the pope were purely pore,Nedy, and nothing ne had,He shuld be driven from dore to dore;The wicked of him nold not be drad.Of such an heed men wold be sad,1090And sinfully liven as hem †list;With strength, amendes †shuld be made,With wepen, wolves from sheep be †wist.

1085

And the pope were purely pore,

Nedy, and nothing ne had,

He shuld be driven from dore to dore;

The wicked of him nold not be drad.

Of such an heed men wold be sad,

1090

And sinfully liven as hem †list;

With strength, amendes †shuld be made,

With wepen, wolves from sheep be †wist.

If the pope and prelats woldSo begge and bidde, bowe, and borowe,1095Holy churche shuld stand full cold,Hir servaunts sitte and soupë sorowe!And they were noughty, foule, and horowe,To worship god men woldë wlate;Bothe on even and on morowe1100Such harlotry men woldë hate.

If the pope and prelats wold

So begge and bidde, bowe, and borowe,

1095

Holy churche shuld stand full cold,

Hir servaunts sitte and soupë sorowe!

And they were noughty, foule, and horowe,

To worship god men woldë wlate;

Bothe on even and on morowe

1100

Such harlotry men woldë hate.

Therfore men of holy churcheShuld ben honest in all thing,Worshipfully goddes workes werche,So semeth it, to serve Christ hir king1105In honest and in clene clothing;With vessels of golde and clothes riche,To god honestly to make offring;To his lordship non is liche."

Therfore men of holy churche

Shuld ben honest in all thing,

Worshipfully goddes workes werche,

So semeth it, to serve Christ hir king

1105

In honest and in clene clothing;

With vessels of golde and clothes riche,

To god honestly to make offring;

To his lordship non is liche."

The Pellican caste an houge cry,1110And sayd, "alas! why sayest thou so?Christ is our heed that sitteth on hy,Heddes ne ought we have no mo.We ben his membres both also,And †fader he taught us to cal him als;1115Maysters be called defended he tho;All other maysters ben wicked and fals,

The Pellican caste an houge cry,

1110

And sayd, "alas! why sayest thou so?

Christ is our heed that sitteth on hy,

Heddes ne ought we have no mo.

We ben his membres both also,

And †fader he taught us to cal him als;

1115

Maysters be called defended he tho;

All other maysters ben wicked and fals,

That taketh maystry in his name,Gostly, and for erthly good;Kinges and lordes shuld lordship han,1120And rule the people with myldë mode.Christ, for us that shedde his blood,Bad his preestes no maystership have,Ne carkë nat for cloth ne fode;From every mischef he will hem save.

That taketh maystry in his name,

Gostly, and for erthly good;

Kinges and lordes shuld lordship han,

1120

And rule the people with myldë mode.

Christ, for us that shedde his blood,

Bad his preestes no maystership have,

Ne carkë nat for cloth ne fode;

From every mischef he will hem save.

1125Hir riche clothing shal be rightwysnesse,Hir tresour, trewë lyf shal be;Charitè shal be hir richesse,Hir lordship shal be unitè;Hope in god, hir honestè;1130Hir vessell, clenë conscience;Pore in spirit, and humilitè,Shal be holy churches defence."

1125

Hir riche clothing shal be rightwysnesse,

Hir tresour, trewë lyf shal be;

Charitè shal be hir richesse,

Hir lordship shal be unitè;

Hope in god, hir honestè;

1130

Hir vessell, clenë conscience;

Pore in spirit, and humilitè,

Shal be holy churches defence."

"What," sayd the Griffon, "may thee greveThat other folkes faren wele?1135What hast thou to donë with hir †leve?Thy falsheed ech man may fele.For thou canst no catell gete,But livest in londe, as a lorell,With glosing gettest thou thy mete;1140So fareth the devell that wonneth in hell.

"What," sayd the Griffon, "may thee greve

That other folkes faren wele?

1135

What hast thou to donë with hir †leve?

Thy falsheed ech man may fele.

For thou canst no catell gete,

But livest in londe, as a lorell,

With glosing gettest thou thy mete;

1140

So fareth the devell that wonneth in hell.

He wold that ech man ther shuld dwell,For he liveth in clene envy;So with the tales that thou doest tellThou woldest other people distry,1145With your glose, and your heresy,For ye can live no better lyf,But clenë in hypocrisy,And bringest thee in wo and stryf.

He wold that ech man ther shuld dwell,

For he liveth in clene envy;

So with the tales that thou doest tell

Thou woldest other people distry,

1145

With your glose, and your heresy,

For ye can live no better lyf,

But clenë in hypocrisy,

And bringest thee in wo and stryf.

And therwith have [ye] not to done,1150For ye ne have[n] here no cure;Ye serve the divell, †not god ne man,And he shall payë you your hyre.For ye woll farë well at feestes,And warm [be] clothed for the colde,1155Therfore ye glose goddes hestes,And begyle the people, yonge and olde.

And therwith have [ye] not to done,

1150

For ye ne have[n] here no cure;

Ye serve the divell, †not god ne man,

And he shall payë you your hyre.

For ye woll farë well at feestes,

And warm [be] clothed for the colde,

1155

Therfore ye glose goddes hestes,

And begyle the people, yonge and olde.

And all the seven sacramentsYe speke ayenst, as ye were sly,Ayenst tythings with your entents,1160And on our lordes body falsly ly.All this ye don to live in ese,As who sayeth, ther ben non suche;And sayn, the pope is not worth a pese,To make the people ayen him gruche.

And all the seven sacraments

Ye speke ayenst, as ye were sly,

Ayenst tythings with your entents,

1160

And on our lordes body falsly ly.

All this ye don to live in ese,

As who sayeth, ther ben non suche;

And sayn, the pope is not worth a pese,

To make the people ayen him gruche.

1165And this commeth in by fendes,To bringe the Christen in distaunce;For they wold that no man were frendes;Leve thy chattring, with mischaunce!If thou live well, what wilt thou more?1170Let other men live as hem list;Spende in good, or kepe in store;Other mennes conscience never thou nist.

1165

And this commeth in by fendes,

To bringe the Christen in distaunce;

For they wold that no man were frendes;

Leve thy chattring, with mischaunce!

If thou live well, what wilt thou more?

1170

Let other men live as hem list;

Spende in good, or kepe in store;

Other mennes conscience never thou nist.

Ye han no cure to answere for;What meddell ye, that han not to don?1175Let men live as they han don yore,For thou shalt answere for no †mon."The Pellican sayd, "Sir, nay, [nay],I dispysed not the pope,Ne no sacrament, soth to say;1180But speke in charitè and good hope.

Ye han no cure to answere for;

What meddell ye, that han not to don?

1175

Let men live as they han don yore,

For thou shalt answere for no †mon."

The Pellican sayd, "Sir, nay, [nay],

I dispysed not the pope,

Ne no sacrament, soth to say;

1180

But speke in charitè and good hope.

But I dispyse hir hyë pryde,Hir richesse, that shuld be pore in spryt;Hir wickednesse is knowe so wyde,They servë god in fals habyt;1185And turnen mekenesse into pryde,And lowlinesse into hy degrè,And goddes wordes turne and hyde;And that am I moved by charitè

But I dispyse hir hyë pryde,

Hir richesse, that shuld be pore in spryt;

Hir wickednesse is knowe so wyde,

They servë god in fals habyt;

1185

And turnen mekenesse into pryde,

And lowlinesse into hy degrè,

And goddes wordes turne and hyde;

And that am I moved by charitè

To lettë men to livë so1190With all my conning and al my might,And to warne men of hir woAnd to tell hem trouth and right.The sacraments be soulë-heleIf they ben used in good use;1195Ayenst that speke I never a del,For then were I nothing wyse.

To lettë men to livë so

1190

With all my conning and al my might,

And to warne men of hir wo

And to tell hem trouth and right.

The sacraments be soulë-hele

If they ben used in good use;

1195

Ayenst that speke I never a del,

For then were I nothing wyse.

But they that use hem in mis manére,Or sette hem up to any sale,I trow, they shall abye hem dere;1200This is my reson, this is my tale.Who-so taketh hem unrightfullicheAyenst the ten commaundëments,Or by glosë wrechedlicheSelleth any of the sacraments,

But they that use hem in mis manére,

Or sette hem up to any sale,

I trow, they shall abye hem dere;

1200

This is my reson, this is my tale.

Who-so taketh hem unrightfulliche

Ayenst the ten commaundëments,

Or by glosë wrechedliche

Selleth any of the sacraments,

1205I trow, they do the devell homageIn that they weten they do wrong;And therto, I dar well wage,They serven Satan for al her song.To tythen and offren is hoolsom lyf,1210So it be don in dew manére;A man to houselin and to shryve,Wedding, and all the other in-fere,

1205

I trow, they do the devell homage

In that they weten they do wrong;

And therto, I dar well wage,

They serven Satan for al her song.

To tythen and offren is hoolsom lyf,

1210

So it be don in dew manére;

A man to houselin and to shryve,

Wedding, and all the other in-fere,

So it be nother sold ne bought,Ne take ne give for covetyse;1215And it be so taken, it is nought;Who selleth hem so, may sore agryse.On our Lordes body I do not ly,I say soth, thorow trewë rede,His flesh and blood, through his mystry,1220Is there, in the forme of brede.

So it be nother sold ne bought,

Ne take ne give for covetyse;

1215

And it be so taken, it is nought;

Who selleth hem so, may sore agryse.

On our Lordes body I do not ly,

I say soth, thorow trewë rede,

His flesh and blood, through his mystry,

1220

Is there, in the forme of brede.

How it is there, it nedeth not stryve,Whether it be subget or accident,But as Christ was, when he was on-lyve,So is he there, verament.1225If pope or cardinall live good lyve,As Christ commaunded in his gospell,†Ayenës that woll I not stryve;But, me thinketh, they live not well.

How it is there, it nedeth not stryve,

Whether it be subget or accident,

But as Christ was, when he was on-lyve,

So is he there, verament.

1225

If pope or cardinall live good lyve,

As Christ commaunded in his gospell,

†Ayenës that woll I not stryve;

But, me thinketh, they live not well.

For if the pope lived as god bede,1230Pryde and hyghnesse he shuld dispyse,Richesse, covetyse, and crowne on hede,Mekenesse and povert he shulde use."The Gryffon sayd, he shulde abye—"Thou shal[t] be brent in balefull fyre;1235And all thy secte I shall distrye,Ye shal be hanged by the swyre!

For if the pope lived as god bede,

1230

Pryde and hyghnesse he shuld dispyse,

Richesse, covetyse, and crowne on hede,

Mekenesse and povert he shulde use."

The Gryffon sayd, he shulde abye—

"Thou shal[t] be brent in balefull fyre;

1235

And all thy secte I shall distrye,

Ye shal be hanged by the swyre!

Ye shullen be hanged and to-drawe.Who giveth you levë for to preche,Or speke †agaynës goddes lawe,1240And the people thus falsly teche?Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell,And dissevered from holy churche,And clene y-dampned into hell,Otherwyse but ye woll worche!"

Ye shullen be hanged and to-drawe.

Who giveth you levë for to preche,

Or speke †agaynës goddes lawe,

1240

And the people thus falsly teche?

Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell,

And dissevered from holy churche,

And clene y-dampned into hell,

Otherwyse but ye woll worche!"

1245The Pellican sayd, "that I ne drede;Your cursinge is of litell value;Of god I hope to have my mede,For it is falshed that ye shewe.For ye ben out of charitè1250And wilneth vengeaunce, as did Nero;To suffren I woll redy be;I drede not that thou canst do.

1245

The Pellican sayd, "that I ne drede;

Your cursinge is of litell value;

Of god I hope to have my mede,

For it is falshed that ye shewe.

For ye ben out of charitè

1250

And wilneth vengeaunce, as did Nero;

To suffren I woll redy be;

I drede not that thou canst do.

Christ bad ones suffre for his love,And so he taught all his servaunts;1255And but thou amend for his sake above,I drede not all thy mayntenaunce.For if I drede the worldes hate,Me thinketh, I were litell to prayse;I drede nothing your hye estat,1260Ne I drede not your disese.

Christ bad ones suffre for his love,

And so he taught all his servaunts;

1255

And but thou amend for his sake above,

I drede not all thy mayntenaunce.

For if I drede the worldes hate,

Me thinketh, I were litell to prayse;

I drede nothing your hye estat,

1260

Ne I drede not your disese.

Wolde ye turne and leve your pryde,Your hyë port, and your richesse,Your cursing shuld not go so wyde;God bring you into rightwysnesse!1265For I drede not your tyranny,For nothing that ye can doon;To suffre I am all redy,Siker, I recke never how soon!"

Wolde ye turne and leve your pryde,

Your hyë port, and your richesse,

Your cursing shuld not go so wyde;

God bring you into rightwysnesse!

1265

For I drede not your tyranny,

For nothing that ye can doon;

To suffre I am all redy,

Siker, I recke never how soon!"

The Griffon grinned as he were wood,1270And loked lovely as an owle!And swor, by cockes hertë blood,He wolde him terë, every doule!"Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule!For thy resons I woll thee all to-race;1275And make thy flesh to rote and moule;Losell, thou shalt have hardë grace!"

The Griffon grinned as he were wood,

1270

And loked lovely as an owle!

And swor, by cockes hertë blood,

He wolde him terë, every doule!

"Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule!

For thy resons I woll thee all to-race;

1275

And make thy flesh to rote and moule;

Losell, thou shalt have hardë grace!"

The Griffon flew forth on his way;The Pellican did sitte and weep;And to him-selfë he gan say,1280"God wolde that any of Christes sheepHad herd, and y-takë kepeEche a word that here sayd was,And wolde it wryte and well it kepe!God wolde it were all, for his grace!"

The Griffon flew forth on his way;

The Pellican did sitte and weep;

And to him-selfë he gan say,

1280

"God wolde that any of Christes sheep

Had herd, and y-takë kepe

Eche a word that here sayd was,

And wolde it wryte and well it kepe!

God wolde it were all, for his grace!"

1285Plowman.I answerde, and sayd I wolde,If for my travayl any wold pay.Pelican.He sayd, "yes; these that god han sold;For they han [greet] store of money!"Plowman.I sayd, "tell me, and thou may,1290Why tellest thou mennës trespace?"Pelican.He said, "to amende hem, in good fay,If god woll give me any grace.

1285

Plowman.I answerde, and sayd I wolde,

If for my travayl any wold pay.

Pelican.He sayd, "yes; these that god han sold;

For they han [greet] store of money!"

Plowman.I sayd, "tell me, and thou may,

1290

Why tellest thou mennës trespace?"

Pelican.He said, "to amende hem, in good fay,

If god woll give me any grace.

For Christ him-selfe is lykned to me,That for his people dyed on rode;1295As fare I, right so fareth he,He fedeth his birdes with his blode.But these don yvell †ayenës good,And ben his foon under frendes face;I tolde hem how hir living stood;1300God amende hem, for his grace!"

For Christ him-selfe is lykned to me,

That for his people dyed on rode;

1295

As fare I, right so fareth he,

He fedeth his birdes with his blode.

But these don yvell †ayenës good,

And ben his foon under frendes face;

I tolde hem how hir living stood;

1300

God amende hem, for his grace!"

Plowman."What ayleth the Griffon, tell [me] why,That he holdeth on that other syde?"Pellican."For they two ben [of kind], lykly,And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde.1305The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde,As Lucifer, that hygh †flowe was;And sith he did him in evell hyde,For he agilted goddes grace.

Plowman."What ayleth the Griffon, tell [me] why,

That he holdeth on that other syde?"

Pellican."For they two ben [of kind], lykly,

And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde.

1305

The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde,

As Lucifer, that hygh †flowe was;

And sith he did him in evell hyde,

For he agilted goddes grace.

As bird [that] flyeth up in the ayr,1310And liveth by birdes that ben meke,So these be flowe up in dispayr,And shenden sely soules eke.The soules that ben in sinnes seke,He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas!1315For brybry goddes forbode breke,God amende it, for his grace!

As bird [that] flyeth up in the ayr,

1310

And liveth by birdes that ben meke,

So these be flowe up in dispayr,

And shenden sely soules eke.

The soules that ben in sinnes seke,

He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas!

1315

For brybry goddes forbode breke,

God amende it, for his grace!

The hinder part is a lyoun,A robber and a ravinere,That robbeth the people in erth a-down,1320And in erth holdeth non his pere;So fareth this foul, both fer and nere;With temporel strength they people chase,As a lyon proud in erthë here;God amende hem for hys grace!"

The hinder part is a lyoun,

A robber and a ravinere,

That robbeth the people in erth a-down,

1320

And in erth holdeth non his pere;

So fareth this foul, both fer and nere;

With temporel strength they people chase,

As a lyon proud in erthë here;

God amende hem for hys grace!"

1325He flew forth with his winges twayn,All drouping, dased, and dull.But soone the Griffon cam agayn,Of his foules the erth was full;The Pellican he had cast to pull.1330So greet a nombre never seen ther was;What maner of foules, tellen I woll,If god woll give me of his grace.

1325

He flew forth with his winges twayn,

All drouping, dased, and dull.

But soone the Griffon cam agayn,

Of his foules the erth was full;

The Pellican he had cast to pull.

1330

So greet a nombre never seen ther was;

What maner of foules, tellen I woll,

If god woll give me of his grace.

With the Griffon comen foules fele,Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye,1335Gray foules, agadred wele,Y-gurd, above they woldë hye.Gledes and bosardes weren hem by;Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place;And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly,1340This felowship han for-gerd hir grace.

With the Griffon comen foules fele,

Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye,

1335

Gray foules, agadred wele,

Y-gurd, above they woldë hye.

Gledes and bosardes weren hem by;

Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place;

And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly,

1340

This felowship han for-gerd hir grace.

Longe the Pellican was out,But at [the] laste he cometh agayn;And brought with him the Phenix stout.The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn;1345His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn,The Phenix tho began hem chace;To fly from him it was in vayn,For he did vengeaunce and no grace.

Longe the Pellican was out,

But at [the] laste he cometh agayn;

And brought with him the Phenix stout.

The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn;

1345

His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn,

The Phenix tho began hem chace;

To fly from him it was in vayn,

For he did vengeaunce and no grace.

He slew hem down without mercy,1350Ther astartë neyther free ne thrall;On him they cast a rufull cryWhen the Griffon down was fall.He beet hem not, but slew hem all;Whither he hem drove, no man may trace;1355Under the erthe, me thought, they yall;Alas! they had a feble grace!

He slew hem down without mercy,

1350

Ther astartë neyther free ne thrall;

On him they cast a rufull cry

When the Griffon down was fall.

He beet hem not, but slew hem all;

Whither he hem drove, no man may trace;

1355

Under the erthe, me thought, they yall;

Alas! they had a feble grace!

The Pellican then axed right,"For my wryting if I have blame,Who woll for me fight of flight?1360Who shall sheldë me from shame?He that had a mayd to dame,The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was,Shall sheldë me from gostly blame;For erthly harm is goddes grace.

The Pellican then axed right,

"For my wryting if I have blame,

Who woll for me fight of flight?

1360

Who shall sheldë me from shame?

He that had a mayd to dame,

The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was,

Shall sheldë me from gostly blame;

For erthly harm is goddes grace.

1365Therfore I praye every man,Of my wryting have me excused."This wryting wryteth the Pellican,That thus these people hath dispysed;For I am, fresh, fully advysed,1370I nill not maynteyn his manace.For the devell is †oft disguysed,To bringe a man to yvell grace.

1365

Therfore I praye every man,

Of my wryting have me excused."

This wryting wryteth the Pellican,

That thus these people hath dispysed;

For I am, fresh, fully advysed,

1370

I nill not maynteyn his manace.

For the devell is †oft disguysed,

To bringe a man to yvell grace.

Wyteth the Pellican, and not me,For herof I nil not avowe,1375In hy ne in low, ne in no degrè,But as a fable take it ye mowe.To holy churche I will me bowe;Ech man to amende him, Christ send space!And for my wryting me alowe1380He that is almighty, for his grace.'

Wyteth the Pellican, and not me,

For herof I nil not avowe,

1375

In hy ne in low, ne in no degrè,

But as a fable take it ye mowe.

To holy churche I will me bowe;

Ech man to amende him, Christ send space!

And for my wryting me alowe

1380

He that is almighty, for his grace.'

Finis.

Back to Index Next