Buyldyng royally[1287]Theyr mancyons curyously,With turrettes and with toures,With halles and with boures,Stretchynge[1288]to the starres,940With glasse wyndowes and barres;Hangynge aboute[1289]the wallesClothes of golde and palles,Arras of ryche aray,Fresshe[1290]as flours in May;Wyth dame Dyana naked;Howe lusty Venus quaked,And howe[1291]Cupyde shakedHis darte, and bent his[1292]boweFor to shote a crowe950At her tyrly tyrlowe;And howe Parys of TroyDaunced a lege de moy,[1293]Made lusty sporte and ioyWith dame Helyn the quene;With suche storyes bydeneTheir chambres well besene;With triumphes of Cesar,And of[1294]Pompeyus war,Of renowne and of[1295]fame960By them to get a name:Nowe[1296]all the worlde stares,How they ryde in goodly chares,Conueyed by olyphantes,With lauryat garlantes,[1297]And by vnycornesWith their semely hornes;Vpon these beestes rydynge,Naked boyes strydynge,With wanton wenches winkyng.970Nowe truly, to my thynkynge,That[1298]is a speculacyonAnd a mete meditacyonFor prelates of estate,Their courage to abateFrom worldly wantonnesse,Theyr chambres[1299]thus to dresseWith suche parfetnesseAnd all suche holynesse;How be it they let downe fall980Their churches[1300]cathedrall.Squyre, knyght, and lorde,Thus the Churche[1301]remorde;With all temporall peopleThey rune agaynst[1302]the steple,Thus talkynge and tellyng[1303]How some of you are mellyng;Yet[1304]softe and fayre for swellyng,Beware of a quenes yellyng.[1305]It is a besy thyng990For one man[1306]to rule a kyng[1307]Alone and[1308]make rekenyng,To gouerne ouer allAnd rule a realme royallBy one mannes verrey[1309]wyt;Fortune may chaunce to flyt,And whan[1310]he weneth to syt,Yet may he mysse the quysshon:For I rede a[1311]preposycyon,Cum[1312]regibus amicare,[1313]1000Et omnibus dominari,Et supra te pravare;[1314]Wherfore[1315]he hathe good vreThat can hymselfe assureHowe fortune wyll endure.Than let reason you supporte,For the communalte dothe reporte[1316]That[1317]they haue great wonderThat ye[1318]kepe them so vnder;Yet[1319]they meruayle so moche[1320]lesse,1010For ye play so at the chesse,As they suppose and gesse,That some of you but lateHath played so checkemateWith lordes of great estate,[1321]After suche a rate,That they shall mell[1322]nor make,Nor vpon them take,[1323]For[1324]kynge nor kayser sake,But at the playsure of[1325]one1020That ruleth the roste[1326]alone.Helas,[1327]I say, helas!Howe may this come to passe,That a man shall here a[1328]masse,And not[1329]so hardy on his hedeTo loke on God in forme of brede,But that[1330]the parysshe clerkeThere vpon must herke,[1331]And graunt hym at[1332]his askyngFor to se the sacryng?1030And[1333]howe may this accorde,No man to our souerayne lordeSo hardy to make sute,Nor yet[1334]to executeHis commaundement,Without the assentOf our presydent,Nor to expresse[1335]to his person,[1336]Without your consentatyon[1337]Graunt hym his lycence1040To preas to his presence,Nor to speke to hym[1338]secretly,Openly nor[1339]preuyly,Without his[1340]presydent be by,Or els his substytuteWhom he wyll depute?Neyther erle ne duke[1341]Permytted? by[1342]saynt Luke,And by swete saynt Marke,This is a wonderous warke![1343]1050That the people talke this,Somewhat there is amysse:The deuil cannot stop their mouthes,But they wyl talke of such vncouthes,[1344]All that euer they kenAgaynst all spirituall[1345]men.Whether it be wrong or ryght,Or els for dyspyght,Or howe euer it hap,[1346]Theyr tonges thus do[1347]clap,1060And through suche detractyonThey put you to your actyon;And[1348]whether they say trewlyAs they may abyde therby,Or els that they do lye,Ye knowe better then I.But nowedebetis scire,And groundlyaudire,In yourconvenire,[1349]Of this premenire,1070Or els in the myreThey saye they wyll you cast;Therfore stande sure and fast.[1350]Stande sure, and take[1351]good fotyng,And let be all your motyng,Your gasyng and your totyng,And[1352]your parcyall promotyngOf those that stande[1353]in your grace;But[1354]olde seruauntes ye chase,And put them out of theyr place.1080Make ye no murmuracyon,Though I wryte after[1355]this facion;Though I, Colyn Cloute,Among the hole routeOf you that clerkes be,Take nowe vpon[1356]meThus[1357]copyously to wryte,I do it for[1358]no despyte.Wherfore take no dysdayneAt my style rude[1359]and playne;1090For I rebuke no manThat vertuous[1360]is: why thanWreke ye your anger on me?For those[1361]that vertuous beHaue no cause to sayThat I[1362]speke out of the way.Of no good bysshop speke I,Nor[1363]good preest I escrye,[1364]Good frere, nor good chanon,Good nonne, nor good canon,1100Good monke, nor good clercke,Nor yette[1365]of no good werke:But my recountyng isOf them that do[1366]amys,In speking and rebellyng,[1367]In hynderyng and dysauaylyngHoly Churche,[1368]our mother,One agaynst[1369]another;To vse suche despytyng[1370]Is all my hole wrytyng;1110To hynder no man,As nere as I can,For no man haue I named:Wherfore sholde I be[1371]blamed?Ye ought to be ashamed,Agaynst[1372]me to be gramed,[1373]And can[1374]tell no cause why,But that I wryte trewly.Then yf any there beOf hygh or[1375]lowe degre1120Of the spiritualte,Or of[1376]the temporalte,That dothe thynke or weneThat[1377]his conscyence be not clene,And feleth[1378]hymselfe sycke,Or touched on the quycke,Suche grace God them sendeThemselfe to[1379]amende,For I wyll not pretendeAny man to offende.1130Wherfore, as thynketh[1380]me,Great ydeottes[1381]they be,And lytell grace they haue,This treatyse to depraue;Nor wyll here no prechyng,Nor no vertuous techyng,Nor wyll haue no resytyngOf any[1382]vertuous wrytyng;Wyll knowe none intellygenceTo refourme theyr neglygence,1140But lyue styll out of facyon,To theyr owne dampnacyon.To do shame they haue no shame,But they wold[1383]no man shulde them blame:They haue an euyl name,But[1384]yet they wyll occupy the same.With them the worde of GodIs counted for no rod;[1385]They counte it for a raylyng,That nothyng is[1386]auaylyng;1150The prechers with euyll[1387]hayling:Shall they daunt[1388]vs prelates,That be theyr[1389]prymates?Not so hardy on theyr pates!Herke, howe the losell[1390]prates,With a wyde wesaunt!Auaunt, syr Guy of Gaunt!Auaunt, lewde preest, auaunt!Auaunt, syr doctour Deuyas![1391]Prate of[1392]thy matyns and thy masse,1160And let our maters[1393]passe:Howe darest[1394]thou, daucocke, mell?Howe darest thou, losell,[1395]Allygate the gospellAgaynst vs of the counsell?[1396]Auaunt[1397]to the deuyll of hell!Take hym, wardeyne[1398]of the Flete,Set hym fast by the fete!I say, lyeutenaunt of the Toure,Make this lurdeyne for to loure;1170Lodge hym in Lytell Ease,Fede hym with beanes and pease!The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy,Haue hym[1399]thyder by and by!The vyllayne[1400]precheth openly,And declareth our vyllany;And of our fre[1401]symplenesseHe sayes that we are[1402]rechelesse,And full of wylfulnesse,Shameles and mercylesse,[1403]1180Incorrigible and insaciate;[1404]And after this rateAgaynst vs dothe[1405]prate.At Poules Crosse or els where,Openly at Westmynstere,And Saynt Mary[1406]Spyttell,They set not by[1407]vs a whystell:[1408]At the Austen fryersThey count vs for[1409]lyers:And[1410]at Saynt Thomas of Akers1190They carpe vs[1411]lyke crakers,Howe we wyll rule[1412]all at wyllWithout good reason or[1413]skyll;And say how that we beFull of parcyalyte;[1414]And howe at a prongeWe tourne ryght into[1415]wronge,Delay causes so longeThat ryght no man can fonge;They say many matters be[1416]born1200By the ryght of[1417]a rambes horne.Is not this a shamfull scorne,To be[1418]teared thus and torne?How may we thys[1419]indure?Wherfore we make you sure,Ye[1420]prechers shall be yawde;And[1421]some shall be sawde,As noble[1422]Ezechyas,The holy prophet, was;And some of you shall dye,1210Lyke holy Jeremy;Some hanged, some[1423]slayne,Some beaten to the brayne;And we wyll rule[1424]and rayne,And our matters mayntayneWho dare say there agayne,Or who dare dysdayneAt our[1425]pleasure and wyll:For, be it good or be it yll,As it is, it shall be styll,1220For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426]Or of Diuine,[1427]or doctour Dryuyll,Let hym cough, rough,[1428]or sneuyll;Renne[1429]God, renne deuyll,Renne who may renne[1430]best,And let take all the rest![1431]We[1432]set not a nut shellThe way to heuen or to[1433]hell.
Buyldyng royally[1287]Theyr mancyons curyously,With turrettes and with toures,With halles and with boures,Stretchynge[1288]to the starres,940With glasse wyndowes and barres;Hangynge aboute[1289]the wallesClothes of golde and palles,Arras of ryche aray,Fresshe[1290]as flours in May;Wyth dame Dyana naked;Howe lusty Venus quaked,And howe[1291]Cupyde shakedHis darte, and bent his[1292]boweFor to shote a crowe950At her tyrly tyrlowe;And howe Parys of TroyDaunced a lege de moy,[1293]Made lusty sporte and ioyWith dame Helyn the quene;With suche storyes bydeneTheir chambres well besene;With triumphes of Cesar,And of[1294]Pompeyus war,Of renowne and of[1295]fame960By them to get a name:Nowe[1296]all the worlde stares,How they ryde in goodly chares,Conueyed by olyphantes,With lauryat garlantes,[1297]And by vnycornesWith their semely hornes;Vpon these beestes rydynge,Naked boyes strydynge,With wanton wenches winkyng.970Nowe truly, to my thynkynge,That[1298]is a speculacyonAnd a mete meditacyonFor prelates of estate,Their courage to abateFrom worldly wantonnesse,Theyr chambres[1299]thus to dresseWith suche parfetnesseAnd all suche holynesse;How be it they let downe fall980Their churches[1300]cathedrall.Squyre, knyght, and lorde,Thus the Churche[1301]remorde;With all temporall peopleThey rune agaynst[1302]the steple,Thus talkynge and tellyng[1303]How some of you are mellyng;Yet[1304]softe and fayre for swellyng,Beware of a quenes yellyng.[1305]It is a besy thyng990For one man[1306]to rule a kyng[1307]Alone and[1308]make rekenyng,To gouerne ouer allAnd rule a realme royallBy one mannes verrey[1309]wyt;Fortune may chaunce to flyt,And whan[1310]he weneth to syt,Yet may he mysse the quysshon:For I rede a[1311]preposycyon,Cum[1312]regibus amicare,[1313]1000Et omnibus dominari,Et supra te pravare;[1314]Wherfore[1315]he hathe good vreThat can hymselfe assureHowe fortune wyll endure.Than let reason you supporte,For the communalte dothe reporte[1316]That[1317]they haue great wonderThat ye[1318]kepe them so vnder;Yet[1319]they meruayle so moche[1320]lesse,1010For ye play so at the chesse,As they suppose and gesse,That some of you but lateHath played so checkemateWith lordes of great estate,[1321]After suche a rate,That they shall mell[1322]nor make,Nor vpon them take,[1323]For[1324]kynge nor kayser sake,But at the playsure of[1325]one1020That ruleth the roste[1326]alone.Helas,[1327]I say, helas!Howe may this come to passe,That a man shall here a[1328]masse,And not[1329]so hardy on his hedeTo loke on God in forme of brede,But that[1330]the parysshe clerkeThere vpon must herke,[1331]And graunt hym at[1332]his askyngFor to se the sacryng?1030And[1333]howe may this accorde,No man to our souerayne lordeSo hardy to make sute,Nor yet[1334]to executeHis commaundement,Without the assentOf our presydent,Nor to expresse[1335]to his person,[1336]Without your consentatyon[1337]Graunt hym his lycence1040To preas to his presence,Nor to speke to hym[1338]secretly,Openly nor[1339]preuyly,Without his[1340]presydent be by,Or els his substytuteWhom he wyll depute?Neyther erle ne duke[1341]Permytted? by[1342]saynt Luke,And by swete saynt Marke,This is a wonderous warke![1343]1050That the people talke this,Somewhat there is amysse:The deuil cannot stop their mouthes,But they wyl talke of such vncouthes,[1344]All that euer they kenAgaynst all spirituall[1345]men.Whether it be wrong or ryght,Or els for dyspyght,Or howe euer it hap,[1346]Theyr tonges thus do[1347]clap,1060And through suche detractyonThey put you to your actyon;And[1348]whether they say trewlyAs they may abyde therby,Or els that they do lye,Ye knowe better then I.But nowedebetis scire,And groundlyaudire,In yourconvenire,[1349]Of this premenire,1070Or els in the myreThey saye they wyll you cast;Therfore stande sure and fast.[1350]Stande sure, and take[1351]good fotyng,And let be all your motyng,Your gasyng and your totyng,And[1352]your parcyall promotyngOf those that stande[1353]in your grace;But[1354]olde seruauntes ye chase,And put them out of theyr place.1080Make ye no murmuracyon,Though I wryte after[1355]this facion;Though I, Colyn Cloute,Among the hole routeOf you that clerkes be,Take nowe vpon[1356]meThus[1357]copyously to wryte,I do it for[1358]no despyte.Wherfore take no dysdayneAt my style rude[1359]and playne;1090For I rebuke no manThat vertuous[1360]is: why thanWreke ye your anger on me?For those[1361]that vertuous beHaue no cause to sayThat I[1362]speke out of the way.Of no good bysshop speke I,Nor[1363]good preest I escrye,[1364]Good frere, nor good chanon,Good nonne, nor good canon,1100Good monke, nor good clercke,Nor yette[1365]of no good werke:But my recountyng isOf them that do[1366]amys,In speking and rebellyng,[1367]In hynderyng and dysauaylyngHoly Churche,[1368]our mother,One agaynst[1369]another;To vse suche despytyng[1370]Is all my hole wrytyng;1110To hynder no man,As nere as I can,For no man haue I named:Wherfore sholde I be[1371]blamed?Ye ought to be ashamed,Agaynst[1372]me to be gramed,[1373]And can[1374]tell no cause why,But that I wryte trewly.Then yf any there beOf hygh or[1375]lowe degre1120Of the spiritualte,Or of[1376]the temporalte,That dothe thynke or weneThat[1377]his conscyence be not clene,And feleth[1378]hymselfe sycke,Or touched on the quycke,Suche grace God them sendeThemselfe to[1379]amende,For I wyll not pretendeAny man to offende.1130Wherfore, as thynketh[1380]me,Great ydeottes[1381]they be,And lytell grace they haue,This treatyse to depraue;Nor wyll here no prechyng,Nor no vertuous techyng,Nor wyll haue no resytyngOf any[1382]vertuous wrytyng;Wyll knowe none intellygenceTo refourme theyr neglygence,1140But lyue styll out of facyon,To theyr owne dampnacyon.To do shame they haue no shame,But they wold[1383]no man shulde them blame:They haue an euyl name,But[1384]yet they wyll occupy the same.With them the worde of GodIs counted for no rod;[1385]They counte it for a raylyng,That nothyng is[1386]auaylyng;1150The prechers with euyll[1387]hayling:Shall they daunt[1388]vs prelates,That be theyr[1389]prymates?Not so hardy on theyr pates!Herke, howe the losell[1390]prates,With a wyde wesaunt!Auaunt, syr Guy of Gaunt!Auaunt, lewde preest, auaunt!Auaunt, syr doctour Deuyas![1391]Prate of[1392]thy matyns and thy masse,1160And let our maters[1393]passe:Howe darest[1394]thou, daucocke, mell?Howe darest thou, losell,[1395]Allygate the gospellAgaynst vs of the counsell?[1396]Auaunt[1397]to the deuyll of hell!Take hym, wardeyne[1398]of the Flete,Set hym fast by the fete!I say, lyeutenaunt of the Toure,Make this lurdeyne for to loure;1170Lodge hym in Lytell Ease,Fede hym with beanes and pease!The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy,Haue hym[1399]thyder by and by!The vyllayne[1400]precheth openly,And declareth our vyllany;And of our fre[1401]symplenesseHe sayes that we are[1402]rechelesse,And full of wylfulnesse,Shameles and mercylesse,[1403]1180Incorrigible and insaciate;[1404]And after this rateAgaynst vs dothe[1405]prate.At Poules Crosse or els where,Openly at Westmynstere,And Saynt Mary[1406]Spyttell,They set not by[1407]vs a whystell:[1408]At the Austen fryersThey count vs for[1409]lyers:And[1410]at Saynt Thomas of Akers1190They carpe vs[1411]lyke crakers,Howe we wyll rule[1412]all at wyllWithout good reason or[1413]skyll;And say how that we beFull of parcyalyte;[1414]And howe at a prongeWe tourne ryght into[1415]wronge,Delay causes so longeThat ryght no man can fonge;They say many matters be[1416]born1200By the ryght of[1417]a rambes horne.Is not this a shamfull scorne,To be[1418]teared thus and torne?How may we thys[1419]indure?Wherfore we make you sure,Ye[1420]prechers shall be yawde;And[1421]some shall be sawde,As noble[1422]Ezechyas,The holy prophet, was;And some of you shall dye,1210Lyke holy Jeremy;Some hanged, some[1423]slayne,Some beaten to the brayne;And we wyll rule[1424]and rayne,And our matters mayntayneWho dare say there agayne,Or who dare dysdayneAt our[1425]pleasure and wyll:For, be it good or be it yll,As it is, it shall be styll,1220For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426]Or of Diuine,[1427]or doctour Dryuyll,Let hym cough, rough,[1428]or sneuyll;Renne[1429]God, renne deuyll,Renne who may renne[1430]best,And let take all the rest![1431]We[1432]set not a nut shellThe way to heuen or to[1433]hell.
Buyldyng royally[1287]Theyr mancyons curyously,With turrettes and with toures,With halles and with boures,Stretchynge[1288]to the starres,940With glasse wyndowes and barres;Hangynge aboute[1289]the wallesClothes of golde and palles,Arras of ryche aray,Fresshe[1290]as flours in May;Wyth dame Dyana naked;Howe lusty Venus quaked,And howe[1291]Cupyde shakedHis darte, and bent his[1292]boweFor to shote a crowe950At her tyrly tyrlowe;And howe Parys of TroyDaunced a lege de moy,[1293]Made lusty sporte and ioyWith dame Helyn the quene;With suche storyes bydeneTheir chambres well besene;With triumphes of Cesar,And of[1294]Pompeyus war,Of renowne and of[1295]fame960By them to get a name:Nowe[1296]all the worlde stares,How they ryde in goodly chares,Conueyed by olyphantes,With lauryat garlantes,[1297]And by vnycornesWith their semely hornes;Vpon these beestes rydynge,Naked boyes strydynge,With wanton wenches winkyng.970Nowe truly, to my thynkynge,That[1298]is a speculacyonAnd a mete meditacyonFor prelates of estate,Their courage to abateFrom worldly wantonnesse,Theyr chambres[1299]thus to dresseWith suche parfetnesseAnd all suche holynesse;How be it they let downe fall980Their churches[1300]cathedrall.Squyre, knyght, and lorde,Thus the Churche[1301]remorde;With all temporall peopleThey rune agaynst[1302]the steple,Thus talkynge and tellyng[1303]How some of you are mellyng;Yet[1304]softe and fayre for swellyng,Beware of a quenes yellyng.[1305]It is a besy thyng990For one man[1306]to rule a kyng[1307]Alone and[1308]make rekenyng,To gouerne ouer allAnd rule a realme royallBy one mannes verrey[1309]wyt;Fortune may chaunce to flyt,And whan[1310]he weneth to syt,Yet may he mysse the quysshon:For I rede a[1311]preposycyon,Cum[1312]regibus amicare,[1313]1000Et omnibus dominari,Et supra te pravare;[1314]Wherfore[1315]he hathe good vreThat can hymselfe assureHowe fortune wyll endure.Than let reason you supporte,For the communalte dothe reporte[1316]That[1317]they haue great wonderThat ye[1318]kepe them so vnder;Yet[1319]they meruayle so moche[1320]lesse,1010For ye play so at the chesse,As they suppose and gesse,That some of you but lateHath played so checkemateWith lordes of great estate,[1321]After suche a rate,That they shall mell[1322]nor make,Nor vpon them take,[1323]For[1324]kynge nor kayser sake,But at the playsure of[1325]one1020That ruleth the roste[1326]alone.Helas,[1327]I say, helas!Howe may this come to passe,That a man shall here a[1328]masse,And not[1329]so hardy on his hedeTo loke on God in forme of brede,But that[1330]the parysshe clerkeThere vpon must herke,[1331]And graunt hym at[1332]his askyngFor to se the sacryng?1030And[1333]howe may this accorde,No man to our souerayne lordeSo hardy to make sute,Nor yet[1334]to executeHis commaundement,Without the assentOf our presydent,Nor to expresse[1335]to his person,[1336]Without your consentatyon[1337]Graunt hym his lycence1040To preas to his presence,Nor to speke to hym[1338]secretly,Openly nor[1339]preuyly,Without his[1340]presydent be by,Or els his substytuteWhom he wyll depute?Neyther erle ne duke[1341]Permytted? by[1342]saynt Luke,And by swete saynt Marke,This is a wonderous warke![1343]1050That the people talke this,Somewhat there is amysse:The deuil cannot stop their mouthes,But they wyl talke of such vncouthes,[1344]All that euer they kenAgaynst all spirituall[1345]men.Whether it be wrong or ryght,Or els for dyspyght,Or howe euer it hap,[1346]Theyr tonges thus do[1347]clap,1060And through suche detractyonThey put you to your actyon;And[1348]whether they say trewlyAs they may abyde therby,Or els that they do lye,Ye knowe better then I.But nowedebetis scire,And groundlyaudire,In yourconvenire,[1349]Of this premenire,1070Or els in the myreThey saye they wyll you cast;Therfore stande sure and fast.[1350]Stande sure, and take[1351]good fotyng,And let be all your motyng,Your gasyng and your totyng,And[1352]your parcyall promotyngOf those that stande[1353]in your grace;But[1354]olde seruauntes ye chase,And put them out of theyr place.1080Make ye no murmuracyon,Though I wryte after[1355]this facion;Though I, Colyn Cloute,Among the hole routeOf you that clerkes be,Take nowe vpon[1356]meThus[1357]copyously to wryte,I do it for[1358]no despyte.Wherfore take no dysdayneAt my style rude[1359]and playne;1090For I rebuke no manThat vertuous[1360]is: why thanWreke ye your anger on me?For those[1361]that vertuous beHaue no cause to sayThat I[1362]speke out of the way.Of no good bysshop speke I,Nor[1363]good preest I escrye,[1364]Good frere, nor good chanon,Good nonne, nor good canon,1100Good monke, nor good clercke,Nor yette[1365]of no good werke:But my recountyng isOf them that do[1366]amys,In speking and rebellyng,[1367]In hynderyng and dysauaylyngHoly Churche,[1368]our mother,One agaynst[1369]another;To vse suche despytyng[1370]Is all my hole wrytyng;1110To hynder no man,As nere as I can,For no man haue I named:Wherfore sholde I be[1371]blamed?Ye ought to be ashamed,Agaynst[1372]me to be gramed,[1373]And can[1374]tell no cause why,But that I wryte trewly.Then yf any there beOf hygh or[1375]lowe degre1120Of the spiritualte,Or of[1376]the temporalte,That dothe thynke or weneThat[1377]his conscyence be not clene,And feleth[1378]hymselfe sycke,Or touched on the quycke,Suche grace God them sendeThemselfe to[1379]amende,For I wyll not pretendeAny man to offende.1130Wherfore, as thynketh[1380]me,Great ydeottes[1381]they be,And lytell grace they haue,This treatyse to depraue;Nor wyll here no prechyng,Nor no vertuous techyng,Nor wyll haue no resytyngOf any[1382]vertuous wrytyng;Wyll knowe none intellygenceTo refourme theyr neglygence,1140But lyue styll out of facyon,To theyr owne dampnacyon.To do shame they haue no shame,But they wold[1383]no man shulde them blame:They haue an euyl name,But[1384]yet they wyll occupy the same.With them the worde of GodIs counted for no rod;[1385]They counte it for a raylyng,That nothyng is[1386]auaylyng;1150The prechers with euyll[1387]hayling:Shall they daunt[1388]vs prelates,That be theyr[1389]prymates?Not so hardy on theyr pates!Herke, howe the losell[1390]prates,With a wyde wesaunt!Auaunt, syr Guy of Gaunt!Auaunt, lewde preest, auaunt!Auaunt, syr doctour Deuyas![1391]Prate of[1392]thy matyns and thy masse,1160And let our maters[1393]passe:Howe darest[1394]thou, daucocke, mell?Howe darest thou, losell,[1395]Allygate the gospellAgaynst vs of the counsell?[1396]Auaunt[1397]to the deuyll of hell!Take hym, wardeyne[1398]of the Flete,Set hym fast by the fete!I say, lyeutenaunt of the Toure,Make this lurdeyne for to loure;1170Lodge hym in Lytell Ease,Fede hym with beanes and pease!The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy,Haue hym[1399]thyder by and by!The vyllayne[1400]precheth openly,And declareth our vyllany;And of our fre[1401]symplenesseHe sayes that we are[1402]rechelesse,And full of wylfulnesse,Shameles and mercylesse,[1403]1180Incorrigible and insaciate;[1404]And after this rateAgaynst vs dothe[1405]prate.At Poules Crosse or els where,Openly at Westmynstere,And Saynt Mary[1406]Spyttell,They set not by[1407]vs a whystell:[1408]At the Austen fryersThey count vs for[1409]lyers:And[1410]at Saynt Thomas of Akers1190They carpe vs[1411]lyke crakers,Howe we wyll rule[1412]all at wyllWithout good reason or[1413]skyll;And say how that we beFull of parcyalyte;[1414]And howe at a prongeWe tourne ryght into[1415]wronge,Delay causes so longeThat ryght no man can fonge;They say many matters be[1416]born1200By the ryght of[1417]a rambes horne.Is not this a shamfull scorne,To be[1418]teared thus and torne?How may we thys[1419]indure?Wherfore we make you sure,Ye[1420]prechers shall be yawde;And[1421]some shall be sawde,As noble[1422]Ezechyas,The holy prophet, was;And some of you shall dye,1210Lyke holy Jeremy;Some hanged, some[1423]slayne,Some beaten to the brayne;And we wyll rule[1424]and rayne,And our matters mayntayneWho dare say there agayne,Or who dare dysdayneAt our[1425]pleasure and wyll:For, be it good or be it yll,As it is, it shall be styll,1220For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426]Or of Diuine,[1427]or doctour Dryuyll,Let hym cough, rough,[1428]or sneuyll;Renne[1429]God, renne deuyll,Renne who may renne[1430]best,And let take all the rest![1431]We[1432]set not a nut shellThe way to heuen or to[1433]hell.
Buyldyng royally[1287]
Theyr mancyons curyously,
With turrettes and with toures,
With halles and with boures,
Stretchynge[1288]to the starres,940
With glasse wyndowes and barres;
Hangynge aboute[1289]the walles
Clothes of golde and palles,
Arras of ryche aray,
Fresshe[1290]as flours in May;
Wyth dame Dyana naked;
Howe lusty Venus quaked,
And howe[1291]Cupyde shaked
His darte, and bent his[1292]bowe
For to shote a crowe950
At her tyrly tyrlowe;
And howe Parys of Troy
Daunced a lege de moy,[1293]
Made lusty sporte and ioy
With dame Helyn the quene;
With suche storyes bydene
Their chambres well besene;
With triumphes of Cesar,
And of[1294]Pompeyus war,
Of renowne and of[1295]fame960
By them to get a name:
Nowe[1296]all the worlde stares,
How they ryde in goodly chares,
Conueyed by olyphantes,
With lauryat garlantes,[1297]
And by vnycornes
With their semely hornes;
Vpon these beestes rydynge,
Naked boyes strydynge,
With wanton wenches winkyng.970
Nowe truly, to my thynkynge,
That[1298]is a speculacyon
And a mete meditacyon
For prelates of estate,
Their courage to abate
From worldly wantonnesse,
Theyr chambres[1299]thus to dresse
With suche parfetnesse
And all suche holynesse;
How be it they let downe fall980
Their churches[1300]cathedrall.
Squyre, knyght, and lorde,
Thus the Churche[1301]remorde;
With all temporall people
They rune agaynst[1302]the steple,
Thus talkynge and tellyng[1303]
How some of you are mellyng;
Yet[1304]softe and fayre for swellyng,
Beware of a quenes yellyng.[1305]
It is a besy thyng990
For one man[1306]to rule a kyng[1307]
Alone and[1308]make rekenyng,
To gouerne ouer all
And rule a realme royall
By one mannes verrey[1309]wyt;
Fortune may chaunce to flyt,
And whan[1310]he weneth to syt,
Yet may he mysse the quysshon:
For I rede a[1311]preposycyon,
Cum[1312]regibus amicare,[1313]1000
Et omnibus dominari,
Et supra te pravare;[1314]
Wherfore[1315]he hathe good vre
That can hymselfe assure
Howe fortune wyll endure.
Than let reason you supporte,
For the communalte dothe reporte[1316]
That[1317]they haue great wonder
That ye[1318]kepe them so vnder;
Yet[1319]they meruayle so moche[1320]lesse,1010
For ye play so at the chesse,
As they suppose and gesse,
That some of you but late
Hath played so checkemate
With lordes of great estate,[1321]
After suche a rate,
That they shall mell[1322]nor make,
Nor vpon them take,[1323]
For[1324]kynge nor kayser sake,
But at the playsure of[1325]one1020
That ruleth the roste[1326]alone.
Helas,[1327]I say, helas!
Howe may this come to passe,
That a man shall here a[1328]masse,
And not[1329]so hardy on his hede
To loke on God in forme of brede,
But that[1330]the parysshe clerke
There vpon must herke,[1331]
And graunt hym at[1332]his askyng
For to se the sacryng?1030
And[1333]howe may this accorde,
No man to our souerayne lorde
So hardy to make sute,
Nor yet[1334]to execute
His commaundement,
Without the assent
Of our presydent,
Nor to expresse[1335]to his person,[1336]
Without your consentatyon[1337]
Graunt hym his lycence1040
To preas to his presence,
Nor to speke to hym[1338]secretly,
Openly nor[1339]preuyly,
Without his[1340]presydent be by,
Or els his substytute
Whom he wyll depute?
Neyther erle ne duke[1341]
Permytted? by[1342]saynt Luke,
And by swete saynt Marke,
This is a wonderous warke![1343]1050
That the people talke this,
Somewhat there is amysse:
The deuil cannot stop their mouthes,
But they wyl talke of such vncouthes,[1344]
All that euer they ken
Agaynst all spirituall[1345]men.
Whether it be wrong or ryght,
Or els for dyspyght,
Or howe euer it hap,[1346]
Theyr tonges thus do[1347]clap,1060
And through suche detractyon
They put you to your actyon;
And[1348]whether they say trewly
As they may abyde therby,
Or els that they do lye,
Ye knowe better then I.
But nowedebetis scire,
And groundlyaudire,
In yourconvenire,[1349]
Of this premenire,1070
Or els in the myre
They saye they wyll you cast;
Therfore stande sure and fast.[1350]
Stande sure, and take[1351]good fotyng,
And let be all your motyng,
Your gasyng and your totyng,
And[1352]your parcyall promotyng
Of those that stande[1353]in your grace;
But[1354]olde seruauntes ye chase,
And put them out of theyr place.1080
Make ye no murmuracyon,
Though I wryte after[1355]this facion;
Though I, Colyn Cloute,
Among the hole route
Of you that clerkes be,
Take nowe vpon[1356]me
Thus[1357]copyously to wryte,
I do it for[1358]no despyte.
Wherfore take no dysdayne
At my style rude[1359]and playne;1090
For I rebuke no man
That vertuous[1360]is: why than
Wreke ye your anger on me?
For those[1361]that vertuous be
Haue no cause to say
That I[1362]speke out of the way.
Of no good bysshop speke I,
Nor[1363]good preest I escrye,[1364]
Good frere, nor good chanon,
Good nonne, nor good canon,1100
Good monke, nor good clercke,
Nor yette[1365]of no good werke:
But my recountyng is
Of them that do[1366]amys,
In speking and rebellyng,[1367]
In hynderyng and dysauaylyng
Holy Churche,[1368]our mother,
One agaynst[1369]another;
To vse suche despytyng[1370]
Is all my hole wrytyng;1110
To hynder no man,
As nere as I can,
For no man haue I named:
Wherfore sholde I be[1371]blamed?
Ye ought to be ashamed,
Agaynst[1372]me to be gramed,[1373]
And can[1374]tell no cause why,
But that I wryte trewly.
Then yf any there be
Of hygh or[1375]lowe degre1120
Of the spiritualte,
Or of[1376]the temporalte,
That dothe thynke or wene
That[1377]his conscyence be not clene,
And feleth[1378]hymselfe sycke,
Or touched on the quycke,
Suche grace God them sende
Themselfe to[1379]amende,
For I wyll not pretende
Any man to offende.1130
Wherfore, as thynketh[1380]me,
Great ydeottes[1381]they be,
And lytell grace they haue,
This treatyse to depraue;
Nor wyll here no prechyng,
Nor no vertuous techyng,
Nor wyll haue no resytyng
Of any[1382]vertuous wrytyng;
Wyll knowe none intellygence
To refourme theyr neglygence,1140
But lyue styll out of facyon,
To theyr owne dampnacyon.
To do shame they haue no shame,
But they wold[1383]no man shulde them blame:
They haue an euyl name,
But[1384]yet they wyll occupy the same.
With them the worde of God
Is counted for no rod;[1385]
They counte it for a raylyng,
That nothyng is[1386]auaylyng;1150
The prechers with euyll[1387]hayling:
Shall they daunt[1388]vs prelates,
That be theyr[1389]prymates?
Not so hardy on theyr pates!
Herke, howe the losell[1390]prates,
With a wyde wesaunt!
Auaunt, syr Guy of Gaunt!
Auaunt, lewde preest, auaunt!
Auaunt, syr doctour Deuyas![1391]
Prate of[1392]thy matyns and thy masse,1160
And let our maters[1393]passe:
Howe darest[1394]thou, daucocke, mell?
Howe darest thou, losell,[1395]
Allygate the gospell
Agaynst vs of the counsell?[1396]
Auaunt[1397]to the deuyll of hell!
Take hym, wardeyne[1398]of the Flete,
Set hym fast by the fete!
I say, lyeutenaunt of the Toure,
Make this lurdeyne for to loure;1170
Lodge hym in Lytell Ease,
Fede hym with beanes and pease!
The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy,
Haue hym[1399]thyder by and by!
The vyllayne[1400]precheth openly,
And declareth our vyllany;
And of our fre[1401]symplenesse
He sayes that we are[1402]rechelesse,
And full of wylfulnesse,
Shameles and mercylesse,[1403]1180
Incorrigible and insaciate;[1404]
And after this rate
Agaynst vs dothe[1405]prate.
At Poules Crosse or els where,
Openly at Westmynstere,
And Saynt Mary[1406]Spyttell,
They set not by[1407]vs a whystell:[1408]
At the Austen fryers
They count vs for[1409]lyers:
And[1410]at Saynt Thomas of Akers1190
They carpe vs[1411]lyke crakers,
Howe we wyll rule[1412]all at wyll
Without good reason or[1413]skyll;
And say how that we be
Full of parcyalyte;[1414]
And howe at a pronge
We tourne ryght into[1415]wronge,
Delay causes so longe
That ryght no man can fonge;
They say many matters be[1416]born1200
By the ryght of[1417]a rambes horne.
Is not this a shamfull scorne,
To be[1418]teared thus and torne?
How may we thys[1419]indure?
Wherfore we make you sure,
Ye[1420]prechers shall be yawde;
And[1421]some shall be sawde,
As noble[1422]Ezechyas,
The holy prophet, was;
And some of you shall dye,1210
Lyke holy Jeremy;
Some hanged, some[1423]slayne,
Some beaten to the brayne;
And we wyll rule[1424]and rayne,
And our matters mayntayne
Who dare say there agayne,
Or who dare dysdayne
At our[1425]pleasure and wyll:
For, be it good or be it yll,
As it is, it shall be styll,1220
For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426]
Or of Diuine,[1427]or doctour Dryuyll,
Let hym cough, rough,[1428]or sneuyll;
Renne[1429]God, renne deuyll,
Renne who may renne[1430]best,
And let take all the rest![1431]
We[1432]set not a nut shell
The way to heuen or to[1433]hell.