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The Plouumans tale compylled by syr Geffray Chaucher knyght Title and lines 1-36 supplied from 1548 | |||
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¶Here begynneth the Plowmans Prologue. |
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THe ploweman plucked vp hys plowe. | |||
Whan midsomer mone was comen in | |||
And said his beestes shuld eate ynow | |||
And lige in the grasse vp to the chynne | |||
5 | They ben feble both oxe and cowe | ||
Of hem nys left but bone and skynne | |||
He shoke of shere and coultre of ####ab#### drowe | |||
And honge his harneys on a pynne. | |||
He toke his tabard and his staffe eke | |||
10 | And on his heed he set hys hat | ||
And sayde he wol[d]e saynt Thomas seke wolde] wolbe 1548, wolde 1542 | |||
On pylgremage he goth forth platte | |||
In scrippe he bare both breed and lekes | |||
He was forswonke and all forswatte | |||
15 | Men might haue sene through both his chekes | ||
And euery wang-toth and where it sat | |||
¶Our hoste behelde well about | |||
And [s]awe thys man was sunne-ybrent sawe] lawe 1548, sawe 1542 | |||
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He knewe well by hys senged snoute | |||
20 | And by hys clothes that were to ####ab#### rent | ||
He was a man wont to walke about | |||
He nas nat alwaye in cloystre ypent | |||
He coulde not religeouslyche loute | |||
And therfore was he fully shent. | |||
25 | ¶Our host him axed, what man art thou? | ||
Syr (quod he) I am an hyne | |||
For I am wont to go to the plowe | |||
And erne my meate yer that I dyne | |||
To swete and swinke I make auowe | |||
30 | My wyfe and chyldren therwyth to fynde | ||
And serue god and I wist howe | |||
But we leude men bene full blynde. | |||
¶For clerkes saye we shullen be fayne | |||
For her lyuelod swet and swynke | |||
35 | And they ryght nought vs gyue agayne | ||
Neyther to eate ne yet to drinke | |||
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They mowe by lawe as they sayne1535 begins here | |||
Us curse and dampne to helle-brinke | |||
Thus they putten vs to payne | |||
40 | With candels queynte and belles clynke | ||
¶They make vs thralles at her lust | |||
And sayne we mowe nat els be saued | |||
They haue the corne and we the dust | |||
Who speketh ther-agayn they say he raued | |||
45 | ¶What man quod our host canst thou preche | ||
Come nere and tell vs some holy thyng | |||
¶Syr quod he I herde ones teche | |||
A preest in pulpyt a good prechyng good] hood 1548 | |||
¶Say on[] quod our host I the beseche Say on] Say on 1535 | |||
50 | Syr I am redy at your byddyng | ||
I pray you that no man me reproche | |||
Whyle that I am my tale tellyng. | |||
Thus endeth the prologue and here foloweth the fyrst parte of this present worke.
| this present worke] the tale 1548 |
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A Sterne stryfe is stered newe Narratio. | |||
In many stedes in a stounde | |||
Of sondrie s[e]des that be sewe sedes] sydes 1535, sedes 1542, 1548; be] bene 1542, 1548 | |||
It semeth that some ben vnsounde | |||
5 | For some be great growen [o]n grounde on grounde] vngrounde 1535, 1542, 1548 | ||
Some ben sou[p]le symple and small souple] souble 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
Whether of hem is falser founde | |||
The falser foule mote hym befall | |||
¶That one syde is that I of tell. | |||
10 | Popes cardynals and prelates | ||
Parsons monkes and Freres fell | |||
Priours abbottes of great estates | |||
Of heuyn and helle they kepe the yates | |||
And Peters successours they ben all | |||
15 | This is demed by olde dates | ||
But falshed foule mote it be ####ab#### fall | |||
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¶The other syde ben poore and pale | |||
And people put out of prease | |||
And seme caytyffes sore a ####ab#### cale | |||
20 | And euer in one without encrease | ||
Iclepeth lollers and londlese | |||
Who toteth on hem they ben vntall | |||
They ben arayde all for the peace | |||
But falshed foule mote it befall | |||
25 | ¶Many a countrey haue a sought a] I 1542, 1548 | ||
To knowe the falser of these two | |||
But euer my traueyle was for nought | |||
All-so ferre as I haue go | |||
But as I wandred in a wro | |||
30 | In a wodde besyde a wall | ||
Two fowles sawe I sytte tho Two] Tho 1548; sytte] sette 1548 | |||
The falser foule mote hym befall falser] fals 1548 | |||
¶That one dyde plede on the Popes syde | |||
A Gryffon of a grymme stature Gryffon. | |||
35 | A Pellycane withouten pride | ||
To these lollers layde his lure | |||
He mused his mater in measure | |||
To counsayle Christ euer gan he call | |||
The Gryffon shewed as sharpe as fyre | |||
40 | But falshed foule mote it be ####ab#### fall | ||
¶The Pellycan began to preche Pellycan | |||
Bothe of mercy and of mekenesse | |||
And sayd that Christ so gan vs teche | |||
And meke and mercyable gan blesse | |||
45 | The Euangely bereth wytnesse | ||
A lambe he lykeneth Christ ouer-all Ecce agnus dei. | |||
In tokenyng that he mekest was | |||
Sith pride was out of heuyn fall | |||
¶And so shulde euery Christned be Exemplum dedi vobis. | |||
50 | Preestes Peters successours | ||
Beth lowlyche and of lowe degre | |||
And vsen none erthly honours Qui maior est vestrum. | |||
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Neyther crowne ne curious couertours couertours] couetours 1548 | |||
Ne pylloure ne other proude pall | |||
55 | Ne nought to cofren vp great treasours Nolite thesaurizare. | ||
For falshed foule mote it befall | |||
¶Preestes shulde for no catell plede | |||
But chasten hem in charite Qui voluerit tecum contendere in iudicio. &c. | |||
Ne to no bateyle shulde men lede | |||
60 | For inhaunsyng of her owne degree | ||
Nat wylne syttynges in hye see | |||
Ne souerayntie in house ne hall Cum vocatus fueris ad nupcias recumbe in nouissimo loco .&c. | |||
All worldly worshyppe defye and flee | |||
For who-so wylleth highnes foule shal fall Qui se exaltat humiliabitur. | |||
65 | ¶Alas who may suche sayntes call | ||
That wylneth welde erthly honour Reges gentium dominantur eorum neque dominantes in clerum. | |||
As lowe as Lucifere suche shall fall | |||
In balefull blackenesse buylden her boure buylden] ybuylden 1548 | |||
That eggeth the people to errour | |||
70 | And maketh them to hem thrall Nisi habundauerit iustitia vestra plusque scribarum et phariseorum. | ||
To Christ I holde suche one traytour | |||
As lowe as Lucifere suche one shall fall | |||
¶That wylleth to be kynges peeres | |||
And higher than the Emperour Non in equalibus bellicosis. | |||
75 | Some that were but poore Freres | ||
Nowe wollen waxe a warryour | |||
God is nat her gouernour | |||
That holdeth no man hys permagall | |||
Whyle couetyse is her counsaylour | |||
80 | All suche falshed mote nede fall | ||
¶That hye on horse wylleth ryde | |||
In glytterande golde of great aray | |||
Ipaynted and portred all in pride | |||
No commen knyght may go so gaye | |||
85 | Change of clothyng euery day | ||
With golden gyrdels great and small | |||
As boystous as is bere at baye | |||
All suche falshed mote nede fall | |||
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¶With pride ponysshed the poore | |||
90 | And some they sustayne wyth sale | ||
Of holy churche maketh an hore | |||
And fylleth her wombe with wyne and ale | |||
With money fyll[e]th many a male fylleth] fyllcth 1535 | |||
And chaffren churches whan they fall | |||
95 | And telleth the people a leude tale | ||
Suche false faytours foule hem fall fall] befall 1548Ue pastoribus Israel qui pascebant semetipsos. Ezech. xxxiiii Ue pastoribus Israel qui pascebant semetipsos. Ezech. xxxiiii | |||
¶With chaunge of many maner metes | |||
With songe and solace syttyng longe | |||
And fylleth her wombe and fast fretes | |||
100 | And from the mete to the gonge | ||
And after mete with harpe and songe | |||
And eche man mote hem lordes call | |||
And hote spyces euer amonge | |||
Suche false fayto[u]rs foule hem fall In cithara & lyra et tipanum et tibia et vinum in conuiuiis vestris: et opus domini non respicitis nec opera manuum eius consideratis. Isaie. v. | |||
105 | ¶And myters mo than one or two | ||
Iperled as the quenes hedde | |||
A staffe of golde and pyrrey lo | |||
As he[u]y as it were made of ledde | |||
Wyth clothe of golde both newe and redde | |||
110 | Wyth glytterande [gowne] as grene as gall gowne] golde 1535, 1542, 1548 | ||
By dome woll dampne men to dedde | |||
All suche faytours foule hem fall | |||
¶And Christes people proudly curse | |||
With brode bokes and brayeng bell bokes] boke 1548 | |||
115 | To putte pennys in her purse | ||
They woll sell bothe heuyn and hell | |||
And in her sentence and thou wylt dwell | |||
They wyllen gesse in her gay hall | |||
And though the sothe thou of hem tell | |||
120 | In great cursyng shalte thou fall | ||
¶That is blessed that they blesse | |||
And cursed that they curse woll | |||
And thus the people they oppr[e]sse oppresse] opprcsse 1535 | |||
And haue their lordshyppes at full | |||
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125 | And many be marchantes of wolle | ||
And to purse pennyes woll come thrall | |||
The poore people they all to ####ab#### pull | |||
Suche false faytours foule hem fall foule] full 1548 | |||
¶Lordes mote to hem loute | |||
130 | Obeysaunt to her brode blessynge | ||
They ryden with her royall route | |||
On a courser as it were a kyng | |||
With saddyll of golde glytteryng | |||
Wyth curyous harneys quayntly crallyt | |||
135 | Styroppes gaye of golde-mastlyng | ||
All suche falshed foule befall it befall it] it befall 1548 | |||
¶Christes mynysters clepen they bene | |||
And rulen all in robbery | |||
But Antichrist they seruen clene | |||
140 | Attyred all in tyranny | ||
Wytnesse of Iohens prophesy | |||
That Antichrist is her admyrall | |||
Tyffelers attyred in trechery | |||
All suche faytours foule hem fall | |||
145 | ¶Who sayth that some of hem may synne | ||
He shalbe done to be deed | |||
Some of hem woll gladly wynne | |||
All ayenst that whiche god forbede | |||
All holyest they clepen her heed | |||
150 | That of her rule is regall | ||
Alas that euer they eten breed | |||
For all suche falshed woll foule fall In vestimentis ouium intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces. | |||
¶Her heed loueth all honour | |||
And to be worshypped in worde and dede | |||
155 | Kynges mote to hem knele and coure | ||
To the Apostels that Christ forbede | |||
To Popes hestes suche taketh more hede | |||
Than to kepe Christes commaundement | |||
Of golde and syluer mote ben her wede | |||
160 | They holdeth hym hole omnypotent Extollens se super omne quod dicitur deus. | ||
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¶He ordayneth by his ordynaunce | |||
To parysshe preestes a powere | |||
To another a greatter auaunce | |||
A greatter poynt to his mystere | |||
165 | But for he is hyghest in erthe here | ||
To hym reserueth he many a poynt | |||
But to Christ that hath no pere | |||
Reserueth he neyther opyn ne ioynt | |||
¶So semeth he abouen all | |||
170 | And Christ abouen hym nothyng | ||
Whan he sytteth in his stall | |||
Dampneth and saueth as hym thynke | |||
Suche pride tofore god dothe stynke | |||
An Angell badde Iohnn to hym nat knele | |||
175 | But onely to god do his bowyng | ||
Such wyllers of worship must nede yuel fele | |||
¶They ne clepen Christ but Sanctus deus Sanctus deus sanctus fortis. | |||
And clepen her heed Sanctissimus | |||
They that suche a secte sewys | |||
180 | I trowe they taken hem amysse | ||
In erthe here they haue her blysse | |||
Her hye mayster is Bellyall | |||
[Chryste his] people from hem wysse Chryste his] Chrystes 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
For all such false wyll foule fall | |||
185 | ¶They mowe bothe bynde and lose | ||
And all is for her holy lyfe | |||
To saue or dampne they mowe chose | |||
Betwene hem nowe is great stryfe | |||
Many a man is kylled with a knyfe | |||
190 | To wete which of hem haue lordship shall | ||
For suche Christ suffred woundes fyue | |||
For all suche falshed woll foule fall Omne regnum in se deuisum desolabitur. | |||
¶Christ sayd Qui gladio percutit | |||
With swerde he shall dye he] 1548 omits | |||
195 | He bade his preestes peace and gryth | ||
And bade hem nat drede for to dye Nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus estote prudentes. | |||
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And bad hem be bothe symple and slye | |||
And carke nat for no catall Sicut serpentes et simplices sicut columbe. | |||
And trusteth on god that sytte[t]h on hye sytteth] sytteh 1535 | |||
200 | For all false shull foule fall | ||
¶These wollen make men to swere | |||
Ayenst Christes commaundement | |||
And Christes membres all to tere | |||
On Roode as he were newe yrent | |||
205 | Suche lawes they maken by commen assent | ||
Echone it choweth as a ball | |||
Thus the poore be fully shent | |||
But euer falshed foule it fall fall] befall 1548Ue qui conducunt leges iniquas vt oprimant pauperes in iudicio. Ue qui conducunt leges iniquas vt oprimant pauperes in iudicio. | |||
¶They vsyn no Simony | |||
210 | But sellen churches and priories | ||
Ne they vsen no Enuy | |||
But cursen all hem contraries | |||
And hyereth men by dayes and yeres | |||
With strength to holde hem in her stall | |||
215 | And culleth all her aduersaries | ||
Therfore falshed foule thou fall | |||
¶With purse they purchase personage | |||
With purse they paynen hem to plede | |||
And men of warre they woll wage | |||
220 | To brynge her enemyes to the dede | ||
And lordes lyues they woll lede | |||
And moche take and gyue but small | |||
But he it so gete from it shall shede | |||
And make suche false right foule fall | |||
225 | ¶They halowe nothyng but for hyre | ||
Churche font ne vestement | |||
And make orders in euery shyre | |||
But preestes paye for the parchement | |||
Of riatours they taken rent | |||
230 | Therwith thy smere the shepes skall shepes skall] shypes sakll 1548 | ||
For many churches ben ofte suspent | |||
All suche falshed yet foule it fall | |||
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¶Some lyueth nat in lechery | |||
But haunten wenches wydowes & wyues | |||
235 | And punyssheth the poore for putry | ||
Them-selfe it vseth all her lyues | |||
And but a man to them [hym] shriues hym] 1535, 1542, 1548 omit | |||
To heuyn come neuer he shall | |||
He shalbe cursed as be caytyues caytyues] captyues 1542, 1548 | |||
240 | To hell they sayne that he shall fall | ||
There was more mercy in Maximyen | |||
And in Nero that neuer was good | |||
Than is nowe in some of them | |||
Whan he hath on his furred hoode | |||
245 | They folowe Christ that shedde his blode | ||
To heuen as buckette in-to the wall | |||
Suche wreches ben worse than wode | |||
And all suche faytours foule hem fall | |||
¶They gyue her almesse to the ryche | |||
250 | To maynteynours and to men of lawe | ||
For to lordes they woll be lyche | |||
An harlottes sonne nat worthe an hawe | |||
Sothfastnesse suche han slawe Corruit in platea veritas. Isaie. lix. | |||
They kembe her crokettes with christall | |||
255 | And drede of god they haue downe drawe | ||
All suche faytours foule hem fall | |||
¶They maken parsons for the penny | |||
And canons of her cardynals | |||
Unnethes amongest hem all any | |||
260 | That he ne hath glosed the gospell fals | ||
For Christ made neuer no cathedrals | |||
Ne with hym was no cardynall | |||
With a Redde hatte as vsyn mynstrals | |||
But falshed foule mote it befall | |||
265 | ¶Their tythyng and her offryng both | ||
They clemeth it by possessyon | |||
Therof nyll they non forgo | |||
But robben men as [by] raunsome by] 1535, 1542, 1548 omitCharitas non querit que sua sunt. Charitas non querit que sua sunt. | |||
sig: [A6] | |||
The tithyng of Turpe lucrum | |||
270 | With these maisters is meynall | ||
Tithyng of bribry and larson | |||
Wyll make falshed full foule to fall full foule to fall] woll foule fal 1548 | |||
¶They taken to ferme her sompnours | |||
To harme the people what they may | |||
275 | To pardoners and false faytours | ||
Sell her seales I dare well say | |||
And all to holden great array | |||
To multiply hem more metall | |||
They drede full lytell domes-day | |||
280 | Whan all suche [false] shall foule fall false] 1535, 1542, 1548 omit | ||
¶Suche harlottes shull men dysclaunder | |||
For they shullen make her gree | |||
And ben as proude as Alexaunder | |||
And sayne to the poore wo be ye | |||
285 | By yere eche preeste shall paye his fee | ||
To encrease his lemmans call | |||
Suche heerdes shull well yuell the | |||
And all suche false shull foule fall Ue homini illi per quem scandalum venit. | |||
¶And if a man be falsely famed | |||
290 | And wolde make purgacioun | ||
Than woll the offycers be agramed | |||
And assigne hym fro towne to towne | |||
So nede he must paye raunsome | |||
Though he be clene as is christall | |||
295 | And than haue an absolutioun | ||
But all suche false shull foule fall | |||
¶Though he be gyltie of the dede | |||
And that he maye money pay | |||
All the whyle his purse woll blede | |||
300 | He maye vse it fro day to day | ||
These bysshoppes offycers gone full gay | |||
And this game they vsen ouer-all | |||
The poore to pyll is all their pray | |||
All suche false shull foule fall | |||
sig: [A6v] | |||
305 | ¶Alas god ordayned neuer suche lawe | ||
Ne no suche crafte of couetyse | |||
He forbade it by his sawe | |||
Suche gouernours mowen of god agryse | |||
For all his rules is rightwyse | |||
310 | These newe poyntes ben pure papall | ||
And goddes lawe they dispyce | |||
And all suche faytours shull foule fall | |||
¶They sayne that Peter had the key | |||
Of heuyn and hell to haue and holde | |||
315 | I trowe Peter toke no money | ||
For no synnes that he solde | |||
Suche successours ben to bolde | |||
In wynnyng all their witte they wrall | |||
Her conscience is waxen colde | |||
320 | And all suche faytours foule hem fall | ||
¶Peter was neuer so great a fole | |||
To leaue his key with suche a lorell | |||
Or to take suche cursed su[c]he a tole suche] suehe 1535, suche 1548 | |||
He was aduysed nothyng well | |||
325 | I trowe they haue the key of hell | ||
Their maister is of that place marshall | |||
For there they dressen hem to dwell | |||
And with false Lucifere there to fall | |||
¶They ben as proude as Lucifarre | |||
330 | As angry and as enuyous | ||
From good faithe they ben full farre | |||
In couetyse they ben curyous | |||
To catche cattell as couytous | |||
As hounde that for hungre woll yall yall] al 1548 | |||
335 | Ungoodly and vngratious Ungoodly] Ungodly 1548 | ||
And nedely suche falshed shall foule fall | |||
¶The pope and he were Peters heyre | |||
Me-thynke he erreth in this case | |||
Whan choyse of bysshoppes is in dispeyre | |||
340 | To chosen hem in dyuers place | ||
sig: B1 | |||
A lorde shall write to hym for grace | |||
For his clerke anone pray he shall | |||
So shall he spede hys purchase | |||
And all suche false foule hem fall | |||
345 | ¶Though he can no more good | ||
A lordes prayer shalbe spedde | |||
Though he be wylde of wyll or wood | |||
Nat vnderstandyng what men han redde | |||
A leude boster and that god forbede | |||
350 | As good a bysshoppe is my horse ball good a] a good 1548 | ||
Suche a Pope is foule be ####ab#### stedde | |||
And at last woll foule fall | |||
¶He maketh bysshoppes for erthly thanke | |||
And nothyng for Christes sake | |||
355 | Suche that ben full fatte and ranke | ||
To soule-heale none hede they take soule] soyle 1548 | |||
All is well-done what-euer they make | |||
For they shall answere at-ones for all at-ones for all] at one fors all 1548 | |||
For worldes thanke suche worch and wake | |||
360 | And all suche false shall foule fall | ||
¶Suche that canne nat her Crede | |||
With prayer shull be made prelates | |||
Nouther canne the gospell rede | |||
Suche shull nowe welde hye estates | |||
365 | The hye goodes frendshyp hem makes goodes] godes 1548 | ||
They toteth on her some totall | |||
Suche bere the keyes of hell-yates | |||
And all suche false shall foule fall | |||
¶They forsake for Christes loue | |||
370 | Traueyle hungre thurst and colde | ||
For they ben ordred euer all aboue | |||
Out of youthe tyll they ben olde | |||
By the dore they go nat in-to the folde | |||
To helpe their shepe they nought trauall | |||
375 | Hyred-men all suche I holde | ||
And all suche false foule hem fall | |||
sig: [B1v] | |||
For Christ her kyng they woll forsake | |||
And knowe hym nought for his pouerte | |||
For Christes loue they woll wake | |||
380 | And drynke pyement [&] ale aparte &] 1535, 1542, 1548 omit | ||
Of god they seme nothyng a ####ab#### ferde | |||
As lusty lyueth as dyde Lamuall | |||
And dryuen her shepe in-to deserte | |||
All suche faytours shull foule fall | |||
385 | Chryst had .xii. apostels here had] hath 1548 | ||
Nowe saye they there may be but one | |||
That may nat erre in no manere | |||
Who leueth nat this ben lost echone | |||
Peter erred so dyde nat Iohnn | |||
390 | Why is he cleped the principall? | ||
Christ cleped hym Peter but hym-selfe the stone | |||
All false faytours foule hem fall | |||
¶Why cursen they the croysery | |||
Christes christen creatures | |||
395 | For bytwene hem is nowe enuy | ||
To be enhaunsed in honours | |||
And christen lyuers with her labours | |||
For they leuyn on no man mortall | |||
But do to dethe with dishonours | |||
400 | And all suche false foule hem fall | ||
¶What knoweth a tyllour at the plowe | |||
The popes name and what he hate | |||
Hys crede suffyseth to hym ynowe | |||
And knoweth a cardynall by his hatte | |||
405 | Rough is the poore vnrightly latte | ||
That knoweth Christ his god royall | |||
Suche maters be nat worth a gnatte | |||
But suche false faytours foule hem fall | |||
¶A kyng shall knele and kysse his showe | |||
410 | Christ suffred a synfull to kysse his fete | ||
Me-thynketh he holdeth hym hye ynowe | |||
So Lucifer dyd that hye sette | |||
sig: B2 | |||
Such one me-thynketh hym-selfe foryete | |||
Eyther to the trouth he was nat call | |||
415 | Christ that suffred woundes wete | ||
Shall make suche falshed foule fall | |||
¶They layeth out her large nettes | |||
For to take syluer and golde | |||
Fyllen coffers and sackes fettes | |||
420 | There-as they soules catche sholde | ||
Her seruauntes be to them vnholde | |||
But they can doublyn their rentall | |||
To bygge hem castels and bygge hem holde | |||
And all suche false foule hem fall | |||
¶Here endeth the fyrst part of this boke and herafter foloweth the seconde parte
| boke] tale 1548 |
|
|
425 | TO accorde with this worde fall | ||
No more Englysshe can I fynde | |||
Shewe another nowe I shall | |||
For I haue moche to saye behynde | |||
Howe preestes han the people pynde | |||
430 | As curteys Christ hath me kende kende] kynde 1548 | ||
And putte this matter in my mynde | |||
To make this maner men amende Qui non est mecum contra me est. | |||
¶Shortly to shende hem and shewe nowe | |||
Howe wrongfully they worche and walke Qui non est &c. | |||
435 | O hye god nothyng they tell ne howe | ||
But in goddes worde telleth many a balke | |||
In hernes holde hem and in halke | |||
And prechyn of tythes and offrende | |||
And vntruely of the gospell talke | |||
440 | For his mercy god it amende | ||
¶What is Antichrist to saye | |||
But euyn Christes aduersary | |||
Suche hath nowe ben many a day | |||
To Christes byddyng full contrary | |||
sig: [B2v] | |||
445 | That from the trouthe clene varry | ||
Out of the waye they ben wende | |||
And Christes people vntruely cary | |||
God for his pytie it amende | |||
¶That lyuen contrary to Christes lyfe | |||
450 | In hye pride agaynst mekenesse | ||
Agaynst sufferaunce they vsen stryfe | |||
And angre ayenst sobrenesse | |||
Agaynst wysedome wylfulnesse | |||
To Christes tales lytell tende | |||
455 | Agaynst measure outragyousnesse | ||
But whan god woll it maye amende | |||
¶Lordly lyfe ayenst lowlynesse | |||
And demyn all without mercy | |||
And couetyse ayenst largesse | |||
460 | Agaynst trewth trechery | ||
And agaynst almesse enuy | |||
Agaynst Christ they comprehende | |||
For chastyte they maynteyne lechery | |||
God for his grace this amende | |||
465 | ¶Ayenst penaunce they vse delightes | ||
Ayenst suffraunce stronge defence | |||
Ayenst god they vsen yuell rightes | |||
Agaynste pytie punysshementes | |||
Open yuell ayenst contynence | |||
470 | Her wicked wynnyng worse dispende | ||
Sobrenesse they sette in-to dispence | |||
But god for his goodnesse it amende | |||
¶Why cleymen they holy his powere | |||
And wranglen ayenst all his hestes | |||
475 | His lyuyng folowen they nothyng here | ||
But lyuen worse than wytlesse beestes | |||
Of fysshe and flesshe they louen feestes | |||
As lordes they ben brode ykende | |||
Of goddes poore they haten gestes | |||
480 | God for his mercy this amende | ||
sig: B3 | |||
¶With Dyuers suche shall haue her dome | |||
That sayne that they be Christes frendes | |||
And do nothyng as they shulde done | |||
All suche ben falser than ben fendes | |||
485 | On the people they ley suche bendes | ||
As god is in erth they han offende | |||
Sucour for suche Christ nowe sende vs | |||
And for his mercy this amende | |||
¶A token of Antichrist they be | |||
490 | His careckes ben nowe wyde yknowe | ||
Receyued to preche shall no man be | |||
Without token of hym I trowe | |||
Eche christen preest to prechyn owe | |||
From god aboue they ben sende. | |||
495 | Goddes worde to all folke for to showe | ||
Synfull man for to amende | |||
¶Christ sente the poore for to preche | |||
The royall riche he dyd nat so | |||
Nowe dare no poore the people teche | |||
500 | For Antichrist is ouer-all her foe | ||
Amonge the people he mote go | |||
He hath bydden all suche suspende | |||
Some hath he hente & thynketh yet mo | |||
But all this god may well amende | |||
505 | ¶All tho that han the worlde forsake | ||
And lyuen lo[w]ly as god badde lowly] loly 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
In-to her prison shullen be take | |||
Betyn and bounden and forthe ladde | |||
Herof I rede no man be dradde | |||
510 | Christ sayd his shulde be shende | ||
Eche man ought herof be gladde | |||
For god full well it woll amende | |||
¶They take on hem royall powere take] toke 1548 | |||
And saye they haue swerdes two Ecce gladii duo hic | |||
515 | One curse to hell one slee men here | ||
For at his takyng Christ had no mo his] thys 1548 | |||
sig: [B3v] | |||
Yet Peter had one of tho | |||
But christ to Peter smyte gan defende | |||
And in-to the sheth badde putte it tho the sheth] sheth 1548; tho] in tho 1548 | |||
520 | And all suche myscheues god amende | ||
¶Christ badde Peter kepe his shepe | |||
And with his swerde forbade hym smyte Uos qui spirituales estis instincte alios in spiritum lenitatis suscitabo pastorem stultum qua dispersa non coliget. | |||
Swerde is no tole with shepe to kepe | |||
But to sheperdes that shepe woll byte | |||
525 | Me-thynketh suche sheperdes ben to wyte | ||
Ayen her shepe with swerde that contende | |||
They driue her shepe with great dispyte | |||
But all this god may well amende Sed oues pingues comedet & habebit gladium in brachio dextro & gladium in oculo sinistro. | |||
¶So successours to Peter be they nought | |||
530 | Whom Christ made chefe pastoure | ||
A swerde no sheperde vsen ought | |||
But he wolde slee as a bochoure | |||
For who-so were Peters successour | |||
Shulde bere his shepe tyll his backe bende | |||
535 | And shadowe hem from euery shoure | ||
And all this god maye well amende | |||
¶Successours to Peter ben these | |||
In that that Peter Christ forsoke Christ] Christes 1548 | |||
That had leuer the loue of god lese | |||
540 | Than a sheperde had to lese his hoke | ||
He culleth the shepe as dothe the coke | |||
Of hem taken the woll vntrende | |||
And falsely glose the gospell-boke | |||
God for his mercy them amende Lac comedebatis & lanis cooperebamini & quod pingue erat occidistis. | |||
545 | ¶After Christ had take Peter the kay | ||
Christ sayd he muste dye for man | |||
That Peter to Christ gan withsay | |||
Christ badde hym go behynde Sathan Tunc dixit Iesus discipulis suis quare oportet eum ire ierosolimam & multa pati. | |||
Suche counsaylours many of these men han | |||
550 | For worldes wele god to offende | ||
Peters successours they ben for ####ab#### than | |||
But all suche god may well amende | |||
sig: [B4] | |||
¶For Sathan is to say no more | |||
But he that contrary to Christ is Respondit petrus. Nequaquam erit tibi hoc Iesus dixit petro: Uade post me sathanas. | |||
555 | In this they lerne Peters lore | ||
They sewen hym whan he dyd mysse | |||
They folowe Peter forsothe in this | |||
In all that Christ wolde Peter reprehende | |||
But nat in that that longeth to heuyn-blysse | |||
560 | God for his mercy hem amende | ||
¶Some of the Apostels they sewen in case | |||
Of ought that I can vnderstonde | |||
Hym that betrayed Christ Iudas | |||
That bare the purse in euery londe | |||
565 | And all that he myght sette on honde | ||
He hydde and stale and myspende Fur erat & loculos habebat et ea que mitte[b]antur portabat. | |||
His rule these traytours han in honde | |||
Almighty god hem amende | |||
¶And at last his lorde gan tray last] the last 1548 | |||
570 | Cursedly through his false couetyse | ||
So wolde these trayen hym for money Ut dolo caperent et occiderent | |||
And they wysten in what wyse | |||
They be seker of the selfe ensyse | |||
From all sothnesse they ben fre[m]de fremde] frende 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
575 | And couetyse chaungen with queyntyse | ||
Almighty god all suche amende | |||
¶Were Christ on erthe here eftesone Were] Where 1548 | |||
These wolde dampne hym to dye | |||
All his hestes they han fordone | |||
580 | And sayne his sawes ben heresy | ||
And ayenst his commaundementes they crye | |||
And dampne all his to be brende brende] made 1548 | |||
For it lyketh nat hem suche losengery | |||
God almighty hem amende hem] it 1548 | |||
585 | ¶These han more myght in Englande here | ||
Than hath the kynge and all his lawe | |||
They han purchased hem suche powere | |||
To taken hem whom [they] lyste nat knawe taken] take 1548; they] 1535, 1542, 1548 omit | |||
sig: [B4v] | |||
And say that heresy is her sawe | |||
590 | And so to prysone woll hem sende hem] hym 1548 | ||
It was nat so by elder dawe | |||
God for his mercy it amende | |||
¶The kynges lawe woll no man deme | |||
Angerlyche withouten answere Lex neminem iudicat Nisi prius audierit ab eo qui dixit. | |||
595 | But if any man these mysqueme | ||
He shalbe beted as a bere | |||
And yet wel worse they woll hym tere | |||
And in prysone woll hem pende | |||
In gyues and in other gere | |||
600 | Whan god woll it maye [a]mende amende] mende 1535, 1542, 1548 | ||
¶The kynge taxeth nat his men | |||
But by assente of the commynalte | |||
But these eche yere woll raunsom hem | |||
Maisterfully more than doth he | |||
605 | Her seales by yere better be | ||
Than is the kynges in extende | |||
Her offycers han gretter fee | |||
But this myschefe god amende | |||
¶For who-so woll proue a testament | |||
610 | That is nat all worthe tenne pounde | ||
He shall paye for the parchement | |||
The thirde parte of the money all rounde | |||
Thus the people is raunsounde | |||
They say suche parte to hem shulde apende | |||
615 | There-as they grypen it gothe to grounde | ||
God for his mercy it amende | |||
¶A symple fornycacioun | |||
Twenty shyllynges he shall paye | |||
And than haue an absolution | |||
620 | And all the yere vsen it forthe he may | ||
Thus they letten hem go a ####ab#### stray | |||
They recke nat though the soule be brende | |||
These kepyn yuell Peters key | |||
And all suche sheperdes god amende | |||
sig: C1 | |||
625 | ¶Wonder is that the parlyament | ||
And all the lordes of this londe | |||
Herto taken so lytell entent | |||
To helpe the people out of her honde Cum filii hely poluerunt domini sacrificium. &c. | |||
For they ben harder in their bonde | |||
630 | Worse beate and bytter brende bytter] better 1548 | ||
Than to the kyng is vnderstande | |||
God hym helpe this to amende | |||
¶What bysshoppes what relygions | |||
Han in this lande as moche laye-fee | |||
635 | Lordshippes and possessyons Lordshippes] Lordshyppers 1548 | ||
More than the lordes it semeth me Paulus inimicos crucis christi quorum finis interitus qui terrena sapiunt. &c. | |||
That maketh hem lese charyte | |||
They mowe nat to god attende | |||
In erthe they haue so hyghe degree | |||
640 | God for his mercy it amende | ||
¶The Emperour yaf the pope somtyme | |||
So highe lordshyppe hym aboute | |||
That at laste the sely kyme | |||
The proude Pope putte hym out | |||
645 | So of this realme is in doute | ||
But lordes be ware and them defende | |||
For nowe these folke be wonder stoute | |||
The kynge and lordes nowe this amende. Reges gentium domi[n]antur eorum. | |||
Thus endeth the seconde parte of this boke and herafter foloweth the thirde |
|||
boke] tale 1548 | |||
MOyses lawe forbode it tho tho] to 1548 | |||
650 | That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde | ||
Christes gospell byddeth also | |||
That they shulde no lordshippe helde Non habebant hereditatem sacerdotes et leuite inter fratres eorum ego autem pars & hereditas eorum. &c. | |||
Ne Christes Apostels were neuer so bolde | |||
No suche lordshippes to them enbrace | |||
655 | But smeren her shepe and kepe her folde | ||
God amende hem for his grace | |||
sig: C1v | |||
For they ne ben but countrefete Nec quisquam eorum qui possidebat aliquid suum esse dicebat. | |||
Men may knowe hem by her fruite Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos. &c. | |||
Her gretnesse maketh hem god foryete | |||
660 | And take his mekenesse in dispyte | ||
And they were poore and had but lyte | |||
They nolde nat demen after the face Homo cum in honore esset non intellegit. &c. | |||
But norisshe her shepe and hem nat byte | |||
God amende hem for his grace | |||
Gryffon. |
|||
665 | ¶What canst thou preche ayenst chanons | ||
That men clepen seculere? | |||
Pelycan |
|||
They ben curates of many towns | |||
On erthe they haue great powere | |||
They han great prebendes and dere han] haue 1548 | |||
670 | Some two or thre and some mo | ||
A personage to ben a playeng-fere | |||
And yet they serue the kynge also | |||
¶And lette to ferme all that fare | |||
To whom that woll most gyue therfore | |||
675 | Some woll spende and some woll spare | ||
And some woll laye it vp in store | |||
A cure of soule[s] they care nat fore soules] soule 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
So they mowe money take | |||
Whether her soules be wonne or lore | |||
680 | Her profytes they woll nat forsake | ||
¶They haue a gederyng procuratour | |||
That can the poore people enplede | |||
And robben hem as a rauynour | |||
And to his lorde the money lede the] they 1548 | |||
685 | And catche of quicke and eke of dede | ||
And richen hym and his lorde eke | |||
And to robbe the poore can gyue good rede | |||
Of olde and yonge of hole and syke | |||
¶Therwith they purchase hem lay-fee | |||
690 | In londe there hem lyketh best | ||
And buylde also brode as a cyte | |||
Bothe in the Est and eke in the west | |||
sig: C2 | |||
To purchase thus they ben full prest | |||
But on the poore they woll nought spende | |||
695 | Ne no good gyue to goddes gest | ||
Ne sende hym some that all hath sende | |||
¶By her seruyce suche woll lyue | |||
And trusse that other in-to treasour | |||
Though all her parysshe dye vnshriue | |||
700 | They woll nat gyue a rose-floure | ||
Her lyfe shulde be as a myrrour | |||
Bothe to lered and to leude also | |||
And teche the people her lele labour | |||
Suche myster-men ben all mysgo | |||
705 | ¶Some of hem ben harde nygges | ||
And some of hem ben proude and gay | |||
Some spende her good vpon gygges | |||
And fynden hem of great aray | |||
Alas what thynke these men to say | |||
710 | That thus dispenden goddis good dispenden] dispended 1548 | ||
At the dredefull domes-daye | |||
Suche wretches shulbe worse than wood | |||
¶Some her churches neuer ne sye | |||
Ne neuer o peny thyder ne sende | |||
715 | Though the poore parysshens for hungre dye | ||
O peny on hem wyll they nat spende | |||
Haue they receyuynge of the rente | |||
They recke neuer of the remenant | |||
Alas the deuyll hath clene hem blent | |||
720 | Su[c]he one is Sathanas soiournant Suche] Suehe 1535 | ||
¶And vsen horedome and harlotry | |||
Couetyse pompe and pride | |||
Slouthe wrathe and eke enuy | |||
And sewen synne by euery syde | |||
725 | Alas where thynke suche t'abyde | ||
Howe woll they accomptes yelde | |||
From hye god they mowe hem nat hyde | |||
Suche wyllers witte is nat worth a nelde | |||
sig: [C2v] | |||
¶They ben so roted in richesse | |||
730 | That Christes pouert is foryet | ||
Serued with so many messe | |||
Hem thinketh that Manna is no mete | |||
All is good that they mowe gete | |||
They wene to lyue euermore | |||
735 | But whan god at dome is sette | ||
Suche treasour is a feble store | |||
¶Unneth mote they matyns saye | |||
For countyng and for court-holdyng | |||
And yet he iangleth as a iaye | |||
740 | And vnderstont hym-selfe nothyng | ||
He woll serue bothe erle and kyng | |||
For his fyndyng and his fee | |||
And hyde his tythynge and his offryng | |||
This is a feble charite | |||
745 | ¶Outher they ben proude or coueytous | ||
Or they ben harde or hungry | |||
Or they ben lyberall or lecherous | |||
Or els medlers with marchandry | |||
Or maynteyners of men with maistry | |||
750 | Or stewardes countours or pledours | ||
And serue god in hypocrisy | |||
Suche preestes ben Christes false traytours | |||
¶They ben false they ben vengeable | |||
And be ####ab#### gylen men in Christes name | |||
755 | They ben vnstedfast and vnstable | ||
To tray her lorde hem thynketh no shame | |||
To serue god they ben full lame | |||
Goddes theues and falsly stele | |||
And falsely goddes worde defame | |||
760 | In wynnyng is her worldes wele | ||
¶Antichrist these seruen all seruen] serue 1548 | |||
I pray the who may say nay? | |||
With Antichrist suche shull fall | |||
They folowen hym in dede and fay | |||
sig: C3 | |||
765 | They seruyn hym in riche array hym] hem 1548 | ||
To serue Christ suche falsely fayne | |||
Why at the dredefull domes-day | |||
Shull they nat folowe hym to payne? | |||
¶That knowen hem-selfe that they done yll | |||
770 | Ayenst Christes commaundement | ||
And amende hem neuer ne wyll | |||
But serue Sathan by one assent | |||
Who sayth sothe he shalbe shent | |||
Or speketh ayenst her false lyuyng | |||
775 | Who-so well lyueth shalbe brent | ||
For suche ben gretter than the kyng | |||
¶Pope bysshoppes and cardy[n]als | |||
Chanons persons and vycayre | |||
In goddes seruyce I trowe ben false | |||
780 | That sacramentes sellen here | ||
And ben as proude as Lucifere | |||
Eche man loke whether that I lye | |||
Who-so speketh ayenst her powere | |||
It shall be holden heresy | |||
785 | Loke howe manye orders take | ||
Onely of Christ for his seruyce | |||
That the worldes goodes forsake goodes] goddes 1548 | |||
Who-so taketh orders o[n] other wyse on] or 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
I trowe that they shall sore agryse | |||
790 | For all the glose that they conne | ||
All sewen nat this assyse | |||
In yuell tyme they thus begonne | |||
Loke howe many amonge hem all | |||
Holden nat this hye-way | |||
795 | With Antichrist they shullen fall | ||
For they wolden god betray wolden] wollen 1548 | |||
God amende hem that best may | |||
For many men they maken shende | |||
They weten well the sothe I say | |||
800 | But the dyuell hath foule hem blende | ||
sig: [C3v] | |||
¶Some on her churches dwell | |||
Appayrelled poorely proude of porte | |||
The seuyn sacramentes they done sell | |||
In cattell-catchyng is her comforte | |||
805 | Of eche matter they wollen mell | ||
And done hem wronge is her disporte | |||
To affray the people they ben fel | |||
And holde hem lower than dothe the lorde | |||
¶For the tithynge of a duke tithynge] tydynge 1548 | |||
810 | Or of an apple or an aye | ||
They make men swere vpon a boke | |||
Thus they foulyn Christes fay | |||
Suche beren yuell heuyn-kay | |||
They mowen assoyle they mowe shriue | |||
815 | With mennes wyues strongly play | ||
With trewe tyllers sturte and stryue | |||
¶At the wrestlyng and at the wake | |||
And chefe chauntours at the nale | |||
Markette-beters and medlyng make | |||
820 | Hoppen and houten with heue and hale | ||
At fayre fresshe and at wyne stale | |||
Dyne and drinke and make debate | |||
The seuyn sacramentes sette at sayle | |||
Howe kepe suche the keyes of heuyn-gate? the] they 1535, the 1548 | |||
825 | ¶Mennes wyues they wollen holde | ||
And though that they ben ryght sory | |||
To speke they shull nat be so bolde | |||
For sompnyng to the consistory | |||
And make hem saye [with] mouthe I lye with] 1535, 1542, 1548 omit | |||
830 | Though they it sawe with her eye | ||
His lemman holden openly | |||
No man so hardy to axe why | |||
¶He woll haue tythyng & offrynge | |||
Mauger who-so-euer it gruche | |||
835 | And twyse on the day he woll synge | ||
Goddes prestes nere none suche | |||
sig: [C4] | |||
He mote on huntyng with dogge and bytche | |||
And blowen his horne and cryen hey | |||
And sorcery vsen as a wytche | |||
840 | Suche kepyn yuell Peters key | ||
¶Yet they mote haue some stocke or stone | |||
Gayly paynted and proudly dight | |||
To maken men leuyn vpon leuyn] lyuen 1542, 1548 | |||
And say that it is full of might | |||
845 | About suche men sette vp great lyght | ||
Other suche stockes shull stonde therby | |||
As darke as it were midnight | |||
For it may make no maistry | |||
¶That it leude people se mowe | |||
850 | Thou Mary thou worchest wonder thinges | ||
About that that men offryn to nowe that men] men 1548 | |||
Hongen broches ouches and rynges | |||
The preest purchaseth the offrynges | |||
But he nyll offre to none ymage | |||
855 | Wo is the soule that he for synges | ||
That precheth for suche a pylgrimage | |||
¶To men and women that ben poore | |||
That ben Christes owne lykenesse | |||
Men shulden offre at her dore shulden] shullen 1548 | |||
860 | That suffryn hungre and dystresse | ||
And to suche ymages offre lesse | |||
That mowe nat fele thurst ne colde | |||
The poore in spyrite gan Christ blesse | |||
Therfore offreth to feble and olde | |||
865 | ¶Buckelers brode and swerdes longe | ||
Baudrike with baselardes kene | |||
Suche toles about her necke they hange | |||
With Antichrist suche preestes bene | |||
Upon her dedes it is well sene | |||
870 | Whom they seruen whom they honoren | ||
Antichristes they ben clene | |||
And goddis goodes falsely deuouren | |||
sig: [C4v] | |||
¶Of scarlet and grene gay gownes | |||
That mote be shape for the newe | |||
875 | To clyppen and kyssen counten in townes | ||
The damosels that to the dau[n]ce sewe | |||
Cutted clothes to sewe her hewe | |||
With longe pykes on her shone | |||
Our goddes gospell is nat trewe | |||
880 | Eyther they seruen the dyuell or none | ||
¶Nowe ben preestes pokes so wyde | |||
That men must enlarge the vestement | |||
The holy gospell they done hyde | |||
For they contraryen in rayment | |||
885 | Suche preestes of Lucifere ben sent | ||
Lyke conquerours they ben arayde | |||
The proude pendauntes at her ars ypent | |||
Falsely the truthe they han betrayde | |||
¶Shrifte-syluer suche wollen aske is | |||
890 | And woll men crepe to the crouche | ||
None of the sacramentes saue askes | |||
Without mede shall no man touche | |||
On her bysshoppe their warant vouch | |||
That is lawe of the decre | |||
895 | With mede and money thus they mouche | ||
And th[i]s they sayne is charyte this] thus 1535, 1542, 1548 | |||
¶In the myddes of her masse | |||
The nyll haue no man but for hyre | |||
And full shortely lette forth passe | |||
900 | Suche shull men fynde in eche shyre eche] euery 1548 | ||
That personages for profyte desyre | |||
To lyue in lykyng and in lustes | |||
I dare nat sayne Sans ose ieo dire | |||
That suche ben Antichristes preestes | |||
905 | ¶Or they yef the bysshoppes why | ||
Or they mote ben in his seruyce | |||
And holden forthe her harlotry | |||
Suche prelates ben of feble emprise | |||
sig: [C5] | |||
Of goddis grame suche men agryse | |||
910 | For suche matters that taken mede | ||
Howe they excuse hem and in what wyse | |||
Me-thynketh they ought greatly drede | |||
¶They sayne that it to no man longeth | |||
To reproue them though they erre | |||
915 | But falsely goddis goodes they fongeth goodes] goodesse 1535, 1542, 1548 | ||
And therwith maynteyne wo and werre | |||
Her dedes shulde be as bright as sterre | |||
Her lyuyng leude mannes lyght | |||
They say the pope maye nat erre | |||
920 | Nede must that passe mannes might | ||
¶Though a prest lye with his lemman all night | |||
And tellen his felowe and he hym | |||
He goth to masse anone-right | |||
And sayth he syngeth out of synne | |||
925 | His byrde abideth hym at his inne | ||
And dighteth his dyner the meane-whyle | |||
He syngeth his masse for he wolde wynne | |||
And so he weneth god begyle | |||
¶Hem thynketh long tyll they be mette | |||
930 | And that they vsen forthe all the yere | ||
Amonge the folke whan he is sette | |||
He holdeth no man halfe his pere | |||
Of the bysshoppe he hath powere | |||
To soyle men or els they ben lore | |||
935 | His absolutyon may make them skere | ||
And wo is the soule that he syngeth fore | |||
Gryffon. |
|||
¶The Gryffon began for to threte | |||
And sayd of monkes canst thou ought | |||
Pelycan. |
|||
The Pellycane sayd they ben full grete | |||
940 | And in this worlde moche wo hath wrought | ||
Saynt Benet that her order brought | |||
Ne made hem neuer on suche manere | |||
I trowe it came neuer in his thought his] this 1535, hys 1548 | |||
That they shulde vse so great powere | |||
sig: [C5v] | |||
945 | ¶That a man shuld a monke lorde call | ||
Ne serue on knees as a kyng | |||
He is as proude as prince in pall | |||
In mete and drynke and all-thyng | |||
Some wearyn myter and rynge | |||
950 | With double-worsted well ydight | ||
With royall mete and riche drinke | |||
And rideth on a courser as a knyght | |||
¶With hauke and with houndes eke | |||
With broches or ouches on his hode | |||
955 | Some saye no masse in all a weke | ||
Of deynties is her most fode | |||
With lordshippes and with bondmen | |||
This is a royall relygyoun | |||
Saynt Benet made [n]euer none of hem | |||
960 | To haue lordshippe of man ne towne | ||
¶Nowe they ben q[u]eynte and curious | |||
With fyne clothe cladde and serued clene | |||
Proude angry and enuyous | |||
Malyce is mouche that they meane | |||
965 | In catchyng crafty and couetous | ||
Lordly lyuen in great lykyng | |||
This ly[u]yng is nat relygyous | |||
Accordyng to Benette in his lyuyng | |||
¶They ben clerkes her courtes they ouer ####ab#### se | |||
970 | Her poore tenaunce fully they flyte | ||
The hyre that a man amerced be | |||
The gladlyer they woll it write | |||
This is ferre from Christes pouerte | |||
For all with couetyse they endyte | |||
975 | On the poore they haue no pyte | ||
Ne neuer hem cherysshe but euer hem byte | |||
¶And commenly suche ben comen | |||
Of poore people and of hem begete | |||
That this perfection han ynomen | |||
980 | Her fathers ryden nat but on her fete | ||
sig: [C6] | |||
And trauaylen sore for that they ete | |||
In pouert lyueth yonge and olde lyueth] lydeth 1548 | |||
Her fathers suffreth drought and wete | |||
Many hungry meles thurst and colde | |||
985 | ¶And all this the monkes han forsake | ||
For Christes loue and saynt Benette | |||
To pride and ease haue hem take | |||
This relygion is yuell be ####ab#### sette | |||
Had they ben out of relygioun | |||
990 | They must haue honged at the plowe | ||
Thresshyng & dykyng fro towne to towne | |||
With sory mete and nat halfe ynowe | |||
¶Therfore they han this all forsake | |||
And taken to riches pride and ease | |||
995 | Full fewe for god woll monkes hem make | ||
Lytell is suche order for to prayse | |||
Saynt Benet ordayned it nat so | |||
But badde hem be cherelyche | |||
In churlyche maner lyue and go | |||
1000 | Boystous in erthe and nat lordlych | ||
¶They discla[un]der saynt Benette | |||
Therfore they haue his holy curse | |||
Saynt Benet with hem neuer mette | |||
But if they thought to robbe his purse | |||
1005 | I canne no more herof tell | ||
But they ben lyke tho before | |||
And clene serue the dyuell of hell | |||
And ben his treasour and his store | |||
¶And all suche other counterfeytours | |||
1010 | Chanons canons and suche disgysed | ||
Ben goddes enemyes and traytours | |||
His trewe relygion han foule dispysed | |||
Of Freres I haue tolde before | |||
In a makynge of a Crede | |||
1015 | And yet I coude tell worse and more | ||
But men wolde weryen it to rede | |||
sig: [C6v] | |||
¶As goddes goodnesse no man tell might | |||
Write ne speke ne thynke in thought | |||
So her falshed and her vnright | |||
1020 | May no man tell that euer god wrought | ||
The Gryffon sayd thou canst no good Gryffon. | |||
Thou came neuer of no gentyll kynde | |||
Outher I trowe thou wexest wood | |||
Or els thou hast loste thy mynde | |||
1025 | ¶S[h]ulde holy churche haue no heed? Shulde] Sulde 1535, Shulde 1542, 1548; churche] churches 1535, churche 1542, 1548 | ||
Who shulde be her gouernayle | |||
Who shulde her rule who shulde her reed | |||
Who shulde her forthren who shulde auayle | |||
Eche man shall lyue by his trauayle | |||
1030 | Who best doth shall haue most mede mede] nede 1548 | ||
With strength if men the churche assayle | |||
With strength men must defende her nede | |||
¶And the pope were purely poore | |||
Nedy and nothyng ne hadde | |||
1035 | He shulde be driuen from dore to dore | ||
The wicked of hym nolde nat be dradde | |||
Of suche an heed men wolde be sadde | |||
And synfully lyuen as hem lust | |||
With strength amendes s[huld]e be made shulde] suche 1535, 1548, such 1542 | |||
1040 | With wepen wolues from shepe be wust | ||
¶If the pope and prelates wolde | |||
To begge & bydde bowe and borowe | |||
Holy churche shulde stande full colde | |||
Her seruauntes sytte and soupe sorowe | |||
1045 | And they were noughty foule and horowe | ||
To worshyppe god men wolde wlate | |||
Bothe on euyn and on morowe | |||
Suche harlotry men wolde hate | |||
¶Therfore men of holy churche | |||
1050 | Shulde ben honest in all-thyng | ||
Worshypfully goddes workes werche | |||
So semeth it to serue Christ her kyng | |||
sig: D1 | |||
In honest and in clene clothyng | |||
With vessels of golde and clothes ryche | |||
1055 | To god honestly to make offryng | ||
To his lordshyppe none is lyche | |||
Pellycan |
|||
¶The Pellycan caste on houge crye | |||
And sayd alas why sayest thou so | |||
Christ is our heed that sytteth on hye | |||
1060 | Heddes ne ought we haue no mo | ||
We ben his membres bothe also | |||
And father he taught vs to call hym als | |||
Maisters to be called defended he tho | |||
All other maisters ben wicked and fals | |||
1065 | ¶That taketh maistry in his name | ||
Goostly and for erthly good | |||
Kynges and lordes shulde lordshyp hane | |||
And rule the people with mylde mode | |||
Christ for vs that shedde his blode | |||
1070 | Badde his preestes no maystershyp haue | ||
Ne carke nat for clothe ne fode | |||
From euery myschefe he wyll hem saue | |||
¶Her riche clothyng shalbe ryghtwysenesse | |||
Her treasour trewe lyfe shalbe | |||
1075 | Charite shalbe her rychesse | ||
Her lordshippe shalbe vnyte | |||
Hope in god her honeste | |||
Her vessell clene conscience | |||
Poore in spyrite and humylyte | |||
1080 | Shalbe holy churches defence | ||
Gryffon. |
|||
¶What sayd the Gryffon may the greue | |||
That other folkes faren wele | |||
What haste thou to done with her lyue | |||
Thy falshed eche man may fele | |||
1085 | For thou canst no catell gete | ||
But lyuest in londe as a lorell | |||
With glosyng gettest tho[u] thy mete | |||
So fareth the deuyll that wonneth in hell So] He 1548 | |||
sig: [D1v] | |||
He wolde that eche man there shulde dwell | |||
1090 | For he lyueth in clene enuye | ||
So with the tales that thou dost tell | |||
Thou woldest other people distry | |||
With your glose and your heresy | |||
For ye can lyue no better lyfe | |||
1095 | But clene in hypocrisy | ||
And bringest the in wo and stryfe | |||
¶And therwith haue nat to done | |||
For ye ne haue here no cure | |||
Ye serue the dyuell neither god ne man | |||
1100 | And he shall paye you your hyre | ||
For ye woll fare well at feestes | |||
And warme [be] clothed for the colde be] 1535, 1542, 1548 omit | |||
Therfore ye glose goddis hestes | |||
And begyle the people yonge and olde | |||
1105 | ¶And all the seuyn sacramentes | ||
Ye speke ayenst as ye were slye | |||
Ayenst tithinges offrynges with your ententes | |||
And on our lordes body falsely lye | |||
And all this ye done to lyue in ease | |||
1110 | As who sayth there ben none suche | ||
And sayne the pope is nat worth a pease | |||
To make the people ayen hym gruche | |||
¶And this commeth in by fendes fendes] frndes 1548 | |||
To bryng the christen in distaunce | |||
1115 | For they wolde that no man were frendes frendes] feendes 1548 | ||
Leaue thy chattryng with myschaunce | |||
If thou lyue well what wylte thou more | |||
Lette other men lyue as hem lyst | |||
Spende in good or kepe in store | |||
1120 | Other mennes conscience neuer thou nyst | ||
¶Ye han no cure to answere fore | |||
What meddell ye that han nat to done | |||
Lette men lyue as they han done yore | |||
For thou shalte answere for no man | |||
sig: D2 | |||
Pellycan |
|||
1125 | ¶The Pellycan sayd Syr nay | ||
I dispysed nat the pope | |||
Ne no sacramente sothe to say | |||
But speke in charite and good hope | |||
¶But I dispyse her hye pride | |||
1130 | Her richesse that shulde be poore in spirite | ||
Her wickednesse is knowe so wyde | |||
They serue god in false habyte | |||
And turnyn mekenesse in-to pride | |||
And lowelynesse in-to hye degre | |||
1135 | And goddis wordes turne and hyde wordes] worde 1548 | ||
And that am I moued by charite | |||
¶To lette men to lyue so | |||
With all my connyng and all my myght | |||
And to warne men of her wo | |||
1140 | And to tell hem trouthe and ryght | ||
The sacramentes be soule-hele | |||
If they ben vsed in good vse | |||
Ayenst that speke I neuer a dele | |||
For than were I nothyng wyse | |||
1145 | ¶But they that vsen hem in mysse manere hem] hym 1548 | ||
Or sette hem vp to any sale | |||
I trowe they shall abye hem dere | |||
This is my reason this is my tale | |||
Who-so taketh hem vnrightfullyche vnrightfullyche] vnrightfulllyche 1535 | |||
1150 | Ayenst the tenne commaundymentes | ||
Or by glose wreched ####ab#### lyche | |||
Selleth any of the sacramentes | |||
¶I trowe they do the deuyll homage | |||
In that they wetyn they do wronge do] to 1548 | |||
1155 | And therto I dare well wage | ||
They seruyn Sathan for all her songe | |||
To tithen and offren is holsome lyfe is] in 1548 | |||
So it be done in dewe manere | |||
A man to houselyn and to shryue | |||
1160 | Weddyng and all the other in fere | ||
sig: [D2v] | |||
¶So it be nother solde ne bought | |||
Ne take ne gyue for couetyse | |||
And it be so taken it is nought | |||
Who selleth hem so maye sore agryse | |||
1165 | On our lordes body I do nat lye | ||
I saye sothe thorowe trewe rede | |||
His flesshe and blode through his m[y]stry mystry] mastry 1535, mystrye 1542, mysterye 1548 | |||
Is there in the forme of brede | |||
¶Howe it is there it nedeth nat stryue | |||
1170 | Whether it be subgette or accydent | ||
But as Christ was whan he was on ####ab#### lyue | |||
So is he there verament | |||
If pope or cardynall lyue good lyue | |||
As Christ commaunded in his gospell | |||
1175 | Ayenst that woll I nat stryue | ||
But me-thynketh they lyue nat well | |||
¶For if the pope lyued as god bede pope] pope 1542, people 1548 | |||
Pride and hyghnesse he shulde dispyse | |||
Rychesse couetyse and crowne on hede | |||
1180 | Mekenesse and pouerte he shulde vse | ||
Gryffon. |
|||
The Gryffon sayd he shulde abye | |||
Thou shalbe brent in balefull fyre | |||
[And] all thy secte I shall distrye And all thy] All they 1535, And all thy 1542, 1548 | |||
Ye shalbe hanged by the swyre | |||
1185 | ¶Ye shullen be honged and to ####ab#### drawe | ||
Who gyueth you leaue for to preche | |||
Or speke ayenst goddes lawe | |||
And the people thus falsely teche | |||
Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell | |||
1190 | And disseuered from holy churche | ||
And clene ydampned in-to hell | |||
Otherwyse but ye woll worche | |||
Pellycan |
|||
¶The Pellycan sayd that I ne drede | |||
Your cursyng is of lytell value | |||
1195 | Of god I hope to haue my mede | ||
For it is fa[l]shede that ye shewe falshede] fashede 1535, falshed 1548 | |||
sig: D3 | |||
For ye ben out of charite | |||
And wylneth vengeaunce as dyd Nero | |||
To suffryn I woll redy be | |||
1200 | I drede nat that thou canst do | ||
¶Christ badde ones suffre for his loue | |||
And so he taught all his seruauntes | |||
And but thou amende for his sake aboue | |||
I drede nat all thy mayntenaunce | |||
1205 | For if I drede the worldes hate | ||
Me-thynketh I were lytell to prayse | |||
I drede nothyng your hye estate | |||
Ne I drede nat your diseace | |||
¶Wolde ye turne and leaue your pride | |||
1210 | Your hye porte and your richesse | ||
Your cursyng shulde nat go so wyde | |||
God bryng you in-to rightwysenesse | |||
For I drede nat your tyranny | |||
For nothyng that ye canne done | |||
1215 | To suffre I am all-redy | ||
Syker I recke neuer howe soone | |||
Gryffon. |
|||
¶The Gryffon grynned as he were wode | |||
And loked louely as an owle | |||
And swore by cockes herte-blode | |||
1220 | He wolde hym tere euery-doule | ||
Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule | |||
For thy reasons I woll the all to ####ab#### race | |||
And make thy flesshe to rote and moule | |||
Losell thou shalte haue harde grace | |||
1225 | ¶The Gryffon flewe forthe on his waye | ||
The Pellycane dyd sytte and wepe | |||
And to hym-selfe he gan saye | |||
God wolde that any of Christes shepe | |||
Hadde herde and ytake kepe Hadde] And 1548 | |||
1230 | Eche a worde that here sayd was | ||
And wolde it write and well it kepe | |||
God wolde it were all for his grace | |||
sig: [D3v] | |||
Plowman |
|||
¶I answerde and sayd I wolde | |||
If for my trauayle any man wolde pay | |||
Pelycan. |
|||
1235 | He sayd yes these that god han solde | ||
For they han store of money | |||
Plowman |
|||
I sayd tell me and thou may | |||
Why tellest thou mennes trespace? | |||
Pelyca[n]. |
|||
He sayd to amende hem in good fay | |||
1240 | If god woll gyue me any grace | ||
¶For Christ hym-selfe is lykened to me | |||
That for his people dyed on rode | |||
As fare I right so fareth he | |||
He fedeth his byrdes with his blode | |||
1245 | But these done yuell ayenst gode | ||
And ben his fone vnder frendes face | |||
I tolde hem howe her lyuyng stode | |||
God amende hem for his grace | |||
Plowman |
|||
What ayleth the Gryffon tell why | |||
1250 | That he holdeth on that other syde | ||
Pelycan. In 1535, 1542 and 1548, this heading is placed after the following two lines
|
|||
For they two ben lykely | |||
And with kyndes robben wyde | |||
The foule betokeneth pride | |||
As Lucifere that high fl[o]we was flowe] flewe 1535, 1542, flew 1548 | |||
1255 | And sithe he dyd hym in yuell hyde in] an 1548 | ||
For he agylted goddis grace | |||
¶As byrde flyeth vp in the ayre | |||
And lyueth by byrdes that ben meke | |||
So these be flowe vp in-to dispayre | |||
1260 | And shenden sely soules eke shenden] shended 1548 | ||
The soules that ben in synnes seke | |||
He culleth hem knele therfore alas | |||
For bribry goddis forbode breke | |||
God amende it for his grace | |||
1265 | ¶The hynder parte is a lyoun | ||
A robber and a rauynere | |||
That robbeth the people in erthe a ####ab#### downe the] they 1535, the 1548 | |||
And in erthe holdeth none his pere | |||
sig: [D4] | |||
So fareth this foule bothe ferre and nere | |||
1270 | And with temporell strength they people chase | ||
As a lyon proude in erthe here | |||
God amende hem for his grace | |||
¶He flewe forthe with his wynges twayne Pellycan | |||
All droupyng dased and dull | |||
1275 | But soone the Gryffon came agayne Gryffon. | ||
Of his foules the erthe was full | |||
The Pellycan he had cast to pull | |||
So great a nombre neuer sene there was | |||
What maner of foules tellen I woll | |||
1280 | If god woll gyue me of his grace | ||
¶With the Gryffon comen foules fele | |||
Rauyns rokes crowes and pye | |||
Gray foules agadred wele | |||
Igurde aboue they wolde hye | |||
1285 | Gledes and bosardes weren hem by weren] wherin 1548 | ||
White molles and puttockes token her place | |||
And lapwynges that well conneth lye conneth] conneth 1542, commeth 1548 | |||
This felowshyp han for ####ab#### gerde her grace | |||
¶Long the Pellycane was out | |||
1290 | But at last he cometh agayne | ||
And brought with hym the Phenixe stoute | |||
The Gryffon wolde haue flowe full fayne | |||
His foules that flewen as thycke as rayne | |||
The Phenixe tho began hem chace | |||
1295 | To flye from hym it was in vayne | ||
For he dyd vengeaunce and no grace | |||
¶He slewe hem downe without mercy | |||
There astarte neyther free ne thrall | |||
On hym they cast a rufull crye | |||
1300 | Whan the Gryffon downe was fall | ||
He bete hym nat but slewe hem all | |||
Whither he hem droue no man may trace | |||
Under the erthe me-thought they yall | |||
Alas they had a feble grace | |||
sig: [D4v] | |||
Pellycan |
|||
1305 | ¶The Pelycan than axed [r]yght ryght] tyght 1535 | ||
For my wrytyng if I haue blame | |||
Who woll for me fyght of flyght? | |||
Who shall shelde me from shame | |||
He that had a mayde to dame | |||
1310 | And the lambe that slayne was | ||
Shall shelde me from gostly blame | |||
For erthely harme is go[d]dis grace goddis] goodis 1535 | |||
¶Therfore I pray euery man | |||
Of my writyng haue me excused | |||
1315 | This writynge writeth the Pellycan | ||
That thus these people hath dispysed | |||
For I am fresshe fully aduysed | |||
I nyll nat maynteyne his manace | |||
For the deuyll is often disguysed | |||
1320 | To brynge a man to yuell grace | ||
¶Wyteth the Pellycane and nat me | |||
For herof I nyll nat auowe | |||
In hye ne in lowe ne in no degre | |||
But as a fable take it ye mowe | |||
1325 | To holy churche I wyll me bowe | ||
Eche man to amende him Christ sende space | |||
And for my writynge me alowe | |||
He that is almyghty for his grace | |||
¶Finis |
|||
¶Printed at London by Thomas Godfray. | |||
Cum priuilegio. |