For hym and for hus heyres · for euere to be asoiled

And bad halde hym at {...}home · and erye hus leyes

And alle þat hulpe hym to erye · to setten oþer to sawe

Oþer eny manere meester · þat myght peers a-vayle

Pardon with peers plouhman perpetual {b}he graunteþ

Kynges and knyghtes · þat holy churche defenden

And ryghtfulleche in reames · ruelen þe comune

Han pardon þorw purgatorie · to passy ful lyghtliche

With patriarkes and prophetes · in paradyse to sitte

Bisshopes yblessed · if þei ben as þei sholde

Leel and ful of loue · and no lord dreden

Merciable to meek · and mylde to þe goode

And bytynge on badde men · bote yf þei wolde a-mende

And dredeþ nat for no deþ · to distruye by here powere

Lecherie a-mong lordes · and hure luþer custymes

And sitthen lyue as þei lereþ men · oure lord treuthe hem graunteþ

To be peeres to a-posteles · alle puple to ruele

And deme with hem at domesday · boþe quike and ded

Marchans in þe margine · hadden menye ȝeres

Ac á pena & á culpa . treuthe nolde hem graunte

For thei holden nat here halydaies as holychurche techeþ

And for þei swere by here saule · and so god me mote helpe

Aȝens clene conscience for couetyse of wynnynge

Ac vnder his secre seel treuthe sente hym a lettere

And bad hym bygge baldly · what hym best lykede

And sitthen sellen hit a-ȝeyn · and saue þe wynnynges

Amenden meson-dieux þer-with · and myseyse men fynde

And wikkede weyes · with here good amende

And brygges to broke · by þe heye weyes amende

Amenden in som manere wise · and maydones helpen

Poure puple bedredene · and prisones in stockes

Fynde hem for godes loue · and fauntekynes to scole

Releue religion · and renten hem bettere

And ich shal sende ȝow my-selue · seynt Michel myn angel

That no deuel shal ȝow dere · ne despeir in ȝoure deyenge

And sende ȝoure soules · þer ich my-self dwelle

And þe a-byde body and soule · in blisse for euere

Tho were marchauns murye · somme wepte for ioye

And preyde for peers plouhman þat purchasede hem þis bulle

Alle þe puple hadde pardon ynow · þat parfytliche lyueden

Men of lawe hadde lest · that loth were to plede

Bote þei pre manibus were payed · for pledyng atte barre

Ac he þat speneþ hus speche · and spekeþ for þe poure

That innocent and nudy is · and no man harme wolde

And conforteþ suche in eny cas · and coueyteþ nat here ȝeftes

And for þe loue of oure lorde · lawe for hem declareþ

Shal haue grace of god ynow · and a gret ioye after

Beþ ywar ȝe wismen · and witty of þe lawe

For wenne ȝe draweþ to þe deþ · and indulgence wolde haue

Hus pardon is ful petit · at hus partynge hennes

That mede of mene men · for here motynge takeþ

For hit is symonye · to sulle þat send is of grace

That is witt and water wynd and fuyr þe furthe

These foure sholden be fre · to alle folk þat hit needede

Alle lybbynge laberours · þat lyuen with here handes

Leellyche and lawefulleche oure lord treuthe hem graunteþ

Pardon perpetuel ryght as peers plouhman

Beggers and bydders · beþ nat in þe bulle

Bote þe sugestion be soth · þat shappeþ hem to begge

For he þat beggeþ oþer byddeþ · bote yf þei haue nede

He ys fals and faitour · and defraudeþ þe neede

And also gyleþ hym þat gyueþ · and takeþ a-geyns hus wyl

For he þat gyueþ for godes loue · wolde nat gyue hus þankus

Bote þer he wyste hit were · wel gret neede to gyuen

And mest meritorie to men · þat he ȝeueþ fore

Caton a-cordeþ þer-with cui des uideto .

Wot no man as ich wene · who is worthy to haue

The most needy aren oure neighebores · and we nyme good hede

As prisones in puttes · and poure folke in Cotes

Charged with children · and chef lordes rente

That þei spynnynge may spare · spynen hit in hous hyre

Boþe in mylk and in mele · {..}to make with papelotes

To a-glotye with here · gurles þat greden after fode

Also hem-selue · suffren muche hunger

And wo in wynter tyme · with wakynge aLX nyghtes

To ryse to þe ruel · to rocke þe cradel

Boþe to karde and to kembe · to clouten and to wasche

To rubbe and to rely · russhes to pilie

Þat reuthe is to rede · oþere in ryme shewe

The wo þat þeese women · þat wonyeþ in Cotes

And of meny oþer men · þat muche wo suffren

Boþe a-fyngrede and a-furst · to turne þe fayre outwarde

And beth a-basshed for to begge · and wolle nat be y-knowe

What hem needeþ att here neihebores · at non and at euen

This ich wot witerly · as þe worlde techeþ

What oþer by-houeþ · þat hath meny children

And hath no catel bote hus crafte · to cloþy hem and to fede

And fele to fonge þer-to · and fewe pans takeþ ·

Ther is payn and peny ale · as for a pytaunce y-take

Colde flessh* and cold fyssh* · for veneson ybake

Frydayes and fastyngdayes · ferthyngworth of muscles

Were a feste for suche a folke · oþer so fele Cockes

Theese were almes to helpe · þat han suche charges

And to comfortie suche cotyers · and crokede men and blynde

Ac beggers with bagges þe wiche brewhouses ben here churches

Bote þei be blynde oþer broke · oþer elles be syke

Þauh he falle for defaute · þat faiteþ for hus lyf lode

Reccheþ neuere ȝe ryche · þauh suche lorelles steruen

For alle þat han here hele · and here eyen syghte

And lymes to laborye with · and lolleres lyf vsen

Lyuen a-ȝens godes lawe · and lore of holy churche

And ȝut arn þer oþer beggers · in hele as hit semeþ

Ac hem wanteþ here witt · men and women boþe

Þe wiche aren lunatik lollers · and leperes a-boute

And mad as þe mone sitt · more oþer lasse

Thei caren for no cold · ne counteþ of no hete

And Arn meuenge · after þe mone · moneyles þei walke

With a good wil witlees · meny wyde contreys

Ryght as Peter dude and paul saue þat þei preche nat

Ne myracles maken · ac meny tymes hem happeþ

To prophecien of þe puple · pleyinge as hit were

And to oure sight as hit semeþ · suthþe god hath þe myghte

To ȝeuen eche awhit / a whit wit · welthe and his hele

And suffreþ suche so gon · hit semeþ to myn InwittN

Hit arn as hus aposteles suche puple · oþer as his priuye disciples

For he sente hem forth seluerles · in a somer garnement

With-oute bred and bagge · as þe bok telleþ

Quando misi uos sine pane et pera .

Barfot and bredles · beggeþ þei of no man

And þauh he mete with þe meyere in mydest þe strete ·

He reuerenceþ hym ryght nouht · no raþer þan anoþer

Neminem salutaueris per uiam .

Suche manere of men matheu ous techeþ

We sholde haue hem to house · and help hem when thei come

Et egenos uagosque induc in domum tuam .

For hit aren murye mouthede men · mynstrales of heuene

And godes boyes bordiours · as þe bok telleþ

Si quis uidetur sapiens fiet stultus ut sit sapiens .

And alle manere mynstrales · men wot wel þe soþe

To vnder-fonge hem faire · by-falle for þe ryche

For þe lordes loue and ladies þat þei with lengen

Men suffren al þat suche seyn · and in solas taken

And ȝut more to suche · men doth er þei passe

Gyuen hem gyfte{}s and gold · for grete lordes sake

Right so ȝe riche raþer ȝe sholde for-sothe

Wolcomen and worsshepen and with ȝoure goode helpen

Godes mynstrales and hus messagers · and hus murye burdiers

The wiche arn lunatik lollares · and leperes a-boute

For vnder godes secre seel here synnes ben ykeuerede

For þei bereþ no bagges · ne none botels vnder clokes

The wiche is lollaren lyf · and lewede eremytes

That loken ful louheliche · to lacchen mennes almesse

In hope to sitten at euen · by þe hote colesP

Vnlouke hus legges abrod · oþer lygge at hus ese

Reste hym and roste hym · and his ryg turne

Drynke drue and deepe · and drawe hym þanne to bedde

And when hym lykeþ and lust hus leue ys to aryse

When he ys rysen romeþ out · and ryght wel aspieþ

War he may raþest haue · arepast / a repast · oþer a rounde of bacon ·

Suluer oþer sodemete / sode mete · and som tyme boþe

A loof oþer alfLX aloof / a loof . oþer alompe / a lompe of chese

And carieþ hit hom to hus Cote · and cast hym to lyue

In ydelnesse and in ese · and by oþers trauayle

And wat frek of þys folde · fiskeþ þus a-boute

With abagge / a bagge at hus bak · abegeneldes / a begeneldes wyse

And can som manere craft · in cas he wolde hit vse

Þorgh wiche craft he couthe come · to bred and to ale

And ouer-more to an hater · to helye with hus bones

And lyueþ lyk a lollere · godes lawe hym dampneþ

Lolleres lyuyng in sleuthe · and ouere lounde strykers

Beeþ nat in þys bulle quaþ peers til þei ben amendid

Noþer beggers þat beggen · bote yf þei haue neede

The bok blameþ alle beggerye · and banneþ in this manere

Iunior fui etenim senui non uidi iustum derelictum nec semen eius

querens panem . et alibi Infirmata est uirtus mea in paupertate .

Hit needeþ nauht nouthe · a non for to preche

And lere þeese lewedemen / lewede men · what þys latyn meneþ

For hit blameþ alle beggerie · be ȝe ful certeyn

For þei lyue in no loue · no lawe þei holden

Thei wedde non womon · that þei with delen

Bryngeþ forth bastardes · beggers of kynde

Oþer þe bak oþer som bon þei breken of here children

And gooþ afaytyng with here fauntes · for euere-more after

Þer arn mo messhapene · a-mong suche beggers

Than of meny oþer men · þat on þis molde walken

Tho þat lyuen þus hure lyf · leyue ȝe me non oþere

Thei han no part of pardon · of preyers ne of penaunces

Ac olde men and hore · þat heelples beeþ and nedy

And wommen with childe · þat worche ne mowen

Blynde men and {v}bedreden · and broken in here membres

And alle poure pacientes · a-payed of godes sonde

As mesels and mendinauntes · men y-falle in myschef

As prisons and pilgrimes · paraunter men yrobbed

Oþer by-lowe þorwe luthere · a{.}nd lost here catel after

Other thorgh fure oþer þorwe flood · falle to pourte

That taken þeese meschiefes meekliche and myldliche at herte

For loue of here lowe hertes · oure lord hath hem graunted

Here penaunce and here purgatorie · vp-on þys poure erthe

And pardon with peers plouhman a pena & a culpa .

Ac eremites þat en-habiten hem · by þe heye weyes

And in borwes a-mong brewesters · and beggen in churches

Al þat holy ermytes · hateden and despisede

NAs rychesses and reuerences · and ryche mennes almesse

Theese lolleres lacchedraweres · lewede eremytes

Coueyten þe contrarie · as cotiers þe lybben

For hit beþ bote boyes · lolleres atten ale

Of lynguage of lettrure · ne lyf-holy as eremites

That wonede wyle in wodes · with beres and lyones

Some had lyf-lode of here lynage · and of no lyf elles

And some lyuede by here lettrure · and labour of here hondes

Some hadde foreynes to frendes · þat hem fode sente

And bryddes brouhten to some bred · werby þei lyueden

Alle þeese holy eremytes · were of hye kynne

For-soke londe and lordshep · and lykynges of þe body

Ac theese eremytes þat edefyen thus by þe hye weyes

Wylen were workmen · webbes and taillours

And carters knaues · and clerkus with-oute grace

Heelden hungry hous · and hadde muche defaute

Long labour and lyte wynnynge · and atte laste aspiden

That faitours in frere cloþynge · hadde fatte chekus

For-thi lefte þei here laboure · þeese lewede knaues

And cloþed hem in copes · clerkus as hit were

Oþer on of som ordre · oþere elles a prophete

Aȝens þe lawe he lyueþ · yf latyn be trywe

Non licet uobis legem uoluntati . sed uoluntatem coniungere legi .

Now kyndeliche by crist beþ suche callyd lolleres

As by englisch of oure eldres · of olde menne techynge

He þat lolleþ his LX lame · oþer his leg out of þe ioynte

Oþer meymed in som membre · for to meschief hit souneþ

And ryght so sothlyche · suche manere eremytes

Lollen aȝen þe bylyeue · and lawe of holy churche

For holy churche hoteþ · alle manere puple

Vnder obedience to bee · and buxum to þe lawe

Furst religious of religion · here ruele to holde

And vnder obedience to be · by dayes and by nyghtes

Lewede men to laborie · lordes to honte

In frythes and in forestes · for fox and oþer bestes

That in wilde wodes ben · and in wast places

As wolues þat wyrhyeþ men · wommen and children

And vp-on sonedays to cesse · godes seruyce to huyre

Boþe matyns and messe · and after mete in churches

To huyre here euesong · euerey man ouhte

Thus hit by-longeþ for lorde · for lered and lewede

Eche halyday to huyre · hollyche þe seruyce

Vigiles and fastyngdayes · forthere-more to knowe

And fulfille þo fastynges bote infirmite hit made

Pouerte oþere penaunces · as pilgrymages and trauayles

Vnder þis obedience · arn we echone

Who-so brekyþ þis be wel war · bote yf he repente

Amenden hym and mercy aske · and meekliche hym shryue

Ich drede me and he deye · hit worth for dedlich synne

A-counted by-fore crist · bote conscience excuse hym

Loke now were þeese lolleres · and lewede eremytes

Yf thei breke þys obodience · þat ben so fro churche

Wher see we hem on sonedayes · þe seruyse to huyre

As matyns by þe morwe · tyl masse by-gynne

Oþer sonedayes at euesonge · seo we wol fewe

Oþere labory for oure liflode · as þe lawe wolde

Ac at mydday meel-tyme · ich mete with hem ofte

Conynge in a cope · as he a clerke were

A bacheler oþer abeaupere / a beaupere · best hym by-semeth

And for þe cloþ þat keuereþ hym · cald his here afrere / a frere

Whassheþ and wypeth · and with þe furste sitteþ

Ac while he wrought in þys worlde · and wan hus mete with treuthe

He sat atte sydbenche · atte secounde table

Cam no wyn in hus wombe · þorw þe woke longe

Noþer blankett in hus bed · ne white bred by-fore hym

The cause of al þys caitifte · comeþ of meny bisshepes

That suffren suche sottes · and oþere synnes regne

Certes ho-so þurste hit segge Symon quasi dormit .

Vigilare were fairour · for þow hast gret charge

For meny waker wolues · ben broke in-to foldes

Thyne berkeres ben al blynde · þat bryngeþ forth þy lambren

Dispergentur oues thi dogge dar nat beerke

The tarre ys vntydy · þat to þyne sheep by-longeþ

Hure salue ys of supersedeas in someneres boxes

Thyne sheep are ner al shabbyd þe wolf shiteþ woolle

Sub molli pastore lupus lanam cacat et grex .

In custoditus dilaceratur eo .

Hoow hurde wher is þyn hounde · and þyn hardy herte

For to wyrie þe wolf · þat þy woolle fouleþ

Ich leyue for þy lacchesse · þow leest meny wederes

And ful meny fayre flus · falsliche wasshe

When þy lord lokeþ to haue · a-louaunce for hus bestes

And of þe monye þou haddist þer-myd · hus meoble to saue

And þe woolle worth weye · woo ys þe þenne

Redde rationem uillicationis tue . oþer arerage Falle

Then hyre hurde as ich hope · hath nou{.}ht to guyty / quyty þy dette

Ther as mede ne mercy · may nat amyte / a myte auayle

Bote haue þis for þat · þo þat þow toke

Mercy for mede and my lawe breke

Loke now for þi lacchesse · wether lawe wol þe graunte

Purgatorie for þy paye · oþer perpetuel helle

For shal no pardonne praye for ȝowe þer · noþer pnces / p[ri]nces letteres

Peers quaþ a prest þo · þy pardonne most ich rede

Ic can construen ech worde · and kenne hit þe in englishe

And peers at hus preyere · þe pardon vnfolded

And ich by-hynde hem boþe · by-heeld al þe bulle

In two lynes hit lay · and no lettere more

And was ywryte ryght þus · in witnesse of treuthe .

Qui bona egerunt ibunt in uitam eternam . qui uero mala in ignem eternum .

Peter quaþ þe prest þo · ich can no pardon fynde

Bote do wel and haue wel and god shal haue þy saule

Do vuel and haue vuel and hope þow non oþer

Bote he þat vuel lyueþ · vuel shal ende

Indulgentia concessa petro plouhman .

The preest þus and perkyn of þe pardon Iangled

Thorgh here wordes ich awook* · and waitede a-boute

And seih þe sonne in þe south · sitte þat tyme

Meteles and moneyles · on maluerne hulles

Musynge on þees meteles · a myle wey ich ȝeode

And meny tymes this meteles · made me to studie

Of þat ich {.}seih slepynge · yf hit so be myghte

And of peers plouhman pensyf in herte

And with a pardon peers hadde · the puple to gladen

And how þe preest inpugned hit · thorwe two propre wordes

Ac men setten nat by songewarie · mei seen hit ofte faile

Caton counteþ hit at nouht · and canonistres at lasse

Ac for þe bok bible bereþ good wyttnesse

How daniel dyuinede · and vndude þe dremeles

Of kyng nabugodonosor þat no peer hadde

And sitthe after to hus sones · seide hem what þei thouhte

And Ioseph mete meruelousliche · how þe mone and þe sonne

And elleuene sterres · hailsede hym alle

Thenne Iacob Iuged Iosephes sweuene

Beau fitz . quaþ þe fader . we shulleþ for defaute

Ich my-self and my sones · seche for neede

Hit by-fel as þe fader seide · in pharao hus tyme

Þat Ioseph was Iustice egipte to saue

Hus eleuene broþeres · hym for neede souhte

And hus fader Iacob and al-so hus dame

Al þis makeþ me on meteles to studie

And how þe preest preeuede · no pardon to do wel

And demede þat dowel Indulgenses passede

Byennals and tryennals · and bisshopes letteres

For ho-so wel doþ here · at þe daye of dome

Worth faire vnderfonge · by-for god þat tyme

So dowel passeþ pardon · and pilgrimages to rome

Ȝut hath þe pope power · pardon to graunte

To puple with-oute penaunce · to passen in-to Ioye

As lettred men ous lereþ · and lawe of holy churche

Quodcumque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum & in celis .

Et quodcumque solueris super terram erit solutum & in celis .

And so ich by-lyue leelly · lordes forbode elles

Þat pardon and penaunce · and preieres don saue

Saule þat han synged · seuene sithe dedliche

Ac to trysten apon triennels · triweliche me thynkeþ

Ys nat so syker for þe saule · certys as ys dowel .

For-thi ich rede ȝow renkes · þat riche ben on þys erthe

Vp trist of ȝoure tresour · tryennels to haue

Be ȝe neuere þe boldere · to breke þe ten hestes

And nameliche ȝe maistres · meyres and Iuges

That han þe welthe of þis worlde · and wise men ben holde

To purchace ȝow pardon · and þe popes bulles

At þe dredful day of dome · when dede men shullen ryse

And comen ale by-fore crist · a-countes to ȝelde

Howe we ladde oure lyf here · and hus lawes kepte

And how we dude day by day · þe dome wol reherce

A poke ful of pardon þere · ne prouincials letteres

Þauh he be founde in fraternite · of alle fyue ordres

And haue indulgences doblefolde · bote dowel ous helpe

Ich sette by pardon nat a peese · noþer a pye hyle

For-thi ich counsaile alle cristine · to crye god mercy

And marye hus moder · be oure mene to hym

Þat god ȝeue ous grace here · er we go hennes

Suche workes to worche · whil we ben here

That after oure deþ day dowel reherce

At þe day of dome we dude as he tauhte