Wiþ swiche wise wordis  to wisse any sottes

And seyde . noli mittere . man  margerie perles

Amongys hoggys . þat han  hawes at wille

Þei doon but drauelen þer-on  draf were hem leuere

Þan al þe precious perre  þat in paradice waxeþ

I seye it by swiche quod sche  þat schewen bi her werkis

Þat hem were leuere lond  & lordschip on erþe

Or richesse or rentis  & rest at her wille

Þan alle þe soþe sawes  þat salomon seyde euere

Wisdam & witt now  is not ....[worþ] a kerse

But if it be carded wiþ coueytise  as cloþeris kemben wolle

Who-so can contreue deceytis  & conspire wrongys

And lede forþ a loueday  to lette wiþ truþe

He þat swyche craftes can  to counceyl is clepid

Þei leden lordys wiþ lesyngys  & bilyeþ truþe

Iob þe gentel in hise gestes  gretly witnessiþ

Þat wickide men welden  þe welþe of þis werld

And þat þei been lordis of ich loond  þat out of lawe libben

Þe sauter seiþ þe same  bi swiche þat doon ille

Lo seiþ þeT holi lettrure  whiche lordis been þeise schrewis

Þilk þat god moost good gyueþT  leeste good þei delen

And moost vnkynde to þe comune  þat moost catel welden

Harlottes for her harlotrie  mowen haue of her goodes

And iaperis & iogelouris  & iangeleris of gestes

Ac he þat haþ holi writt  ay in his mouþe

And can telle of tobye  & of þe twelue apostelis

Or prechen of penaunce  þat pilat wrouȝte

To iesu þe ientil  þat Iues to-drowen

Litil is he loued  þat swich a lessoun schewiþ

Or dauntid or drawen forþ  I do it on god hym-selue

But þoo þat feynen hem folis  & wiþ faytyng libben

A-   Cȝeyn þe lawe of oure lord  & lyen on hem-selue

Spitten & spewen & speken foule wordis

Drynken & drauelen  & doon men for to gape

Likken men & lyen on hem  þat lenen hem no gyftis

Þei kunnen no more mynystralcye  ne musik men to glade

Þan Munde þe myluer  of multa fecit deus

Ne were her vile harlotrie  haue god my truþe

Schulde neuere kyng ne knyȝt  ne chanoun of seynt poulis

Ȝyue hem to her ȝerisȝyue  þe valueT of a grote

Ac myrþe & mynystralcie  amongys men is nouþe

Leccherie & losengerie  & losellis talys

Glotenye & grete oþis  þeiseT myrþesT þei louen

Ac if þei carpen of crist  þeise clerkis & þeise lewede

At mete in myrþes  whanne mynystralis been stille

Þanne tellen þei of þe trinyte  a tale oþer tweyen

And bryngenT a balled resoun  & taken bernard to witnesse

And putten forþ a presumpcioun  to preue þe soþe

Þus þei dryuelen at her deys  þe deyte to knowe

And gnawen god wiþ þe goorge  whanne her guttes been fulle

Ac þe careful may crye  and carpen at þe ȝate

Boþe an-hungred & a-þrist  & for chele quake

Is noon to nymen hym neer  his noye to amende

But howen on hym as an hound  & hoten hym go þennes

Litil loueþ he þat lord  þat lente hym al þat blisse

Þat þus partenT wiþ þe pore  a parcel whanne hemT nediþ

Ne were mercy in mene men  more þan in riche

¶ Mendynauntis . meteles  myȝten go to bedde

God is myche in þe goorge  of þeise grete maystris

Ac amongys mene men  his mercy & hise werkis

And so seiþ þe sauter  I haue seyn it ofte

Clerkis & oþere kyns men  carpen of god faste

And han hym myche in þe mouþ  ac mene men in herte

CFreris & faytouris  han founden swiche questiouns

To plese wiþ . proude men  siþ þe pestilence tyme

And prechen at seynt poulis  for pure envie of clerkis

Þat folk beenT not fermed in þe feiþ  ne free of her goodis

Ne sory for her synnes  so is pride waxen

In religioun & in al þe rewme  amongys riche & pore

Þat preyeris han no power  þe pestilence to lette

And ȝit þe wrecchis of þis world  is noon ywar bi oþer

Ne for drede of þe deþ  wiþ-drawen not her pride

Ne been plentyuouse to þe pore  as pure charite wolde

But in gaynesse & glotenye  forglutten her good hem-selue

And breken not to þe begger  as þe book techiþ

And þe more he wynneþ & welt  welþis & richessis 

And lordiþ in londis  þe lesse good he deleþ

Tobie telliþ ȝow not so  take heed ȝe riche

How þe book of þe bible  of hym beriþ witnesse

Who-so haþ myche . spende myche  so meneþ tobie

And who-so litil weldiþ  rule hym þer-after

For we han no letter of oure lijf  how longe it schal dure

Swiche lessouns lordis  schulden louye to here

And how he myȝte moost  meyne . manlich fynde

AcT not to fare as a fiþeler or a frere  for to seke feestis

Homelich at oþer mennys housis  & haten her owne

Elenge is þe halle  ich day in þe woke

Þere þe lord & þe lady  likenT notT sitte

Now haþ ich riche a rule  to ete bi hym-selue

In a pryuey parlour  for poreT mennys sake

Or in a chaumbre wiþ a chymeney  & leue þe cheef halle

Þat wasT for meles  men to eten Inne

AndT to spare to spille  þat spende schal an-oþer

I haue herd hye men  etynge at þe table 

Carpen as þei clerkis werenT  of crist & of hise myȝtis

And leyden fautes on þe fadir  þat formede vs alle

And carpen aȝeyn clerkis  crabbede wordis

Why wolde oure saueour suffre  swich a worme in his blisse

Þat bigylede þe womman  & þe man after

Þoruȝ whiche whylesT & wordis  þei wenten to helle

And al her seed for her synne  þe same deþ suffreden

Heer lijþ ȝoure lore  þatT þeise lordis gynnen dispute

Of þat ȝe clerkisC vs kennen  of crist bi þe gospel

Why schulden we þat now been  for þe werkis of adam

Roten & rentenT  resoun wolde it neuere

Swiche motyues þei meuen  þeise maystris in her glorie

And maken men in mysbileue  þat musen myche on her wordis

Ymagynatijf her-afterward  schal answere to ȝoure purpose

Austyn to swiche argueris  telliþ hisT teme

Wilneþ neuereT wite  why þat god wolde 

Suffre sathan  his seed to be-gyle

Ac bileueþ lelli  inT lore of holi chirche

And preye{de} hym of pardoun  & penaunce in þi lyue

And for his myche mercy  to amende ȝow heer

For alle þat wilnen to wite  þe whyesT of god almyȝti

I wolde his ye were in his ers  & his fynger after

Þat euere wilneþ to wite  why þat god wolde

Suffre sathan  his seed to bigyle

Or Iudas to þe Iues  iesu bitraye

Al was as þou woldist lord  worschipid be þow

And al worþ as þou wilt  what-so we disputenT

And þoo þat vsen þeise hauylounes  to blynde mennes wittes

What is . do-wel . fro . do-bette  now deefT mote he worþe

Siþ he wilneþ to wite  whiche þei been boþe

But if he lyue in þe lijf  þat longeþ to do-wel

For I dar be his bold boruȝ  þat do bette wole he neuere

Þouȝ do-best drawe on hym  day after oþer

And whanne þat witt was ywar  what dame studie tolde

He bicome so confuse  he couþe not loke

And as doombe as deþ  & drowȝe hym arere

And for no carpyng I couþe after  ne knelyng to þe ground

I myȝte gete no greyn  of hise grete wittis

But al lawȝhynge he loutede  & lokede vp-on studie

In signe þat I schulde  biseche hir of grace

And whanne I was war of his wille  to his wijf gan I loute

And seyde mercy ma-dame  ȝoure man schal I worþe

As longe as I lyue  boþe late & raþe

For to wirche ȝoure wille  þe whyle my lijf dureþ

Wiþ þat ȝe kenne me kyndeli  to knowe what is do-wel

¶ For þi mekenesse man quod sche  & for þi mylde speche

I schal kenne þee to my cosyn  þat clergye is hoten

He haþ weddid a wijf  wiþ-Inne þis sixe moneþes

Is sibbe to þe seuene artis  scripture is hir name

Þei two as I hope  after my techyng

Schul wisse þee to . do-wel  I dar it vndirtake

Þanne was I also fayn  as foul of fayre morwe

And gladder þan þe gleman  þat gold haþ to ȝyfte

And axede hir þe hye weye  where þat clergie dwelte

And telle me sum tokene quod I  for tyme is þat I wende

Axe þe hye weye quod studie  hennys to suffre

Boþe wel & woo  if þat þou wilt lerne

And ride forþ bi richesse  butT reste not þere-inne

For if þou couplist þee þerwiþ  to clergie comest þou neuere

And also þe likerouse launde  þat leccherie hatte

Leue it on þi left half  a large myle & more

Til þou come to a court  kepe wel þi tunge

Fro lesyngys & liþer speche  & likerouse drynkes

Þanne schalt þou see sobretee  & sympletee of speche

Þat ich wyȝt be in wille  his wite þee to schewe

And þus schalt þou come to clergye  þat can many þingys

Seye hym þis signe  I sette hym to scole

And þat I grette wel his wijf  for I wrote hir many bokes

And sette hir to sapience  & to þe sauter glose

Logyk I lernede hir  & many oþere lawes

And alle þe musons ofT musyk  I made hir to knowe

Plato þe poete  I putte hym first to boke

Aristotle & oþere moo  to argue I tauȝte

Gramer for gyrles  I garte first write

And bette hem wiþ a baleys  but if þei woldenT lerne

Of alle kyns craftes  I contreuede tooles

Of carpentrie of keruers  & compassede masouns

And kennedeT hem leuel & lyne  þouȝ I loke dymme

Teologie haþ tened me  ten score tymes

Þe mor I muse þer-Inne  þe mystier it semeþ

And þe depper I dyuyne  þe derker me it þinkeþ

It is no science for-soþe  for to sutile Inne

AndT ful leþi þing it were  if þat loue nere

And for it let best bi loue  I loue it þe better

For þere þat loue is leder  ne lakkeþ no grace

Loke þou loue lelli  if þee likeþ do wel

AndT do-bette & do-best  been of loues kyn

In oþere science it seiþ  I seyȝ it in catoun

Who-so glosiþ as gylours doon  do hem þe same

And so schalt þou false folk  & feiþles bigyle

Þis is catouns kennyng  to clerkis þat he leriþ

Ac teologie techeþ not so  who-so takeþ ȝeem

And kenneþ vs þe contrarie  aȝens catouns wordis

For he bit vs . be as breþeren  & bidde for oure enemyes

And loue hem þat lyen on vs  & lene hem whanne hem nediþ

And do good aȝens yuel  god hym-self it hotiþ

Poule prechede þe peple  þat parfiȝtnesse louede

To do good for goddis loue  & gyue men þat asken

And namelich to swiche  þat suen oure bileue

And al þat lakkiþ vs & lieþ vs  god techeþ vs to loue

And not to greue hem þat greuen vs  god þat forbediþ

For-þi loke þou louye  as longe as þow durest

For is no concience vndir sunne  so souereyn for þe soule

Ac astronomye is an hard þing  & yuele for to knowe

Geometrie & geomesye  is gynful of speche

Who-so þenkiþ wirche wiþ þoo two  þryueþ ful late

For sorcerie is þe souereyn book  þat to þe science longeþ

Ȝit arn þer fybicchisT in forceris  of fele mennys makyngC

Experymentis of alkenemye  þe peple to disceyue

If þou þenke to do-wel  dele þer-wiþ neuere

Alle þeise scienceT I my-self  sutilede & ordeynede

And foundede hem formest  folk to deceyue

Telle clergie þise tokenes  & scripture after

I counceyle þee kyndeli  to knowe what is do-wel

I seyde graunt mercy ma-dame  & mekeli h{e}ir grette

And wente wyȝtlich awey  wiþ-oute more lettyng

And til I come to clergye  I couþe neuere stynte

And grette þe good man wel  as studie me tauȝte

And afterwardis þe wijf  & worschipede hem boþe

And tolde hem þe tokenes  þat me tauȝt werenT

Was neuere goom vp-on þis ground  siþ god made þisT world

Fayrer vndir-fongen  ne frendeleker at ese

Þanne my-self soþeli  soone so he wiste

Þat I was of wittes hous  & wiþ his wijf dame studie

I seyde to hym soþeli  þat sent was I þider

Do-wel & do-bette  & do-best to lerne

It is a comune lijf quod clergie  on holi chirche to beleue

Wiþ alle þe articules of þe feiþ  þat fallen to be knowen

And þat is to beleue lelli  boþe lered & lewid 

On þe greet god  þat gynnyng hadde neuere

And on þe soþfast sone  þat sauede mankynde

Fro þe dedli deþ  & þe deuelis power

Þoruȝ þe help of þe holi goost  þe wich goost is of boþe

Þre persoones . ac not  in plurel noumbre

For al is but o god  & ech is god hym-selue

God þe fadir . god þe sone  god holi goost of boþe

Maker of mankynde  & of beestis boþe

Austyn þe olde  her-of made bokis

And hym-self ordeynede  to sadde vs in beleue

Who was his autour  alle þe foure euangelistes

And crist clepede hym-self so  þe euangelist bereþ witnesse

Alle þe clerkis vndir crist  ne couþen þis assoyle

But þus it longeþ to beleue  to men þat wolen do-wel

For hadde neuere freek fyn witt  þe feiþ to dispute

ForT man hadde no meryte  myȝte it been yproued

Þanne is do-bette to suffre  for þi soulis sake

Al þat þe book bit  bi holi chirche techyng

And þat is man bi þi myȝt  for mercyes sake

Loke þou wirche it in werk  þat þi word schewiþ

Swich as þou semest in syȝt  be in assay foundenT

And latte no-body be  bi þi beryng bigylid

But swich in þi soule  as þou semest wiþ-oute

Þanne is do-best to be boold  to blame þe gylty

Siþen þou seest þi-self  as in soule clene

Ac blame þou neuere body  & þou be blame-worþi

God in þe gospel  grymli reproueþ

Alle þat lakken any lijf  & lakkes han hem-selue

Why meuest þou þi mood for a mote  in þi broþeris ye

Siþen a beem in þin owne  blyndeþ þi-selue

Which lettiþ þee to loke  lesse oþer more

I rede . ich a blynde bosard  do boot to hym-selue

For abbotes & priouris  and alle manere of prelatisT

As persounes & parisch preestis  þat preche schuldenT & teche

Alle manere of men  to amende bi her myȝt

Þis text was told ȝow . to be  war . er ȝe tauȝtenT

Þat ȝe werenT swiche as ȝe seydenT  to salue wiþ oþere

For goddis word wolde not be lost  for þat wirchiþ euere

If it auaylede not þe comune  it myȝte auayle ȝow-seluen

Ac it semeþ now soþeli  to þe werldis siȝt

Þat goddis word wirchiþ not  on lered ne on lewid

But in swich manere as mark  meneþ in þe gospel

Lewide men mowen likken ȝow  þat þe beem lijþ in ȝoure yen

And þe festu is fallen  for ȝoure defaute

In alle manere men  þoruȝ mansed preestis

Þe bible bereþ witnesse  þat alle þe folk of israel

Bitter bouȝte þe gyltes  of two badde preestis

Offyn & fynees  for her coueytyse

Archa dei mys-happede  & eli brake his nekke

For-þi . correctouris claweþ her-on  & correcteþ first ȝoure-seluen

And þanne mowen ȝe saafli seye  as dauid made þe sauter

Þanne schul borel clerkis be abassched  to blame ȝow or to greue

And carpe not as þei doon now  & calle ȝow doombe houndis

And drede to wraþþe ȝow in any word  ȝoure werkmanschip to lette

And be prestier at ȝoure preyer  þan for a pound of noblis

An al for ȝoure holynesse  haue ȝe þis in herte

TIn scole þer is a scoorn  but if a clerk wole lerne

And greet loue & lykyng  for ich of hem loueþ oþer

And now is religioun a rider  a romer bi stretis

A leder of louedayes  & a loond bigger

A priker on a palfrey  fro maner to maner

An heep of houndis at his ers  as he a lord were

And but if his knaue knele  þat schal hym þe cuppe brynge

He loureþ on hym & axeþ  who tauȝte hym curteysye

CLitil hadden lordis to do  to ȝyue loond fro her eyris

To religiouse þat han no ruþe  þouȝ it reyne on her auteris

In many places þere þei persouns been  be hem-selue at ese

COfT pore han þei no pite  & þat is her charite

And þei leten hem as lordis  her loond lijþ so brode

Ac þer schal come a kyng  & confesse ȝow religiouse

And bete ȝow as þe bible telleþ  for brekyng of ȝoure rule

And amende monyales  monkis & chanounes

And putte hem to her penaunce  ad pristinum statum ire

And barouns & erles bete hem  þoruȝ beatus vir techyng

Þat her barnes cleymen  & blamen ȝow foule

And þanne freris in her freytour  schul fynde a keye

Of constantynys tresore  in which is þe catel 

CÞat gregories god-children  han yuele dispendid

And þanne schal þe abbot of abyngdon  & al his issu for euere 

Haue a knok of a kyng  & incurable þe wounde

Þat þis worþe soþ seke ȝe  þat ofte ouerseen þe bible

Ac er þat kyng come  caym schal awake

And do-wel schal dynge hym adoun  & distruye his myȝt

Þanne is do-wel & do-bette quod I  dominus & knyȝthode

I nyle not scorne quod scripture  but if scryueyns lye

Kynghood & knyȝthood  bi nouȝt I can awayte 

Helpeþ not to heueneward  oon heris eende

Ne richesse riȝt nouȝt  ne rialte of lordis

Poule preueþT impossible  riche men to haue heuene

Salomon seiþ also  þat siluer is werst to louye

And catoun kenneþ vs to coueyte  not . but as it nediþ

And patriarkes and prophetis  & poetis boþe

Writen to wissen vs  to wilne no richesse

And preyseden pouerte wiþ pacience  þe apostelis beren witnesse

Þat þei han eritage in heuene  & bi trewe riȝt

Þere riche men no riȝt mowen cleyme  but of ruþe & grace

Contra quod I bi crist  þat can I repreue

And preue it bi peter  and bi poule boþe

Þat been baptizid been saued  be þei riche or pore

Þat is in extremis quod scripture  amongys sarazens & Iues

Þei mowen be saued so  & þat is oure beleue

Þat an vncristen in þat caas  may cristen an heþen

And for his lele beleue  whanne he þe lijf tyneþ

Haue þe heritage of heuene  as any man cristen

Ac cristen men wiþ-outen more  mowen not come to heuene

For þat crist for cristen men deyede  & confermede þe lawe

Þat who-so wolde & wilneþ  wiþ crist to arise

He schulde louye & lene  & þe lawe fulfille

Þat is . loue þi lord god  leuest aboue al þing

And after . alle cristen creaturis in comune ich man oþer

And þus bilongeþ to loue  þat leueþ to be saued

And but we do þus in dede  er þe day of doom 

It schal bisitten vs ful soure  þe syluer þat we kepen

And oure bakkis þat moþ-eten been  & seen beggers go nakid

Or delite vs in wijn & wyldefoule  & woot any in defaute

For euery cristen creature  schulde be kynde til oþer

And siþen heþen to helpe  in hope of amendement

God hoteþ boþe hye & lowe  þat no man hirte oþer

And seiþ . sleeþT not þat semblable is  to myn owne liknesse

But if I sende þee sum tokne  & seiþ . non necabisT

I slee not but suffre  & al for þe beste

For I schal punysche hem in purgatorie  or in þe pitte of helle

Ich man for hise mysdedis  but mercy it lette

Þis is a longe lessoun quod I  & litil am I þe wyser

Where do-wel is or do-bette  derklich ȝe schewen

Many talis ȝe tellen  þat theologie lerneþ

And þat I man maad was  & my name yentred

In þe legende of seyntisT  longe er I were

Or ellis writen for wickidnesse  as holy writ witnesseþ

God gaf hym grace of witt  & alle hise goodis after

He demede wel & wiseli  as holi writ telliþ

Aristotle & he  who wissede men better

Maystris þat of goddis mercy  techen men & prechen

Of her wordis þei wissen vs  for wisest as in her tyme

And al holi chirche  holt hem boþe ydampned

And if I schulde wirche bi her werkis  to wynne me heuene

Þat for her werkis & witt  now wonyeþ in pyne

Þanne wrouȝte I vnwiseli  what-so-euere ȝe prechenT

AndT fele witty in feiþ  litil ferli I haue

Þouȝ her goost be vngracious  god for to plese

For many men on þis moold  more setten her hertis

In good þan in god  for-þi hem . grace fayleþ

Ac þe moost myscheef isT  whanne þei schul lijf lete

As salomon dide & swiche oþere  þat scheweden grete wittes

Ac her werkis as holi writ  seiþ . was euere þe contrarie

For-þi wise-witted men  & wel ylettered clerkis

As þei seyen hem-self  selden doon þer-after

Ac I wene it worþ of many  as was in noes tyme

Þoo he schope þat schip  of schides & bordis

Was neuere wriȝt saued þat wrouȝte þeron  ne oþer werkman ellis

But briddis & beestis  & þe blissid noe

And his wijf wiþ hise sones  & also her wyues

God lene it fare not so bi folk  þat þe feiþ techen 

Of holi chirche þat herberwe is  & goddis hous to saue 

And schilde vs fram schame þer-inne  as noes schip dide beestis

And men þat maden it  amydde þe flood adreynten

Þe culorum of þis causeT  curatouris is to mene

Þat been carpenteris holi chirche to make  for cristis owne beestis

On good fryday I fynde  a feloun was saued

Þat hadde lyued al his lijf  wiþ lesyngys & wiþ þefte

And for he biknewe on þe crosse  & to crist schroue hym

He was sunner saued  þan seynt Ion þe baptist

And er adam or ysaye  or any of þe prophetis

Þat hadde yleyn wiþ lucifer  many longe ȝeris

A robber was raumsomed  raþer þan þei alle

Wiþ-outen any penaunce of purgatorie  to perpetuel blisse

AndC marie magdalene  what womman dide wers

Or who wers þan dauid  þat vries deþ conspirede

Or poule þe apostle  þat no pite hadde

Miche cristen kynde  to kille to deþ

And now been þeise as souereynes  & seyntis in heuene

Þoo þat wrouȝten wickedest  in world þoo þei werenT

And þoo þat wiseli wordeden  & writen many bokis

Of witt & of wisdamesT  wiþ dampned soulis wonyen

Þat salomon seiþ I trowe be soþ  & certeyn of vs alle

Þer arn witti & wel libbynge  & her werkis been hid

In þe hondis of almyȝti god  & he woot þe soþe

Where for loue a man worþ alowid  þere & hise lele werkis

Or ellis for his yuele wille  & envie of herte

And be alowid as he lyued þereT  asT liþer men knowen goode

And wher-bi witenT men which is whyte  if al þing blak were

And who were a good man  but if þer were sum schrewe

For-þi lyue we forþ wiþ liþer men  I leue feweT goode

For quant oportet comeþ in place  il nad que pati

And he þat may alle amende  haue mercy of vs alle

For soþest word þat euere god seyde  was þoo he seyde . nemo bonus

Clergie T of cristis mouþ  commendid was litil

For he seyde to seynt petir  & to swiche as he louede

Þouȝ ȝe come bifore kyngys  & clerkis of þe lawe

Beþ not abassched . for I schal  be . in ȝoure mouþes

And ȝyue ȝow witt & wille  & kunnyng to conclude 

Hem alle . þat aȝens ȝow  of cristendoom disputen

Dauid makiþ mencioun  he spake amongys kyngys

And myȝte no kyng ouercome hym  as bi kunnyng of speche

But witt ne wisdam  wan neuere þe maystrie

Whanne man was at mescheef  wiþ-oute þe more grace

Þe douȝtiest doctour  & dyuynour of þe trinyte

Was austyn þe olde  & hyest of þe foure

Seyde þus in a sermoun  I seyȝ it writen ones

And is to mene on englisch  to more & to lesse

Arn noon oþere raþer rauyschid  fro þe riȝt beleue

Þan arn þise kunnynge clerkis  þat kunne many bokis

Ne noon sunner saued  ne sadder of bileue

Þan plowmen & pastouris  & oþere comune laboreris

Souters & scheepheerdis  & swiche lewid iottesT

Percen wiþ a pater nosterC  þe paleys of heuene

And passen purgatorie penaunceles  at her hennys partynge

In-to þe blisse of paradice  for her pure bileue

Þat imparfiȝtli heer  knewen and eke lyueden

Ȝhe . men knowenT clerkis  þat han cursid þe tyme

Þat euere þei couþenT on þe book  more þan . Credo in deum

And principali her pater noster  many a persone haþ wisschid

I see ensaumples manyT my-selue  & so mowen oþere

Þat seruauntis þat seruen lordis  selde falle in areragis

But þoo þat kepen þe lordis catel  clerkis & reues

Riȝt so lewede men  & of litil knowyng

Selde fallen þei so foule  & so fer in synne

As clerkis of holi kirke  þat kepen cristis tresore

Þe which is mannys soule to saue  as god seiþ in þe gospel