And so my witt wexe & wanyede  til I a fool were

And sum lakkede my lijf  alowedenT it fewe

And leeten for a lorel  & loþ to reuerencen

Lordis or ladyes  or any lijf ellis

As persouns in pelure  & wiþ pendauntis of siluer

To sergeauntis ne to swiche  seyde not ones

God loke ȝow lordis  ne loutede fayre

Þat folk helden me a fool  & in þat folye I rauede

Til resoun hadde ruþe on me  & rokkede me a-slepe

Til I seyȝ as it sorcery were  &T sotil þing wiþ-alle

Oon wiþ-outen tunge & teeþ  tolde me whider I schulde

And wher-of I cam & what kynde  I coniurede hym at þe laste

If he were cristis creature  for cristis loue me to telle

I am cristis creature quod he  & cristen in many a place

In cristis court I-knowe wel  & of his kyn a partye

Is neyþer peter þe porter  ne poule wiþ his fauchoun

Þat wole defende me þe dore  dynge ich neuere so late

At mydnyȝt . at mydday  my voyce so is knowenT

Þat iche a creature of his court  welcomeþ me fayre

What ar ȝe callid in þat court quod I  among cristis peple

Þe whiles I quyk was in þe coors quod he  called am I anima

And whanne I wilne orT wolde  animus ich hatte

And for þat I kan & knowe  called am I mens

And whanne I make mone to god  memoria is my name

And whanne I deme domes  & do as truþe techiþ

Þanne is racio my riȝt name  &T resoun on englisch

And whanne I fele þat folk telleþ  my first name is sensusC

And þat is witt & wisdam  þe welle of alle craftis

And whanneT chalenge or chalenge not  clepeT or refuse

Þanne am I concience called  goddis clerk & his notarie

And whanne I loue lelly  oure lord . & alle oþer

Þanne is leel loue my name  & in latyn amor

And whanne I flye fro þe flesch  & forsake þe careyne

Þanne am I spirit specheles  spiritus þanne ich hatte

Austyn & þs{o}idorus / [y]sidorus  eyþer of hem boþe

Nempnede me þus to name  now þou myȝtistT chese

How þou coueytist to calle me  now knowest þou alle my names

Ȝe been as a bischop quod I  al bourdynge þat tyme

For bisschoppis yblissid  beren many names

Presul & pontifex  and metropolitanus

And oþere names an heep  episcopus & pastor

Þat is soþ seyde he  now I se þi wille

Þou woldest knowe & kunne  þe cause of alle her names

And of myn if þou myȝtist  me þinkeþ bi þi speche

Ȝhe sire I seyde bi so  no man were a-greued

Alle þe science vndir sunne  & alle þe sutil craftes

I wolde knowe & kunne  kyndeli in myn herte

Þanne art þou vnparfiȝt quod he  & oon . of prides knyȝtis

For swich a lust & likyng  lucifer fel from heuene

It were aȝens kynde quod he  & al kyns resoun

Þat any creature schulde kunne al  except crist oone

Aȝens swiche salomon spekiþ  & dispisiþ her wittis

To englische men . þis is to mene  þat mowen speke & here

Þe man þat myche hony eteþ  his mawe it engleymeþ

And þe more þat a man  of good mater hereþ

But he do þer-after  it dooþ hym double scathe

Beatus est . seiþ seynt Bernard  qui scripturas legit

Et verba vertit in opera  fulliche to his power

Coueytise to kunne  & to knowe science

PulledeT out of paradice  adam & eue

And riȝt as hony is yuele to defye  & engleymeþ þe mawe

Riȝt so . þat þoruȝ resoun  wolde þe rote knowe 

Of god . & of hise myȝtis  his grace it lettiþ

For in þe likyng . lijþ a pride  & a likhams coueytise

Aȝens cristis counceyl  & alle clerkis techyng

Freris & fele oþere maystris  þat to lewede men prechen

Meuen materes immesurables  to tellen of þe trinite

AndT ofte tymes þe lewed peple  of her beleue douten

Better to bileue wereT many  doctouris . swich techyng

And telle men of þe ten comaundementes  & touche þe seuene synnes

And of þe braunches þat boriounen of hem  & bryngen men to helle

And how þat folk in folies  myspenden her fyue wittis

As wel freris as oþere folk  foliliche þei spendenT

In housyng in hateryng  & hye clergie schewynge

More for pompe þan for pure charite  þe peple woot þe soþe

Þat I neT lye not . loo  for lordis ȝe plesen

And reuerencen þe riche  þe raþer for her goodisT

Go to þe glose of þe vers  ȝe grete clerkis

If I lye on ȝow to my lewede witt  ledeþ me to brennyng

For as it semeþ . ȝe forsaken  no mannes almesse

Of vsureris of horis  of auarouse chapmen

And louten to þeise lordis  þat mowen lene ȝow nobles

Aȝeyn ȝoure rule & religioun  I take record of iesus

Þat seyde to hise disciplis  ne sitis personarum acceptores

Of þis mateer I myȝte  make a longe bible

Ac of curatouris of cristen peple  as clerkysC beren witnesse

I schal tellen it for truþes sake  take heed . who-so likiþ

As holynesse & honeste  out of holy chirche sprediþ

Þoruȝ lele libbynge men  þat goddis lawe techen

Riȝt so . out of holy chirche  alle yueles spreden

Þere imparfiȝt preesthode is  prechouris & techeris

And see it bi ensaumple  in somer-tyme on trowes

Þere summe bowis been leued  & summe beren noon

Þere is a myscheef in þe moore  of swiche manere bowis

Riȝt so persouns & preestis  & prechouris of holi chirche

Þat arn rote of þe riȝt feiþ  to rule þe peple

Ac þere þe rote is roten  resoun woot þe soþe

Schal neuere floure ne fruyt  ne fayre leef be grene

For-þi woldenT ȝe lettred men leue  þe lecherie of cloþing

And be kynde . as felT for clerkis  & curteys of cristis goodis

Trewe of ȝoure tunge  & of ȝoure tayl boþe

And hate to here harlotrie  & not to vndirfonge 

Tyþes of vntrewe þing  ytilied or chaffared

Loþe weren lewede men  but þei ȝoure lore folowedenT

And amenden hem þat mysdoon  more for ȝoure ensaumples 

Þan for to preche & preuen it not  ypocrisie it semeþ

For ypocrisye in latyn  is likned to a dong-hil

Þat were besnewid wiþ snow  & snakes wiþ-Inne

Or to a wal þat were whyȝt-lymed  wiþ-out & foul wiþ-inne

Riȝt so many preestis  prechouris & prelatis

Arn emblaunched wiþ bele paroles  & wiþ cloþes also

Ac ȝoure werkis & wordis þer-vndir  arn ful vnlouelich

IohanneT crisostomus  of clerkis spekiþ & preestis

IfC lewede men wisten  what þis latyn meneþ

And who was myn autour  myche wondir me þinkeþ

But if many a preest heerT  for her baslardis & her brohchis

Schulden go synge seruyseles  wiþ sire philip þe sparweT

Sire ion & sire ieffrey  han gyrdelesT of siluer

A baslard &T ballok-knyf  &T barresT ouer-gylt

Ac a porthos þat schulde be his plow  placebo to segge

Hadde he neuereC seruyse to saue syluer þerto  for spendyng at aleT

Allas ȝe lewede men  myche lesenT ȝe on preestis

Ac þing þat wickidlich is wonnenT  & wiþ false sleyȝtis

Wolde neuere . of witty god þe witt  but wickide men it hadde

Þe whyche arn preestis imparfiȝt  & prechouris after siluer

Sectouris & suddenes  somonours & her lemmans

Þis þat wiþ gyle was geten  vngraciousli is spendid

So harlottis & hores  arn holpen þoruȝT swiche goodis

And goddis folk for defaute þerof  forfaren & spillen

Curatouris of holy chirche  as clerkis þat been auarouse

Liȝtlich þat þei leuen  losellis it habben

Or dyen intestat  & þanne þe bischop entreþ

And makeþ myrþe þer-wiþ  & his men boþe

And seggen . he was a nygard  þat no good myȝte spare

To freend ne to fremde  þe feend haue his soule

For a wrecchid hous he helde  al his lijf-tyme

And þat he sparede & bisperde  spende we in myrþe

Be þei lered . be þei lewideT  þat loþ is to spende

Þus goon her goodis  be þe goost faren

Ac for goode men god woot  greet deel men maken

And bymeneþ goode mete-ȝyueris  & in mynde hauen 

InC preyeris & in penaunce  & in parfiȝt charite

What is charite quod I þoo  a childisch þing he seyde

Wiþ-outen faunteeT or folye  a fre liberal wille

Where schuldenT men fynde swich a freend  with so fre an herte

IC haue lyued in londe quod I  my name is longe wille

And fonde I neuere ful charite  bifore ne bi-hynde

Men been mercyable to mendynauntis  & to þeT pore

And wolen lene þere þei leuenT  lelli to be payed

Ac charite þat poule precheþT best  & moost pleseþ oure saueour

As . non inflatur . non est ambiciosa . non querit que sua sunt

IC seyȝ neuere swich a man  so me god helpe

Þat he ne wolde aske after his  & oþer-wyle coueyte 

Þing þat nediþ hym not  & nyme it if he myȝte

Clerkis tellenT me þat crist  is . in alle places

Ac I seyȝ hymT soþeli  but as my-self in a myrour

And so I trowe truly  bi þat men tellen of charite

It is not champiouns fiȝt  ne chaffare as I trowe

Charite quod he ne chaffareþ not  ne chalengeþ ne craueþ

As proude of a peny  as of a pound of gold

And is as glad of a gowne  of a grey russet

As of a tunycle of tarse  or of tried scarlet

He is glad wiþ al glad  & good til alle wickide

And leneþ & loueþ alle  þat oure lord made

Curseþ he no creature  neT can bere no wraþþe

Ne no likyng haþ to lye  ne lawȝhe men to scorn

Al þat men seyen . he lat it soþ  & in solace takeþ

And alle manere mescheues  in myldenesse he suffreþ

Coueytiþ he noon erþeli good  but heuene-riche blisse

Haþ he any rentes or richesse  or any riche freendis 

Of rentes ne of richesse  reccheþ he neuere

For a freend þat fyndeþ hym  faylede hym neuere at nede

Fiat voluntas tua  fyndiþ hym euere-more

And if he soupe . he etiþ but a soppe  of spera in deo

He can portreyeT þe pater-noster  & peynte it wiþ auees

And oþer-wyle he is wone  to wende on pilgrimage

Þere pore men & prisouners beenT  her pardoun to haue

Þouȝ he bere hem no breed  he bereþ hem swetterT

Loueþ hem as oure lord biddiþ  & lokeþ how þei faren

And whanne he is wery of þat werk  þanne wole he sum-tyme

Labouren in lauendrieT  þe lenkþe of a myle

And ȝerne in-to ȝouþe  & ȝepli spekeC

Pride . wiþ al þe apurtenaunce  & pakken hem to-gyderes

And bowken hem at his brest  & beten hem clene

And leggen on . longe  wiþ laboraui in gemitu meo

And wiþ warm water at hise yen  wasschen hem after 

And þanne he syngeþ whanne he dooþ so  & sum-tyme seiþ wepynge

Bi crist I wolde þat I knewe hym  no creature leuere

Wiþ-outen help of peers plowman quod he  his persoone seest-þou neuere

Wher clerkis knowen hym quod I  þat kepen holy chirche

Clerkis han no knowyng quod he  but bi werkis & wordis

Ac peers þe plowman  parceyuedeT more depper

Where is þe wille & wherfore  þat many aT wiȝt suffreþ

For þer arn ful proude-herted men  pacient of tunge

And buxum as of beryng  to burgeys & to lordis

And to pore peple  han peper in þe nose

And as a lyoun he lokeþ  þere men lakken hise werkis

For þer arn beggers & bidders  bedemen as it were

Loken as lambren  & semen lijf-holy

Ac it is more to haue her mete  in swich esy manere

Þan for penaunce or parfiȝtnesse  þe pouert þat swiche taken

Þerfore bi colour ne bi clergie  knowe schalt þou hym neuere

Neiþer þoruȝ wordis ne werkis  but þoruȝ wille one

And þat knowiþ no clerk  ne creature in erþe

But peers þe plowman  petrus id est christus

For he is not in losellisT  ne in land-lepers heremytis

Ne in ankris þere a box hangeþ  alle swiche þei fayten

Fy on faytouris  and in fautores suos

For charite is goddis champioun  & as a good chyld . heende

And þe myriest of mouþe  at mete . where he sittiþ

Þe loue þat lijþ in his herte  makiþ hym liȝt of speche

And is companable & confortatijf  as crist bit hym-selue

For I haue seen hym in silk  & sum-tyme in russet

Boþe in grey & in griys  & in gylt harneys

And as gladlich he it gaaf  to gomes þat it nedede

Edmund & Edward  eyþer were kyngys

And seyntis yset  til charite hem folewede

I haue seen charite also  syngen & reden

Riden & rennen  in raggede wedis

Ac biddynge as beggers  bihelde I hym neuere

Ac in riche robes  raþest he walkiþ

YcalledT ycrymaylid  & his crowne schauen

And clenlich ycloþed  in cipres & in tartaryneT

And in a freris frokke  he was founden onys

Ac it is fer agoo  in seynt fraunceys tyme

And in þat secte siþþe  to seldenT haþ be knowen

Riche men he recommendiþ  & of her robes takeþ

Þat wiþ-outen wyles  leden her lyues

In kyngys court he comeþ oftenT  þere þe counceyl is trewe

Ac if coueytise be of þe counceyl  he wole not come þer-Inne

In court among iapers  he comeþ not but selde

For braulyng & bacbytyng  & beryng of fals witnesse

In þe consistorie bifore þe comyssarie  he comeþ not ful ofte

For her lawe dureþ ouer-longe  but if þei lacchen siluer

And matrimoyne for money  maken & vnmaken

And þat concience & crist  haþ yknyt faste

Þei vndoon it vnworþili  þoo doctouris of lawe

Ac I ne lakke no lijf  but lord amende vs alle

And gyue vs grace goode god  charite to folewe

For who-so myȝte mete wiþ hym  swiche maneres hym ayliþ

Neiþer he banneþ ne blameþ  boosteþ ne preyseþ

Craueþ ne coueytiþ  ne crieþ after more

Lakkeþ ne loseþ  ne lokeþ vp sterne

Þe moost lijflode he lyueþ bi  is loue in goddis passioun

Neiþer he biddiþ ne beggeþ  ne borweþ to ȝelde

Misdooþ he no man  ne wiþ his mouþ greueþ

Amongys cristen men  þis myldenesse scholde laste

In alle manere angres  haue þis at herte

Þat þouȝ þei suffredenT al þis  god suffrede for vs more

In ensaumple we schuldenT do so  & take no veniaunce 

Of oure foos þat doon vs falsnesse  þat isT fadris wille

For wel may euery man wite  if god hadde wolde hym-selue

Schulde neuere iudas ne iew  haue iesu doon on rode

Ne haue martired petir ne poule  ne in prisoun holden

Ac he suffrede in ensaumple  þat we schuldenT suffre also

And seyde{n}T to swiche þat suffre wolden  þat pacientes vincunt

Verbi gratia quod he  & verrey ensaumples many

In legenda sanctorum  þe lijf of holy seyntis

What penaunce & pouerte  & passioun þei suffredenT

In hungre & in hete  in alle manere angrees

Antony & egidie  & oþere holi fadris

Woneden in wildernesse  amonge wylde beestis

Monkes & mendynauntis  men bi hem-seluen

In spekis & spelonkis  selden speke to-gyderes

Ac neiþer antony ne egydie  ne heremyte þat tyme

Of lyouns ne of lepardes  no lijflode ne token

But of foulis þat flyenT  þus fynden men in bokis

Except þat egidie  after an hynde criede

And þoruȝ þe mylk of þat mylde beeste  þe man was sustenedC

And day bi day hadde he hir not  his hungre for to slake

But selden & sundri tymes  as seiþ þe book & techiþ

Antony a-dayes  aboute þeT noon tyme

Hadde a brid þat brouȝte hym breed  þat he by . lyuede

And þouȝ þe goom hadde a gest  god fonde hem boþe

Poule primus heremita  hadde parroked hym-selue

Þat no man myȝte hym see  for mosse & for leues

Foules hym feddenT  fele wyntres wiþ-alle

Til he foundede freris  of austyns ordre

An-oþerT poule after his prechyng  panyeris he made

And wan wiþ hise handis  þat his wombe nedede

Petir fischede for his fode  & his felaw andrew

Sum þei soldenT & sum þei soþen  & so þei lyueden boþe

And also marie magdaleyn  bi moores lyuede & dewes

Ac moost þoruȝ deuocioun  & mynde of god almyȝti

I schulde not þis seuene dayes  seggen hem alle

Þat lyueden þus for oure lordis loue  many longe ȝeris

Ac þer ne was lyoun ne leparde  þat on laundes wenten

Neiþer bere ne boor  ne oþer beest wylde

Þat ne fel to her feet  & faunedenT wiþ þe taylis

And if þei couþenT haue ycarped  bi crist as I trowe

Þei wolden haue yfed þat folk  bifore wylde foulis

Ac god sente hem fode bi foulis  & bi no ferse beestis

In menyng þat meke þing  mylde þing schulde fede

As who seiþ . religiouse  riȝtful men schulde fynde

And laweful men to lijf-holy men  lyuelode brynge

And þanne woldenT lordis & ladies  be loþ to agulte

And to take of her tenauntis  {no} more þan truþe wolde

FoundenT þei þat freris wolden  forsakenT her almesse

And bidden hem . bere it  þere it was yborwid

For we bee goddis fowlesT  and abideT alwey .

Til briddis brynge vs mete  þat we schulden lyue by .

For haueT ȝe potage & paynT  & peny-ale to drynke

And a messe þer-wiþ  of any manere kynde

Ȝe hanT riȝt ynow ȝe religious  & so ȝoure rule me tolde

If lewede men knewenT þis latyn  þei woldenT loke whom þei ȝyuenT

And avise hem bifore  fyue dayes or sixe

Er þei mortisedenT to monkes  or chanouns her rentis

Allas lordis & ladies  lewed counceyl han ȝe

To ȝyue from ȝoure eires  þat ȝoure ayles ȝow laftenT

And ȝyuen to bidde for ȝow  to swiche þat been riche

And been founded & fessed / fe[ff]ed eke  to bidde for oþere

Who parforneþ þe prophecie  ofT peple þat now libbeþ

If any peple parforne þis text  it arn þe pore freris

For þat þei beggen aboute  in beeldyng þei spenenT

And on hem-self sum  & swiche as been her laboreris

And of hem þat habben þei taken  & ȝeuen hem þat ne habben

Ac clerkis & knyȝtis  & comuneris þat been riche

Feel of ȝow faren  as if I a forest hadde

Þat were ful of fayre trees  & I fondede & caste 

How I myȝte . moo þerinne  amonges hem sette

Riȝt so ȝe riche  ȝe robbenT þat ben riche

And helpen hem þat helpen ȝow  & ȝyuen þere no nede is

As who-so fillede a tunne  of a fresch ryuer

And wente forþ wiþ þat water  to wooke wiþ þeT temse

Riȝt so ȝe riche  ȝe robben & feden 

Hem . þat han as ȝe han  hem ȝe maken at ese

Ac religious þat riche been  schulden raþer feste beggers

Þan burgeys þat riche been  as þe book telleþ

For-þi I counceyl alle cristen  to conforme hem to charite

For charite wiþ-outen chalengyng  vnchargeþ þe soule

And many a prisoun fro purgatorie  þoruȝ hise preyeris delyuereþ

Ac þer is a defaute in þe folk  þat þe feiþ kepen

Wherfore folk beenT þe febeler  & not ferme of bileue

And in luschburues is a liþer alay  & ȝit lokeþ he lijk a sterlyng

Þe merk of þat money isC good  ac þe metal is feble

And so it fareþ bi summe folk  now þei han a fayre speche

Crowne & cristendom  þe kyngys merk of heuene

Ac þe metal þat is mannes soule  wiþ synne is fulT allayed

Boþe lettred & lewede been  now allayedT wiþ synne

Þat no lijf loueþ oþer  ne oure lord as I leueT

For þoruȝ werre & wickede werkis  & wedres vnresounable

Wedre-wise schipmen  &T clerkis also

Han no beleue to þe lifte T  ne to þe lore of philosophres

Astromyens alday  in her arte faylen

Þat wylom warnedenT bifore  what schulde falle after

Schipmen & heerdisT  þat wiþ schip & scheep wenten

Wisten bi þe welken  what schulde bityde

As of wedres & wyndes  þei warnedenT men ofte

Tilyeris þat tiliden þe erþe  tolden her maystres 

Bi þe seed þat þei sewen  what þei selle myȝtenT

And what to leue & what to lyue by  þe londe was so trewe

Now faylenT þe folk ofT flood  & of þe loond boþe

Schepheerdis & schipmen  & so doon þeise tilieris

Neiþer þei kunnen ne knowen  oo cours bifore an-oþer

Astronomyens also  arn at her wittis ende

Of þat was calculed of þe elementis  þe contrarie þei fyndenT

Gramer þe ground of al  bigyleþ now children

For is noon of þeise newe clerkis  who-so nymeþ heed

Þat can versifye fayre  ne formelich endyten

IsT not oon amongys an hundrid  þat an autour can construe

Ne rede a lettre in any langage  but latyn & englisch

Go now to any degree  & but if gyle be mayster

And flaterer his felaw  vndir hym to formen

Miche wonder me þinkiþ  amongys vs alle

Doctours of decrees  & of dyuinite maystres

Þat schulden kunne & knowe  al kyns clergye

And answere to argumentis  & also to a quodlibet

I dar not segge it for schame  if swiche weren apposed

Þei schulden fayle of her phylosophie  & in herT phisik boþe

Wherfore I am a-feerd  of folk of holy chirche

Lest þei ouerhippeT as oþere doon  in offices & in houris

Ac if þei ouerhippen as I hope not  oure bileue suffiseþ

As clerkis in corpus christi feeste  syngen & reden

Þat sola fides sufficit  to saue wiþ lewede peple

And so mowen sarasens be saued  scribes & Iues

Allas þanne . but oure lores-men  lyuen as þei leren vs

And for her lyuyng þat lewide men  be þe loþer god to agultenT

For sarasens han sumwhat  semynge to oure beleue

For þei louenT & bileuenT  in oo persoone almyȝti

And we lered & lewede  in oo god beleuen

And oon Makomede  a man ofT mysbeleue

Brouȝte sarasens of surre  & se in what manere

Þis makomede was cristen  & for he muste not be a pope

Into surre he souȝte  & þoruȝ hise sutile wittis

Dauntede a dowue  & day & nyȝt hir fedde

Þe corn þat sche croppede  he caste it in his ere

And if he among þe peple preched  or in place come

Þanne wolde þe culuer come  in-toT þe clerkis ere

Menynge as after mete  þus makomede hir enchauntede

And dide folk þanne falle on knees  for he swore in his prechyng

Þat þe culuer þat come so  come fro god of heuene

As messager to makomede  men for to teche

And þus þoruȝ wyles of his witt  & a whyte dowue

Makomede in mysbeleue  men & wommen brouȝte

Þat lered & lewede  ȝit leuen on hise lawes

And siþen oure saueour suffrede  þe sarasenes so bigyled

Þoruȝ a cristen clerk  a-cursid in his soule

And for drede of þe deþ  I dar not telle truþe

How englisch clerkis a culuer feden  þat coueueytise / coueytise hatte

And been manered after makomede  þat no man vseþ truþe

Ancres & heremytes  & monkes & freris

Peren to apostelis  þoruȝ her parfiȝt lyuyng

Wolde neuere þe feiþful fadir  þat hise mynystres schulden 

Of tyrauntis þat tenen trewe men  take any almesse

But do as domynyk dide  antonyT & fraunceys

Benet & bernard  þe whiche hem first tauȝte

To lyue bi litilT in lowe howsis  bi lele mennes almesse

Grace schulde growe & be grene  þoruȝ her good lyuyng

And folkes schulden fynde  þat been in dyuerse sekenesse

Þe better for her biddynges  in body & in soule

Her preyeris & her penaunces  to pees schulde brynge

Alle þat been at debate  & bedemen were trewe

Salt saueþ catel  seggen þeise wyues

Þe heedis of holy chirche  & þei holy werenT

Crist calleþ hem salt  for cristene soulis

Ac fresch flesch oþer fisch  whanne it salt fayliþ

TIs vnsauery for soþe  ysoþe or ybake

So is mannes soule soþeli  þat seeþ no good ensaumple

Of hem of holy chirche  þat þe hye weye schulde teche

And be gyde & go bifore  as a good baneour

And hardye hem þat been bihyndeT  & ȝyue hem good euydence

Elleuene holy men  al þe werld turnede

In-to lele bibeue / bi[l]eue  þe liȝtliker me þinkeþ 

Schulden alle manere men  we han so many maystres

Preestis & prechouris  & a pope aboue

Þat goddis salt schulden be  to saue mannes soule

Al was heþenesse sum-tyme  Englond & Wales

Til gregory gerte clerkis  to go & to preche

Austyn at cauntirbiry  cristenede þe kyng

And þoruȝ myracles as men mowen rede  al þat marche he turnede 

To crist & to cristendom  & crosse to honoure

And fullede folk faste  & þe feiþ tauȝte

More þoruȝ myracles  þan þoruȝ myche prechyng

As wel þoruȝ hise werkis  as wiþ hise holi wordis

And seyde hem . what fullyng & feiþ was to mene

Cloþ þat comeþ fro þe weuyng  is not cumly to were

Til it be fullid vndir fote  or in fullynge stokkis

Wasschen wel wiþ water  & wiþ taseles cracched

Ytouked & yteyntid  & vndir taylouris hand

And so it fareþ bi a barn  þat born is of wombe

Til it be cristened in cristis name  & confermed of þe bisschop

It is heþene as to heueneward  & helples to þe soule

Heþen is to mene after heþ  & vntiled erþe

As in wylde wildirnesse  waxen wylde beestis

Rude & vnresounable  rennynge wiþ-oute crepers

Ȝe; menen wel how mathew seydeT  how a man made a feeste

He fedde hem wiþ no venysoun  ne fesauntis ybake

But wiþ foulis þat from hym nolde  but folewedenT his whystelyng

TWiþ calues flesch he fedde  þe folk þat he louede

Þe calf bitokeneþ clennesse  in hem þat kepen lawes

For as þe cow þoruȝ kynde mylk  þe calf nurischiþ til an oxe

So loue & lewte  lele men susteneþ

And maydenes & mylde men  mercy desiren

Riȝt soT þe cow calf  coueytiþ swete mylk

So doon riȝtful men  mercy & truþe

Ac who been þat excusen hem  þat arn persouns & preestis

Þat hedes of holy chirche been  þat han her wille heer

Wiþ-oute trauayle þe tiþe del  þat trewe men biswynken

Þei wolenT be wroþ for I write þus  ac witnesse I take 

Boþe mathew & mark  & memento domine dauid

What pope or prelat now  parforneþ þat crist hiȝte

Allas þat men so longe . on makomede  schulden soT beleue

So many prelatis to preche  as þe pope makeþ

Of nazareth of Nynyue  of neptalym & damask

Þat þey ne wente as crist wisseþ  siþ þei wolen haue name 

To be pastouris & preche  þe passioun of iesus

And as hym-self seyde  so to lyue & dye

And seyde it inC saluacioun  of sarasens & oþere

For cristen & vncristen  crist seyde to prechouris

And siþ þat þeise sarasens  scribes & Iues

Han a{n} lippe of oure bileue  þe liȝtlikerT me þinkeþ 

Þei schuldenT turne who-so trauayle wolde  to teche hem of þe trinite

It is ruþe to rede how  riȝtwise men lyueden

How þei defouledenT her flesch  forsoken her owne wille

Fer fro kyþ & fro kyn  yuele ycloþede ȝeden

Badly ybeddid  no book but concience

Ne no richesse but þe rode  to reioycenT hem Inne

And þoo was plente & pees  amongys pore & riche

And now is ruþe to rede  how þe reed noble

Is reuerenced er þe rode  receyued for þe worþier 

Þan cristes crosse þat ouercam  deþ . & dedli synne

And now is werre & woo  & who-so why askeþ

For coueytise after crosse  þe crowne stant in gold

Boþe riche & religious  þat rode . þei honouren 

Þat in grotes is grauen  & in goldenT nobles

For coueytise of þat crosse  men of holi chirche

Schul turne as templeris diden  þe tyme approcheþ faste

Wite ȝe not wise men  how þoo men honouredenT 

More tresore þan truþe  I dar not telle þe soþe

Resoun & riȝtful doom  þoo religious demedenT

Riȝt so ȝe clerkis for ȝoure  coueytise . er longe

Schul þei deme dos ecclesie  & ȝoure pride depose

If knyȝthood & kynde witt  & comune concience

To-gyderes loue lely  leueþ it wel ȝe bisschoppis

Þe lordschip of londis  for euere ȝe schul lese

And lyue as leuytici  as oure lord ȝow techeþ

Whanne constantyn of curteysie  holy chirche dowede

Wiþ londis & leedis  lordschippis & rentis

An{d?} aungel men herden  on hyȝ at rome crie

Dos ecclesie þis day  haþ ydrunken venym

And þoo þat han peteres power  arn appoysouned alle

A medycyn muste þerto  þat may amende prelatis

Þat schulden preye for þe pees  possessioun hem lettiþ

Takeþ her londes ȝe lordis  & latte hem lyue bi dymes

If possessioun be poysoun  & imparfiȝt hem make

Good were to dischargen hem  for holy chirchis sake

And purgen hem of poysoun  er more perel falle

If preesthode were parfiȝt  þe peple schulde amende

Þat contrarien cristes lawe  & cristendom despisenT

For alle paynemys preyen  & parfiȝtly bileuen

In þe holy greet god  & his grace þei axen

And maken her mone to makomede  her message to schewe

Þus in a feiþ leuen þat folk  & in a fals mene

And þat is ruþe for riȝtful men  þat in þe rewme wonyen

And inT perel to þe pope  & prelates þat he makeþ

AndT beren bisschoppis names  of bethlem & of babiloyne

Þat hippen abouteT englond  to halewe mennes auteris

And crepen amongys curatouris  confessen aȝens þe lawe

Many man for cristes loue  was martirid in romayne

Er þan anyT cristendom was knowenT þere  or any crosse honoured

Euery bisschop þat bereþ crosse  bi þat . he is holden

Þoruȝ his prouynce to passe  & to his peple schewe hym

Telle hem & teche hem  ofT þe trinite to beleue

And fede hem wiþ goostli fode  & gyue þere it nediþ

Osias seiþ for swiche  þat seek been & feble

Ac we cristen creatures  þat on þe crosse bileuen

Arn ferme as in þe feiþ  goddis forbode ellis

And han clerkis to kepe vs þer-Inne  & hem þat schul come after

And Iues lyuen in leel lawe  oure lord wrote hym-selue

In stoon . for it stedefast is  & stonde schal euere

Dilige deum & proximum tuum  is parfiȝt Iues lawe

And toke it moyses to teche  men . til messie come

AndT þat lawe þei leuen ȝit  & leten it þe beste

And ȝit knowenT þei crist  þat cristendom tauȝte

For a parfiȝt profeet  þat myche peple sauede

Of selcouþe sores  þei seiȝen it ofte

Boþe of myracles & merueylis  & how he men festede 

Wiþ two fisches & fyue loues  fyue þousande peple

And bi þat mangerie men myȝtenT see  þat messye he semede

And whanne he lifte vp lazar  þat leyd was in graue

And vnder stoon deed & stanke  wiþ stiffe voyce he callede

Dide hym rise & rome  riȝt bifore þe Iues

Ac þei seyde & sworen  wiþ sorcerie he wrouȝte

And studieden to struyeT hym  & struyeden hem-selue

And þoruȝ his pacience . her power  to pure nouȝt he brouȝte

Danyel of her vndoyng  dyuynede & seyde

And ȝit wenen þoo wrecches  þat he were pseudo propheta

And þat his lore be lesyngys  & lakken it alle

And hopen þat he be to come  þat schal hem releue

Moyses eft or messye  her maystryesT ȝit deuyneþ

And sarasens & pharisees  scribes & grekis

Arn folk of oo feiþ  þe fadir god þei honouren

And siþþen þat þe sarasens  & also þe Iues

Kun þe first clause of oure bileue  credo in deum patrem & ceteraT

Prelates of cristen prouynces  schuldenT preue if þei myȝtenT

Lere hem litlum & litlum  & in iesum christum filium eius & cetera

Til þei couþen speke & spelle  & in spiritum sanctum

And rede it & recorde it  wiþ remissionem peccatorum