PART I.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
153
Lordes mote to hem loute,
Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing;
They ryden with hir royall route
On a courser, as it were a king;
185With saddle of golde glitt[e]ring
With curious harneys quayntly crallit,
Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling;
All suche falshed, foul befall it!
Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing;
They ryden with hir royall route
On a courser, as it were a king;
185With saddle of golde glitt[e]ring
With curious harneys quayntly crallit,
Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling;
All suche falshed, foul befall it!
Christes ministers †cleped they been,
190And rulen all in robberye;
But Antichrist they serven clene,
Attyred all in tyrannye;
Witnesse of Johns prophecye,
That Antichrist is hir admirall,
195Tiffelers attyred in trecherye;
All suche faytours, foul hem fall!
190And rulen all in robberye;
But Antichrist they serven clene,
Attyred all in tyrannye;
Witnesse of Johns prophecye,
That Antichrist is hir admirall,
195Tiffelers attyred in trecherye;
All suche faytours, foul hem fall!
Who sayth, that some of hem may sinne,
He shal be †demed to be deed;
Some of hem woll gladly winne
200All ayenst that which god forbed;
“All-holyest” they clepen hir heed,
That of hir rulë is regall;
Alas! that ever they eten breed;
For all such falshed woll foul fall.
He shal be †demed to be deed;
Some of hem woll gladly winne
200All ayenst that which god forbed;
“All-holyest” they clepen hir heed,
That of hir rulë is regall;
Alas! that ever they eten breed;
For all such falshed woll foul fall.
205Hir heed loveth all honour,
And to be worshipped in worde and dede;
Kinges mot to hem knele and coure;
To the apostles, that Christ forbede;
To popes hestes such taketh more hede
210Than to kepe Christes commaundëment;
Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede,
They holdeth him hole omnipotent.
And to be worshipped in worde and dede;
Kinges mot to hem knele and coure;
To the apostles, that Christ forbede;
To popes hestes such taketh more hede
210Than to kepe Christes commaundëment;
Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede,
They holdeth him hole omnipotent.
182, 3 her. 184. kynge. 185. glyttryng (1550, glytteryng). 187. golde. 188. foule. 189. clepen (!); bene. 194. Antichriste; her. 196. foule. 198. done (but 1550, dome; read demed). 200. whiche. 201, 202. her. 204. suche; foule. 205. Her. 207. mote. 208. forbede (=forbēd). 209. suche. 211. mote; her.
