158
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART I.
And if a man be falsly famed,
And woldë make purgacioun,
Than woll the officers be agramed,
And assigne him fro town to town;
345So nede he must[e] paye raunsoun
Though he be clene as is cristall,
And than have an absolutioun;
But all such falsë shull foul fall!
And woldë make purgacioun,
Than woll the officers be agramed,
And assigne him fro town to town;
345So nede he must[e] paye raunsoun
Though he be clene as is cristall,
And than have an absolutioun;
But all such falsë shull foul fall!
Though he be gilty of the dede,
350And that he [yet] may money pay,
All the whyle his purse woll blede
He may use it fro day to day!
These bishoppes officers goon full gay,
And this game they usen over-all;
355The pore to pill is all †hir pray;
All such falsë shull foul fall!
350And that he [yet] may money pay,
All the whyle his purse woll blede
He may use it fro day to day!
These bishoppes officers goon full gay,
And this game they usen over-all;
355The pore to pill is all †hir pray;
All such falsë shull foul fall!
Alas! god ordayned never such lawe,
Ne no such craft of covetyse;
He forbad it, by his sawe,
360Such governours mowen of god agryse;
For all his rules †ben rightwyse.
These newe poyntes ben pure papall,
And goddes lawë they dispyse;
And all such faytours shul foul fall!
Ne no such craft of covetyse;
He forbad it, by his sawe,
360Such governours mowen of god agryse;
For all his rules †ben rightwyse.
These newe poyntes ben pure papall,
And goddes lawë they dispyse;
And all such faytours shul foul fall!
365They sayn that Peter had the key
Of hevin and hell, to have and hold;
I trowe Peter took no money
For no sinnes that he sold!
Such successours ben to bold,
370In winning all their wit they wrall;
Hir conscience is waxen cold;
And all such faytours, foule hem fall!
Of hevin and hell, to have and hold;
I trowe Peter took no money
For no sinnes that he sold!
Such successours ben to bold,
370In winning all their wit they wrall;
Hir conscience is waxen cold;
And all such faytours, foule hem fall!
341. falsely. 344. towne (twice). 345. raunsome. 346. christall. 348. suche. 348, 356, 364. foule. 349. gyltie. 350. Supply yet; maye. 352. maye. 353. gone. 355. poore; theyr (read hir). 356. suche. 357. suche. 358. suche crafte. 359. forbade. 360. Suche. 361. is (read ben). 363. dispyce. 364. suche. 365. sayne. 366. heuyn; holde. 367. toke. 368. solde. 369. Suche; bolde. 370. wytte. 371. colde. 372. suche.
