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II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART II.
525Why cleymen they hoolly his powére,
And wranglen ayenst all his hestes?
His living folowen they nothing here,
But liven wors than witles beestes.
Of fish and flesh they loven feestes,
530As lordes, they ben brode y-kend;
Of goddes pore they haten gestes;
God, for his mercy, this amend!
And wranglen ayenst all his hestes?
His living folowen they nothing here,
But liven wors than witles beestes.
Of fish and flesh they loven feestes,
530As lordes, they ben brode y-kend;
Of goddes pore they haten gestes;
God, for his mercy, this amend!
With †Dives such shall have hir doom
That sayn that they be Christes frendes,
535And do nothing as they shuld doon;
All such ben falser than ben fendes.
On the people they ley such bendes,
As god is in erthe, they han offend;
Sucour for suchë Christ now sende us,
540And, for his mercy, this amend!
That sayn that they be Christes frendes,
535And do nothing as they shuld doon;
All such ben falser than ben fendes.
On the people they ley such bendes,
As god is in erthe, they han offend;
Sucour for suchë Christ now sende us,
540And, for his mercy, this amend!
A token of Antichrist they be,
His careckes ben now wyde y-know;
Receyved to preche shall no man be
Without[ë] token of him, I trow.
545Ech Christen preest to prechen ow,
From god abovë they ben send.
Goddes word to all folk for to show,
Sinfull man for to amend.
His careckes ben now wyde y-know;
Receyved to preche shall no man be
Without[ë] token of him, I trow.
545Ech Christen preest to prechen ow,
From god abovë they ben send.
Goddes word to all folk for to show,
Sinfull man for to amend.
Christ sente the pore for to preche;
550The royall riche he did nat so;
Now dar no pore the people teche,
For Antichrist is over-all hir fo.
Among the people he mot go;
He hath bidden, all such suspend;
555Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo;
But all this god may well amend
550The royall riche he did nat so;
Now dar no pore the people teche,
For Antichrist is over-all hir fo.
Among the people he mot go;
He hath bidden, all such suspend;
555Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo;
But all this god may well amend
525. holy. 528. worse; wytlesse. 529. fyshe; fleshe. 530. ykende. 531. poore. 532. amende. 533. Dyuers (read Dives); suche; her dome. 534. sayne. 535. shulde done. 536. suche. 537. suche. 538. offende. 539. nowe. 540. amende. 542. nowe; yknowe. 544. trowe. 545. Eche; owe (!). 546. sende. 547. worde; folke; showe. 548. amende. 549. poore. 551. Nowe dare; poore. 552. her foe. 553. Amonge; mote. 554. suche suspende. 555. hente. 556. amende.
