PART III.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
171
Therwith they purchase hem lay-fee
In londë, there hem lyketh best,
And builde †als brode as a citè
Both in the est, and eke in the west.
715To purchase thus they ben ful prest,
But on the pore they woll nought spend,
Ne no good give to goddes gest,
Ne sende him some that all hath send.
In londë, there hem lyketh best,
And builde †als brode as a citè
Both in the est, and eke in the west.
715To purchase thus they ben ful prest,
But on the pore they woll nought spend,
Ne no good give to goddes gest,
Ne sende him some that all hath send.
By hir service such woll live,
750And trusse that other in-to tresour;
Though all hir parish dye unshrive,
They woll nat give a rosë-flour.
Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrour
Bothe to lered and to leude also,
755And teche the people hir leel labour;
Such mister men ben all misgo.
750And trusse that other in-to tresour;
Though all hir parish dye unshrive,
They woll nat give a rosë-flour.
Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrour
Bothe to lered and to leude also,
755And teche the people hir leel labour;
Such mister men ben all misgo.
Some of hem ben hardë nigges,
And some of hem ben proude and gay;
Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges,
760And finden hem of greet aray.
Alas! what think these men to say
That thus dispenden goddis good?
At the dredfull domes day
Such wrecches shul be worse than wood.
And some of hem ben proude and gay;
Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges,
760And finden hem of greet aray.
Alas! what think these men to say
That thus dispenden goddis good?
At the dredfull domes day
Such wrecches shul be worse than wood.
765Some hir churc[h]es never ne sye,
Ne never o peny thider ne sende;
Though the pore parishens for hunger dye,
O peny on hem wil they nat spende.
Have they receivinge of the rent,
770They reck never of the remënant;
Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent!
Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant.
Ne never o peny thider ne sende;
Though the pore parishens for hunger dye,
O peny on hem wil they nat spende.
Have they receivinge of the rent,
770They reck never of the remënant;
Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent!
Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant.
743. also (read als). 746. poore; spende. 748. sende. 749. her; suche. 750. treasour. 751. her paryshe. 752. -floure. 753. Her lyfe shulde. 755. her lele. 756. Suche. 759. her; supply hir. 760. great. 761. thynke. 763. dredefull. 764. Suche wretches. 765. her. 767. poore; hungre. 769. rente. 770. recke. 772. one.
