PART III.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
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805They ben false, they ben vengeable,
And begylen men in Christes name;
They ben unstedfast and unstable;
To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame.
To servë god they ben full lame,
810Goddes theves, and falsly stele;
And falsly goddes word defame;
In winning is hir worldes wele.
And begylen men in Christes name;
They ben unstedfast and unstable;
To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame.
To servë god they ben full lame,
810Goddes theves, and falsly stele;
And falsly goddes word defame;
In winning is hir worldes wele.
Antichrist these serven all;
I pray thee, who may say [me] nay?
815With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall,
They folowen him in dede and fay;
They servin him in riche array,
To servë Christ such falsly fayn;
Why, at the dredful domes day,
820Shull they not folowe him to payn?
I pray thee, who may say [me] nay?
815With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall,
They folowen him in dede and fay;
They servin him in riche array,
To servë Christ such falsly fayn;
Why, at the dredful domes day,
820Shull they not folowe him to payn?
That knowen hem-self, that they don ill
Ayenst Christes commaundëment,
And amende hem never ne will,
But serve Sathan by one assent.
825Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent,
Or speketh ayenst hir fals living;
Who-so well liveth shal be brent,
For such ben gretter than the king!
Ayenst Christes commaundëment,
And amende hem never ne will,
But serve Sathan by one assent.
825Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent,
Or speketh ayenst hir fals living;
Who-so well liveth shal be brent,
For such ben gretter than the king!
Pope, bishoppes, and cardinals,
830Chanons, persons, and vicaire,
In goddes service, I trow, ben fals,
That sacramentës sellen here.
And ben as proude as Lucifere;
Ech man loke whether that I ly!
835Who-so speketh ayenst hir powére,
It shall be holden heresy.
830Chanons, persons, and vicaire,
In goddes service, I trow, ben fals,
That sacramentës sellen here.
And ben as proude as Lucifere;
Ech man loke whether that I ly!
835Who-so speketh ayenst hir powére,
It shall be holden heresy.
808. her lorde. 811. falsely; worde. 812. her. 814. the; supply me. 815. suche; supply folk. 818. suche falsely fayne. 819. dredeful. 820. payne. 821. selfe; done. 825. Supply the. 826. her false. 828. suche. 830. Read vikere. 831. trowe; false. 834. Eche; lye. 835. Read Who speke ayeinës; her.
