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II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART III.
That lewed people see it mow,
Thou, Mary, wordiest wonder thinges;
About that, that men offren to now,
Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes;
905The preest purchaseth the offringes,
But he nill offre to none image;
Wo is the soule that he for singes,
That precheth for suche a pilgrimage!
Thou, Mary, wordiest wonder thinges;
About that, that men offren to now,
Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes;
905The preest purchaseth the offringes,
But he nill offre to none image;
Wo is the soule that he for singes,
That precheth for suche a pilgrimage!
To men and women that ben pore,
910That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse,
Men shullen offre at hir dore
That suffren honger and distresse;
And to suche imáges offre lesse,
That mow not felë thurst ne cold;
915The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse,
Therfore offreth to feble and old.
910That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse,
Men shullen offre at hir dore
That suffren honger and distresse;
And to suche imáges offre lesse,
That mow not felë thurst ne cold;
915The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse,
Therfore offreth to feble and old.
Buckelers brode, and swerdes longe,
†Baudriks, with baselardes kene,
Such toles about hir necke they honge;
920With Antichrist such preestes been;
Upon hir dedes it is well sene
Whom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren;
Antichristes they ben clene,
And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren.
†Baudriks, with baselardes kene,
Such toles about hir necke they honge;
920With Antichrist such preestes been;
Upon hir dedes it is well sene
Whom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren;
Antichristes they ben clene,
And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren.
925Of scarlet and grene gay[ë] gownes,
That mot be shapë for the newe,
To clippen and kissen counten in townes
The damoseles that to the daunce sewe;
Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe,
930With longë pykes on hir shoon;
Our goddes gospell is not trewe,
Eyther they serven the divell or noon!
That mot be shapë for the newe,
To clippen and kissen counten in townes
The damoseles that to the daunce sewe;
Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe,
930With longë pykes on hir shoon;
Our goddes gospell is not trewe,
Eyther they serven the divell or noon!
901. That it leude people se mowe. 902. Mary thou (om. thou). 903. Aboute; nowe. 909. poore. 910. Supply in; owne. 911. her. 914. mowe; colde. 915. poore; sprete; Christe. 916. olde. 917. sweardes. 918. Baudryke (read Baudriks). 919. Suche; her. 920. suche; bene. 921. her. 922. Whome (twice). 923. bene. 925. gay. 926. mote. 929. her. 930. her shone. 932. none.