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II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART III.
965They sayn, that it to no man longeth
To reprove †hem, though they erre;
But falsely goddes good they fongeth,
And therwith maynteyn wo and werre.
Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre,
970Hir living, lewed mannes light;
They say, the popë may not erre,
Nede must that passë mannes might.
To reprove †hem, though they erre;
But falsely goddes good they fongeth,
And therwith maynteyn wo and werre.
Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre,
970Hir living, lewed mannes light;
They say, the popë may not erre,
Nede must that passë mannes might.
Though a prest ly with his lemman al night,
And tellen his felowe, and he him,
975He goth to massë anon-right,
And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne!
His bryde abydeth him at his inne,
And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle;
He singeth his masse for he wolde winne,
980And so he weneth god begyle!
And tellen his felowe, and he him,
975He goth to massë anon-right,
And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne!
His bryde abydeth him at his inne,
And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle;
He singeth his masse for he wolde winne,
980And so he weneth god begyle!
Hem thinketh long till they be met;
And that they usen forth all the yere;
Among the folk when he is set,
He holdeth no man half his pere;
985Of the bishop he hath powére
To soyle men, or els they ben lore;
His absolucion may make †hem skere;
And wo is the soul that he singeth for!”
And that they usen forth all the yere;
Among the folk when he is set,
He holdeth no man half his pere;
985Of the bishop he hath powére
To soyle men, or els they ben lore;
His absolucion may make †hem skere;
And wo is the soul that he singeth for!”
The Griffon began for to threte,
990And sayd, “of monkes canst thou ought?”
The Pellican sayd, “they ben full grete,
And in this world moch wo hath wrought.
Saynt Benet, that hir order brought,
Ne made hem never on such manere;
995I trowe, it cam never in his thought
That they shulde use so greet powér[e];
990And sayd, “of monkes canst thou ought?”
The Pellican sayd, “they ben full grete,
And in this world moch wo hath wrought.
Saynt Benet, that hir order brought,
Ne made hem never on such manere;
995I trowe, it cam never in his thought
That they shulde use so greet powér[e];
965. sayne. 966. them (for hem). 967. goddes goodesse (!). 968. maynteyne. 969. Her; shulde. 970. Her lyuynge leude. 971. saye; maye. 972. muste. 973. lye. 975. anone. 978. meane. 981. longe; mette. 983. Amonge; folke; sette. 984. halfe. 985. byshoppe. 987. absolution maye; them (for hem). 988. soule; fore. 993. her. 994. suche. 995. came. 996. great.
