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II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART III.
1285 Plowman. I answerde, and sayd I wolde,
If for my travayl any wold pay.
Pelican. He sayd, “yes; these that god han sold;
For they han [greet] store of money!”
Plowman. I sayd, “tell me, and thou may,
1290Why tellest thou mennës trespace?”
Pelican. He said, “to amende hem, in good fay,
If god woll give me any grace.
If for my travayl any wold pay.
Pelican. He sayd, “yes; these that god han sold;
For they han [greet] store of money!”
Plowman. I sayd, “tell me, and thou may,
1290Why tellest thou mennës trespace?”
Pelican. He said, “to amende hem, in good fay,
If god woll give me any grace.
For Christ him-selfe is lykned to me,
That for his people dyed on rode;
1295As fare I, right so fareth he,
He fedeth his birdes with his blode.
But these don yvell †ayenës good,
And ben his foon under frendes face;
I tolde hem how hir living stood;
1300God amende hem, for his grace!”
That for his people dyed on rode;
1295As fare I, right so fareth he,
He fedeth his birdes with his blode.
But these don yvell †ayenës good,
And ben his foon under frendes face;
I tolde hem how hir living stood;
1300God amende hem, for his grace!”
Plowman. “What ayleth the Griffon, tell [me] why,
That he holdeth on that other syde?”
Pellican. “For they two ben [of kind], lykly,
And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde.
1305The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde,
As Lucifer, that hygh †flowe was;
And sith he did him in evell hyde,
For he agilted goddes grace.
That he holdeth on that other syde?”
Pellican. “For they two ben [of kind], lykly,
And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde.
1305The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde,
As Lucifer, that hygh †flowe was;
And sith he did him in evell hyde,
For he agilted goddes grace.
As bird [that] flyeth up in the ayr,
1310And liveth by birdes that ben meke,
So these be flowe up in dispayr,
And shenden sely soules eke.
The soules that ben in sinnes seke,
He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas!
1315For brybry goddes forbode breke,
God amende it, for his grace!
1310And liveth by birdes that ben meke,
So these be flowe up in dispayr,
And shenden sely soules eke.
The soules that ben in sinnes seke,
He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas!
1315For brybry goddes forbode breke,
God amende it, for his grace!
1286. trauayle; any man wolde (om. man). 1287. solde. 1288. Supply greet. 1293. lykened. 1297. done; ayenst gode. 1298. fone. 1299. howe her lyuynge stode. 1301. Supply me. 1303. Supply Pellican (wrongly prefixed to 1. 1305); supply of kind. 1304. Supply lyk. 1305. foule; supply evill. 1306. flewe (read flowe; see l. 1311). 1309. byrde; supply that; ayre. 1311. into (read in); dyspayre.
