PART I.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
149
PART I.
A sternë stryf is stered newe
In many stedes in a stounde,
55Of sondry sedes that ben sewe;
It semeth that som ben unsounde.
For some be grete growen †on grounde,
Some ben souple, simple and small;
Whether of hem is falser founde,
60The falser, foul mote him befall!
In many stedes in a stounde,
55Of sondry sedes that ben sewe;
It semeth that som ben unsounde.
For some be grete growen †on grounde,
Some ben souple, simple and small;
Whether of hem is falser founde,
60The falser, foul mote him befall!
That oon syde is, that I of tell,
Popes, cardinals, and prelates,
Parsons, monkes, and freres fell,
Priours, abbottes of grete estates;
65Of heven and hell they kepe the yates,
And Peters successours they ben all;
This is denied by oldë dates;
But falshed, foul mote it befall!
Popes, cardinals, and prelates,
Parsons, monkes, and freres fell,
Priours, abbottes of grete estates;
65Of heven and hell they kepe the yates,
And Peters successours they ben all;
This is denied by oldë dates;
But falshed, foul mote it befall!
The other syde ben poore and pale,
70And people put [al] out of prees;
And semë caytifs sore a-cale,
And ever in oon without encrees,
†I-cleped lollers and londlees;
Who toteth on hem, they been untall.
75They ben arayed all for the pees;
But falshed, foul mote it befall!
70And people put [al] out of prees;
And semë caytifs sore a-cale,
And ever in oon without encrees,
†I-cleped lollers and londlees;
Who toteth on hem, they been untall.
75They ben arayed all for the pees;
But falshed, foul mote it befall!
Many a countrey have I sought,
To know the falser of these two;
But ever my travail was for nought,
80All so fer as I have go.
But as I wandred in a wro,
In a wode besyde a wall,
Two foules saw I sitte tho;
The falser, foul mote him befall!
To know the falser of these two;
But ever my travail was for nought,
80All so fer as I have go.
But as I wandred in a wro,
In a wode besyde a wall,
Two foules saw I sitte tho;
The falser, foul mote him befall!
53. stryfe. 55. bene. 57. great; vngrounde (!). 58. souble (error for souple). 60. foule. 61. one. 63. freers. 64. great. 65. heuyn. 68. foule mought. 70. Supply al; prease. 71. caytyffes. 72. one; encrease. 73. I-clepeth (!); londlese. 74. bene. 75. peace. 76. foule. 78. knowe. 79. trauayle. 80. ferre. 82. wodde. 83. sawe.
