154
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART I.
He ordayneth by his ordinaunce
To parish-preestes a powére;
215To another a greter avaunce,
A greter poynt to his mystere;
But for he is hyghest in erth here,
To him reserveth he many a poynt;
But to Christ, that hath no pere,
220Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt.
To parish-preestes a powére;
215To another a greter avaunce,
A greter poynt to his mystere;
But for he is hyghest in erth here,
To him reserveth he many a poynt;
But to Christ, that hath no pere,
220Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt.
So semeth he above[n] all,
And Christ aboven him nothing;
Whan he sitteth in his stall,
Dampneth and saveth as him think.
225Such pryde tofore god doth stink;
An angell bad John to him nat knele,
But only to god do his bowing;
Such willers of worship must evil fele.
And Christ aboven him nothing;
Whan he sitteth in his stall,
Dampneth and saveth as him think.
225Such pryde tofore god doth stink;
An angell bad John to him nat knele,
But only to god do his bowing;
Such willers of worship must evil fele.
They ne clepen Christ but sanctus deus,
230And clepen her heed Sanctissimus;
They that such a sect[ë] sewis,
I trowe, they taken hem amisse.
In erth[ë] here they have hir blisse,
Hir hye master is Belial;
235†Christ his people from hem wisse!
For all such false will foul fall!
230And clepen her heed Sanctissimus;
They that such a sect[ë] sewis,
I trowe, they taken hem amisse.
In erth[ë] here they have hir blisse,
Hir hye master is Belial;
235†Christ his people from hem wisse!
For all such false will foul fall!
They mowë both[ë] binde and lose,
And all is for hir holy lyf;
To save or dampne they mowë chose,
240Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf.
Many a man is killed with knyf,
To wete which of hem have lordship shall;
For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve;
For all such falshed will foul fall.
And all is for hir holy lyf;
To save or dampne they mowë chose,
240Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf.
Many a man is killed with knyf,
To wete which of hem have lordship shall;
For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve;
For all such falshed will foul fall.
215, 216. greater. 224. thynke. 225. Suche; stynke. 227. bowynge. 228. must nede euyll; I omit nede. 231. suche; sect sewys. 233. her. 234. Her. 235. Chrystes (!); read Christ his. 236. suche; foule. 238. her; lyfe. 240. Supply ther; great stryfe. 241. a knyfe (om. a). 243. suche. 244. suche; foule.
