174
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART III.
Loke how many orders take
Only of Christ, for his servyce,
That the worldes goodes forsake?
840Who-so taketh orders †on other wyse,
I trow, that they shall sore agryse!
For all the glose that they conne,
All sewen not this [same] assyse;
In yvell tyme they thus bigonne.
Only of Christ, for his servyce,
That the worldes goodes forsake?
840Who-so taketh orders †on other wyse,
I trow, that they shall sore agryse!
For all the glose that they conne,
All sewen not this [same] assyse;
In yvell tyme they thus bigonne.
845Loke how many among hem all
Holden not this hyë way!
With Antichrist they shullen fall,
For they wolden god betray.
God amende hem, that best may!
850For many men they maken shende;
They weten well, the sothe I say,
Bút the divell hath foule hem blend.
Holden not this hyë way!
With Antichrist they shullen fall,
For they wolden god betray.
God amende hem, that best may!
850For many men they maken shende;
They weten well, the sothe I say,
Bút the divell hath foule hem blend.
Some [up]on hir churches dwell,
Apparailled porely, proude of port;
855The seven sacraments they don sell,
In cattel-cacching is hir comfort.
Of ech mattér they wollen mell,
And don hem wrong is hir disport;
To afray the people they ben fell,
860And holde hem lower then doth the lord.
Apparailled porely, proude of port;
855The seven sacraments they don sell,
In cattel-cacching is hir comfort.
Of ech mattér they wollen mell,
And don hem wrong is hir disport;
To afray the people they ben fell,
860And holde hem lower then doth the lord.
For the tythinge of a ducke,
Or of an apple, or an ay,
They make men swere upon a boke;
Thus they foulen Christes fay.
865Such beren yvell heven-kay,
They mowen assoyl, they mowë shryve;
With mennes wyves strongly play,
With trewë tillers sturte and stryve
Or of an apple, or an ay,
They make men swere upon a boke;
Thus they foulen Christes fay.
865Such beren yvell heven-kay,
They mowen assoyl, they mowë shryve;
With mennes wyves strongly play,
With trewë tillers sturte and stryve
837. howe. 838. Onely; Christe. 840. or (read on). 841. trowe. 843. Supply same. 845. howe; amonge. 846. waye. 848. betraye. 849. maye. 851. saye. 852. blende. 853. on (read upon); her. 854. poorely; porte. 855. sacramentes; done. 856. catchynge; her comforte. 857. eche. 858. done; wronge; her dysporte. 859. afraye. 860. lorde. 862. aye. 863. sweare. 865. Suche bearen; heauen. 866. assoyle. 868. true (better trewë).
