PART III.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
175
At the wrestling, and at the wake;
870And chefe chauntours at the nale;
Market-beters, and medling make,
Hoppen and houten with heve and hale.
At fayrë freshe, and at wynë stale,
Dyne and drinke, and make debat;
875The seven sacraments set at sale;
How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat?
870And chefe chauntours at the nale;
Market-beters, and medling make,
Hoppen and houten with heve and hale.
At fayrë freshe, and at wynë stale,
Dyne and drinke, and make debat;
875The seven sacraments set at sale;
How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat?
Mennes wyves they wollen holde;
And though that they ben right sory,
To speke they shull not be so bolde
880For sompning to the consistory;
And make hem say [with] mouth “I ly,”
Though they it sawe with hir y;
His lemman holden openly,
No man so hardy to axë why!
And though that they ben right sory,
To speke they shull not be so bolde
880For sompning to the consistory;
And make hem say [with] mouth “I ly,”
Though they it sawe with hir y;
His lemman holden openly,
No man so hardy to axë why!
885He wol have tythinge and offringe,
Maugrè who-so-ever it gruche;
And twyës on the day woll singe;
Goddes prestes nere none suche!
He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he,
890And blowen his horn, and cryën “hey!”
And sorcery usen as a wicche;
Such kepen yvell Peters key.
Maugrè who-so-ever it gruche;
And twyës on the day woll singe;
Goddes prestes nere none suche!
He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he,
890And blowen his horn, and cryën “hey!”
And sorcery usen as a wicche;
Such kepen yvell Peters key.
Yet they mot have som stocke or stoon
Gayly paynted, and proudly dight,
895To maken men [to] †leven upon,
And say, that it is full of might;
About such, men sette up greet light,
Other such stockes shull stand therby
As darkë as it were midnight,
900For it may makë no ma[i]stry.
Gayly paynted, and proudly dight,
895To maken men [to] †leven upon,
And say, that it is full of might;
About such, men sette up greet light,
Other such stockes shull stand therby
As darkë as it were midnight,
900For it may makë no ma[i]stry.
869. wrestlynge. 871. Markette beaters; medlynge. 874. debate. 875. sacramentes; sayle (!). 876. Howe; suche; gate. 879. speake. 880. sompnynge. 881. saye; supply with; lye. 882. her eye. 887. twyse; daye he (om. he). 889. mote. 890. horne. 891. wytche. 892. Suchen. 893. mote; some; stone. 895. Supply to; lyuen. 896. saye. 897. Aboute suche; great. 898. suche; stande. 900. maye.
