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II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
[PART III.
He slew hem down without mercy,
1350Ther astartë neyther free ne thrall;
On him they cast a rufull cry
When the Griffon down was fall.
He beet hem not, but slew hem all;
Whither he hem drove, no man may trace;
1355Under the erthe, me thought, they yall;
Alas! they had a feble grace!
1350Ther astartë neyther free ne thrall;
On him they cast a rufull cry
When the Griffon down was fall.
He beet hem not, but slew hem all;
Whither he hem drove, no man may trace;
1355Under the erthe, me thought, they yall;
Alas! they had a feble grace!
The Pellican then axed right,
“For my wryting if I have blame,
Who woll for me fight of flight?
1360Who shall sheldë me from shame?
He that had a mayd to dame,
The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was,
Shall sheldë me from gostly blame;
For erthly harm is goddes grace.
“For my wryting if I have blame,
Who woll for me fight of flight?
1360Who shall sheldë me from shame?
He that had a mayd to dame,
The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was,
Shall sheldë me from gostly blame;
For erthly harm is goddes grace.
1365Therfore I praye every man,
Of my wryting have me excused.”
This wryting wryteth the Pellican,
That thus these people hath dispysed;
For I am, fresh, fully advysed,
1370I nill not maynteyn his manace.
For the devell is †oft disguysed,
To bringe a man to yvell grace.
Of my wryting have me excused.”
This wryting wryteth the Pellican,
That thus these people hath dispysed;
For I am, fresh, fully advysed,
1370I nill not maynteyn his manace.
For the devell is †oft disguysed,
To bringe a man to yvell grace.
Wyteth the Pellican, and not me,
For herof I nil not avowe,
1375In hy ne in low, ne in no degrè,
But as a fable take it ye mowe.
To holy churche I will me bowe;
Ech man to amende him, Christ send space!
And for my wryting me alowe
1380He that is almighty, for his grace.’
For herof I nil not avowe,
1375In hy ne in low, ne in no degrè,
But as a fable take it ye mowe.
To holy churche I will me bowe;
Ech man to amende him, Christ send space!
And for my wryting me alowe
1380He that is almighty, for his grace.’
Finis.
1349. slewe; downe. 1350. There. 1352. downe. 1353. bete; slewe. 1358. wrytynge. 1361. mayde. 1362. And the lambe (om. And); supply for sinners. 1364. erthely harme. 1366–7. wrytynge. 1369. freshe. 1370. maynteyne. 1371. often (read oft). 1375. hye; lowe. 1378. Eche; sende. 1379. wrytynge.
