PART I.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
159
Peter was never so great a fole
To leve his key with such a lorell,
375Or to take such cursed such a tole
He was advysed nothing well.
I trowe, they have the key of hell;
†Hir maister is of that place marshall;
For there they dressen hem to dwell,
380And with fals Lucifer there to fall.
To leve his key with such a lorell,
375Or to take such cursed such a tole
He was advysed nothing well.
I trowe, they have the key of hell;
†Hir maister is of that place marshall;
For there they dressen hem to dwell,
380And with fals Lucifer there to fall.
They ben as proude as Lucifer,
As angry, and as envious;
From good fayth they ben full fer,
In covetyse they ben curious;
385To catche catell as covytous
As hound, that for hunger woll yall;
Ungoodly, and ungracious;
And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall!
As angry, and as envious;
From good fayth they ben full fer,
In covetyse they ben curious;
385To catche catell as covytous
As hound, that for hunger woll yall;
Ungoodly, and ungracious;
And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall!
The pope, and he were Peters heyr,
390Me think, he erreth in this cas,
Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr,
To chosen hem in dyvers place;
A lord shall write to him for grace,
For his clerke †pray anon he shall;
395So shall he spede[n] his purchas;
And all such falsë, foule hem fall!
390Me think, he erreth in this cas,
Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr,
To chosen hem in dyvers place;
A lord shall write to him for grace,
For his clerke †pray anon he shall;
395So shall he spede[n] his purchas;
And all such falsë, foule hem fall!
Though he †conne no more good,
A lordes prayer shal be sped;
Though he be wild of will or wood,
400Nat understanding what men han red,
A boster, and (that god forbede!)
As good a bishop †as my hors Ball,
Suche a pope is foule be-sted,
And at [the] lastë woll foul fall!
A lordes prayer shal be sped;
Though he be wild of will or wood,
400Nat understanding what men han red,
A boster, and (that god forbede!)
As good a bishop †as my hors Ball,
Suche a pope is foule be-sted,
And at [the] lastë woll foul fall!
374. leaue. 375. suche (twice). 378. Theyr (for Hir). 380. false Lucifere. 381. Lucifarre. 383. faythe; fane. 386. hounde; hungre. 387. vngratious. 388. suche. 388, 396, 404. foule. 389. heyre. 390. thynke; case. 391. dispeyre. 393. lorde. 394. anone pray. 395. purchase. 396. suche. 397. can (read conne). 398. spedde. 399. wylde. 400. redde. 401. leude boster (om. leude). 402. byshoppe; is (read as); horse. 403. be stedde. 404. Supply the; last.
