Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/409

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Heresy and tJie Friars 373 The Deane is he that hathe the face and shape of man, Withe fraude, desceipt, and guile fraught full as he may be, And yet dothe hide and cloke the same as he best can, Undir pretense and shewe of plaine simplicitie. And theis have winges to flye, eche one of these said foure, Because they flye abrode, and lie about affaires, And they have eyes eche one, because that everye houre, They looke about for gaine, and all that may be theires.. Then boisterous wyndes arose, and earthequakes by and by, And there was harde a voice of thunder from above, That sounded Ephata, which woorde dothe signifie An openinge ; and anon the fifthe scale did remove. When I the chapter sawe I reade the preface than, And there the life and trades of priestes I marked well, Which doe dishonor God, that all thinges first beganne, Whiles for one penyes gaine the Trinitie they sell. Full filthelie the priest dothe service celebrate Withe voyce, and breathes on God his surfet's belchinge cheere ; And hathe twoo Latin names, but not bothe of one rate, Sacerdos is the one, the other's Presbiter. He cannot brooke as well Sacerdos name by right, For by the other name men ought to call him more, When he gives holie thinges then he Sacerdos hight, But Presbiter when he hathe drunck well thrise before. He is more bolde to synne, because he heares in Lent The people's greivous crymes, and all their synnes at large, And all the faultes for whiche they ought for to be shent, And thus he countes his owne to be of smallest charge. The doings of abbots and monks are next revealed to the poet :