The prologue.
¶ Here begynneth the Plowmans Prologue.
THe plowemā plucked vp hys plowe.
Whan midsomer mone was comē in
And said his beestes shuld eate ynow
And lige in the grasse vp to the chynne
They ben feble both oxe and cowe
Of he m [...]nys left but bone and skynne
He shoke of shere and coultre o [...] drowe
And honge his harneys on a pynne.
☞ He toke his tabard and his state e [...]e
And on his heed he set hys hat
And sayde he wolbe saynt Thomas seke
On pylgremage he goth forth platte
In scrippe he bare both breed and lekes
He was forswonke and all forswatte
Men might haue sene through both his chekes
And euery wang toth and where it sat
¶ Our hoste behelde well about
And lawe thys man was sunne ybrent
[Page]He knewe well by hys senged snoute
And by hys clothes that were to rent
He was a man wont to walke about
He nas nat alwaye in cloystre ypent
He coulde not religeouslyche loute
And therfore was he fully shent.
¶ Our host him axed, what man art thou?
Syr quod he) I am an hyne
For I am wont to go to the plowe
And erne my meate yet that I dyne
To swete and swinke I make auowe
My wyfe and chyldren therwyth to fynde
And serue god and I wist howe
But we leude men bene full blynde.
¶ For clerkes saye we shullen be fayne
For her lyuelod swet and swynke
And they ryght nought vs gyue agayne
Neyther to eate ne yet to drinke
The mowe by lawe, as they sayne
Vs curse and dampne to hel brynke
Thus they putten vs to payne
Wyth candles queynt and belles clyncke
¶ They make vs thralles at her lust
And sayne we mowe nat eles be saued
They haue the corne and we the duste
Who speaketh ther agayn they say he raued
¶ what mā ꝙ our host canst thou preach
Come nere and tell vs some holy thyng
¶ Syr quod he, I herde ones teache
A prest in pulpyt a hood preachnyge
¶ Saye on quod our host, I the beseche.
Syr I am redy at your byddyng
I praye you that no man me reproche
Whyle that I am my tale tellynge.
❧ Thus endeth the prologue, & here foloweth the fyrst parte of the tale.
A Sterne stryfe is stered newe
In many stedes in a stounde
Of sondry sedes that bene sewe
It semeth that some ben vnsounde
For some be great growen vngrounde
Some bene souble, symple and small
Whether of hem is falser founde
[Page]The falser foule mote hym befall
¶ That one syde is that I of tel
Popes▪ cardynals and prelates
Parsons, monkes, and freers fell
Priours, abbotes of greate estates
Of heuyn and hell they kepe the yeates
And Peters successours they ben all
This is demed by olde dates
But falshed foule mought it befall
¶ The other syde ben poore and pale
And people put oute of prease
And seme caytyffes sore a cale
And euer in one without encrease
I clepeth lollers and lōdlese
Who toteth on hem they bene vntall
They ben arayed all for the peace,
But falshed foule mote it befall.
¶ Many a coūtreye haue I sought
To knowe the falser of these two
But euer my trauyle was for nought
All so f [...]rre as I haue go
[...] as I wrandred in a wro
[Page]In a wodde besyde a wall
Tho fowles sawe I sette tho
The fals foule mote hym befall
❧ That one dyd plede on the Popes syde
A gryffon of a grimme stature
A Pellycane withouten pryde
To these lollers layde his lure
He mused his matter in measure
To counsayle Christ euer gan he call
The gryffon shewed as sharpe as fyre
But falshed foule mote it befall
The Pyllycan began to preache
Both of mercy and of mekenesse
And sayd that Chryst so gan vs teache
And meke and mercyable gan blesse
The Euangely beareth wytnesse
A lambe he lykeneth Christ ouer al
In tokenynge that he mekest was
Sith pride was out of heuen fal.
¶ And so shoulde euery Christened be
Prestes, Peters successourp
[Page]Beth lowlyche and of lowe degree.
And vsen none erthly honours
Neyther crowne, ne curious couetours
Ne pylloure, ne other proude pal
Ne nought to cofren vp great treasours
For falshed foule mote it befall
¶ Preestes shoulde for no cattel plede.
But chasten hem in charyte
Ne to no bateyle shoulde men lede
For inhaunsyng of her awne degree
Nat wylne syttynges in hye see
Ne soueraynte in house ne hall
All wordely worshippe defye and flee
For who so wylleth highnes foule shal fall
¶ Alas who may such sayntes call
That wylneth weld erthly honour
As lowe as Lucifere such shall fall
In baleful blackenesse ybuylden her boure
That eggeth the people to erroure
And maketh them to hem thrall
To Chryst I holde such one traytrur
As lowe as Lucifer suche one shall fall
That wylleth to be kynges peeres
And hygher than the Emperour
Some that were but poore freers
Nowe wollen waxe a warryour
God is nat her gouernour.
That holdeth no man hys permagall
Whyle couetyse is her counsaylour
All such falshed mote nede fal
¶ That hye on horse willeth ryde
In glytterande golde of greate araye
I paynted and portred al in pryde
No commen knight maye go so gay
Chaunge of clothynge euery day
Wyth golden gyrdles great and small
As boystous as it bere at bay
All suche falshed mote nede fall.
¶ Wyth pryde punyshed the poore
And some they sustayne wyth sale
Of holy churche maketh an hore
And fylleth her wombe wyth wyne and ale
Wyth money fylleth many a male
And chaffren churches when they fall
[Page]And telleth the people a leude tale
Suche false faytours foule them befall
¶ Wyth chaunge of manye maner meates
With songe and solace syttyng long
And fylleth her wombe, and fast fretes
And from the meate to the gonge
And after meat wyth harpe and songe
And eche man mote hem lordes call
And hote spyces euer amonge
Suche false faytours foule hem fal
¶ And myters mo than one or two
I perled as the quenes heed
A staffe of golde, and pyrry lo
As heuy as it were made of lead
Wyth cloth of golde both newe and redde
Wyth gltterande golde as grene as gall
By dome wyll dampne men to deed
All suche faytours foule hem fall
¶ And Christes people proudly curse
Wyth brode boke, and b [...]aying bell
To putte pennyes in her purse
[Page]They woll sell both heuen and hel
And in her sentence and thou wylt dwel
They wyllen gesse in her gay hall
And though the soth thou of hem tell
In great cursynge shalt thou fal
❧ That is blessed, that they blesse
And cursed that they curse woll
And thus the people they oppresse
And haue theyr lord shyppes at full
And many be merchauntes of woll
And to purs penyes woll come thrall
The poore people they all to pul
Suche false faytours full hem fall
¶Lordes mote to hem loute
Obeysaunt to her brode blessynge
They ryden wyth her royall route
On a courser, as it were a kinge
Wyth saddle of golde glytteryng
Wyth curyous harneys quayntly crallyt
Styroppes gaye of golde mastlyng
All suche falshed foule it befall
¶ Christes mynisters clepen they bene
And rulen all in robberye
But Antichrist they seruen clene
Attyred all in tyrannye
Wytnesse of Iohns prophecye
That Antichriste is her admirall
Tyffelers attyred in trecherye
All suche faytours foule hem fall.
¶ Who sayth that some of hem may synne
He shalbe done to be deed
Some of hem woll gladly wynne
All ayenst that whyche god forbed
All holyest they clepen her heed
That of her rule is regall
Alas that euer they eten breed
For all suche falshed woll foule fall
❧ Her heed loueth all honour
And to be worshypped in worde and dede
Kynges mote to hem knele and coure
To the apostles, that Christ forbede
To Popes hestes suche taketh more hede
Than to kepe Christes commaundement
[Page]Of gold and syluer mote ben her wede
They holdeth hym hole omnipotent
❧ He ordayneth by hys ordynaunce
To paryshe preestes a powere
To another a greater auaunce
A greater poynt to his mistere
But for he is hyghest in erth here
To hym reserueth he many a point
But to Christ that hath no pere
Reserueth he neyther opyn no ioynt
❧ So semeth he aboue all
And Christ aboue hym nothynge
Whan he sytteth in hys stall
Dampneth and saueth as hym thynke
Suche pride to fore god doth stynke
An angell bad Iohn to hym nat knele
But only to god do his bowynge
Such wyllers of worship must nede euyll fele
¶hey ne clepen Christ, but sanctus deus
And clepen her hedd Sanctissimus
They that suche a secte sewys
[Page]I trowe they taken hem amysse
In erth here they haue her blysse
Her hye master is Belyal
Chrystes people from hem wysse
For all suche false wyll foule fall
¶ They mowe both bynde and lose
And all is for her holy lyfe
To saue or dampne they mowe chose
Betwene hem now is great stryfe
Many a man is kylled with a knyfe
To wete whych of hem haue lordshyp shall
For suche Chryst suffred woundes fyue
For all suche falshed wyll foule fall
¶ Chryst saed: Out glady [...] percutit
W [...]th swerde shall dye
He had his preestes peace and gryth
And bad hem not drede for to dye
And bad them be both symple and slye
And carke not for no cattell
And trusteth on god that sytteth on hye
For all false shall foule fall
¶ These wollen make men to swere
[Page]Ayenst Chrystes commaundement
And Chrystes membres all to tere
On roode, as he were newe yrent
Suche lawes they make by commen assent
Eche on it choweth as a ball
Thus the poore be fully shent
But euer falshed foule it befall.
¶ They vsen no symonye
But sellen churches and prioryes
Ne they vsen no enuye
But cursen all hem contraryes
And hyreth men by dayes and yeres
Wyth strength to holde hem in her stall
And culleth all her aduersaries
Therfore falshed foule thou fall
¶ Wyth purse they purchase personage
Wyth purse they paynen hem to plede
And men of warre they woll wage
To brynge her enemyes to the dede
And lordes lyues they woll lede
And moche take, and gyue but small
But he it so get, from it shall shede
And make suche false right foule fall
¶ They halowe nothynge but for hyre
Church, font, ne vestment
And make orders in euerye shyr
But preistes paye for the parchement
Of riatours they taken rent
Therwith thy smere the shyppes sakll
For many churches ben oft suspent
All such falshed yet foule it fall.
Some lyueth nat in lecherye
But haunten wenches, widdowes & wyues
And punysheth the poore for putrye
Them selfe it vseth al theyr lyues
And but a man to them shryues
To heuen come neuer he shall
He shal be cucsed as be captyues
To hell they sayne that he shall fall
¶ There was more mercy in Maxemyen
And in Nero, that neuer was good
Than is nowe in some of them
Whan he hath on hys furred hoode
They folowe Christ that shedde hys blode
To heuen, as buckette into the wall
[Page]Such wreches ben worse than wode
And all such faytours foule hem fall
¶ They gyue her almesse to the ryche
To maynteynours, and to men of law
For to lordes they woll be lyche
In harlottes sonne nat worthe an hawe
Soth fastenesse such han slawe
They kembe her crokettes with christal
And drede, of god they haue downe drawe
All suche faytours foule hem fall
¶ They maken parsons for the pennye
And canons of her cardynals
Vnnethes amongest hem all any
That he ne hath glosed the gospell fals
For Christ made neuer no cathedrals
Ne wyth hym was no cardynall
Wyth a Redde hatte as vsyn mynstrals
But falshed foule mote it befal
¶ Theyr tything, and her offering both
The [...] clemeth it by possessyon
Therof nyll they none forgo
But robben men as raunsome
The tythynge of Turpe lucrum
[Page]Wyth these maisters is meynall
Tythynge of bribry, and larson
Wyll make falshed woll foule fal
¶ They taken to ferme her sompnours
To harme the people what they may
To pardoners, and false faytours
Sell her seales I dare well saye
And all to holden great array
To multiply hem more metall
They drede full lytel domes day
Whan all suche shall foule fall
¶ Suche harlottes shull men dysclaunder
Aor they shullen make her gree
And ben as proude as Alexaunder
[...]nd sayne to the poore, wo be ye
By yere eche preeste shal paye hys fee
To encrease hys lemmans call
Suche heerdes shul wel yuel the
And all suche false shull foule fal
❧ And yf a man be falsely famed
And wolde make purgacyon
Than woll the officers be a gramed
[Page]And assyng hym fro town to towne
So nede he must paye raunsome
Though he be clene, as is christal
And than haue an absolution
But all suche false shull foule fall
¶ Though he be gyltie of the deed
And that he maye money pay
All the whyle his purse woll blede
He maye vse it fro day to day
These byshopes offycers gone full gay
And thys game they vsen ouer all
The poore to pyll is all theyr pray
All suche false shull foule fall
¶ Alas, god ordayned neuer suche lawe
Ne no suche crafte of couetyse
He forbad it by hys sawe
Suche gouernours mowen of god agryse
For all his rules is ryghtwyse
These newe poyntes ben pure papall
And goddes lawe they dispyce
And all suche faytours shul foule fall
¶ They sayne that Peter had the key
Of heuyn and hell, to haue and holde
[Page]I trowe Peter toke no money
For no synnes that he solde
Suche successours ben to bolde
In wynnyng all theyr wytte they wrall
Here conscience is waren colde
And all suche faytours foule hem fall
¶ Peter was neuer so great a fole
To leaue hys key wyth suche a lorell
Or to take suche cursed suche a tole
He was aduysed nothyng wel
I trowe they haue the key of hell
Theyr maister is of that place marshal
For there they dressen hem to dwell
And wyth false Lucifere there to fall
❧ They ben as proude as Lucifarre
As angry, and as enuyous
From good fayth they ben full farre
In couetyse they ben curyous
To catche catell as couytous
As hounde that for hungre woll al
Vngodly and vngracyous
And nedely suche falshed shall foule fal
❧ The pope and he were Peters heyre
[...]e thynke he erreth in this case
[Page]Whan chose of byshopes is in dispayre
To chosen hem in dyuers place
A lorde shall write to hym for grace
For hys clerke ano [...]e pray he shall
So shall he spede hys purchase
And all suche false foule hem fal
❧ Though he can no more good
A lordes prayer shalbe spedde
Though he be wylde of wyll or wood
Nat vnderstandyng what men han redde
A lende boster and that god forbede
As a good byshoppe is my horse ball
Suche a Pope is foule be stede
And at last woll foule fall
❧ He maketh byshopes for erthlye thanke
And nothyng for Christes sake
Suche that ben ful fate and ranke
To soyle heale none hede they take
Al is well done what euer they make
For they shall answere at one fors all
For worldes thanke, suche worch and wake
And all suche false shall foule fall
¶ Such that canne nather Crede
[Page]Wyth prayer shul be made prelates
Nother canne the gospell rede
Suche shul nowe welde hye estates
The hye godes frendshyp hem makes
They toteth on her somme totall
Suche bere the kyes of hell yates
And all suche false shall foule fal
❧ They forsake for Christes loue
Traueyle, hungre, thurst, and colde
For they ben ordred euer all aboue
Out of youthe tyll they ben olde
By the dore they go, nat in to the folde
To helpe theyr shepe they nought tarauall
Hyred men all suche I hold
And all suche false foule hem fall
☞ For Christ her kyng they woll forsake
And knowe hym nought for hys pouerte
For Christes loue they wol wake
And drynke peyment ale aparte
Of god they seme nothyng a [...]ferde
As iusty lyueth, as dyd Lamuall
And dryuen her shepe in to deserte
A [...] such taytours shall foule fall
☞ Chryst hath .xii. Apostels here
Nowe say they, there may be but one
That may nat erre in no manere
Who leueth nat this ben lost echone
Peter erred, so dyd nat Iohn
Why is he cleped the principall?
Christ cleped hym Peter, but hym selfe chestone
All false faytours foule hem fall
☞ Why cursen they the croysery
Christes christen creatures
For bytwene hem is now enuy
To be enhaunsed in honours
And christen lyuers with her labours
For they leuyn on no man moitall
But do to deth with dishonnurs
And all suche false foule hem fall
❧ What knoweth a tylloure at the plowe
The popes name and what he hate
Hys crede suffyseth to hym ynowe
And knoweth a cardynal by hys hatte
Rough is the poore vnryghtly latte
That knoweth Christ hys god royal
Suche maters be not worth a gnatte
[Page]But suche false faytours foule hem fall
¶ A kynge shall knele and kysse his showe
Chryst suffered a synfull to kysse hys fete
Me thynketh he holdeth hym hye ynow
So Lucifer did, that hye sette
Such one me thynketh hym selfe for yet
Eyther to the trouth he was nat call
Christ that suffered woundes wete
Shall make such falshed foule fal
¶ They layeth out her large nettes
For to take syluer and golde
F [...]llen coffers and sackes fetttes
There as they soules catche sholde
Her seruauntes be to them vnhold
But they can doublyn theyr rentall
To bygge hem castles, and bygge hē holde
And all suche false foule hem fall
¶ Here endeth the fyrste parte of thys tale, and herafter foloweth the secōde parte
TO accorde wyth thys worde fall
No more English can I rynde
Shewe another nowe I shall
[Page]For I haue moch to saye behynde
How preestes han the people pynde
As curteys Christ hath me kynde
And putte thys matter in my mynde
To make thys maner men amende
☞ Shortly to shende hem, and shew nowe
How wrongfully they worche and walke
O hye god nothyng they tell, ne howe
But in goddes worde, telleth many a balke
In hernes holde hem and in balke
And preachin of tythes and offrende
And vntruely of the gospell talke
For hys mercy god it amende
☞ What is Antichrist to saye
But euyn Christes aduersarye
Suche hath now ben many a daye
To Christes byddynge full contrary
That from the trouth clene warry
Out of the waye they ben wende
And Christes people vntruely cary
God for hys pytye it amende
☞ That lyuen contrary to Christes life
In hye pryde agaynst m [...]kenesse
[Page]Agaynst sufferaūce they vsen stryfe
And angre ayenst sobrenesse
Agaynst wisedome wylfulnesse
To Christes tales lytell tende
Agaynst measure outragiousnesse
But whan god woll it maye amende
¶ Lordly lyfe ayenst lowlynesse
And demyn all wythout mercy
And couetyse ayenst largesse
Agaynst trewth trechery
And agaynst almesse enuy
Agaynst Christ they comprehende
For chastyte they maynteyne lechery
God for hys grace thys amende
❧ Agaynst penaunce they vse delyghtes
Ayenst suffraunce stronge defence
Ayenst god they vsen euyll ryghtes
Ayenst pytye punyshementes
Open euyll ayenst contynence
Her wycked wynnyng worse dispende
Sobrenesse they sette in to dispence
But god for hys goodnesse it amende
❧ Why cleymen thy holy his powere
[Page]And wranglen ayenst all hys histes
Hys lyuyng folowen they nothyng here
But lyuen worse than wytlesse beestes
Of fyshe and fleshe they louen feestes
As lordes they ben brode ykende
Of goddes poore they haten gestes
God for his mercy thys amende
¶ Wyth dyuers suche shal haue her dome
That sayne that they be Christes frendes
And do nothyng as they shulde done
All suche ben falser than ben fendes
On the people they ley suche bendes
As god is in erth they han offende
Sucour for suche Christ now sende vs
And for his mercy thys amende
¶A token of antichrist they be
His careckes ben now wyde yknow
Receyued to preche shall no man be
Wythout token of him I trow
Eche christen preest, to prechyn owe
From god aboue they ben sende
Goddes worde to all folke for to showe
Syn [...]ull man for to amende
❧ Christ sente the poore for to preche
[Page]The royall ryche he dyd nat so
Now dare no poore the people teache
For antichrist is ouer all her foe
Amonge the people he mote go
He hath bydden, all suche suspende
Some hath he hente, and thynketh yet mo
But all thys god may well amende
❧ All tho that han the worlde forsake
And lyuen loly, as god badde
In to her pryson shullen be take
Betyn and bounden, and forth ladde
Herof I rede no man be dradde
Christ sayd, hys shulde be shende
Eche man ought herof be gladde
For god full well it woll amende
☞ They toke on hem royall power
And say they haue swerdes two
One curse to hell, one slee men here
For at thys takynge Christ had no mo
Yet Peter had one of tho
But Christ, to Peter smyte gan defende
And in to sheth badde putte it in tho
And all such myscheues god amende
☞ Christ badde Peter kepe hys shepe
And wyth hys swerde forbade hym smyte
Swerde is no tole wyth shepe to kepe
But to sheperdes that shepe woll byte
Me thynketh such sheperdes ben to wyte
Ayen her shepe with swerde that contende
They dryue her shepe with great dispite
But all thys god maye well amende
☞ So successours to Peter be thei nought
Whome Christ made chefe pastoure
Aswerde no sheperde vsen ought
But he wold slee, as a bochoure
For who so were Peters successour
Sulde bere his shepe tyll his backe bende
And shadowe hem from euery shoure
And all thys god may well amende
☞ Successours to Peter ben these
In that, that Peter Christes forsoke
That [...]ad leuer the loue of god lese
Than a sheperde had to lese hys hock
He culleth the shepe as doth the coke
Of hem taken the woll vntrende
And falsely glose the gospell boke
God for his mercy them amende
¶ After Christe had take Peter the kay
Christ sayd he must dye for man
That Peter to Christ gan with say
Christ badde hym go behynde sathan
Such coūs [...]ylours many of these men han
For worldes wele, god to offende
Peters successours they ben for than
But all suche god may well amende
¶ For sathan is to say no more
But he that contrary to Christ is
In thys they lerne Peters lore
They sewen hym whan he dyd mysse
They folowe Peter forsothe in thys
In all that Christ wolde Peter reprehende
But nat in that, that lōgeth so heuyn blysse
Gor for his mercy hem amende
¶ Some of the apostels they sewē in case
Of ought that I can vnderstonde
Hym that betrayed Christ, Iudas
That bare the purse in euery londe
And all that he myght sette on hone
[...]e hydde and stale, and myspende
[...]ys rule these traytours han in honde
Almyghty god hem amende
☞ And at the last hys lorde gan tray
Cursedly through hys false couetyse
So wolde these trayne hym for moneye
And they wysten in what wyse
They be seket of the selfe ensyse
From all sothnesse they ben frende
And couetyse chaungen with queyntyse
Almighty god all suche amende
☞ Where Chryst on erthe here efte sone
These wolde dampne hym to dye
All hys bestes they han fordone
And sayne his sawes ben heresy
And ayenste hys commaundementes they crye
And dampne all hys to be made
For it lyketh nat hem suche losenserye
God almyghtye it amende
These han more myghte in Englande here
Than hath the kynge and all hys lawe
They han purchased hem suche powere
To take hem whome lyste nat knawe
And saye that heresye is her sawe
And so to prysone woll hym sende
It was nat so by elder dawe
God for hys mercye it amende
❧ The kynges lawe wol no man deme
Angerlyshe withouten answere
But yf anye man these mysqueme
He shalbe bayghteh as a bere
And yet well worse they woll hym tere
And in prisone woll hem pende
In gyues, and in other gere
Whan god woll, it maye mende
¶The kynge taxeth nat hys men
But by assente of the commynalte
But these eche yere woll raunsom hem
Maysterfullye, more than doth he
Her seales by yere better be
Than is the kynges in extende
Her offycers han gretter fee
But thys mischefe god amende
¶For who so woll proue a testament
That is natte all worth tenne pounde
He shall paye for the parchement
The thyrde parte of the moneye all rounde
Thus the people is raunsounde
They say suche parte to hem shulde apende
There as they grypen it goth to groude
God for hys mercy it amende
[Page]A simple fornication
Twentye shyllynges he shall paye
And than haue an absolution
And all the yere vsen it furthe he may
Thus they letten hem go a stray
They recke nat though the soule be brende
These kepen yuell Peters key
And al suche sheperdes god amende
Wonder is, that the parlyamente
And all the lordes of thys londe
Here to taken so lytell entente
To helpe the people out of her honde
For they ben harder in theyr bonde
Worse beate, and better brende
Than to the kynge is vnderstande
God hym helpe thys to amende
¶What byshopes, what religions
Han in thys lande as muche laye fee
Lordshyppers and possessyons
More than the lordes, it semeth me
That maketh hem lese charyte
They mowe nat to god attende
In erth they haue so hygh degree
God for his mercy it amende
¶The Emperour yaf the pope sometyme
So hyghe lordyshp hym about
That at laste the sely kyme
The prude Pope putte hym out
So of thys realme is in doute
But lordes be ware and them defende
For nowe these folke be wonder stoute
The kynge and lordes now thys amende.
¶Thus endeth the seconde parte of thys tale, and hereafter foloweth the thyrde
MOyses law forbode it to
That preestes shuld no lordshppes welde
Christes gospel byddeth also
That they shuld no lordshyp helde
Ne Christes Apostels were neuer so bolde
No suche lordeshippes to them enbrace
But smeren her shepe and kepe her folde
God emende hem for his grace
¶For they ne ben but counterfete
Men may know hem by her fruyte
Her gretnesse maketh hem god foryete
And take hys mekenesse in dispite
And they were poore and had but lyte
[Page]They nolde nat demen after the face
But noryshe her shepe, and hem nat byte
God amende hem for hys grace
¶ Gyfon,
¶ What canst thou prech ayenst chanons
That men clepen seculere?
Peli. They ben curates of many townes
On erth they haue great powere
They haue great prebendes and dere
Some two or thre, and some mo
A personage to ben a playeng fere
And yet they lerne the kynge also
¶ And lette to feruie all that fare
To whome that woll most gyue therfore
Some woll spende, and some woll spare
And some woll laye it vp in store
A cure of soule they care not for
So they mowe money take
Whether her soules be wonne or lore
Her profytes they woll not forsake
¶ They haue a gedering procuratour
That can the poore people enplede
And robben hem sa a rauynour
And to his lorde they money lede
[Page]And catche of quycke and eke of dede
And richen hym and hys lorde eke
And to robbe the poore can gyue good rede
Of olde and yonge, of hole and syke
¶ Therwyth they purchase hem lay fee
In loude there hem lyketh best
And b [...]ylde also brode as a cyte
Bothe in the East, and eke in the west
To purchase thus they ben ful prest
But on the poore they woll noughte spende
Ne no good gyue to goddes gest
Ne sende hym some that all hath sende
☞ By her seruyce suche woll lyue
And truste that other in to treasur
Though all her paryshe dye vnshriue
They woll nat gyue a rose floure
Her lyfe shulde be as a myrrour
Bothe to lered and to leude also
And teche the people her lele labour
Suche mister men ben al mysgo.
❧ Some of hem ben harde nygges
And some of hem ben proude and gay
Some spende her good vpon gygges
[...] [...] hem of great aray
[Page]Alas, what thynke these men to say
That thus dispended goddes good
At the dredefull domes daye
Suche wretches shul be worse than wood
¶ Some her churces neuer ne sye
Ne neuer openye, thyder ne sende
Though the poore parishens for hūgre dye
O peny on hem wyl they nat spende
Haue they receyuynge of the rente
They recke neuer of the remenant
Alas, the deuyll hath clene hem blente
Such one is Sathanas soiournante
¶ And vsen horedome and harlotry
Couetyse, pompe, and pride
Slouthe, wrathe, and eke enuy
And sewen synne by euery syde
Alas, where thynke suche tab [...]de
Howe wol they accompes yelde
From hye god they mowe hem nat hyde
Such wyllers wytte is nat worth a nelde
¶ They ben so roted in richesse
Hhat Christes pouert is for yet
Serued wyth so many messe
Hem thynketh that Manna is no mete
[Page]All is good that they mowe gete
They wene to lyue euermore
But whan god at dome is sette
Suche treasour is a feble store
❧ Vnneth mote they matyns say
For countynge and courtholdynge
And yet he iangleth as a iaye
And ynd [...]rstont hym selfe nothyng
He woll serue both erle and kynge
For hys fyndynge and his fee
And hyde hys tythynge and his offryng
Thys is a feble charite
❧ Other they ben proude, or coueytous
Or th [...]y ben harde, or hungry
Or they ben lyberall or lecherous
Or els medlers with marchadry
Or maynteyners of men wyth maystry
Or stewardes▪ countours, or pledours
And serue god in ypocrysy
Such prestes ben Christes false traytours
❧ They ben false, they ben vengeable
And begilen men in Christes name
They ben vnstedfast and vnstable
To tray her lorde, hem thynketh no shame
[Page]To serue god they be full lame
Goddes theues, and falsly stele
And falsely goddes worde defame
In wennynge is her worldes wele
☞ Antichrist these serue all
I pray the who may say nay?
Wyth Antichrist suche shull fall
They folowen hym in dede and fay
They seruyn hem in ryche array
To serue Christ suche falsely fayne
Why, at the dredefull domes day
Sull they not folow hym to payne?
☞ That knowē hem selfe that thei done yll
Ayenst Christes commaundement
And amende hem neuer ne wyll
But serue satan by one assente
Who sayth soth he shalbe shent
Or speketh ayenst her false lyuyng
Who so well lyueth shalbe brent
For suche ben gretter than the kynge
☞ Pope, Bishopes, and Chardinals
Chanons, Persons, and vycaire
In goddes seruyce I troue ben false
That sacramentes sellen here
[Page]And ben as proude as Lucifere
Eche man loke whether that I lye
Who so speketh ayenst her powere
It shal be holden heresye
Loke howe manye orders take
Onely o [...] Christe, for hys seruyce
That the worldes goddes forsake
Who so taketh orders, or other wyse
I trowe that they shall sore agryse
For all the glose that they conne
Al sewen not this assyse
In yuell tyme they thus begonne
¶ Loke howe many amonge hem all
Holden not thys hye way
Wyth Antichriste they shullen fall
For they wollen god betraye
God amende hem that best maye
For many men they maken shende
They weren well the sothe I saye
But the deuyel hath foule hem blende
¶ Some on her churches dwell
Appparailled poorely proude of porte
The seuen sacramentes they done sell
In cattel catchynge is her comforte
[Page]Of eche matter they wollen mell
And done hem wronge is her dysporte
To afray the people they ben fell
And holde hem lower then doth the lorde
¶ For the tydynge of a ducke
Or of an apple, or an aye
They make men sware vpon a boke
Thus they foulen Chrystes say
Suche bearen yuell heauen kay
They mowen assoyle, they mowe shryue
Wyth mennes wyues strongly play
Wyth true tyllers sturte and stryue
¶ At the wrestlynge, and at the wake
And chefe chauntours at the nale
Markette beaters, and medlyng make
Hoppen and houten with heue and hale
At fayre freshe, and at wyne stale
Dyne and drynke, and make debate
The seuen sacramentes set at sayle
How kepe suche the kayes of heuen gate?
¶ Mennes wyues they wollen holde
And though that they ben ryght sory
To speake they shull nor be so bolde
For sompnenge to the consystory
[Page]And make hem saye mouth I lye
Though they it sawe wyth her eye
Hys lemman holden openlye
No man so hardy to axe why
¶ He woll haue tythynge and offrynge
Maugre whosoeuer it gruche
And twyse on the daye he woll synge
Goddes prestes nere none suche
He mote on hunting wyth dogge and biche
And blowen hys horne, and cryen hey
And sorcerye vsen as a wytche
Suche kepen yuell Peters key
¶ Yet they mote haue some stocke or stone
Gayle paynted, and proudely dyght
To maken men lyuen vpon
And saye that it is full of myght
Aboute suche, men sette vp great lyghte
Other suche stockes shull stande therby
As darke as it were mydnyght
For it maye make no mastry
¶ That it leude people se mowe
Thou Mary, thou worchest wōder thinges
Aboute that, men offren to nowe
Hongen broches, ouches, and tynges
[Page]The preest purchaseth the offrynges
But he nyll offre to none ymage
Wo is the soule that he for synges
That precheth for suche a pylgrimage
¶ To men and women that ben poore
That ben Christes awne lykenesse
Men shullen offre at her dore
That suffre honger and dystresse
And to suche ymages offre lesse
That mowe not fele thurst ne colde
The poore in sprete gan Christ blesse
Therfore offreth to feble and olde
☞ Buckelers brode, and sweardes longe
Baudrke, wyth baselardes kene
Such toles about her necke they honge
Wyth Antichrist suche preestes ben
Vpon her dedes it is well sene
Whome they seruen, whome they honoren
Antichristes they bene clene
And goddes goodes fasly deuouren
¶ Of scarlet and grene gay gownes
That mote be shape for the newe
To clyppen and kyssen counten in townes
The damoseles that to the daunce sewe
[Page]Cutted clothes to sewe her hewe
Wyth long [...] pykes on her shone
Our goddes gospell is not trwe
Eyther they seruen the deuill or none
¶ Nowe ben preestes pokes so wyde
That men must enlarge the vestemente
The holy gospell they done hyde
For they contraryen in rayment
Suche preestes of Lucifer ben sent
Lyke conquetours they ben arayde
The p [...]ude pendauntes at her ars ypent
Falsely the truth they han betrayde
¶ Shryfte syluer suche wollen aske is
And woll men crepe to the crouche
None of the sacramentes saue askes
Wy [...]hout mede shall no man touche
On her byshoppe theyr warant vouche
That is lawe of the dec [...]e
Wyth mede and money thus they mouche
And thus they sayne is charite
¶ In the myddes of her masse
The nyll haue no man but for hyre
And full shortly let forth passe
Suche shull men fynde in euery shyre
[Page]That personages for profyte desyre
To lyue in lykinge and in lustes
I dare not sayne, Sans ose [...]eo dyre
That suche ben antichristes preestes
❧ Or they yef the bishoppes why
Or they mote ben in hys seruyce
And holden forth her harlotry
Suche prelates ben of feble emprise
Of goddes grame suche men agryse
For suche matters that taken mede
How they excuse hem, and in what wyse
Me thynketh, they ought greatly drede
☞ They sayne that it to no man longeth
To reproue them though they erre
But falsely goddes goodesse they fongeth
And therwith maynteine wo and werre
Her dedes shulde be as bryght as sterre
Her liuinge, leude mannes lyght
They say the pope may not erre
Nede must that passe mannes might
☞ Though a preeste lye wt his lemman all nyght
And tellen his felow, and he hym
He goth to masse anone righte
And sayeth he syngeth out of synne
[Page]Hys byrde abydeth hym at hys ynne
And hyghteth hys dyner the meane whyle
He syngeth hys masse for he wolde wynne
And so he weneth god begyle
☞ Hem thynketh longe tyll they be mette
And that they vsen forth all the yere
Amonge the folke when he is sette
He holdeth no man halfe hys pere
Of the byshope he hath powere
To soyle men or els they ben lore
Hys absolution may make them skere
And wo is the soule that he singeth for
¶ The Gryffon began for to threte
And sayd, of monkes canst thou ought
The Pyllycan sayd, they ben full grete
And in thys world much wo hath wrought
Saint benet, that her order brought
Ne made hem neuer on suche manere
I trowe it came neuer in hys thought
That they shuld vse so great power
❧ That a man shulde a monke lord cal
Ne serue on knees, as a kynge
He is as proude as prynce in pall
In meate and drynke, and all thynge
[Page]Some weareu myter and rynge
Wyth double worsted well ydyght
Wyth royall meate and ryche drynke
And rydeth on a courser as a knyght
☞ Wyth hauke and with hundes eke
Wyth broches or ouches on hys hode
Some say no masse in all a weke
Of deinties is her moste foode
Wyth lordshyppes and wyth bondmen
Thys is a royall religion
Saynt Benet made neuer none of hem
To haue lordshyppe of man ne towne
¶ Nowe they ben queynte and curious
Wyth fyne clothe cladde and serued cleane
Proude angry, and enuious
Malyce is muche that they meane
In catchyng crafty and couetous
Lordly lyuen in great likynge
This liuing is not religious
Accordyng to Benette in his liuinge
¶ The [...] [...]ē clerkes, her courtes thei ouer se
Her poore tenaunce fully they slyte
The hyre that a man amerced be
The gladlier they woll it write
[Page]This is farre from Christes pouerte
For all wyth couetyse they endyte
On the poore they haue no pyte
Ne neuer hem cleryshe but euer him byte
☞And commenly suche ben comon
Of poore people, and of hem begete
That thys perfection han ynomen
Her fathers ryden nat but one her fete
And trauaylen sore for that they ete
In pouert lydeth yonge and olde
H [...]r fathers suffreth drought and wete
Many hongry meles, thurst, and colde
¶ And all thys the monkes han forsake
For Christes loue and saynte Benette
To pryde and ease haue hem take
Thys ryligion is yuell beseate
Had they ben out of relygion
They must haue hanged at the plowe
Threshyng & dykinge fro towne to towne
Wyht sory mete, and not halfe ynow
☞ Therfore they han this all forsake
And taken to ryches, pryde, and ease
Full sew for god woll monkes hem make
[Page]Lytel is suche order for to prayse
Saynt Benet ordayned it not so
But badde hem be cherelyche
In churlyche maner lyue and go
Boystous in earth, and not lordlysh
¶ They dysclaunder saynt Benette
Therfore they haue hys holy curse
Saynt Benet wyth hem neuer mete
But yf they thought to robbe hys purse
I can no more hereof tel
But they ben lyke tho before
And clene serue the dyuell of hell
And ben hys treasure and hys store
❧ And all suche other counterfaitours
Chanhus, Canons, and such dysgysed
Ben goddes enemyes and traytours
Hys true religion han foule dyspysed
Of Freres I haue tolde before
In a makynge of a Crede
And yet I coulde tel worse and more
But men wolde werien it to rede
☞ As goddes goodnesse no man tell might
Wryte ne speake ne thinke in thought
[Page]To her falshed, and her vntyght
May no man tell that euer god wrought
The Gryffon sayde, thou canst no good
Thou came neuer of no gentyll kynde
Other I trowe thou waxest wood
Or els thou hast loste thy mynde
❧ Shulde holy churche haue no hede
Who shulde be her gouernayle
Who shulde her rute, who shulde her reede
Who shulde her forthren, who shuld auayle
Eche man shall lyue by his trauayle
Who best doth shall haue most nede
Wyth strength yf men the churche assayle
Wyth strength men must defende her nede
☞ And the pope were purely poore
Nedy, and nothynge ne hadde
He shulde be dryuen from dore to dore
The wycked of him nolde not be dradde
Of suche and heed men wolde be sadde
And synfully lyuen as hem lust
Wyth strength, amendes suche be made
With wepen wolues from shepe be wust
¶ Yf the pope and prelates wolde
[Page]To begge, and bydde, bowe and borowe
Holy churche shulde stande full colde
Her seruauntes sytte and soupe sorowe
And they were noughty foule and horowe
To worshyppe god men wolde wlate
Bothe on euen and on morowe
Suche harlotry men wolde hate
☞ Therfore men of holy churche
Shulde ben honest in all thynge
Worshypfully goddes workes werche
So semeth it to serue Christ her kynge
In honest and en clene clothynge
Wyth vessels of golde and clothes ryche
To god honestly to make offrynge
To hys lordshyppe none is liche
¶ The Pellican caste an houge crye
And sayde alas, why sayest thou so
Christ is our heed that sytteth on hye
Hedde [...] ne ought we haue no mo
We ben hys membres both also
And father he taught vs to cal hym als
Maysters to be called defended he tho
Af other maysters ben wycked and fals
☞ That taketh maystry in hys name
Goostly, and for earthly good
Kynges and lordes shulde lordshyp haue
And rule the people wyth mylde mode
Christ for vs that shedde hys blode
Badde hys preestes no maystershyp haue
Ne carke nat for cloth ne fode
From euery myschefe he wyll hem saue
¶ Her riche clothing shalbe ryghtwysnesse
Her treasure, true lyfe shalbe
Charite shalbe her rychesse
Her lordshyppe shalbe vnite
Hope in god, her honeste
Her vessell clene conscience
Poore in spirite, and humilite
Salbe holy churches defence
¶ What sayd the Gryffon may the greue
That other folkes faren wele
What haste thou to done wyth her lyue
Thy falsheed eche man may fele
For thou canst no catell gette
But lyueh in londe as a lorel
Wyth glosynge gettest thou thy mete
[Page]He fareth the deuell that wonnethe in hell
¶ He wolde that eche mā there shuld dwell
For he lyueth in clene enuey
So wyth the tales that thou doest tell
Thou woldest other peopl destry
Wyth your glose, and your heresye
For ye can lyue no better lyfe
But clene in hypocrisy
And bryngest the in wo and stryfe
❧ And therwyth haue not to done
For ye ne haue here no cure
Ye serue the dyuell, neyther god ne man
And he shall paye you youre hyre
For ye woll fare well at feestes
And warme clothed for the colde
Therfore ye glose goddes heestes
And begyle the people yonge and olde
❧ And all the seuen sacramentes
Ye speake ayenst as ye were slye
Ayēst tythinges, offringes wt your entētes
And on our lordes body falslylye
And all thys ye done to lyue in ease
As who sayth, there ben none suche
[Page]And sayne the pope is not worth a pease
To make the people ayen hym gruche
¶ And thys commeth in by frendes
To brynge the christen in distaunce
For they wolde that no man were feendes
Leaue thy chattrynge wyth mischaunce
Yf thou lyue well, what wylt thou more
Let other men lyue as hem lyst
Spende in good, or kepe in store
Other mennes conscyence neuer thou nyste
¶ Ye han no cure to answere fore
What meddell ye, that han not to done
Let men lyue as they han done yore
For thou shalt answere for no man
The Pellican sayd, Syr, nay
I dispised not the pope
Ne no sacramente, soth to say
But speake in charite and good hope
¶ But I dyspyse her hye pryde
Her rychesse, that shulde be poore in spiryte
Her wyckednesse is knowe so wyde
They serue god in false habyte
And turnen mekenesse in to pryde
[Page]And lowlynesse in to hye degre
And goddes worde turne and hyde
And that am I moued by charyte
¶ To lette men to lyue so
Wyth all my connynge and al my might
And to warne men of her wo
And to tel hem trouth and ryght
The sacramentes be soule hele
Yf they ben vsed in good vse
Ayenst that speake I neuer a dele
For then were I nothyng wyse
But they that vsen hym in mysse manere
Or sette hem vp to any sale
I trowe they shall abye hem dere
Thys is my reason, thys is my tale
Who so taketh hem vnryghtfullyche
Ayenst the ten commaundementes
Or by glose wreched lyche
Selleth any of the sacramentes
I trowe they do the deuell homage
In that they weten they to wronge
And therto I dare well wage
They seruen Satan for al her songe
[Page]To tythen and offren in holsome lyfe
So it be done in dewe manere
A man to houselyn and to shryfe
Weddyng, and all the other in fere
☞ So it be nother solde ne bought
Ne take ne gyue for couetyse
And it be so taken it is nought
Who selleth hem so meye sore agryse
On our Lordes body I do not lye
I saye soth thorowe trewe rede
Hys fleshe and blode through hys mysterye
Is there, in the forme of brede
¶ How it is there, it nedeth not stryue
Whethe it be subgette or accydent
But as Christ was, when he was on liue
So is he there verament
Yf pope or cardynall lyue good liue
As Chryst commaunded in his gospel
Ayenst that woll I not stryue
But me thynketh they liue not well
¶ For yf the people liued as god bede
Pryde and hyghnesse he shylde dispise
Rychesse, couetyse, and crowne hi [...] hede
[Page]Mekenesse and pouerte he shulde vse
The Gryffon sayde he shulde abye
Thou shalbe brent in balefull fyre
And all thy secte I shall dystrye
Ye shall hanged by the swyre
¶ Ye shullen be hanged and to drawe
Who gyueth you leaue for to preache
Or speake agaynst goddes law
And the people thus falsely teache
Thou shalt be cursed wyth boke and bell
And dysseuered from holy churche
And cleney dampned into hell
Otherwyse but ye woll worche
¶ The Pellycan sayd that I ne drede
Your cursynge is of lyttell value
Of god I hope to haue my mede
For it is falshed that ye shewe
For ye ben out of charite
And wylneth vengeaunce, as dyd Nero
To suffern I woll redy be
I drede not that thou cāst do
¶ Christ bad ones suffre for hys loue
And so he taught all hys seruauntes
[Page]And but thou amende for his sake aboue
I drede not all thy mayntenaunce
For yf I drede the worldes hate
Me thynketh I were lytell to prayse
I drede nothynge youre hye estate
Ne I drede not your dysease
¶ Wolde ye turne and leue your pryde
Youre hye porte, and your rychesse
Your cursynge shulde not go to wyde
God brynge you into ryghtwysnesse
For I drede not your tiranny
For nothynge that ye can done
To suffre I am al redy
Syker I recke neuer howe soone
¶ The Gryffon grynned as he were wode
And loked louelye as an owle
And swore by cokes hert bloode
He wolde hym terē euery doule
Holy churche thou dysclaundrest foule
For thy reasons I woll the all to rate
And make thy fleshe to rote and moule
Lo [...]e [...], thou shalt haue harde grace
☞ [...] Gryffon slewe forth on his waye
[Page]The Pellycane dyd sytte and wepe
And to hym selfe he gan saye
God wolde that any of Christes shepe
And herde, and ytake kepe
Eche a worde that here sayd was
And wolde it wryte and well it kepe
God wolde it were all for hys grace
Plowman
☞ I answerde, and sayd I wolde
Yf for my trauyle any man wolde pay
Pelycan. He sayde yes, these yt god han solde
For they han store of money
Plowman. I sayde, tell me and thou maye
Why tellest thou mens trespace?
Pelycan. He sayd, to amēde hem in good fay
Yf God woll gyue me any grace
¶ For Christ hym selfe is lykened to me
That for hys people dyed on rode
As fare I, ryght so fareth he
He fedeth hys byrdes wyth his blode
But these done yuel ayenst god
And ben hys fone vnder frendes face
I tolde hem howe her lyuynge stode
[Page]God amende hem for hys grace
Plowmā. what ayleth the Griffō, tell why
That he holdeth on that other side
For they two ben lykely
And wyth kyndes robben wyde
Pellican. The foule betokeneth pryte
As Lucifer, that hygh flew was
And syth he dyd hym an euell hyde
For he agylted goddes grace
❧ As byrde flyeth vp into the ayre
And lyueth by byrdes that ben meke
So these ben flowe vp into dyspayre
And shended sely soules eke
The soules that ben in synnes seke
He culleth hem, knele therfore alas
For brybry goddes forbode breke
God amende it for hys grace
❧ The hynder parte is a lyon
A robber and a rauynere
That robbeth the people in earth a downe
And in erth holdeth none hys pere
So fareth thys foule both ferre and nere
And with tēporel strength ther people chase
[Page]As a lyon proude in erth here
God amende hem for hys grace
Pellican
❧ He slew forth wyth hys wynges twayne
All droupynge, dased, and dul
But sonne the gryffon came agayne
Of hys foules the earth was full
The Pyllycan he had cast to pull
So great a nombre neuer sene there was
What maner of foules tellen I woll
Yf god woll gyue me of hys grace
❧ Wyth the griffon comen foules fele
Rauyns, tokes, crowes, and pye
Gray foules, agadred wele
I gurde aboue they wolde hye
Gledes and bosardes wherin hem by
Whyte molles and puttockes tokē her place
And lap winges, that well commeth lye
This felowshyp han for gerde her grace
❧ Lange the Pellican was oute
But at last he commeth againe
And brought with him the Phenix stoute
The Griffon wold haue flow ful faine
[Page]Hys foules that flewen as thicke as rayne
The Penyx tho began hem chace
To flye from hym it was in vayne
For he did vengeaunce and no grace
☞ He slewe hem downe wythout mercy
There astarte neyther free ne thral
On hym they cast a ruful crye
When the Gryffon downe was fall
He bete hym not, but slewe hem all
Whyther he hem droue no man may trace
Vnder the erth me thought they yal
Alas they had a feble grace
¶ The Pellycan then axed ryght
For my wrytynge yf I haue blame
Who woll for me fyght of flyght?
Who shall shelde me from shame
He that had a mayde to dame
And the lambe that slayne was
[...]al shelde me from gostly blame
For erthely harme is goddes grace
❧ Therfore I praye euery man
Of my wrytynge haue me excused
[...]ys wrythynge wryteth the Pellican
That thus these people hath dyspysed
[Page]For I am freshe fully aduysed
I nyll not maynteyne hys manace
For the deuell is often dysguysed
To brynge a man to yuell grace
❧ wyteth the Pellican and not me
For herof I nyl not auowe
In hye ne in lowe, ne in no degre
But as a fable take it ye mowe
To holy churche I wyll be bowe
Eche man to amende hym Christ sēde space
And for my wrytyng me alowe
He that is almighty for hys grace
❧ Thus endethe the boke of Chaunterburye Tales
☞ Imprinted at London in Paules churche yarde at the sygne of the Hyll by Wyllyam Hyll