To dryue forth a snayle,
Or to make a sayle
Of an herynges tayle;
To ryme or to rayle,
To wryte or to indyte,
Eyther for delyte[877]
Or elles for[878] despyte;[879]
Or bokes to compyle
Of dyuers maner[880] style, 10
Vyce to reuyle
And synne to[881] exyle;
To teche or to preche,
As reason wyll reche?[882]
Say this, and[883] say that,
His hed is so fat,
He wotteth[884] neuer what
Nor wherof he speketh;
He cryeth and[885] he creketh,
He pryeth and[886] he peketh, 20
He chydes[887] and he chatters,
He prates and he patters,
He clytters and he clatters,
He medles and he smatters,
He gloses and he flatters;
Or[888] yf he speake playne,
Than he lacketh brayne,
He is but a fole;
Let hym go to scole,
On[889] a thre foted stole 30
That he may downe syt,
For he lacketh wyt;
And yf that he hyt
The nayle on the hede,
It standeth in no stede;
The deuyll, they say, is dede,
The deuell is dede.[890]
It may well so[891] be,
Or els they wolde se
Otherwyse, and fle 40
From worldly[892] vanyte,
And foule couetousnesse,
And other wretchednesse,
Fyckell[893] falsenesse,
Varyablenesse,
With vnstablenesse.
And if ye[894] stande in doute
Who brought this ryme aboute,
My name is Colyn Cloute.
I[895] purpose to shake oute 50
All my connyng bagge,
Lyke a clerkely hagge;
For though my ryme be ragged,
Tattered and iagged,
Rudely rayne beaten,
Rusty and moughte[896] eaten,
If ye[897] take well therwith,
It hath in it some pyth.
For, as farre as I can se,
It is wronge with eche degre: 60
For the temporalte
Accuseth the spiritualte;
The spirituall[898] agayne
Dothe grudge and complayne
Vpon the[899] temporall men:
Thus eche of other blother[900]
The tone agayng[901] the tother:
Alas, they make me shoder!
For in hoder moder
The Churche is put in faute; 70
The prelates ben[902] so haut,
They say, and loke so hy,
As though they wolde fly
Aboue the sterry skye.
Laye men say indede
How they take no[903] hede
Theyr sely shepe to fede,
But plucke away and pull
The fleces of theyr[904] wull,
Vnethes[905] they leue a locke 80
Of wull amonges[906] theyr[907] flocke;
And as for theyr connynge,
A glommynge and a mummynge,
And make therof a iape;
They gaspe and they gape
All to haue promocyon,
There is theyr hole[908] deuocyon,
With money, if it wyll hap,
To catche the[909] forked cap:
Forsothe they are to[910] lewd 90
To say so, all beshrewd!
What trow ye they say more
Of the bysshoppes lore?
How in matters they be rawe,
They lumber forth[911] the lawe,
To herken[912] Jacke and Gyll,
Whan they put vp a byll,
And iudge it[913] as they wyll,
For other mennes skyll,
Expoundyng out theyr clauses, 100
And leue theyr owne causes:
In theyr prouynciall[914] cure
They make but lytell sure,
And meddels[915] very lyght
In the Churches[916] ryght;
But _ire_ and _venire_,
And solfa[917] so alamyre,
That the premenyre
Is lyke to be set[918] a fyre
In theyr iurisdictions[919] 110
Through temporall afflictions:[920]
Men say they haue prescriptions[921]
Agaynst spirituall[922] contradictions,[923]
Accomptynge them as fyctions.[924]
And whyles the heedes do this,
The remenaunt is amys
Of the clergy all,
Bothe great[925] and small.
I wot neuer[926] how they warke,
But thus[927] the people barke;[928] 120
And surely thus they say,
Bysshoppes, if they may,
Small houses wolde[929] kepe,
But slumbre forth and slepe,
And assay to crepe
Within the noble walles
Of the kynges halles,
To fat theyr bodyes full,
Theyr soules lene[930] and dull,
And haue full lytell care[931] 130
How euyll[932] theyr shepe fare.
The temporalyte say[933] playne,
Howe bysshoppes dysdayne
Sermons for to make,
Or suche laboure to take;
And for to say trouth,
A great parte is for[934] slouth,
But the greattest parte
Is for[935] they haue but small arte
And ryght sklender[936] connyng 140
Within theyr heedes wonnyng.
But this reason they take
How they are able to make
With theyr golde and treasure
Clerkes out of[937] measure,
And yet that is a pleasure.
Howe be it some there be,
Almost two or thre,
Of that dygnyte,
Full worshypfull clerkes, 150
As[938] appereth by theyr werkes,
Lyke Aaron and Ure,
The wolfe from the dore
To werryn[939] and to kepe
From theyr goostly shepe,
And theyr[940] spirituall lammes
Sequestred from rammes
And from the[941] berded gotes
With theyr heery cotes;
Set nought by golde ne grotes, 160
Theyr names if I durst tell.
But they are[942] loth to mell,
And loth to hang the bell
Aboute the cattes necke,
For drede to haue a checke;
They ar fayne to play deuz decke,[943]
They ar made[944] for the becke.
How be it they are good men,
Moche[945] herted lyke an hen:
Theyr lessons forgotten they haue 170
That Becket them[946] gaue:
Thomas _manum mittit ad fortia,_
_Spernit damna, spernit opprobria,_
_Nulla Thomam frangit injuria_.
But nowe euery spirituall father,
Men say, they[947] had rather
Spende moche[948] of theyr share
Than to be combred with care:
Spende! nay, nay,[949] but spare;
For let se who that[950] dare 180
Sho the mockysshe mare;
They make her wynche and keke,
But it is not[951] worth a leke:
Boldnesse is to seke
The Churche[952] for to defend.
Take me as I intende,
For lothe[953] I am to offende
In this that I haue pende:
I tell you as men say;
Amende whan[954] ye may, 190
For, _usque ad montem Sare_,[955]
Men say ye can not appare;[956]
For some say ye hunte in[957] parkes,
And hauke on hobby larkes,
And other wanton warkes,
Whan the nyght darkes.
What hath lay men to[958] do
The gray gose[959] for to sho?
Lyke houndes of hell,
They crye and they yell, 200
Howe that ye[960] sell
The grace of the Holy Gost:
Thus they make theyr bost
Through owte[961] euery cost,
Howe some of you do eate
In Lenton season[962] fleshe mete,
Fesauntes, partryche, and cranes;
Men call you therfor prophanes;
Ye pycke no shrympes nor[963] pranes,
Saltfysshe, stocfysshe, nor[964] heryng, 210
It is not for your werynge;
Nor in holy Lenton[965] season
Ye[966] wyll netheyr benes ne peason,
But ye loke to be let lose[967]
To a pygge[968] or to a gose,
Your gorge not endewed
Without a capon stewed,
Or a stewed cocke,
To knowe[969] whate ys a clocke
Vnder her surfled[970] smocke, 220
And her wanton wodicocke.
And howe whan ye[971] gyue orders
In your prouinciall borders,
As at _Sitientes_,[972]
Some are _insufficientes_,[973]
Some _parum sapientes_,
Some _nihil intelligentes_,
Some _valde negligentes_,
Some _nullum sensum habentes_,
But bestiall[974] and vntaught;[975] 230
But whan thei haue ones caught
_Dominus vobiscum_ by the hede,
Than renne they in euery stede,
God wot, with dronken nolles;
Yet take they[976] cure[977] of soules,
And woteth neuer[978] what thei rede,
Paternoster, Ave,[979] nor Crede;
Construe not worth a whystle
Nether Gospell nor Pystle;
Theyr mattyns madly sayde, 240
Nothynge deuoutly prayde;
Theyr lernynge is so small,[980]
Theyr prymes[981] and houres fall
And lepe[982] out of theyr lyppes
Lyke sawdust or drye chyppes.
I speke not nowe of all,
But the moost parte in[983] generall.
Of suche vagabundus[984]
Speketh _totus mundus_;
Howe some synge _Lætabundus_ 250
At euery ale stake,
With, welcome hake and make!
By the brede that God brake,
I am sory[985] for your sake.
I speke not of the[986] good[987] wyfe,
But of theyr apostles[988] lyfe;
_Cum ipsis[989] vel illis_
_Qui manent in villis_
_Est uxor vel ancilla_,
Welcome Jacke and Gylla! 260
My prety Petronylla,
And you wyll[990] be stylla,
You shall haue your wylla.
Of suche Paternoster pekes
All the worlde spekes.
In you the faute is supposed,
For that they are not apposed
By iust[991] examinacyon
In connyng and[992] conuérsacyon;
They haue none instructyon 270
To make a true[993] constructyon:
A preest without a[994] letter,
Without his vertue be gretter,
Doutlesse were[995] moche[996] better
Vpon hym for to take
A mattocke or a rake.
Alas, for very shame!
Some can not declyne their[997] name;
Some can not scarsly[998] rede,
And yet he[999] wyll not drede 280
For to kepe a cure,
And in nothyng is sure;
This _Dominus vobiscum_,
As wyse as Tom a thrum,[1000]
A chaplayne of trust
Layth all in the dust.
Thus I, Colyn Cloute,
As I go aboute,
And wandrynge as I walke,
I here the people talke. 290
Men say, for syluer[1001] and golde
Myters are bought and solde;
There[1002] shall no clergy appose
A myter nor[1003] a crose,
But a full purse:
A strawe for Goddes curse!
What are they[1004] the worse?
For a symonyake
Is[1005] but a hermoniake;[1006]
And no more ye[1007] make 300
Of symony, men say,
But a chyldes play.
Ouer this,[1008] the foresayd laye
Reporte[1009] howe the Pope may
An[1010] holy anker call
Out of the stony[1011] wall,
And hym a bysshopp make,
If he on hym dare[1012] take
To kepe so harde a rule,
To ryde vpon a mule 310
With golde all betrapped,
In purple and paule belapped;
Some hatted and some capped,
Rychely and warme[1013] bewrapped,[1014]
God wot to theyr great paynes,
In rotchettes of fyne Raynes,
Whyte as morowes[1015] mylke;
Theyr tabertes of fyne silke,
Theyr styrops of myxt gold begared;[1016]
There may no cost be spared; 320
Theyr moyles[1017] golde dothe eate;
Theyr neyghbours dye for meate.
What care they though Gil sweate,
Or[1018] Jacke of the Noke?
The pore people they yoke[1019]
With sommons[1020] and citacyons
And excommunycacyons,[1021]
About churches[1022] and market:
The bysshop on his carpet
At home full softe dothe syt. 330
This is a farly[1023] fyt,
To here the people iangle,
Howe warely[1024] they wrangle:
Alas, why do ye not handle
And them all to-mangle?[1025]
Full[1026] falsely on you they lye,
And[1027] shamefully you ascrye,
And say as vntruely,[1028]
As the[1029] butterflye
A man myght[1030] saye in mocke 340
Ware the[1031] wethercocke
Of the steple of Poules;
And thus they hurte theyr soules
In sclaunderyng[1032] you for[1033] truthe:
Alas, it is great ruthe!
Some say ye syt in trones,
Lyke prynces[1034] _aquilonis_,
And shryne your rotten bones
With perles[1035] and precyous stones;
But howe the commons grones, 350
And the people mones[1036]
For prestes and for lones
Lent and neuer payd,
But from day to day delayde,
The commune welth decayde,
Men say ye are tonge tayde,[1037]
And therof speke[1038] nothynge
But dyssymulyng and glosyng.
Wherfore men be[1039] supposyng
That ye gyue shrewd counsell 360
Agaynst the commune well,
By poollynge and pyllage
In cytyes and vyllage,
By taxyng and tollage,[1040]
Ye make[1041] monkes to[1042] haue the culerage
For couerynge of an olde cottage,
That commytted[1043] is a collage
In the charter of dottage,
_Tenure par seruyce[1044] de sottage_,
And not _par seruyce de socage_, 370
After olde seygnyours,
And the lerning of Lytelton tenours:
Ye haue so ouerthwarted,
That good lawes are subuerted,
And good reason peruerted.
Relygous men are fayne
For to tourne[1045] agayne
_In[1046] secula seculorum_,
And to forsake[1047] theyr corum,
And _vagabundare per forum_, 380
And take a fyne _meritorum_,
_Contra regulam morum,_
_Aut_ blacke _monachorum,_
_Aut canonicorum,_
_Aut Bernardinorum,_
_Aut crucifixorum_,
And to synge from place to place,
Lyke apostataas.
And the selfe same game
Begone ys[1048] nowe with shame 390
Amongest[1049] the sely nonnes:
My lady nowe[1050] she ronnes,
Dame Sybly[1051] our abbesse,
Dame Dorothe and lady Besse,
Dame Sare[1052] our pryoresse,
Out of theyr[1053] cloyster and quere
With an heuy chere,
Must cast vp theyr blacke vayles,
And set vp theyr fucke sayles,
To catch wynde with their ventales— 400
What, Colyne,[1054] there thou shales!
Yet thus with yll hayles
The lay fee[1055] people rayles.
And all the fawte[1056] they lay
On you, prelates,[1057] and say
Ye do them wrong[1058] and no ryght
To put them thus to flyght;
No matyns at mydnyght,
Boke and chalys gone quyte;
And[1059] plucke awaye the leedes 410
Evyn[1060] ouer theyr heedes,
And sell away theyr belles,
And all that they[1061] haue elles:
Thus the people telles,
Rayles lyke[1062] rebelles,
Redys[1063] shrewdly and spelles,
And with foundacyons[1064] melles,
And talkys[1065] lyke tytyuelles,
Howe ye brake the dedes[1066] wylles,
Turne monasteris into[1067] water milles, 420
Of an abbay ye[1068] make a graunge;
Your workes,[1069] they saye, are straunge;
So that theyr founders soules
Haue lost theyr beade rolles,
The mony for theyr masses
Spent[1070] amonge wanton lasses;
The _Diriges_ are[1071] forgotten;
Theyr founders lye there rotten,
But where[1072] theyr soules dwell,
Therwith I wyll not mell. 430
What coulde[1073] the Turke do more
With all his false[1074] lore,
Turke, Sarazyn,[1075] or Jew?
I reporte me to you,
O mercyfull Jesu,
You supporte and rescue,[1076]
My style for to dyrecte,
It may take some effecte!
For I abhorre to wryte
Howe the lay fee dyspyte 440
You prelates, that of ryght
Shulde be lanternes of lyght.
Ye lyue, they say, in delyte,
Drowned _in deliciis,_
_In gloria et divitiis,_
_In admirabili honore,[1077]_
_In gloria, et splendore_
_Fulgurantis hastæ,[1078]_
_Viventes parum caste_:
Yet swete meate hath soure sauce, 450
For after _gloria,[1079] laus_,
Chryst by cruelte
Was nayled vpon[1080] a tre;
He payed a bytter pencyon
For mannes redemcyon,
He dranke eysell and gall
To redeme vs withall;
But swete ypocras ye drynke,
With, Let the cat wynke!
Iche wot what eche[1081] other thynk; 460
Howe be it _per assimile_
Some men thynke that ye
Shall haue penalte[1082]
For your iniquyte.
_Nota_[1083] what I say,
And bere it well away;
If it please not theologys,[1084]
It is good for astrologys;[1085]
For Ptholome tolde me
The sonne somtyme to be 470
_In Ariete_,
Ascendent a degre,[1086]
Whan Scorpion descendynge,
Was so then[1087] pretendynge
A fatall fall of one[1088]
That shuld[1089] syt on[1090] a trone,
And rule all thynges[1091] alone.
Your teth whet on this bone
Amongest[1092] you euerychone,
And let Collyn Cloute haue none[1093] 480
Maner of cause to mone:
Lay salue to your owne sore,
For els, as I sayd before,
After _gloria_, _laus_,
May come a soure sauce;
Sory therfore am I,
But trouth can neuer lye.
With language thus poluted
Holy Churche is bruted
And shamfully confuted. 490
My penne nowe wyll I sharpe,
And wrest vp my harpe
With sharpe twynkyng trebelles,
Agaynst all suche rebelles
That laboure to confounde
And bryng the Churche to the grounde;
As ye may dayly se
Howe the lay fee
Of one affynyte
Consent and agre 500
Agaynst the Churche to be,
And the dygnyte
Of the bysshoppes see.[1094]
And eyther ye be to bad,
Or els they ar mad
Of this to reporte:
But, vnder your supporte,
Tyll my dyenge day
I shall bothe wryte and say,
And ye shall do the same, 510
Howe they are to[1095] blame
You thus to dyffame:
For it maketh me sad
Howe that the people[1096] are glad
The Churche to depraue;
And some there are that raue,
Presumynge on theyr wyt,[1097]
Whan there is neuer a whyt,
To maynteyne argumentes
Agaynst the sacramentes. 520
Some make epylogacyon
Of hyghe predestynacyon;[1098]
And of resydeuacyon[1099]
They make interpretacyon
Of an aquarde facyon;
And of the prescience
Of dyuyne essence;[1100]
And what ipostacis[1101]
Of Christes manhode is.
Suche logyke men wyll chop, 530
And in theyr fury hop,
When the good ale sop
Dothe daunce in theyr fore top;
Bothe women and men,
Suche ye may well knowe and ken,
That agaynst[1102] preesthode
Theyr malyce sprede abrode,
Raylynge haynously
And dysdaynously
Of preestly dygnytes, 540
But theyr malygnytes.
And some haue a smacke
Of Luthers sacke,
And a brennyng sparke
Of Luthers warke,[1103]
And are somewhat suspecte
In Luthers secte;
And some of them barke,[1104]
Clatter and carpe
Of that heresy arte, 550
Called Wicleuista,[1105]
The deuelysshe dogmatista;
And some be Hussyans,
And some be Arryans,
And some be Pollegians,
And make moche varyans
Bytwene the clergye
And the temporaltye,
Howe the Church[1106] hath to mykel,
And they haue to lytell, 560
And bryng in[1107] materialites[1108]
And qualyfyed qualytes
Of pluralytes,
Of tryalytes,
And of tot quottes,
They commune lyke sottes,[1109]
As commeth to theyr lottes;
Of prebendaries and deanes,
Howe some of them gleanes
And gathereth[1110] vp the store 570
For to catche more and more;
Of persons and vycaryes
They make many outcryes;
They cannot kepe theyr wyues
From them for theyr lyues;
And thus the loselles stryues,
And lewdely sayes by[1111] Christ
Agaynst the sely preest.
Alas, and well away,
What ayles[1112] them thus to say? 580
They mought[1113] be better aduysed[1114]
Then to be so[1115] dysgysed:
But they haue enterprysed,
And shamfully surmysed,
Howe prelacy[1116] is solde and bought,
And come vp of nought;
And where the[1117] prelates be
Come[1118] of lowe degre,
And set in[1119] maieste
And spirituall dyngnyte, 590
Farwell benygnyte,
Farwell symplicite,[1120]
Farwell humylyte,
Farwell good charyte!
Ye[1121] are so puffed wyth pryde,
That no man may abyde
Your hygh and lordely lokes:
Ye cast vp then[1122] your bokes,
And vertue is forgotten;
For then ye wyll be wroken 600
Of euery lyght quarell,
And call a lorde a[1123] iauell,
A knyght a knaue ye[1124] make;
Ye bost, ye face, ye crake,
And vpon you ye[1125] take
To rule bothe[1126] kynge and kayser;
And yf ye[1127] may haue layser,
Ye wyll[1128] brynge all to nought,
And that is all[1129] your thought:
For the lordes temporall, 610
Theyr rule is very small,
Almost nothyng at all.
Men saye howe ye[1130] appall
The[1131] noble blode royall:
In ernest and in game,
Ye are the lesse to blame,
For lordes of noble blode,
If they well vnderstode[1132]
How connyng myght them auaunce,[1133]
They wold pype you another[1134] daunce: 620
But noble men borne
To lerne they haue scorne,[1135]
But hunt[1136] and blowe an horne,
Lepe ouer[1137] lakes and dykes,
Set nothyng by[1138] polytykes;
Therfore ye kepe them bace,
And mocke them to[1139] theyr face:
This is a pyteous case,
To you that ouer[1140] the whele
Grete[1141] lordes must crouche[1142] and knele, 630
And breke theyr hose at the kne,
As dayly men may se,
And to remembraunce call,[1143]
Fortune so turneth the ball
And ruleth so ouer all,
That honoure hath a great fall.
Shall I tell you[1144] more? ye, shall.
I am loth to tell all;
But the communalte yow[1145] call
Ydolles of Babylon, 640
_De terra_ Zabulon,
_De terra_ Neptalym;
For ye[1146] loue to go trym,
Brought vp of poore estate,
Wyth pryde inordinate,
Sodaynly vpstarte
From the donge carte,
The mattocke[1147] and the shule,[1148]
To reygne and to rule;
And haue[1149] no grace to thynke 650
Howe ye[1150] were wonte to drynke
Of a lether bottell
With a knauysshe stoppell,
Whan mamockes was your meate,
With moldy[1151] brede to eate;
Ye cowde[1152] none other gete
To chewe and to gnawe,
To fyll therwith your mawe;
Loggyng in fayre[1153] strawe,
Couchyng your drousy heddes 660
Somtyme in lousy beddes.[1154]
Alas, this is out[1155] of mynde!
Ye growe nowe out of kynde:
Many one ye haue vntwynde,[1156]
And made[1157] the commons blynde.
But _qui se[1158] existimat stare_,
Let hym well beware[1159]
Lest that his fote slyp,
And haue suche a tryp,
And falle[1160] in suche dekay, 670
That all the worlde may[1161] say,
Come downe, in[1162] the deuyll[1163] way!
Yet, ouer all that,[1164]
Of bysshops they[1165] chat,
That though ye round your hear
An ynche aboue your ear,
And haue[1166] _aures patentes_
And _parum intendentes_,
And your tonsors be croppyd,[1167]
Your eares they be[1168] stopped; 680
For maister _Adulator_,
And doctour _Assentator_,
And _Blandior blandiris_,
With _Mentior mentiris_,
They folowe[1169] your desyres,
And so they blere your eye,
That ye can not espye
Howe the male dothe wrye.[1170]
Alas, for Goddes wyll,
Why syt ye, prelates,[1171] styll, 690
And suffre all this yll?
Ye bysshops of estates[1172]
Shulde open the brode gates[1173]
Of[1174] your spirituall charge,
And com forthe[1175] at large,
Lyke lanternes of lyght,
In the peoples syght,
In pullpettes[1176] awtentyke,[1177]
For the wele publyke
Of preesthode[1178] in this case; 700
And alwayes to chase
Suche maner of sysmatykes
And halfe heretykes,
That wolde intoxicate,[1179]
That wolde conquinate,
That wolde contaminate,[1180]
And that[1181] wolde vyolate,
And that wolde derogate,
And that[1182] wolde abrogate
The Churchis[1183] hygh estates,[1184] 710
After this maner rates,[1185]
The which shulde be
Both franke and free,
And haue theyr[1186] lyberte,
As[1187] of antiquyte
It was ratefyed,
And also gratifyed,
By holy synodalles
And bulles papalles,[1188]
As it is _res certa_ 720
Conteyned in _Magna Charta_.
But maister[1189] Damyan,
Or some other man,
That clerkely is and can
Well scrypture expounde
And hys[1190] textes grounde,
His benefyce worthe ten pounde,
Or skante worth twenty marke,
And yet[1191] a noble clerke,
He must do this werke; 730
As I knowe a parte,
Some maisters of arte,
Some doctours of lawe,
Some lernde in other sawe,
As in dyuynyte,
That hath no dygnyte
But the pore degre
Of the vnyuersyte;
Or els frere Frederycke,
Or els[1192] frere Dominike, 740
Or frere Hugulinus,
Or frere Agustinus,
Or frere Carmelus,[1193]
That gostly can heale vs;
Or els yf we may
Get a frere graye,
Or els of the order
Vpon[1194] Grenewyche border,
Called Obseruaunce,
Or[1195] a frere of Fraunce; 750
Or els the poore Scot,
It must come to his lot
To shote forthe his[1196] shot;
Or of Babuell besyde Bery,
To postell vpon a[1197] kyry,
That wolde it shulde be[1198] noted
Howe scripture shulde be coted,
And so clerkley[1199] promoted;
And yet the frere doted.
But men sey your awtoryte,[1200] 760
And your noble se,[1201]
And your[1202] dygnyte,
Shulde be imprynted better
Then all[1203] the freres letter;
For if ye wolde take payne
To preche a worde or twayne,
Though it were neuer so playne,
With clauses two or thre,
So as they myght be
Compendyously conueyde, 770
These[1204] wordes shuld be more weyd,
And better perceyued,
And thankfullerlye[1205] receyued,
And better shulde remayne[1206]
Amonge[1207] the people playne,
That wold your wordes retayne[1208]
And reherce them agayne,
Than a thousand thousande[1209] other,
That blaber,[1210] barke, and blother,[1211]
And make a Walshmans hose 780
Of the texte and of the[1212] glose.
For protestatyon made,
That I wyll not wade
Farther in this broke,[1213]
Nor farther for[1214] to loke
In deuysynge of[1215] this boke,
But[1216] answere that I may
For my selfe alway,
Eyther _analogice_[1217]
Or els _categorice_,[1218] 790
So that in diuinite[1219]
Doctors that lerned be,
Nor bachelers of that faculte
That hath[1220] taken degre
In the vniuersite,
Shall not be obiecte at by[1221] me.
But doctour Bullatus,
_Parum litteratus,_
_Dominus doctoratus_
At the brode gatus,[1222] 800
Doctour Daupatus,
And bacheler _bacheleratus_,[1223]
Dronken as a mouse,
At the[1224] ale house,
Taketh[1225] his pyllyon and his cap[1226]
At the good ale tap,
For lacke of good wyne;
As wyse as Robyn[1227] swyne,
Vnder a[1228] notaryes sygne
Was made a dyuyne; 810
As wyse as Waltoms calfe,
Must preche, a Goddes halfe,
In the pulpyt solempnely;
More mete in the[1229] pyllory,
For, by saynt Hyllary,
He can nothyng smatter
Of logyke nor[1230] scole matter,
Neyther _syllogisare_,[1231]
Nor _enthymemare_,[1232]
Nor knoweth his elenkes[1233] 820
Nor his predicamens;[1234]
And yet he wyll mell[1235]
To amend the gospell,
And wyll preche and tell
What they do in hell;
And he dare not well neuen[1236]
What they do in heuen,
Nor[1237] how farre Temple barre is
From the seuen starrys.[1238]
Nowe wyll I[1239] go 830
And tell of other mo,
_Semper protestando_
_De non impugnando_
The foure ordores of fryers,[1240]
Though[1241] some of them be lyers;
As Lymyters at large
Wyll charge and dyscharge;
As many a frere, God wote,
Preches[1242] for his grote,
Flatterynge[1243] for a newe cote 840
And for to haue his fees;
Some to gather chese;
Loth they are to lese
Eyther corne or malte;[1244]
Somtyme meale and salte,
Somtyme a bacon flycke,
That is thre fyngers thycke
Of larde and of greace,
Theyr couent to encreace.
I put you out of doute, 850
This can not be brought aboute
But they theyr tonges fyle,
And make a plesaunt style
To Margery and to[1245] Maude,
Howe they haue no fraude;[1246]
And somtyme they prouoke
Bothe Gyll and Jacke at Noke
Their dewtyes to withdrawe,
That they ought by the lawe
Theyr curates to[1247] content 860
In open tyme and in Lent:[1248]
God wot, they take great payne
To flatter and to fayne;
But[1249] it[1250] is an[1251] olde sayd sawe,
That nede hath[1252] no lawe.
Some walke aboute in melottes,[1253]
In gray russet and heery cotes;
Some wyl[1254] neyther golde ne grotes;[1255]
Some plucke a partrych in remotes,
And by the barres of[1256] her tayle 870
Wyll knowe a rauen from[1257] a rayle,
A quayle, the raile, and the olde rauen:[1258]
_Sed libera nos a malo_! _Amen._
And by _Dudum_, theyr Clementine,[1259]
Agaynst curates they[1260] repyne;
And say propreli they ar[1261] _sacerdotes_,
To shryue, assoyle, and reles[1262]
Dame Margeries[1263] soule out of hell:
But when the freare fell[1264] in the well,
He coud not syng himselfe therout[1265] 880
But by the helpe of Christyan Clout.
Another Clementyne also,[1266]
How frere Fabian, with other mo,
_Exivit de Paradiso_;
Whan they agayn theder shal come,
_De hoc petimus consilium_:
And through all the world they go
With[1267] _Dirige_ and _Placebo_.
But nowe my mynd ye vnderstand,
For they[1268] must take in hande 890
To prech, and to[1269] withstande
Al maner of abiections;[1270]
For bysshops haue protections,
They say, to do corrections,
But they haue no affections[1271]
To take the sayd[1272] dyrections;
In such maner of cases,[1273]
Men say, they bere no faces
To occupye suche places,
To sowe the sede of graces:[1274] 900
Theyr hertes are so faynted,
And they be so attaynted
With coueytous and ambycyon,[1275]
And other superstycyon,
That they be[1276] deef and dum,
And play scylens and glum,[1277]
Can say nothynge but mum.
They occupye them so
With syngyng _Placebo_,
They wyll no farther go: 910
They had leuer to please,
And take their worldly ease,
Than to take on hande
Worsshepfully[1278] to withstande
Such temporall warre and bate,
As nowe is made of late
Agaynst holy Churche[1279] estate,
Or to maynteyne good[1280] quarelles.
The lay men call them barrelles
Full of glotony 920
And of hypocrysy,
That counterfaytes[1281] and payntes
As they were very sayntes:
In matters that them lyke[1282]
They shewe them polytyke,
Pretendyng grauyte
And sygnyoryte,
With all solempnyte,
For theyr indempnyte;
For they wyll haue no losse[1283] 930
Of a peny nor of a crosse[1284]
Of theyr predyall landes,
That cometh to theyr handes,
And[1285] as farre as they dare set,
All is fysshe that cometh to net:[1286]
Buyldyng royally[1287]
Theyr mancyons curyously,
With turrettes and with toures,
With halles and with boures,
Stretchynge[1288] to the starres, 940
With glasse wyndowes and barres;
Hangynge aboute[1289] the walles
Clothes of golde and palles,
Arras of ryche aray,
Fresshe[1290] as flours in May;
Wyth dame Dyana naked;
Howe lusty Venus quaked,
And howe[1291] Cupyde shaked
His darte, and bent his[1292] bowe
For to shote a crowe 950
At her tyrly tyrlowe;
And howe Parys of Troy
Daunced a lege de moy,[1293]
Made lusty sporte and ioy
With dame Helyn the quene;
With suche storyes bydene
Their chambres well besene;
With triumphes of Cesar,
And of[1294] Pompeyus war,
Of renowne and of[1295] fame 960
By them to get a name:
Nowe[1296] all the worlde stares,
How they ryde in goodly chares,
Conueyed by olyphantes,
With lauryat garlantes,[1297]
And by vnycornes
With their semely hornes;
Vpon these beestes rydynge,
Naked boyes strydynge,
With wanton wenches winkyng. 970
Nowe truly, to my thynkynge,
That[1298] is a speculacyon
And a mete meditacyon
For prelates of estate,
Their courage to abate
From worldly wantonnesse,
Theyr chambres[1299] thus to dresse
With suche parfetnesse
And all suche holynesse;
How be it they let downe fall 980
Their churches[1300] cathedrall.
Squyre, knyght, and lorde,
Thus the Churche[1301] remorde;
With all temporall people
They rune agaynst[1302] the steple,
Thus talkynge and tellyng[1303]
How some of you are mellyng;
Yet[1304] softe and fayre for swellyng,
Beware of a quenes yellyng.[1305]
It is a besy thyng 990
For one man[1306] to rule a kyng[1307]
Alone and[1308] make rekenyng,
To gouerne ouer all
And rule a realme royall
By one mannes verrey[1309] wyt;
Fortune may chaunce to flyt,
And whan[1310] he weneth to syt,
Yet may he mysse the quysshon:
For I rede a[1311] preposycyon,
_Cum[1312] regibus amicare,[1313]_ 1000
_Et omnibus dominari,_
_Et supra te pravare_;[1314]
Wherfore[1315] he hathe good vre
That can hymselfe assure
Howe fortune wyll endure.
Than let reason you supporte,
For the communalte dothe reporte[1316]
That[1317] they haue great wonder
That ye[1318] kepe them so vnder;
Yet[1319] they meruayle so moche[1320] lesse, 1010
For ye play so at the chesse,
As they suppose and gesse,
That some of you but late
Hath played so checkemate
With lordes of great estate,[1321]
After suche a rate,
That they shall mell[1322] nor make,
Nor vpon them take,[1323]
For[1324] kynge nor kayser sake,
But at the playsure of[1325] one 1020
That ruleth the roste[1326] alone.
Helas,[1327] I say, helas!
Howe may this come to passe,
That a man shall here a[1328] masse,
And not[1329] so hardy on his hede
To loke on God in forme of brede,
But that[1330] the parysshe clerke
There vpon must herke,[1331]
And graunt hym at[1332] his askyng
For to se the sacryng? 1030
And[1333] howe may this accorde,
No man to our souerayne lorde
So hardy to make sute,
Nor yet[1334] to execute
His commaundement,
Without the assent
Of our presydent,
Nor to expresse[1335] to his person,[1336]
Without your consentatyon[1337]
Graunt hym his lycence 1040
To preas to his presence,
Nor to speke to hym[1338] secretly,
Openly nor[1339] preuyly,
Without his[1340] presydent be by,
Or els his substytute
Whom he wyll depute?
Neyther erle ne duke[1341]
Permytted? by[1342] saynt Luke,
And by swete saynt Marke,
This is a wonderous warke![1343] 1050
That the people talke this,
Somewhat there is amysse:
The deuil cannot stop their mouthes,
But they wyl talke of such vncouthes,[1344]
All that euer they ken
Agaynst all spirituall[1345] men.
Whether it be wrong or ryght,
Or els for dyspyght,
Or howe euer it hap,[1346]
Theyr tonges thus do[1347] clap, 1060
And through suche detractyon
They put you to your actyon;
And[1348] whether they say trewly
As they may abyde therby,
Or els that they do lye,
Ye knowe better then I.
But nowe _debetis scire_,
And groundly _audire_,
In your _convenire_,[1349]
Of this premenire, 1070
Or els in the myre
They saye they wyll you cast;
Therfore stande sure and fast.[1350]
Stande sure, and take[1351] good fotyng,
And let be all your motyng,
Your gasyng and your totyng,
And[1352] your parcyall promotyng
Of those that stande[1353] in your grace;
But[1354] olde seruauntes ye chase,
And put them out of theyr place. 1080
Make ye no murmuracyon,
Though I wryte after[1355] this facion;
Though I, Colyn Cloute,
Among the hole route
Of you that clerkes be,
Take nowe vpon[1356] me
Thus[1357] copyously to wryte,
I do it for[1358] no despyte.
Wherfore take no dysdayne
At my style rude[1359] and playne; 1090
For I rebuke no man
That vertuous[1360] is: why than
Wreke ye your anger on me?
For those[1361] that vertuous be
Haue no cause to say
That I[1362] speke out of the way.
Of no good bysshop speke I,
Nor[1363] good preest I escrye,[1364]
Good frere, nor good chanon,
Good nonne, nor good canon, 1100
Good monke, nor good clercke,
Nor yette[1365] of no good werke:
But my recountyng is
Of them that do[1366] amys,
In speking and rebellyng,[1367]
In hynderyng and dysauaylyng
Holy Churche,[1368] our mother,
One agaynst[1369] another;
To vse suche despytyng[1370]
Is all my hole wrytyng; 1110
To hynder no man,
As nere as I can,
For no man haue I named:
Wherfore sholde I be[1371] blamed?
Ye ought to be ashamed,
Agaynst[1372] me to be gramed,[1373]
And can[1374] tell no cause why,
But that I wryte trewly.
Then yf any there be
Of hygh or[1375] lowe degre 1120
Of the spiritualte,
Or of[1376] the temporalte,
That dothe thynke or wene
That[1377] his conscyence be not clene,
And feleth[1378] hymselfe sycke,
Or touched on the quycke,
Suche grace God them sende
Themselfe to[1379] amende,
For I wyll not pretende
Any man to offende. 1130
Wherfore, as thynketh[1380] me,
Great ydeottes[1381] they be,
And lytell grace they haue,
This treatyse to depraue;
Nor wyll here no prechyng,
Nor no vertuous techyng,
Nor wyll haue no resytyng
Of any[1382] vertuous wrytyng;
Wyll knowe none intellygence
To refourme theyr neglygence, 1140
But lyue styll out of facyon,
To theyr owne dampnacyon.
To do shame they haue no shame,
But they wold[1383] no man shulde them blame:
They haue an euyl name,
But[1384] yet they wyll occupy the same.
With them the worde of God
Is counted for no rod;[1385]
They counte it for a raylyng,
That nothyng is[1386] auaylyng; 1150
The prechers with euyll[1387] hayling:
Shall they daunt[1388] vs prelates,
That be theyr[1389] prymates?
Not so hardy on theyr pates!
Herke, howe the losell[1390] prates,
With a wyde wesaunt!
Auaunt, syr Guy of Gaunt!
Auaunt, lewde preest, auaunt!
Auaunt, syr doctour Deuyas![1391]
Prate of[1392] thy matyns and thy masse, 1160
And let our maters[1393] passe:
Howe darest[1394] thou, daucocke, mell?
Howe darest thou, losell,[1395]
Allygate the gospell
Agaynst vs of the counsell?[1396]
Auaunt[1397] to the deuyll of hell!
Take hym, wardeyne[1398] of the Flete,
Set hym fast by the fete!
I say, lyeutenaunt of the Toure,
Make this lurdeyne for to loure; 1170
Lodge hym in Lytell Ease,
Fede hym with beanes and pease!
The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy,
Haue hym[1399] thyder by and by!
The vyllayne[1400] precheth openly,
And declareth our vyllany;
And of our fre[1401] symplenesse
He sayes that we are[1402] rechelesse,
And full of wylfulnesse,
Shameles and mercylesse,[1403] 1180
Incorrigible and insaciate;[1404]
And after this rate
Agaynst vs dothe[1405] prate.
At Poules Crosse or els where,
Openly at Westmynstere,
And Saynt Mary[1406] Spyttell,
They set not by[1407] vs a whystell:[1408]
At the Austen fryers
They count vs for[1409] lyers:
And[1410] at Saynt Thomas of Akers 1190
They carpe vs[1411] lyke crakers,
Howe we wyll rule[1412] all at wyll
Without good reason or[1413] skyll;
And say how that we be
Full of parcyalyte;[1414]
And howe at a pronge
We tourne ryght into[1415] wronge,
Delay causes so longe
That ryght no man can fonge;
They say many matters be[1416] born 1200
By the ryght of[1417] a rambes horne.
Is not this a shamfull scorne,
To be[1418] teared thus and torne?
How may we thys[1419] indure?
Wherfore we make you sure,
Ye[1420] prechers shall be yawde;
And[1421] some shall be sawde,
As noble[1422] Ezechyas,
The holy prophet, was;
And some of you shall dye, 1210
Lyke holy Jeremy;
Some hanged, some[1423] slayne,
Some beaten to the brayne;
And we wyll rule[1424] and rayne,
And our matters mayntayne
Who dare say there agayne,
Or who dare dysdayne
At our[1425] pleasure and wyll:
For, be it good or be it yll,
As it is, it shall be styll, 1220
For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426]
Or of Diuine,[1427] or doctour Dryuyll,
Let hym cough, rough,[1428] or sneuyll;
Renne[1429] God, renne deuyll,
Renne who may renne[1430] best,
And let take all the rest![1431]
We[1432] set not a nut shell
The way to heuen or to[1433] hell.
Lo, this is the gyse now a dayes!
It is to drede, men sayes, 1230
Lest they be Saduces,[1434]
As they be sayd sayne
Whiche[1435] determyned[1436] playne
We shulde not ryse agayne
At dredefull domis day;
And so it semeth[1437] they play,
Whiche hate to be corrected
Whan they be infected,
Nor wyll[1438] suffre this boke
By hoke ne[1439] by croke 1240
Prynted for to be,
For that no man shulde se
Nor rede in any scrolles[1440]
Of theyr drunken nolles,
Nor of theyr noddy polles,
Nor of theyr sely soules,
Nor of some wytles pates
Of dyuers great estates,
As well[1441] as other men.
Now to withdrawe my pen, 1250
And now a whyle to rest,
Me semeth it[1442] for the best.
The forecastell of my shyp
Shall glyde, and smothely slyp
Out of the wawes wod
Of[1443] the stormy flod;
Shote anker, and lye at rode,
And sayle not farre abrode,
Tyll the cost be clere,
And[1444] the lode starre appere: 1260
My shyp nowe wyll I stere[1445]
Towarde the porte salu[1446]
Of our Sauyour Jesu,
Suche grace that he vs sende,
To rectyfye and[1447] amende
Thynges that are amys,
Whan that[1448] his pleasure is.
Amen![1449]
_In opere imperfecto,_
_In opere semper perfecto,_
_Et in opere plusquam perfecto!_[1450] 1270
* * * * *
_Colinus Cloutus,[1451] quanquam mea[1452] carmina multis_
_Sordescunt stultis,[1453] sed_ puevinate _sunt_ rare _cultis,_
Pue vinatis altisem _divino flamine flatis.[1454]_
_Unde meâ refert[1455] tanto minus, invida quamvis_
_Lingua nocere parat, quia, quanquam rustica canto,_
_Undique cantabor tamen et celebrabor ubique,_
_Inclita dum maneat gens Anglica. Laurus[1456] honoris,_
_Quondam regnorum regina et gloria regum,_
_Heu, modo marcescit, tabescit, languida torpet![1457]_
_Ah pudet, ah miseret! vetor hic ego pandere plura_ 10
_Pro gemitu et lacrimis: præstet peto præmia pæna._
[875] _Colyn Cloute_] From the ed. by Kele, n. d., collated with the ed.
by Kytson, n. d., with Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568, and with
a MS. in the Harleian Collection, 2252. fol. 147.
[876] _consurget, &c._] Eds. “consurgat,” &c. MS. “resurgat ad
_malignantes_.”
[877] _for delyte_] MS. “_for_ to endyte.”
[878] _for_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. and MS. “_for_ to.”
[879] _despyte_] MS. “desyte.”
[880] _maner_] MS. “_maner_ of.”
[881] _to_] MS. “for _to_.”
[882] _wyll reche_] MS. “wold reherse.”
[883] _this, and_] MS. “thus, or.”
[884] _He wotteth, &c._] MS. “And saythe _he_ wott not _whate_.”
[885] _and_] Not in MS.
[886] _and_] Not in MS.
[887] _He chydes ... flatters_] MS.;
“_He_ chydethe _he chaters_
_He_ praytythe _he patyrs_
_He_ cleteryth _he claters_
_He_ medelythe _he smaters_
_He_ glosythe _he fflaters_.”
[888] _Or_] MS. (perhaps) “And.”
[889] _On_] So MS. Not in eds.
[890] _The deuell is dede_] Not in MS.
[891] _well so_] MS. “_so well_.”
[892] _worldly_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “wordly.”
[893] _Fyckell ... vnstablenesse_] MS.;
“And _fykyll falsenes_
And _varyabulnes_
_With_ vnstedfastnes.”
[894] _ye_] MS. “they.”
[895] _I_] MS. “And.”
[896] _moughte_] Other eds. “moothe.” MS. “mothe.”
[897] _If ye, &c._] MS. “And _yf_ thow _take well_ it _wythe_.”—The eds.
give the line as in the text, except that they have “talke” instead of
“_take_:” compare v. 186.
[898] _spirituall_] MS. “spiritualte.”
[899] _the_] Not in Marshe’s ed.
[900] _blother_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “bloder.”—In MS. the line runs,
“Thys _eche_ with _hothyr_ blen.”
[901] _agayng_] Other eds. “against.” MS. “ayenste.”
[902] _ben_] MS. “be.”
[903] _no_] MS. “none.”
[904] _theyr_] Not in MS.
[905] _Vnethes_] MS. “Scantly.”
[906] _amonges_] Other eds. and MS. “amonge.”
[907] _theyr_] MS. “the.”
[908] _theyr hole_] MS. “all _ther_.”
[909] _the_] MS. “them a.”
[910] _to_] Not in MS.
[911] _lumber forth_] MS. “labor _forthe_ so in.”
[912] _herken_] Marshe’s ed. “herke.”
[913] _it_] MS. “all.”
[914] _theyr prouynciall_] Eds. (with various spelling) “_theyr_
pryncypall.” MS. “_the prouynciall_:” compare v. 223.
[915] _meddels_] MS. “medlythe.”
[916] _Churches_] MS. “chyrche.”
[917] _solfa_] MS. “solfe.”
[918] _to be set_] MS. “_to sett_.”
[919] _iurisdictions_] MS. “juridiccion.”
[920] _afflictions_] MS. “afflyccion.”
[921] _prescriptions_] MS. “prescripcion.”
[922] _spirituall_] So MS. Eds. “the _spiritual_.”
[923] _contradictions_] MS. “contradiccion.”
[924] _fyctions_] MS. “affeccions.”
[925] _great_] MS. “the _grete_.”
[926] _neuer_] MS. “not.”
[927] _thus_] MS. “thys.”
[928] _barke_] So MS. Eds. “carke” (are careful, anxious,—which does not
well suit the sense of the passage). Perhaps Skelton wrote “carpe” (talk,
prate); for in the present poem we find the following similar, imperfect
rhymes;
“And some of them _barke_,
Clatter and _carpe_.”—v. 549.
“About churches and _market_:
The bysshop on his _carpet_.”—v. 328.
[929] _houses wolde_] MS. “howsoldes woll.”
[930] _lene_] So MS. Eds. “lame.”
[931] _haue full lytell care_] MS. “hathe but _lytell_ cure.”
[932] _euyll_] MS. “yll.”
[933] _say_] MS. “sathe.”
[934] _for_] So MS. Eds. “full” and “ful.” See notes.
[935] _Is for, &c._] MS. “_Ys they haue_ lytell _arte_.”
[936] _sklender_] MS. “slendyr.”
[937] _out of_] MS. “with _owte_.”
[938] _As_] MS. “_As_ hyt.”
[939] _werryn_] So MS. Eds. “wary.”
[940] _theyr_] Not in MS.
[941] _the_] MS. “thyse.”
[942] _are_] MS. “be.”
[943] _deuz decke_] MS. “decke.”
[944] _They ar made, &c._] This line only in MS.
[945] _Moche ... an_] MS. “Myche ... a.”
[946] _Becket them_] MS. “Saynt Thomas of Canterbury.”
[947] _they_] MS. “that _they_.”
[948] _moche_] MS. “myche.”
[949] _nay, nay_] So MS. Eds. “_nay_.”
[950] _that_] Not in MS.
[951] _But it is not, &c._] This line not in MS.
[952] _Churche_] MS. “chyrche.”
[953] _For lothe, &c._] This line not in MS.
[954] _whan_] MS. “_when_ that.”
[955] _Sare_] Other eds. “fare.” MS. “sciire.” (Perhaps Skelton wrote
“_Seir_”—and in the next line “appeire.”) See notes.
[956] _appare_] MS. “payre.”
[957] _in_] Not in MS.
[958] _to_] Not in Kytson’s ed.
[959] _gose_] So other eds. and MS. Kele’s ed. “gooes.”
[960] _ye_] MS. “yow.”
[961] _owte_] So MS. Not in eds.
[962] _In Lenton season_] MS. “_In_ lente so myche.”
[963] _Ye pycke no shrympes nor_] MS. “Thus _pyke_ ne _shrympes_ ne.”
[964] _nor_] MS. “ne.”
[965] _Lenton_] MS. “lente.”
[966] _Ye ... ne_] MS. “They ... nor.”
[967] _lose_] So MS. Kele’s ed. “losse.” Other eds. “loose” (having in
the next line “goose”).
[968] _To a pygge, &c._] This line in MS. thus, “_To_ ete eythyr _pygge
or gose_.”
[969] _To knowe, &c._] This line found only in MS.
[970] _surfled_] MS. “surfuld.” See notes.
[971] _And howe whan ye_] MS. “And when they.”
[972] _As at Sitientes_] MS. “At _att citientes_.” The editor of 1736
printed “As _Insipientes_.” See notes.
[973] _are insufficientes_] MS. “_ad sufficientes_.”
[974] _bestiall_] So MS. Eds. “bestyali” and “bestially.”
[975] _vntaught_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “vntought.”
[976] _take they_] MS. “they take.”
[977] _cure_] Other eds. “cures.”
[978] _woteth neuer_] MS. “wot not.”
[979] _Ave_] So MS. Not in eds.
[980] _small_] MS. “lewde.”
[981] _prymes_] MS. “prime.”
[982] _And lepe, &c._] This line, and the two following lines, not in MS.
[983] _in_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “en.”
[984] _vagabundus_] So Marshe’s ed. Other eds. “vacabundus.” MS.
“vacabondes.”
[985] _sory_] MS. “seke.”
[986] _the_] MS. “every.”
[987] _good_] Marshe’s ed. “god.”
[988] _apostles_] MS. “postylles.”
[989] _Cum ipsis ... villis_] MS.
“_Cum ipso vell cum ipsa_
_Que invenitur villi._”
[990] _And you wyll_] MS. “_And_ ye can.”
[991] _iust_] MS. “fyrste.”
[992] _and_] Not in MS.
[993] _a true_] MS. “trewe.”
[994] _a_] MS. “hys.”
[995] _were_] So other eds. Kele’s ed. “where.”
[996] _were moche_] MS. “we _were_ myche.”
[997] _their_] MS. “_ther_ owne.”
[998] _can not scarsly_] MS. “scantlye.”
[999] _he_] Not in other eds. nor in MS.
[1000] _Tom a thrum_] MS. “Jacke _athrum_.”
[1001] _syluer_] MS. “money.”
[1002] _There_] MS. “They.”
[1003] _nor_] MS. “or.”
[1004] _they_] MS. “ye.”
[1005] _Is_] MS. “Hyt _ys_.”
[1006] _hermoniake_] MS. “harman jake.”
[1007] _ye_] MS. “they.”
[1008] _Ouer this_] MS. “Also.”
[1009] _Reporte_] MS. “Reportythe.”
[1010] _An_] So MS. Eds. “A.”
[1011] _the stony_] MS. “a stone.”
[1012] _dare_] MS. “can.”
[1013] _and warme_] So MS. Not in eds.
[1014] _bewrapped_] MS. “wrappyd.”
[1015] _morowes_] MS. “marys.”
[1016] _of myxt gold begared_] Marshe’s ed. “_of mixt golde_ begarded.”
MS. “with _golde be_ gloryd.”
[1017] _moyles_] MS. “mvles.”
[1018] _Or_] MS. “_Or_ else.”
[1019] _yoke_] MS. “choke.”
[1020] _sommons_] MS. “somners.”
[1021] _excommunycacyons_] MS. “extermynacions.”
[1022] _churches_] MS. “chyrche.”
[1023] _farly_] So MS. Eds. (with various spelling) “fearfull.”
[1024] _Howe warely, &c._] This line and the following one not in MS.
[1025] _all to-mangle_] So MS. Eds. “_all mangle_.”