A mery play betwene the pardoner and the frere, the curate and neybour Pratte

¶ A mery play betwene the pardoner and the frere / the curate and neybour Pratte . ¶ The frere . DEus hic / the holy trynyte Preserue all / that nowe here be Dere bretherne / yf ye wyll consyder The cause why / I am come hyder Ye wolde be glad / to knowe my entent For I com not hyther / for monye nor for rent I com not hyther / for meate nor for meale But I com hyther / for your soules heale I com not hyther / to poll nor to shaue I com not hyther to begge nor to craue I com not hyther / to glose nor to flatter I com not hyther to bable nor to clatter I com not hyther / to fable nor to lye But I come hyther / your soules to edyfye For we freres / are bounde the people to teche The gospell of Chryst / openly to preche As dyd the appostels / by Chryst theyr mayster sent To turne the people / and make them to repent But syth the appostels / fro heuen wolde not come We freres now / must occupy theyr rome We freres are bounde / to serche mennes conscyens We may not care for grotes / nor for pens We freres haue professed / wylfull pouerte No peny in our purse / haue may we Knyfe nor staffe / may we none cary Excepte we shulde / from the gospell vary For worldly aduersyte / may we be in no sorowe We may not care to day / for our meate to morowe Bare fote and bare legged / must we go also We may not care / for frost nor snowe We may haue / no maner care ne thynke Nother for our meate / nor for our drynke But let our thoughtes / fro luche thynges be as free As be the byrdes / that in the ayre flee For why our lorde / clyped swete Iesus In the gospell / speketh to vs thus Through all the worlde / go ye sayth he And to euery creature / speke ye of me And shew of my doctryne / and connynge And that they may / be glad of your comynge Yf that you enter / in any hous any where Loke that ye salute them / and byd my peas be there And yf that house / be worthy and electe Thylke peace there / than shall take effecte And yf that hous / be cursyd or paruert Thylke peace than shall to your selfe reuert And furthermore / yf any suche there be Which do deny / for to receyue ye And do dyspyse / your doctryne and your lore At suche a house / tary ye no more And from your shoes / scrape away the dust To theyr reprefe / and I bothe trew and iust Shall vengeaunce take / of theyr synfull dede ¶ Wherfore my frendes / to this text take ye hede Beware how ye / despyse the pore freres Which ar in this worlde / crystes mynysters But do them with an harty chere receyue Leste they happen / your houses for to leue And than god wyll take vengeaunce in his yre Wherfore I now / that am a pore frere Dyd enquere / were any people were Which were dysposyd / the worde of god to here And as I cam hether / one dyd me tell That in this towne / ryght good folke dyd dwell Which to here the worde of god wolde be glad And as sone as I / therof knolege had I hyder hyed me as fast as I myght Entendyd by the grace of god almyght And by your pacyens / and supportacyon Here to make / a symple colacyon Wherfore I requyre all ye in this prese For to abyde / and gyue dew audyence ¶ But fyrst of all Now here I shall To god my prayer make To gyue ye grace All in thys place His doctryne for to take .

¶ And than kneleth downe the frere sayenge his prayers / and in the meane whyle entreth the pardoner with all his relyques / to declare what eche of them ben / and the hole power and vertu therof .

¶ The pardoner . ¶ God and saynt Leonarde sende ye all his grace As many as ben assembled in this place ¶ Good deuoute people / that here do assemble I pray good / that ye may all well resemble The ymage / after whiche you are wrought And that ye saue / that Chryst in you bought ¶ Deuoute Chrysten people / ye shall all wytte That I am comen hyther / ye to vysytte Wherfore let vs pray / thus or I begynne Our sauyoure preserue ye / all from synne And enable ye to receyue / this blessed pardon Whiche is the greatest / vnder the son Graunted by the pope / in his bulles vnder lede Whiche pardon ye shall fynde / whan ye are dede That offereth / outher grotes or els pens To these holy relyques / whiche or I go hens I shall here shewe / in open audyence Exortynge ye all / to do to them reuerence ¶ But fyrst ye shall knowe well / that I com fro Rome Lo here my bulles / all and some Our lyege lorde seale / here on my patent I bere with me / my body to warant That no man be so bolde / be he preest or clarke Me to dysturbe / of Chrystes holy warke Nor haue no dysdayne / nor yet scorne Of these holy relyques / whiche sayntes haue worne ¶ Fyrst here I shewe ye / of a holy Iewes shepe A bone / I pray you take good kepe To my wordes / and marke them well Yf any of your bestes belyes do swell Dyppe this bone in the water / that he dothe take Into his body / and the swellynge shall slake And yf any worme / haue your beestes stonge Take of this water / and wasshe his tonge And it wyll be hole anon / and furthermore Of pockes and scabbes / and euery sore He shall be quyte hole / that drynketh of the well That this bone is dipped in / it is treuth that I tell And yf any man that any beste oweth Ones in the weke / or that the cocke croweth Fastynge wyll drynke / of this well a draughte As that holy Iew hath vs taught His beestes and his store / shall multeply And maysters all / it helpeth well Thoughe a man be foule / in ielous rage Let a man with this water / make his potage And neuermore shall he / his wyfe mystryst Thoughe he in sothe the faut by her wyst Or had she be take with freres two or thre ¶ Here is a mytten eke / as ye may se He that his hande wyll put in this myttayn He shall haue / encrease of his grayn That he hathe sowne / be it wete or ●●ys So that he offer pens / or els grotes And another holy relyke / eke here se ye may The blessed acrne / of swete saynt sondaye And who so euer is blessyd / with this ryght hande Can not spede amysse / by se nor by lande And yf he offereth / eke with good deuocyon He shall not fayle / to come to hyghe promocyon ¶ And another holy relyke here may ye see The great too / of the holy trynyte And who so euer ones dothe it in his mouthe take Be shall neuer be dysseasyd / with the tothe ake Canker nor pockys shall there none brede This that I shewe ye / is matter in dede ¶ And here is of our lady / a relyke full good Her bongrace / which she ware with her french hode Whan she wente oute / alwayes for sonne bornynge Women with chylde / which be in mournynge By vertue therof / shal be sone easyd And of theyr trauayll / full sone also releasyd And yf this bongrace / they do deuoutly kys And offer therto / as theyr deuocyon is ¶ Here is another relyke / eke a precyous one Hf all helowes / the blessyd Iaw bone Which relyke / without any fayle Agaynst poyson / chefely dothe preuayle For whom so euer it toucheth / without dout All maner venym / from hym shall issue out So that it shall hurt / no maner wyghte Lo of this relyke / the great power and myghte Which preseruyth from poyson euery man Lo of saynt Myghell / eke the brayn pan Which for the hed ake / is a preseruatyfe To euery man or beste / that beryth lyfe And further it shall stande hym in better stede For his hede shall neuer ake whan that he is dede Nor he shall fele / no maner grefe nor payn Though with a sworde / one cleue it than a twayn But be as one that lay in a dede slepe Wherfore to these relykes / now com crouche and crepe But loke that ye offerynge to them make Or els can ye no maner profyte take But one thynge ye women all I warant you Yf any wyght / be in this place now That hathe done syn / so horryble that she Dare nat for shame / therof sheyuen be Or any woman / be she yonge or olde That hathe made her husbande cockolde Suche folke shall haue / no power nor no grace To offer to my relykes / in this place And who so fyndyth / her selfe out of suche blame Com hyther to me on crystes holy name ¶ And bycause ye Shall vnto me Gaue credence at the full Myn auctoryte Now shall ye se Lo here the popes bull

¶ Now shall the frere begyn his sermon / and euyn at the same tyme the pardoner begynneth also to shew and speke of his bullys / and auctorytes com from Rome .

¶ The frere . ¶ Date et dabitur vobis ¶ Good deuout people / this place of scrypture pardo. ¶ Worshypfull maysters / ye shall vnderstand frere . Is to you / that haue no litterature pardo. ¶ That pope Leo the .x. hath graunted with his hand frere . Is to say / in our englysshe tonge par. ¶ And by his bulles / confyrmed vnder lede frere . As departe your goodes / the poore folke amonge pardo. ¶ To all maner people / bothe quycke and dede frere . And god shall than / gyue vnto you agayne pardo. ¶ Ten thousande yeres / & as many sentes of pardon frere . This in the gospell / so is wryten playne pardo. ¶ Whan they are dede / theyr soules for to guardon frere . Therfore gyue your almes / in the largest wyse pardo. ¶ That wyll with theyr peny / or almes dede frere . Kepe not your goodes / fye fye on couetyse pardo. ¶ Put to theyr handes / to the good spede frere . That synne with god is most abhomynable pardo. ¶ Of the holy chapell of swete saynt Leonarde frere . And is eke the synne / that is most dampnable pardo. ¶ Whiche late by fyre / was destroyed and marde frere . In scrypture eke / but I say syrs how pardo. ¶ Ay by the mas / one can not here frere . What a bablynge maketh yonder felow pardo. ¶ For the bablynge / of yonder folysshe frere frere . In scrypture eke / is there many a place pardo . ¶ And also maysters / as I was aboute to tell frere . Whiche sheweth that many a man so farforth lacketh grace pardo. ¶ Pope Iuly the .vi. hath graunted fayre & well frere . That whan to them / god hathe abundaunce sent pardo. ¶ And doth .xii. thousande yeres of pardon to them sende frere . They wolde dystrybute none to the indygent pardo. ¶ That ought / to this holy chapell lende frere . Wherat god hauynge / great indygnacyon pardo. ¶ Pope Bonyface / the .ix. also frere . Punysshed these men / after a dyuers facyon pardo. ¶ Pope Iuly / pope Innocent / with dyuers popes mo frere . As the gospell / full nobly dothe declare pardo. ¶ Hathe graunted / to the susteynynge of the same frere . How diues Epulus / reygnynge in welfare pardo . ¶ v. thousand yeres of pardon / to euery of you by name frere . And on his borde / dysshes delycate pardo. ¶ And clene remyssyon / also of theyr syn frere . Pore Lazarus / cam beggynge at his gate pardo. ¶ As often tymes / as you put in frere . Desyrynge som fode / his honger to releue pardo. ¶ Any monye / into the pardoners cofer frere . But the rycheman / nothynge wolde hym gyue pardo. ¶ Or any money vp vnto it offer frere . Not so moche as a fewe crommys of breade pardo. ¶ Or he that offeryth / peny or grote frere . Wherfore pore lazarus / of famyn strayth was dede pardo. ¶ Or he that gyueth / the pardoner a new cote frere . And angels hys soule / to heuen dyd cary par. ¶ Or take of me / outher ymage or letter frere . But now the ryche man / of the contrary pardo. ¶ Wherby thys pore chapell may / fayre the better frere . Whan he was dede / went to mysery and payne pardo. ¶ And god wote / it ys a full gracyous dede frere . Where for euermore / he shall remayne pardo. ¶ For whych god / shall quyte you well your mede frere . In brennyng fyre / whych shall neuer cease pardo. ¶ Now helpe our pore chapell / yf it be your wyll frere . But I say thou pardoner / I byd the holde thy peace pardo. ¶ And I say thou frere / holde thy tonge styll frere . What standest thou there / all the day smatterynge pardo. ¶ Mary what standyst thou there / all day clatterrynge frere . ¶ Mary felow I com hyder / to prech the word of god Whych of no man / may be forbode But harde wyth scylence / and good entent For why / it techeth them euydent The very way / and path that shall them lede Euen to heuen gatys / as strayght as any threde And he that lettyth the worde / of god of audyence Standeth accurst / in the greate sentence And so arte thou / for enterruptynge me pardo ¶ Nay thou art a curst / knaue / and that shalt thou se And all suche that to me / make interrupcyon The pope sendes them / excommunycacyon By hys bullys / here redy to be redde By bysshoppes / and hys cardynalles confyrmed And eke yf thou / dysturbe me any thynge Thou arte also / a traytour to the kynge For here hath he graunted me / vnder hys brode seale That no man / yf he loue hys hele Sholde me dysturbe / or let in any wyse And yf thou dost / the kynges commaundement dispise I shall make the be set / fast by the fete And where thou saydyst / that thou arte more mete Amonge the people / here for to preche Bycause thou dost them / the very way teche How to com / to heuen aboue Therin thou lyest / and that shall I proue And by good reason / I shall make the bow And knowe that I / am meter than arte thou ¶ For thou / whan thou hast taught them ones the way Thou e●rest not / whether they com there ye or nay But whan that thou / hast done all togyder And taught them the way / for to com thyther Yet all that thou canst ymagyn Is but to vse vertue / and to abstayne fro syn And yf they fall ones / than thou canst no more Thou canst not gyue them / a salue for theyr sore But these my letters / be clene purgacyon All thoughe neuer so many synnes / they haue don But whan thou hast taught them the way and all Yet or they com there / they may haue many a fall In the way / or that they com thyther For why the way / to heuen is very slydder But I wyll teche them after another race For I shall brynge them to heuen gate And be theyr gydes / and conducte all thynges And lede them thyther / by the purse strynges So that they shall not fall / though that they wolde frere . ¶ Holde thy peace knaue / thou arte very bolde Thou pratest in fayth / euen lyke a pardoner pardo . ¶ Why despysest thou / the popes mynyster Maysters / here I curse hym openly And therwith warne / all this hole company By the popes / great auctoryte That ye leue hym / and herken vnto me For tyll he be assoyled / his wordes take none effecte For out of holy chyrche / he is now clene reiecte frere . ¶ My maysters / he dothe but gest and raue It forseth not / for the wordes of a knaue But to the worde of god do reuerence And here me forthe / with dewe audyence frere . ¶ Maysters I swewed you / ere whyle of almes dede pardo. ¶ Maysters this pardon / whiche I shewed you before frere . And how ye shulde gyue poore folke at theyr nede pardo. Is the greatest that euer was / syth god was bore frere . And yf of your partes / that thynge ones were don frere . For why without confessyon or contrycyon pardo. Dout not but god sholde gyue you retrybucyon frere . ¶ By this shall ye haue / clene remyssyon pardo . But now further / it ought to be declared frere . ¶ And forgyuen of the synnes seuen Who be thes pore folke that shold haue your reward pardo. ¶ Come to this pardon / yf ye wyll come to heuen frere . Who be those pore folk / of whome I speke & name pardo. ¶ Come to this pardon yf ye wyll be in blys frere . Certes we pore freres / are the same pardo. ¶ This is the pardon / which ye can not mysse 〈◊〉 . We freres dayly take payn I say pardo. ¶ This is the pardon which shall mens soules wyn frere . We frears dayly / do bothe fast and pray pardo. ¶ This is the pardon / the rydder of your synne frere . We freres trauayle / and labour euery houre pardo. ¶ This is the pardon / that purchaseth all grace frere . We freres take payne / for the loue of our sauyour pardo. This is a pardon for all maner of trespas frere . We freres also go on lymytacyon pardo. ¶ This is the pardon / of which all mercy dothe sprynge frere . For to preche / to euery crysten nacyon pardo. ¶ This is the pardon that to heuen shall ye brynge frere . But I say thou pardoner / thou wylt kepe sylens ( sone ) pardo . ¶ Ye it is lyke to be whan I haue done frere . Mary therfore the more knaue art thou I say That parturbest / the worde of god I say 〈◊〉 neyther thy selfe / wylt here goddys doctryne 〈◊〉 suffre other / theyr earys to enclyne Therfore our sauyour in his holy scrypture Clyueth the thy iugement / thou cursyd creature Spekynge to the / after this maner Maledictus qui audit verbum dei negligenter Wo be that man sayth our lord / that gyueth no audience Or heryth the worde / of god with negligens pardo . ¶ Now thou haste spoken all syr daw I care nat for the / an olde straw I had leuer thou were hanged / vp with a rope Than I that am comen from the pope And therby goddes minister / whyle thou standest & prate Sholde be fayn to knocke without the gate Therfore preche hardely / thy bely full But I neuertheles / wyll declare the popes bull frere . ¶ Now my frendes / I haue afore shewed ye pardo. ¶ Now my maysters / as I haue afore declared frere . That good it is to gyue your charyte pardo. ¶ That pardoners from you may not be spared frere . And further I haue / at lenghte to you tolde pardo. ¶ Now here after / shall folow and ensew frere . Who be these people / that ye receyue sholde pardo. ¶ That foloweth of pardons / the great vertew frere . That is to say / vs freres pore pardo. ¶ We pardoners for your soules be as necessary frere . That for our lyuynge must begge fro dore to dore pardo. As is the meate / for our bodys hungry frere . For of our own propre / we haue no propre thynge pardo. For pardons is the thynge that bryngeth men to heuen frere . But that we get / of deuout peoples gettynge pardo. ¶ Pardons delyuereth them fro the synnes seuen frere . And in our place / be fryers thre score and thre pardo. ¶ Pardons for euery cryme / may dyspens frere . Which onely lyue / on mens charyte pardo . Pardon purchasyth grace for all offence frere . For we fryars / wylfull charyte professe pardo. ¶ Ye though ye had slayne / bothe father and mother frere . We may haue no money / nother more nor lesse pardo. ¶ And this pardon / is chefe aboue all other frere . For wordly treasure we may nought care pardo. ¶ For who to it offeryth / grote or peny frere . Our soules must be ryche / and our bodyes bare pardo. ¶ Though synnes / he had done neuer so many frere . And one thynge I had almoste left behynde pardo. ¶ And though that he had all his kyndred slayn frere . Which before / cam not to my mynde pardo. ¶ This pardon shall ryd them fro euer lastynge payne frere . And doutles it is none other thynge pardo. ¶ There is no syn / so abhomynable frere . But whan ye wyll gyue / your almes & offerynge pardo. ¶ Which to remyt / this pardon is not able frere . Loke that ye / dystrybute it wysely pardo. ¶ As well declareth / the sentence of this letter frere . Not to euery man / that for it wyll crye pardo. ¶ Ye can not therefore / bestow your money better frere . For yf ye gyue / your almes in that wyse pardo. ¶ Let vs not here / stande ydle all the daye frere . It shall not bothe to them and vs suffyse pardo. ¶ Gyue vs some money / or that we go our way frere . But I say / thou lewde felowe thou Haddest none other tyme to shewe thy bulles but now Canst not tary and abyde tyll sone And rede them than whan prechynge is done pardo. ¶ I wyll rede them now / what sayest thou therto Hast thou any thynge therwith to do Thynkest that I wyll stande / & tary for thy leasure Am I bounde to do so moche for thy pleasure frere . For my pleasure ? nay I wolde thou knewyst it well It becometh the knaue / neuer a dell To prate thus boldely in my presence And let the worde / of god of audience pardo. ¶ Let the word of god qd a ? nay let a horson dreuyll Prate here all day / with a foule euyll And all thy sermon / goth on couetyce And byddest men beware of auaryce And yet in thy sermon / dost thou none other thynge But for almes stande all the day beggynge frere . Leue thy realynge I wolde the aduyse pardo. ¶ Nay leue thou thy bablynge / yf thou be wyse frere . I wolde thou knewest it knaue / I wyll not leue a ( whyt ) pardo . ¶ No more wyll I / I do the well to wyt frere . It is not thou / shall make me holde my peas pardo. Than speke on hardly yf thou thynkyst it for thy 〈◊〉 frere . For I wyll speke / whyther thou wylt or no pardo. ¶ In faythe I care nat / for I wyll speke also frere . Wherfore hardely / let vs bothe go to pardo. Se whiche shall be better harde of vs two frere . What sholde ye gyue ought to pratyng pardoners pardo. ¶ What sholde ye spende on these flaterynge lyers frere . What sholde ye gyue ought to these bolde beggars pardo. ¶ As be these bablynge monkes / and these freres frere . Let them hardely labour for theyr lyuynge pardo. ¶ Which do nought dayly / but bable and lye frere . It moche hurtyth them / good mennys gyuynge pardo. ¶ And tell you fables dere inoughe a flye frere . For that maketh them ydle / and slouthfull to warke pardo. ¶ As dothe this bablynge frere / here to day frere . That for none other thynge they wyll carke pardo. ¶ frere . Hardely they wolde go bothe to plow & carie pardo. ¶ On vs pardoners hardely do your cost frere . And if of necessitie ones they felte the smarte pardo. ¶ For why / your money neuer can be lost frere . But we freres be nat in lyke estate pardo. ¶ For why / there is in our fraternitie frere . For our handes with such thinges we may nat macu ( late ) pardo . ¶ For all bretheren & sisteren that thereof be frere . We freres be nat in lyke condicion pardo. ¶ Deuoutly songe euery yere frere . we may haue no prebendes ne exhibition pardo. ¶ As he shall know well that cometh there frere . Of all temporall seruice are we forbode pardo. ¶ At euery of the fyue solempne festes frere . And onely bounde to the seruice of god pardo. ¶ A masse & dirige to pray for the good rest frere . And therwith to pray for euery christen nation pardo . ¶ Of the soules of the bretheren & sisteren all frere . That god witsafe to saue them fro dampnation pardo. ¶ Of our fraternitie in generall frere . But some of you so harde be of harte pardo. ¶ with a herse there standynge / well arayed & dyght frere . Ye can nat wepe though ye full sore smarte pardo . And torches & tapers aboute it brennynge bright frere . wherfore some man must ye hyre nedes pardo. ¶ And with the belles eke solempnely ryngynge frere . whiche must intrete god for your misdedes pardo. ¶ And prestes & clerkes deuoutly syngynge frere . Ye can hyre no better in myne oppinion pardo. ¶ And furthermore / euery nyght in the yere frere . Than vs goddes seruantes / men of religion pardo. ¶ Twelue pore people are receiued there frere . And specially god hereth vs pore freres pardo. ¶ And there haue bothe harborow and food frere . And is attentife vnto our desyres . pardo . ¶ That for them is conuenient and good frere . For the more of religion / the more herde of our lorde pardo. ¶ And furthermore / if there be any other frere . And that is / so shulde / good reason doeth accorde pardo. ¶ That of our fraternitie be sister or brother frere . Therfore doute nat maisters / I am euen he pardo. ¶ 〈…〉 after happe to fall in decay frere . To whom ye shulde parte with your charitie pardo. ¶ And yf he than chaunce to come that way frere . we freres be they that shulde your almes take pardo. ¶ Nygh vnto our forsayd holy place frere . whiche for your soules helth do both watche & wake pardo. ¶ Ye shall there tary for amon thes space frere . we freres pray / god wote whan ye do slepe pardo. ¶ And be there founde of the places cost frere . we for your synnes do bothe sobbe and wepe pardo. ¶ wherfore now in the name of the holy goost frere . To pray to god for mercy and for grace pardo. ¶ I aduise you all that now here be frere . And thus do we dayly with all our hole place pardo . ¶ For to be of our fraternitie frere . wherfore distribute of your temporall welthe pardo. ¶ Fye on couetise / sticke nat for a peny frere . By whiche ye may preserue your soules helthe pardo . ¶ For whiche ye may haue benefites so many frere . I say wylt thou nat yet stynt thy clappe Pull me downe the pardoner with an euyll happe pardo. ¶ Maister frere / I holde it best To kepe your tonge while ye be in rest frere . I say one pull the knaue of his stole pardo. ¶ Nay one pull the frere downe lyke a fole frere . Leue thy railynge and babbelynge of freres Or by Iys Ish lug the by the swete eares pardo. ¶ By god I wolde thou durst presume to it frere : By god a lytell thynge might make me to do it pardo. ¶ And I shrew thy herte and thou spare frere . By god I wyll nat mysse the moche thou slouche And yf thou playe me suche another touche Ish knocke the on the costarde / I wolde thou it knewe pardo. ¶ Mary that wolde I se quod blynde hew frere . Well I wyll begyn / and than let me se whether thou darest agayne interrupte me And what thou wolde ones to it say pardo. ¶ Begyn & proue whether I wyll ye or nay frere . And to go forthe where as I lefte right now pardo. ¶ Because som percase wyll thynke amysse of me frere· Our lorde in the gospell sheweth the way how pardo. ¶ Ye shall now here / the popys auctoryte frere . ¶ By gogges soule knaue / I suffre the no lenger pardo. I say some good body / lende me his hengar And I shall hym teche by god almyght How he shall a nother tyme lerne for to fyght I shall make that balde crown of his to loke rede I shall leue hym but one ere / on his hede frere . But I shall leue the neuer an ere or I go pardo. ¶ Ye horeson frere / wylt thou so ¶ Than the fyght . frere . ¶ Lose thy handes / away from myn earys pardo. Than take thou thy handes away from my heres Nay abyde thou horeson I am not downe yet I trust fyrst to lye the at my fete frere . Ye horeson / wylt thou scrat and byte pardo. Ye mary wyll I / as longe as thou doste smyte ¶ The curate . parson . ¶ Holde your handes / a vengeaunce on ye bothe two That euer ye came hyther / to make this a do To polute my chyrche / a myschyefe on you lyght I swere to you by god all myght Ye shall bothe repente / euery vayne of your harte As sore as ye dyd / euer thynge or ye departe frere . ¶ Mayster parson / I maruayll ye wyll gyue lycence To this false knaue / in this audience To publysh his ragman rolles with lyes I desyred hym ywys / more than ones or twyse To holde his peas / tyll that I had done But he wolde here no more than the man in the mone pardo. ¶ Why sholde I suffre the / more than thou me Mayster parson gaue me lycence before the And I wolde thou knewyst it / I haue relykes here Other maner stuffe / than thou dost bere I wyll edefy more / with the syght of it Than wyll all the pratynge of holy wryt For that except that the precher / hym selfe lyue well His predycacyon wyll helpe neuer a dell And I know well / that thy lyuynge is nought Thou art an apostata / yf it were well sought An homycyde thou art I know well inoughe For my selfe knew where thou sloughe A wenche with thy dagger in a couche And yet as thou saist in thy sermon that no man shall touch parson . No more of this wranglyng in my chiyrch I shrewe your hartys bothe / for this lurche Is there any blood shed here betwen these knaues Thanked be god / they had no stauys Nor egoteles / for than it had ben wronge Well ye shall synge another songe Neybour prat / com hether I you pray prat . ¶ Why / what is this nyse fraye parson . ¶ I can not tell you / one knaue dysdaynes another Wherfore take ye the tone / and I shall take the other We shall bestow them / there as is most conuenyent For suche a couple / I trow they shall repente That euer they met in this chyrche here Neyboure ye be constable / stande ye nere Take ye that laye knaue / and let me alone With this gentylman / by god and by saynt Iohn I shall borowe vpon prestholde somwhat For I may say to the neybour prat It is a good dede to punysh such to the ensample Of suche other / how that they shall mell In lyke facyon as these catyfes do prat . ¶ In good fayth mayster parson / yf ye do so Ye do but well / to teche them to beware pardo. ¶ Mayster prat I pray ye me to spare For I am sory / for that that is done Wherfore I pray ye forgyue me sone For that I haue offendyd within your lybertye And by my trouthe syr / ye may trust me I wyll neuer come hether more whyle I lyue and god before prat . ¶ Nay I am ones charged with the Wherfore by saynt Iohn thou shalt not escape me Tyll thou hast scouryd a pare of stokys parson . ¶ Tut he weneth all is but mockes Lay hande on hym / and com ye on syr frere Ye shall of me hardely haue your hyre Ye had none suche this .vii. yere I swere by god / and by our lady dere pardo. ¶ Nay mayster parson / for goddys passyon Intreate not me after that facyon For yf ye do it wyll not be for your honesty parson . Honesty or not / but thou shall se What I shall do by and by Make no stroglynge / com forthe soberly For it shall not auayle the I say frere . ¶ Mary that shall we trye / euen strayt way I defy the churle preeste / & there be no mo than thou I wyll not go with the / I make god a vow We shall se fyrst which is the stronger God hath sent me bonys I do the not fere parson . ¶ Ye by thy fayth / wylt thou be there Neybour prat brynge forthe that knaue And thou syr frere yf thou wylt algatys raue frere . ¶ Nay chorle I the defy I shall trouble the fyrst Thou shalt go to pryson by and by Let me se now do thy worste Prat with the pardoner / & the parson with the frere parson . ¶ Helpe helpe neybour prat neybour prat In the worshyp of god / helpe me somwhat prat . ¶ Nay deale as thou canst with that elfe For why I haue inoughe to do my selfe Alas for payn I am almoste dede The reede blood so ronneth downe about my hede Nay and thou canst I pray the helpe me parson . Nay by the mas felowe it wyll not be I haue more tow on my dystaffe / than I can well spyn The cursed frere dothe the vpper hande wyn frere . Wyll ye leue than / and let vs in peace departe ꝑs . & pr ¶ Ye by our lady / euen with all our harte fre pard . ¶ Than adew to the deuyll tyll we come agayn parson . pr ¶ And a myschefe go with you bothe twayne .