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 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 londlese Who toteth on hem they bene vntall They ben arayed all for the peace , But falshed foule mote it befall . ¶ Many a countreye 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 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 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 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 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 shal be 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 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 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 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 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 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 agramed 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 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 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 shal be 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 fo rs all For worldes thanke , suche worch and wake And all suche false shall foule fall ¶ Such that canne nather Crede 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 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 hem holde And all suche false foule hem fall ¶ Here endeth the fyrste parte of thys tale , and herafter foloweth the seconde parte

TO accorde wyth thys worde fall No more English can I rynde Shewe another nowe I shall 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 Agaynst sufferaunce 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 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 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 longeth so heuyn blysse Gor for his mercy hem amende ¶ Some of the apostels they sewen 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 hys 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 shal be 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 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 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 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 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 hungre 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 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 To serue god they be full lame Goddes theues , and falsly stele And falsely goddes worde defame In wennynge is her worldes we le ☞ 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 knowen 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 shal be shent Or speketh ayenst her false lyuyng Who so well lyueth shal be 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 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 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 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 wonder thinges Aboute that , men offren to nowe Hongen broches , ouches , and tynges 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 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 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 with his lemman all nyght And tellen his felow , and he hym He goth to masse anone righte And sayeth he syngeth out of synne 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 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 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 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 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 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 shal be ryghtwysnesse Her treasure , true lyfe shal be Charite shal be her rychesse Her lordshyppe shal be vnite Hope in god , her honeste Her vessell clene conscience Poore in spirite , and humilite Sal be holy churches defence ¶ What sayd the Gryffon may the greue That other folkes faren we le 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 He fareth the deuell that wonnethe in hell ¶ He wolde that eche man 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 Ayenst tythinges , offringes with your ententes And on our lordes body falslylye And all thys ye done to lyue in ease As who sayth , there ben none suche 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 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 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 Mekenesse and pouerte he shulde vse The Gryffon sayde he shulde abye Thou shal be 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 canst do ¶ Christ bad ones suffre for hys loue And so he taught all hys seruauntes 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 teren 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 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 that 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 amende 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 God amende hem for hys grace Plowman . what ayleth the Griffon , 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 temporel strength ther people chase 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 token 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 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 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 sende space And for my wrytyng me alowe He that is almighty for hys grace