## þe Simonie

### Publication Statement:

This file is part of the facsimile-edition of the Auchinleck Manuscript was co-edited by Professor David Burnley and Dr Alison Wiggins. The HTML versions of the resource are freely available at http://www.nls.uk/auchinleck/

### Notes:

This manuscript file was originally supplied as simonie.html and the header file was located in heads/simonie_head.html both of which were converted to TEI XML by Dr James Cummings of the Oxford Text Archive. The notes below were taken from the header file and each HTML paragraph placed in a separate note.

Scribe 2

6-line stanzas of four long lines, a bob and one long line, rhyming aabbcc. 476 lines. Ends imperfect with last leaf missing from the gathering.

The Auchinleck text is a unique copy of the A-redaction.
B-redaction:
Bodleian Library MS 48 (formerly MS 18885). Second quarter of the 15th century.
C-redaction:
Cambridge Peterhouse MS 104. Last quarter of the 14th or first quarter of the 15th century.

Edition:
D. Embree and E. Urquhart, The Simonie: A Parallel-Text Edition, Middle English Texts 24 (Heidelberg: Winter, 1991).

Other editions:
T. W. Ross, A Satire on Edward II's England, Colorado College Studies 8 (Colorado Springs: The Research Committee, Colorado College, 1966). (Critical edition).
E. Kölbing, 'Vier Romanzen-handschriften', Englische Studien, 7 (1884): 177-201.
C. Hardwick, A Poem on the Times of Edward II, Percy Society 28, no. 2 (London: Richards, 1849). (Peterhouse MS of The Simonie printed in seventy-eight eleven-line stanzas).

Index 4165.

### Source:

The Auchinleck Manuscript (NLS Adv MS 19.2.1) is one of the National Library of Scotland’s greatest treasures. Produced in London in the 1330s, it provides a unique insight into the English language and literature that Chaucer and his generation grew up with and were influenced by. It acquired its name from its first known owner, Lord Auchinleck, who discovered the manuscript in 1740 and donated it to the precursor of the National Library in 1744.

### þe Simonie

Whij werre and wrake in londe and manslauht is icome, [f.328r] [Image]
Whij hungger and derþe on eorþe þe pore haþ vndernome,
Whij bestes ben þus storue, whij corn haþ ben so dere,
ȝe þat wolen abide, listneþ, and ȝe muwen here
¶ Þe skile.[5]
I nelle liȝen for noman – herkne whoso wile.
¶ God greteþ wel þe clergie and seiþ þeih don amis,
And doþ hem to vnderstonde þat litel treuþe þer is.
For at þe court of Rome, þer treuþe sholde biginne,
Him is forboden þe paleis; dar he noht come þerinne[10]
¶ For doute.
And þouh þe pope clepe him in, ȝit shal he stonde þeroute.
¶ Alle þe popes clerkes han taken hem to red
If treuþe come amonges hem, þat he shal be ded.
Þere dar he noht shewen him for doute to be slain.[15]
Among none of þe cardinaus dar he noht be sein
¶ For feerd.
If symonie may mete wid him, he wole shaken his berd.
¶ Voiȝ of clerk is sielde iherd at þe court of Rome.
Ne were he neuere swich a clerk, siluerles if he come[20]
Þouh he were þe wiseste þat euere was iborn
But if he swete ar he go, al his weye is lorn
¶ Isouht.
Or he shal singe si dedero or al geineþ him noht.
¶ For if þere be in countre an horeling, a shrewe,[25]
Lat him come to þe court hise nedes for to shewe
And bringe wid him siluer and non oþer wed.
Be he neuere so muchel a wrecche, hise nedes sholen be sped
¶ Ful stille.
For coueytise and symonie han þe world to wille.[30]
And erchebishop and bishop, þat ouhte for to enquere
Off alle men of holi churche of what lif þeih were,
Summe beþ foles hemself and leden a sory lif.
Þerfore doren hij noht speke for rising of strif
¶ Þurw clerkes,[35]
And þat euerich biwreied oþer of here wrecchede werkes. [f.328v] [Image]
¶ But certes, holi churche is muchel ibrouht þer doune
Siþ þen seint Thomas was slain and smiten of his croune.
He was a piler ariht to holden vp holi churche.
Þise oþere ben to slouwe and feinteliche kunnen worche,[40]
¶ Iwis.
Þerfore in holi churche, hit fareþ þe more amis.
¶ But eueri man may wel iwite, whoso take ȝeme,
Þat no man may wel serue tweie lordes to queme.
Summe beþ in ofice wid þe king and gaderen tresor to hepe;[45]
And þe fraunchise of holi churche hij laten ligge slepe
¶ Ful stille.
Al to manye þer beþ swiche, if hit were Godes wille.
And þise ersedeknes þat ben set to uisite holi churche,
Euerich fondeþ hu he may shrewedelichest worche.[50]
He wole take mede of þat on and þat oþer
And late þe persoun haue a wyf and þe prest anoþer
¶ At wille.
Coueytise shal stoppen here mouþ and maken hem al stille.
¶ For sone so a persoun is ded and in eorþe idon,[55]
Þanne shal þe patroun haue ȝiftes anon.
Þe clerkes of þe cuntre wolen him faste wowe
And senden him faire ȝiftes and presentes inowe,
¶ And þe bishop.
And þere shal symonye ben taken bi þe top.[60]
¶ Coveytise vpon his hors, he wole be sone þere
And bringe þe bishop siluer and rounen in his ere
Þat alle þe pore þat þer comen, on ydel sholen þeih worche
For he þat allermost may ȝiue, he shal haue þe churche,
¶ Iwis.[65]
Euerich man nou bi dawe may sen þat þus hit is.
¶ And whan þis newe persoun is institut in his churche
He biþenkeþ him hu he may shrewedelichest worche.
Ne shal þe corn in his berne ben eten wid no muis,
But hit shal ben ispended in a shrewede huis,[70]
¶ If he may.
Al shal ben ibeten out or Cristemesse day. [f.329r] [Image]
And whan he haþ igadered markes and poundes,
He prikeþ out of toune, wid haukes and wid houndes
Into a straunge contre and halt a wenche in cracche.[75]
And wel is hire þat first may swich a persoun kacche
¶ In londe.
And þus þeih seruen þe chapele and laten þe chirche stonde.
¶ He takeþ al þat he may and makeþ þe chirche pore
And leueþ þare behinde a þeef and an hore -[80]
A seriaunt and a deie, þat leden a sory lif;
Also faire hij gon to bedde as housebonde and wif,
¶ Wid sorwe.
Shal þere no pore lif fare þe bet, nouþer on euen ne on morwe.
¶ And whan he haþ þe siluer of wolle and of lomb,[85]
He put in his pautener an houue and a komb,
A myrour and a koeuerchef to binde wid his crok
And rat on þe rouwe bible and on oþer bok
¶ No mo.
But vnþank haue þe bishop þat lat hit so go.[90]
¶ For þouh þe bishop hit wite þat hit bename kouþ,
He may wid a litel siluer stoppen his mouþ.
He medeþ wid þe clerkes and halt forþ þe wenche
And lat þe parish forworþe. Þe deuel him adrenche
¶ For his werk.[95]
And sory may his fader ben þat euere made him clerk.
¶ And if þe persoun haue a prest of a clene lyf
Þat be a god consailler to maiden and to wif,
Shal comen a daffe and putte him out for a litel lasse,
Þat can noht a ferþingworþ of God, vnneþe singe a masse[100]
¶ But ille.
And þus shal al þe parish for lac of lore spille.
¶ For riht me þinkeþ hit fareþ bi a prest þat is lewed
As bi a iay in a kage þat (þat) himself haþ bishrewed:
God Engelish he spekeþ, ac he wot neuere what;[105]
No more wot a lewed prest in boke what he rat [f.329v] [Image]
¶ Bi day.
Þanne is a lewed prest no betre þan a iay.
¶ But eueri man may wel iwite, bi þe swete rode,
Þer beþ so manye prestes, hij ne muwe noht alle be gode.[110]
And naþeles þise gode men fallen oft in fame
For þise wantoune prestes þat pleien here nice game
¶ Bi nihte.
Hij gon wid swerd and bokeler as men þat wolde fihte.
¶ Summe bereþ croune of acolite for þe crumponde crok[115]
And ben ashamed of þe merke þe bishop hem bitok.
At euen he set vpon a koife and kembeþ þe croket.
Adihteþ him a gay wenche of þe newe iet
¶ Sanȝ doute.
And þere hij clateren cumpelin whan þe candel is oute. [120] [ is: written superscript.]
And þise abbotes and priours don aȝein here rihtes:
Hij riden wid hauk and hound and contrefeten knihtes.
Hij sholde leue swich pride and ben religiouus.
And nu is Pride maister in euerich ordred hous,
¶ Iwis.[125]
Religioun is euele iholde and fareþ þe more [amis]. [ amis perhaps added later.]
¶ For if þere come to an abey to pore men or þre
And aske of hem helpe par seinte charite,
Vnneþe wole any don his ernde, oþer ȝong or old,
But late him coure þer al day in hunger and in cold[130]
¶ And sterue.
Loke what loue þer is to God whom þeih seien þat hij serue.
¶ But þere come anoþer and bringe a litel lettre
In a box vpon his hepe, he shal spede þe betre;
And if he be wid eny man þat may don þe abot harm,[135]
He shal be lad into þe halle and ben imad ful warm
¶ Aboute þe mawe.
And Godes man stant þeroute – sory is þat lawe.
¶ Þus is God nu serued þurwout religioun.
Þere is he al to sielde isein in eny deuocioun. [f.330r] [Image] [140]
His meyne is vnwelcome, comen hij erliche or late:
Þe porter haþ comaundement to holde hem widoute þe ȝate
¶ In þe fen.
Hu mihte þeih louen þat louerrd þat seruen þus his men?
¶ Þis is þe penaunce þat monekes don for vre lordes loue:[145]
Hij weren sockes in here shon and felted botes aboue;
He haþ forsake for Godes loue boþe hunger and cold;
But if he haue hod and cappe fured, he nis noht itold
¶ In couent.
Ac certes, wlaunknesse of wele hem haþ al ablent.[150]
¶ Religioun was first founded duresce for to drie;
And nu is þe moste del iwent to eise and glotonie.
Where shal men nu finde fattere or raddere of leres
Or betre farende folk þan monekes, chanons, and freres
¶ In vch toun?[155]
I wot non eysiere lyf þan is religioun.
¶ Religioun wot redi vch day what he shal don.
He ne careȝ noht to muche for his mete at non.
For hous-hire ne for cloþes, he ne careȝ noht;
But whan he comeþ to þe mete, he makeþ his mawe touht[160]
¶ Off þe beste;
And anon þerafter he fondeþ to kacche reste.
And ȝit þer is anoþer ordre, Menour and Iacobin
And freres of þe Carme and of Seint Austin,
Þat wolde preche more for a busshel of whete[165]
Þan for to bringe a soule from helle out of þe hete
¶ To rest.
And þus is coueytise louerd boþe est and west.
¶ If a pore man come to a frere for to aske shrifte,
And þer come a ricchere and bringe him a ȝifte,[170]
He shal into þe freitur and ben imad ful glad,
And þat oþer stant þeroute as a man þat were mad
¶ In sorwe.
ȝit shal his ernde ben vndon til þat oþer morwe. [f.330v] [Image]
¶ And if þere be a riche man þat euel haþ vndernome,[175]
Þanne wolen þise freres al day þider come.
And if hit be a pore lyf in pouerte and in care,
Sorwe on þat o frere þat kepeþ come þare
¶ Ful loþ.
Alle wite ȝe, gode men, hu þe gamen goþ.[180]
¶ And if þe riche man deie þat was of eny mihte,
Þanne wolen þe freres for þe cors fihte.
Hit nis noht al for þe calf þat kow louweþ
Ac hit is for þe grene gras þat in þe medewe grouweþ
¶ So god.[185]
Alle wite ȝe what I mene, þat kunnen eny god.
¶ For als ich euere brouke min hod vnder min hat
Þe frere wole to þe direge if þe cors is fat.
Ac bi þe feiþ I owe to God, if þe cors is lene,
He wole wagge aboute þe cloistre and kepen his fet clene[190]
¶ In house.
Hu mihte þeih faire forsake þat hij ne ben coueytouse?
And officials and denes, þat chapitles sholden holde,
Þeih sholde chastise þe folk, and þeih maken hem bolde.
Mak a present to þe den þer þu þenkest to dwelle,[195]
And haue leue longe inouh to serue þe fend of helle
¶ To queme.
For haue he siluer, of sinne takeþ he neuere ȝeme.
¶ If a man haue a wif, and he ne loue hire noht,
Bringe hire to þe constorie, þer treuþe sholde be souht,[200]
And bringge tweye false wid him and himself þe þridde,
And he shal ben toparted so faire as he wole bidde
¶ From his wif.
He shal ben holpen wel inouh to lede a shrewede lyf.
¶ And whan he is þus ideled from his rihte spouse[205]
He takeþ his neiheboures wif and bringeþ hire to his house,
And whiles he haþ eny siluer þe clerkes to sende
He may holde hire at his wille to his liues ende [f.331r] [Image]
¶ Wid vnskile.
And but þat be wel iloked, curs in here bile.[210]
And ȝit þer is anoþer craft þat toucheþ þe clergie
Þat ben þise false fisiciens þat helpen men to die.
He wole wagge his vrine in a vessel of glaȝ
And swereþ þat he is sekere þan euere ȝit he was
¶ And sein,[215]
‘Dame, for faute of helpe, þin housebonde is neih slain.’
¶ Þus he wole afraien al þat þer is inne
And make many a lesing siluer for to winne.
Ac afterward he fondeþ to conforte þe wif
And seiþ ‘Dame, for [loue] of þin, I wole holde his lyf’[220]
¶ A[n]d liȝe,
Þouh he wite no more þan a gos wheiþer he wole liue or die.
¶ Anon he wole biginne to blere þe wiues eiȝe:
He wole aske half a pound to bien spicerie;
Þe viij shillinges sholen vp to þe win and þe ale,[225]
And bringe rotes and rindes, bretful a male
¶ Off noht.
Hit shal be dere on a lek whan hit is al iwrouht.
¶ He wole preisen hit inohw and sweren as he were wod:
‘For þe king of þe lond, þe drink is riche and god.’[230]
And ȝeue þe gode man drinke a god quantite
And make him worsse þan he was. Euele mote he þe,
¶ Þat clerk,
Þat so geteþ þe siluer and can noht don his werk.
¶ He doþ þe wif seþe a chapoun and piece beof.[235]
Ne tit þe gode man noht þerof, be him neuere so leof.
Þe beste he pikeþ vp himself and makeþ his mawe touht
And ȝeueþ þe gode man soupe þe lene broþ þat nis noht
¶ For seke.
Þat so serueþ eny man, Godes curs in his cheke.[240]
And þilke þat han al þe wele in freþ and in feld,
Boþen eorl and baroun and kniht of o sheld,
Alle þeih beþ isworne holi churche holde to rihte; [f.331v] [Image]
Þerfore was þe ordre mad, for holi churche to fihte
¶ Sanȝ faille.[245]
And nu ben þeih þe ferste þat hit sholen assaille.
¶ Hij brewen strut and stuntise þereas sholde be pes.
Hij sholde gon to þe Holi Lond and maken þere her res
And fihte þere for þe croiȝ and shewe þe ordre of knihte
And awreke Ihesu Crist, wid launce and spere to fihte[250]
¶ And sheld.
And nu ben þeih liouns in halle and hares in þe feld.
¶ Knihtes sholde weren weden in here manere
After þat þe ordre askeþ, also wel as a frere.
Nu ben þeih so degysed and diuerseliche idiht,[255]
Vnneþe may men knowe a gleman from a kniht,
¶ Wel neih.
So is mieknesse driuen adoun, and pride is risen on heih.
¶ Þus is þe ordre of kniht turned vp so doun.
Also wel can a kniht chide as any skolde of a toun.[260]
Hij sholde ben also hende as eny leuedi in londe;
And for to speke alle vilainie nel nu no kniht wonde,
¶ For shame.
And þus [is] knihtshipe acloied and waxen al fot-lame.
¶ Knihtshipe is acloied and deolfulliche idiht.[265]
Kunne a boy nu breke a spere, he shal be mad a kniht.
And þus ben knihtes gadered of vnkinde blod,
And enuenimeþ þat ordre þat sholde be so god
¶ And hende.
Ac o shrewe in a court many man may shende.[270]
And nu nis no squier of pris in þis middelerd,
But if þat he bere a babel and a long berd
And swere Godes soule and vuwe to God and hote.
But sholde he for eueri fals uþ lese kirtel or kote, [ uþ: MS reads up.]
¶ I leue,[275]
He sholde stonde start naked twye o day or eue.
¶ Godes soule is al day sworn; þe knif stant astrout. [f.332r] [Image]
And þouh þe botes be torn, ȝit wole he maken hit stout.
Þe hod hangeþ on his brest as he wolde spewe þerinne.
Ac shortliche al þis contrefaiture is colour of sinne[280]
¶ And bost.
To wraþ þe God and paien þe fend hit serueþ allermost.
¶ A newe taille of squierie is nu in eueri toun:
Þe raye is turned ouerþuert þat sholde stonde adoun.
Hij ben degised as turmentours þat comen from clerkes plei.[285]
Hij ben ilaft wid pride and cast nurture awey
¶ In diche.
Gentille men þat sholde ben ne beþ hij none iliche.
And iustises, shirreues, meires, baillifs, if I shal rede ariht
Hij kunnen of þe faire day make þe derke niht.[290]
Hij gon out of þe heie-wey. Ne leuen hij for no sklaundre
And maken þe mothalle at hom in here chaumbre
¶ Wid wouh.
For be þe hond iwhited, it shal go god inouh.
¶ If þe king in his werre sent after mihti men[295]
To helpe him in his nede – of sum toun .ix. or .x. -
Þe stiffeste sholen bileue at hom for .x. shillinges or .xii.
And sende forþ a wrecche þat may noht helpe him selue
¶ At nede.
Þus is þe king deceyued and pore men shent for mede.[300]
¶ And if þe king in his lond makeþ a taxacioun,
And eueri man is iset to a certein of rauncȝoun,
Hit shal be so forpinched, totoilled, and totwiht
Þat haluendel shal gon in þe fendes fliht
¶ Of helle.[305]
Þer beþ so manye parteners may no tunge telle.
¶ A man of .xl. poundes worþ god is leid to .xii. pans rounde;
And also muche paieþ anoþer þat pouerte haþ brouht to grounde
And haþ an hep of girles sittende aboute þe flet.
Godes curs moten hij haue, but þat be wel set [f.332v] [Image] [310]
¶ And sworn:
Þat þe pore is þus ipiled and þe riche forborn.
¶ Ac if þe king hit wiste, I trouwe he wolde be wroþ,
Hou þe pore beþ ipiled, and hu þe siluer goþ.
Hit is so deskatered, boþe hider and þidere,[315]
Þat haluendel shal ben stole ar hit come togidere
¶ And acounted.
And if a pore man speke a word, he shal be foule afrounted.
¶ Ac were þe king wel auised and wolde worche bi skile,
Litel nede sholde he haue swiche pore to pile.[320]
Þurste him noht seke tresor so fer, he mihte finde ner
At iustises, at shirreues, cheiturs and chaunceler,
¶ And at les.
Swiche mihte finde him inouh and late pore men haue pes.
¶ For whoso is in swich ofice, come he neuere so pore,[325]
He fareþ in a while as þouh he hadde siluer ore.
Þeih bien londes and ledes; ne may hem non astonde.
What sholde pore men [ben] ipiled while swiche men beþ in londe
¶ So fele?
Þeih pleien wid þe kinges siluer and breden wod for wele.[330]
¶ Ac shrewedeliche, for soþe, hij don þe kinges heste:
Whan eueri man haþ his part, þe king haþ þe leste.
Eueri man is aboute to fille his owen purs,
And þe king haþ þe leste part, and he haþ al þe curs,
¶ Wid wronge.[335]
God sende treuþe into þis lond, for tricherie dureþ to longe.
And baillifs and bedeles vnder þe shirreue,
Euerich fondeþ hu he may pore men most greue.
Þe pore men beþ oueral somouned on assise,
And þe riche sholen sitte at hom, and þer wole siluer rise[340]
¶ To shon.
Godes curs moten hij haue, but þat be wel don.
¶ And countours in benche þat stondeþ at þe barre,
Þeih wolen bigile þe in þin hond, but if þu be þe warre. [f.333r] [Image]
He wole take xl pans for to do doun his hod[345]
And speke for þe a word or to and don þe litel god,
¶ I trouwe.
And haue he turned þe bak, he makeþ þe a mouwe.
¶ Attourneis in cuntre, þeih geten siluer for noht.
Þeih maken men biginne þat þey neuere hadden þouht[350]
And whan þeih comen to þe ring, hoppe if hij kunne.
Al þat þeih muwen so gete, al þinkeþ hem iwonne
¶ Wid skile.
Ne triste no man to hem, so false þeih beþ in þe bile.
And sumtime were chapmen þat treweliche bouhten and solde;[355]
And nu is þilke assise broke, and nas noht ȝore holde.
Chaffare was woned to be meintened wid treuþe.
And nu is al turned to treccherie; and þat is muchel reuþe
¶ To wite
Þat alle manere godnesse is þus adoun ismite.[360]
¶ Vnneþe is nu eny man þat can eny craft
Þat he nis a party los in þe haft.
For falsnesse is so fer forþ ouer al þe lond isprunge,
Þat wel neih nis no treuþe in hond, ne in tunge,
¶ Ne in herte.[365]
And þerfore nis no wonder þouh al þe world it smerte.
¶ Þer was a gamen in Engelond þat durede ȝer and oþer:
Erliche vpon þe Monenday, vch man bishrewed oþer.
So longe lastede þat gamen among lered and lewed
Þat nolde þeih neuere stinten or al þe world were bishrewed,[370]
¶ Iwis.
And þerfore al þat helpe sholde fareþ þe more amis.
¶ So þat for þat shrewedom þat regneþ in þe lond,
I drede me þat God us haþ forlaft out of his hond
Þurw wederes þat he haþ isent, cold and vnkinde.[375]
And ȝit ne haueþ no man of him þe more minde
¶ Ariht.
Vnneþe is any man aferd of Godes muchele miht. [f.333v] [Image]
¶ God haþ ben wroþ wid þe world, and þat is wel isene:
For al þat whilom was murye is turned to treie and tene.[380]
He sente vs plente inouh, suffre whiles we wolde,
Off alle manere sustenaunce grouwende vpon molde
¶ So þicke.
And euere aȝeines his godnesse we weren iliche wicke.
¶ Men sholde noht sumtime finde a boy for to bere a lettre[385]
Þat wolde eten eny mete, but it were þe betre:
For beof ne for bakoun ne for swich stor of house
Vnneþe wolde eny don a char, so were þeih daungerouse
¶ For wlaunke.
And siþ þen bicom ful reulich þat þanne weren so ranke.[390]
¶ For þo God seih þat þe world was so ouergart
He sente a derþe on eorþe and made hit ful smart. [ sente: altered from sende by the addition of a superscript t.]
A busshel of whete was at foure shillinges or more,
And so men mihte han ihad a quarter noht ȝore
¶ Igon.[395]
So can God make wane þer raþere was won.
¶ And þanne gan bleiken here ble, þat arst lowen so loude
And to waxen al hand-tame, þat raþere weren so proude.
A mannes herte mihte blede for to here þe crie
Off pore men þat gradden ‘Allas, for hungger I die[400]
¶ Vpriht.’
Þis auhte make men aferd of Godes muchele miht.
¶ And after þat ilke wante, com eft wele inouh
And plente of alle gode grouwende on vch a bouh.
Þo god ȝer was aȝein icome and god chep of corn,[405]
Þo were we also muchele shrewes as we were beforn
¶ Or more.
Also swiþe we forȝeten his wreche and his lore
¶ Þo com þer anoþer sorwe þat spradde ouer al þe lond:
A þusent winter þerbifore com neuere non so strong [f.334r] [Image] [410]
To binde alle þe mene men in mourning and in care.
Þe orf deiede al bidene and maden þe lond al bare,
¶ So faste.
Com neuere wrecche into Engelond þat made men more agaste.
¶ And þo þat qualm was astin[t], of beste þat bar horn,[415]
Þo sente God on eorþe anoþer derþe of corn
Þat spradde ouer al Engelond, boþe norþ and souþ,
And made seli pore men afingred in here mouþ
¶ Ful sore.
And ȝit vnneþe any man dredeþ God þe more.[420]
¶ And wid þat laste derþe, com þer anoþer shame
Þat ouhte be god skile maken us alle tame.
Þe fend kidde his maistri and arerede a strif
Þat eueri lording was bisi to sauue his owen lyf
¶ And his god.[425]
God do bote þeron for his blessede blod.
¶ Gret nede hit were to bidde þat þe pes were brouht
For þe lordinges of þe lond þat swich wo han iwrouht
Þat nolde spare for kin þat o kosin þat oþer;
So þe fend hem prikede vch man to mourdren oþer[430]
¶ Wid wille,
Þat al Engelond, iwis, was in point to spille.
¶ Pride prikede hem so faste þat nolde þeih neuere haue pes
Ar þeih hadden in þis lond maked swich a res
Þat þe beste blod of (of) þe lond shamliche was brouht to grounde.[435]
If hit betre mihte a ben! Allas! þe harde stounde
¶ Bitid,
Þat of so gentille blod iborn, swich wreche was ikid.
¶ Allas, þat euere sholde hit bifalle þat in so litel a þrowe,
Swiche men sholde swich deþ þole and ben ileid so lowe.[440]
Of eorles and of barouns, baldest hij were;
And nu hit is of hem bicome riht as þeih neuere ne were [f.334v] [Image]
¶ Iborn.
God loke to þe soules þat hij ne be noht lorn.
¶ Ac whiles þise grete lordinges þus han ihurled to hepe,[445]
Þise prelatȝ of holi churche, to longe þeih han islepe.
Al to late þeih wakeden, and þat was muchel reuþe.
Þeih weren ablent wid coueytise and mihte noht se þe treuþe
For mist.
Þeih dradden more here lond to lese þan loue of Ihesu Crist.[450]
¶ For hadde þe clergie harde holden togidere
And noht flecched aboute noþer hider ne þidere,
But loked where þe treuþe was and þere haue bileued,
Þanne were þe barnage hol þat nu is al todreued
¶ So wide.[455]
Ac certes, Engelond is shent þurw falsnesse and þurw pride.
¶ Pride haþ in his paunter kauht þe heie and þe lowe,
So þat vnneþe can eny man God almihti knowe.
Pride prikeþ aboute wid niþe and wid onde.
Pes and loue and charite hien hem out of londe[460]
¶ So faste.
Þat God wole fordon þe world we muwe be sore agaste.
¶ Alle wite we wel it is oure gilt – þe wo þat we beþ inne -
But no man knoweþ þat hit is for his owen sinne.
Vch man put on oþer þe wreche of þe wouh,[465]
But wolde vch man rancȝake himself, þanne were al wel inouh
¶ Iwrouht.
But nu can vch man demen oþer and himselue noht.
¶ And þise assisours þat comen to shire and to hundred
Damneþ men for siluer, and þat nis no wonder:[470]
For whan þe riche iustise wole do wrong for mede,
Þanne þinkeþ hem þeih muwen þe bet for þeih han more nede
¶ To winne.
Ac so is al þis world ablent þat no man douteþ sinne.
¶ But bi Seint Jame of Galice, þat many man haþ souht,[475]
Þe pilory and þe cucking-stol beþ imad for noht.