Part 29

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