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[A Tale of Warning against buying Bishoprics, and worshipping Bad Bishops' Bodies.]
As þe munkës shulde do werche
werk þat fyl vn-to here cherche,
As þey dalue dowun yn þe clay,
Þey fonde a bysshope alle hole lay,
with flesshe and blode, and hole sendal,
And, wyþ ouþer vestement alle,
As fresshë as he were depeynt.
þey wende he had be a corseynt;
þey toke hym vp, euerychone,
And, leyd hym vppon a stone,
And wurscheped hyt moche with-alle,
For þey wende myrácles shulde falle.
At hygh feste tymës of þe ȝere
Þey ensensed þe body as þe hygh autere.
werk þat fyl vn-to here cherche,
As þey dalue dowun yn þe clay,
Þey fonde a bysshope alle hole lay,
with flesshe and blode, and hole sendal,
And, wyþ ouþer vestement alle,
As fresshë as he were depeynt.
þey wende he had be a corseynt;
þey toke hym vp, euerychone,
And, leyd hym vppon a stone,
And wurscheped hyt moche with-alle,
For þey wende myrácles shulde falle.
At hygh feste tymës of þe ȝere
Þey ensensed þe body as þe hygh autere.
A nyȝt, whan þe sekesteyn yn bede was leyd,
Hym þoȝt one come, and to hym seyd,
“Ensense þe body no more so,
Ne do no wurschep þar-vnto.”
Hym þoȝt one come, and to hym seyd,
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Ne do no wurschep þar-vnto.”
Þe sekesteyn, for alle þat defense,
Ȝyt he ȝaue þe body ensense.
Anouþer nyȝt, fór þat same,
Efte þe sekesteyn he gan blame,
and seyd, “holde hyt no more yn prys,
þat yche body, þat þere lys.”
þe munkë seyd, “telle me why
þat he to wurschep ne ys wurþy.”
“loke to morne, and þou mayst wyte
what lyþ yn hys mytyr wryte.”
Ȝyt he ȝaue þe body ensense.
Anouþer nyȝt, fór þat same,
Efte þe sekesteyn he gan blame,
and seyd, “holde hyt no more yn prys,
þat yche body, þat þere lys.”
þe munkë seyd, “telle me why
þat he to wurschep ne ys wurþy.”
“loke to morne, and þou mayst wyte
what lyþ yn hys mytyr wryte.”
Þe munkë ros vp on þe morne,
And, fonde yn hys mytyr horne
Þesë verse wryte on a scrowe,
For þat he shulde þe bettyr trowe:
Þese are þo ychë twey verse,
Þat to holynes are reuers,
Quem lapis ille tegit, sandalia viliter emit;
Estuat in baratro, pessimus ille latro.
“he þat þys stone hyleþ one lyche,
wykkedly boȝt hys bysshopryche.
yn helle he welleþ pynë grefe,
For alþerwerst þan was he þefe.”
And, fonde yn hys mytyr horne
Þesë verse wryte on a scrowe,
For þat he shulde þe bettyr trowe:
Þese are þo ychë twey verse,
Þat to holynes are reuers,
Quem lapis ille tegit, sandalia viliter emit;
Estuat in baratro, pessimus ille latro.
“he þat þys stone hyleþ one lyche,
wykkedly boȝt hys bysshopryche.
yn helle he welleþ pynë grefe,
For alþerwerst þan was he þefe.”
Alþerwerst þen shal hem be,
Þat for mede come to dygnyte.
hyt ys nat to speke, ne to preche,
Þe clergye werche moche aftyr wreche.
Þat for mede come to dygnyte.
hyt ys nat to speke, ne to preche,
Þe clergye werche moche aftyr wreche.
Ne þou shalt no dedë werche,
Noþer to iangle, yn holy cherche;
Namely yn tyme of holy feste,
Þán shuldë men iangle leste.
Þat tyme make many one, gaderyng
yn holy cherche of ydul þyng;
And of alle shalt þou ȝelde acounte,
To whos godenesse hyt shuld amounte.
y haue touched of þys outrage
whan y spake of sacrylage.
Noþer to iangle, yn holy cherche;
Namely yn tyme of holy feste,
Þán shuldë men iangle leste.
Þat tyme make many one, gaderyng
yn holy cherche of ydul þyng;
And of alle shalt þou ȝelde acounte,
To whos godenesse hyt shuld amounte.
y haue touched of þys outrage
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Ne þou oghtes nat to be enchesun
To sturble mannys deuocyoun.
Ȝyf þou ne wylte Goddes seruyse here,
lette none ouþer of here preyere;
Fole ys, þat foly þat wyl nat drede,
And more þat letteþ alle oþer gode dede.
Ryȝt so seyþ Salamon þe wyse,
Vs alle of foly to chastyse.
To sturble mannys deuocyoun.
Ȝyf þou ne wylte Goddes seruyse here,
lette none ouþer of here preyere;
Fole ys, þat foly þat wyl nat drede,
And more þat letteþ alle oþer gode dede.
Ryȝt so seyþ Salamon þe wyse,
Vs alle of foly to chastyse.
Clerk to bete, or handes on ley
yn vyolence, hyt ys grete eye;
Hyt longeþ to þys sacrament
Þurgh bysshopës commaundëment;
yn sacrylagë þer y spake,
y touched of þat ychë lak;
And yn þe ten commaundëmens,
y wene y touched of þys defens;
Þarforë, now hyt ys beste,
Of þys sacrament to reste.
yn vyolence, hyt ys grete eye;
Hyt longeþ to þys sacrament
Þurgh bysshopës commaundëment;
yn sacrylagë þer y spake,
y touched of þat ychë lak;
And yn þe ten commaundëmens,
y wene y touched of þys defens;
Þarforë, now hyt ys beste,
Of þys sacrament to reste.
God grauntë þesë lordynges,
weyl to do yn allë þynges,
And late hem neuer here soulës lese
For no wrongës þat þey chese!
weyl to do yn allë þynges,
And late hem neuer here soulës lese
For no wrongës þat þey chese!
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