Collyn Clout

sig: [A1]

Here-after foloweth a litel boke called Colyn_Cloute compyled by mayster Skelton poete Laureate.

Quis consurg[e]tconsurget] consurgat K, resurgat H [mihi] aduers[u]s malignantes. aut quis stabit mecum aduersus operantes iniquitatem. Nemo dominemihi] mecum K, M; H omits

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sig: A2

WHat can it auayle

To dryue forth a snayle

Or to make a sayle

Of an herynges tayle

To ryme or to rayle

ref.ed: 247

To wryte or to indyte

Eyther for delyte Eyther] Other G

Or elles for to despyte for to despyte] to desyte G, for despite M, for to desyte H

Or bokes to compyle

Of dyuers maner style

Uyce to reuyle

And synne to exyle

To teche or to preche

As reason wyll reche

Say this and say that

His hed is so fat

He wotteth neuer what

Nor wherof he speketh

He cryeth and he creketh

He pryeth and he peketh peketh] preketh G, peketh M, prekythe H

He chydes and he chatters

He prates and he patters prates] prayeth G, prates M, pratythe H

He clytters and he clatters

sig: [A2v]

He medles and he smatters

He gloses and he flatters

Or yf he speake playne

Than he lacketh brayne

He is but a fole

Let hym go to scole

A thre-foted stole

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

It may well so be

Or els they wolde se

Otherwyse and fle

From wordly vanyte

And foule couetousnesse

And other wretchednesse

Fyckell falsenesse

Uaryablenesse

sig: [A3]

With vnstablenesse

ref.ed: 248

¶And if ye stande in doute

Who brought this ryme aboute

My name is Colyn_Cloute

I purpose to shake oute

All my connyng bagge

Lyke a clerkely hagge

For though my ryme be ragged

Tattered and iagged

Rudely rayne-beaten

Rusty and moughte-eaten moughte] moche G, moothe M, mothe H

If ye talke well ther-with talke] take G, H, talke M

It hath in it some pyth

For as farre as I can se

It is wronge with eche degre

For the temporalte

Accuseth the spiritualte

The spirituall agayne spirituall] spirytualte G, spirituall M

Dothe grudge and complayne

Upon the temporall men

Thus eche of other bloder bloder] blother G, M

The tone agayn[st] the tother agaynst] agayng K, against G, M

sig: [A3v]

Alas they make me shoder

For in hoder_moder

The churche is put in faute

The prelates ben so haut

They say / and loke so hy

As though they wolde fly

Aboue the sterry skye

Laye-men say in-[d]ede dede] hede K, dede G, M

How they take no [h]ede hede] dede K, hede G, M

[T]heyr sely shepe to fede Theyr] Sheyr K, Theyr G

But plucke away and pull

The fleces of theyr wull The fleces of theyr wull] Theyr fleces of wull G

Unethes they leue a locke

Of wull amonges theyr floc[k]e flocke] floche K, flocke G

And as for theyr connynge

A glommynge and a mummynge

And make ther-of a iape

They gaspe and they gape

All to haue promocyon

There is theyr hole deuocyon

ref.ed: 249

With money / if it wyll hap

To catche the forked cap

sig: [A4]

Forsothe they are to lewd

To say so all beshrewd.

¶What trow ye they say more

Of the bysshoppes lore

How in matters they be rawe

They lumber forth the lawe

To herken Iacke and Gyll

Whan they [p]ut vp a byll put] but K, put G, M

And iudge it as they wyll

For other mennes skyll

100

Expoundyng out theyr clauses

And leue theyr owne causes

In theyr pryncypall cure

They make but lytell sure

And meddels very lyght

105

In the churches ryght

But Ire and venire

And sol fa / so a lamyre

That the premenyre

Is lyke to be set a_fyre

110

In theyr iurisdictions

Through temporall afflictions

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Men say they haue prescriptions

Agaynst the spirituall contradictions

Accomptynge them as fyctions

115

And whyles the heedes do this

The remenaunt is amys

Of the clergy all

Bothe great and small

I wot neuer how they warke

120

But thus the people carke

And surely thus they say

Bysshoppes if they may

Small houses wolde kepe houses] housholdes G, houses M; wolde] woll G, wold M

But slombre forth and slepe

125

And assay to crepe

With-in the noble walles

Of the kynges halles

ref.ed: 250

To fat theyr bodyes full

Theyr soules lame and dull

130

And haue full lytell care

How euyll theyr shepe fare

¶The temporalyte say playne

sig: [A5]

Howe bysshoppes dysdayne

Sermons for to make

135

Or suche laboure to take

And for to say trouth

A great parte is f[or] slouth for] full K, G, ful M, for H

But the greattest parte

Is for they haue but small arte

140

And ryght sklender connyng

With-in theyr heedes wonnyng

But this reason they take

How they are able to make

With theyr golde and treasure

145

Clerkes out of measure

And yet that is a pleasure

Howe-be-it some there be

Almost two or thre

Of that dygnyte

150

Full worshypfull clerkes

As appereth by theyr werkes

Lyke Aaron and Ure

The wolfe from the dore

To wary and to kepe

155

From theyr goostly shepe

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And theyr spirituall lammes

Sequestred from rammes

And from the berded gotes

With theyr heery cotes

160

Set nought by golde ne grotes

Theyr names if I durst tell

¶But they are loth to mell

And loth to hang the bell

Aboute the cattes necke

165

For drede to haue a checke

They ar fayne to play / deuz decke

ref.ed: 251

How-be-it they are good men

Moche herted lyke an hen

Theyr lessons forgotten they haue

170

That becket them gaue That becket them gaue] That Saynt Thomas of Canterbury gaue G, That Becket them gaue M

Thomas manum mittet ad forcia

Spernit damna spernit opprobria

Nulla Thoma[m] frangit iniuria Thomam] Thoman K, Thomam G

But nowe euery spirituall father

175

Men say they had rather

Spende moche of theyr share

Than to be combred with care

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¶Spende / nay but spare

For let se who that dare

180

Sho the mockysshe mare

They make her wynche and keke

But it is not worth a leke

Boldnesse is to seke

The churche for to defend

185

Take me as I intende

For lothe I am to offende

In this that I haue pende

I tell you as men say

Amende whan ye may

190

For vsqe ad montem sare

Men say ye cannot appare

For some say ye hunte in parkes ye] they G, ye M, H; in parkes] partrykes G, in parkes M

And hauke on hobby larkes

And other wanton warkes

195

Whan the nyght darkes

What hath lay-men to do

The gray gooes for to sho

Lyke houndes of hell

They crye and they yell

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200

Howe that ye sell

The grace of the holy gost

Thus they make theyr bost

Through euery cost

Howe some of you do eate

205

In lenton season fleshe-mete

ref.ed: 252

Fesauntes partryche and cranes

Men call you therfor prophanes

Ye pycke no shrympes nor pranes

Saltfysshe / stocfysshe nor heryng

210

It is not for your werynge

Nor in holy lenton season

Ye wyll netheyr benes ne peason

But ye loke to be let lose lose] losse K, lose G

To a pygge or to a gose

215

Your gorge not endewed

Without a capon stewed

Or a stewed cocke

Under her surfled smocke

And her wanton wodicocke

220

And howe whan ye gyue orders

In your prouinciall borders

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As at sicientes

Some are insufficientes

Some parum sapientes

225

Some nichil intelligentes

Some valde negligentes

Some nullum sensum habentes

But bestyall and vntought

But whan thei haue ones caught

230

Dominus vobiscum by the hede

Than renne they in euery stede

God wot with dronken nolles

Yet take th[e]y cure of soules they] thy K, they G, M; cure] cures M

And woteth neuer what thei rede

235

Pater-noster nor Crede

Construe not worth a whystle

Nether gospell nor pystle

Theyr mattyns madly sayde

Nothynge deuoutly prayde

240

Theyr lernynge is so small

Theyr prymes and houres fall

And lepe out of theyr lyppes

Lyke sawdust or drye chyppes

I speke not nowe of all

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245

But the moost parte [i]n generall in] en K, in G

Of suche vacabundus

ref.ed: 253

Speketh [t]otus Mundus totus] otus K, totus G, M

Howe some synge letabundus

At euery ale-stake

250

With welcome hake and make

By the brede that god brake

I am sory for your sake

I speke not of the good wyfe

But of theyr apostles lyfe theyr] her G, their M, ther H

255

Cum ipsis vel illis

Qui manent in villis

Est vxor vel ancilla

Welcome Iacke and Gylla

My prety Petronylla

260

And you wyll be stylla

You shall haue your wylla

Of suche Pater-noster-pekes

All the worlde spekes

¶In you the faute is supposed

265

For that they are not apposed

By iust examinacyon

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In connyng and conuersacyon

They haue none instructyon

To make a true constructyon

270

A preest without a letter

Without his vertue be gretter

Doutlesse [were] moche better were] where K, were G, M

Upon hym for to take

A mattocke or a rake

275

Alas for very shame

Some can not declyne their name

Some can not scarsly rede

And yet he wyll not drede

For to kepe a cure

280

And in nothyng is sure

This dominus vobiscum

As wyse as Tom_a_thrum Tom] Iacke G, Tom M

A chaplayne of trust

Layth all in the dust

285

Thus I colyn_cloute This line inset and followed by a blank line

As I go aboute

ref.ed: 254

And wandrynge as I walke

I here the people talke

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Men say for syluer and golde

290

Myters are bought and solde

There shall no clergy appose

A myter nor a crose

But a full purse

A strawe for goddes curse

295

What are they the worse

For a symonyake

Is but a hermoniake

And no more ye make

Of symony men say

300

But a chyldes play

¶Ouer this the foresayd laye

Reporte howe the pope may

A holy anker call

Out of the stony wall

305

And hym a bysshop make

If he on hym dare take

To kepe so harde a rule

To ryde vpon a mule

With golde all betrapped

310

In purple and paule be_lapped

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Some hatted and some capped

Rychely be_wrapped

God wot to theyr great paynes

In rotchettes of fyne raynes

315

Whyte as morowes-mylke morowes] mares G, morowes M, marys H

Theyr tabertes of fyne sylke

Theyr styrops of myxt gold begared begared] begared G, begarded M, be_gloryd H

There may no cost be spared

Theyr moyles golde dothe eate

320

Theyr neyghbours dye for meate

What care they though gil sweate

Or Iacke_of_the_Noke

The pore people the[y] yoke they] the K, they G, M

With sommons and citacyons

325

And excommunycacyons

ref.ed: 255

About churches and market

The bysshop on his carpet

At home full softe dothe syt

This is a [farly] fyt farly] fearfull K, G, fearful M, ffarly H

330

To here the people iangle

Howe warely they wrangle

Alas why do ye not handle

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And them all [to_]mangle to_mangle] mangle K, G, M

Full falsely on you they lye

335

And shamefully you ascrye

And say as vntruely

As the butterflye

A man myght saye in mocke

Ware the wether-cocke

340

Of the steple of Poules

And thus they hurte theyr soules

In sclaunderyng you for truthe

Alas it is great ruthe

Some say ye syt in trones

345

Lyke [princeps] aquilonis princeps] prynces K, M, princeps G

And shryne your rotten bones

With perles and precyous stones

But howe the commons grones

And the people mones

350

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

355

And therof speke nothynge

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But dyssymulyng and glosyng

Wher-fore men be supposyng

That ye gyue shrewd counsell

Agaynst the commune-well

360

By poollynge and pyllage

In cytyes and vyllage

By taxyng and tollage

Ye make monkes to haue the culerage make] haue M

For couerynge of an olde cottage an] and K, an G

365

That commytted is a collage

In the charter of dottage

ref.ed: 256

Tenure par seruyce de sottage

And not par seruyce de socage

After olde seygnyours

370

And the lernyng of Lytelton tenours

Ye haue so ouerthwarted

That good lawes are subuerted

And good reason peruerted

¶Relygous men are fayne

375

For to tourne agayne

In secula seculorum

And to forsake theyr corum

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And vacabundare per forum

And take a fyne meritorum

380

Contra regulam morum

Aut blacke monacorum

Aut canonicorum

Aut Bernardinorum

Aut crucifixorum

385

And to synge from place to place

Lyke apostataas

And the selfe-same game

Be_gone and nowe with shame

Amongest the sely nonnes

390

My lady nowe she ronnes

Dame Sybly our abbesse

Dame Dorothe and lady Besse

Dame Sare our pryoresse

Out of theyr cloyster and quere

395

With an heuy chere

Must cast vp theyr blacke vayles

And set vp theyr fucke-sayles fucke sayles] flucke sayles G, fucke sayles M, fulke saylys H

To catch wynde with their ventales

What Colyne there thou shales

400

Yet thus with yll hayles

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The lay-fee people rayles

¶And all [the faute] they lay the faute] K, M omit, the faute G

In you prelates / and say In] On M, In G, H

Ye do them wrong and no ryght them ] M omits, them G

405

To put them thus to flyght

No matyns at mydnyght

ref.ed: 257

Boke and chalys gone quyte

Plucke awaye the leedes

Ouer theyr heedes

410

And sell away theyr belles

And all that they haue elles

Thus the people telles

Rayles lyke rebelles

Rede[s] shrewdly and spelles Redes] Rede K, G, M

415

And with foundacyons melles

And talke[s] lyke tytyuelles talkes] talke K, G, M

Howe ye brake the dedes wylles

Turne monasteris in-to water-milles

Of an abbay [ye] make a gra[u]ng ye] they K, ye G, M, to H

420

Your workes they saye are stra[u]ng

So that theyr founders soules

Haue lost theyr beade-rolles

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The mony for theyr masses

Spent amonge wanton lasses

425

The[yr] diriges are forgotten Theyr] The K, M, H, Theyr G

Theyr founders lye there rotten

But where theyr soules dwell

Therwith I wyll not mell

What coulde the turke do more

430

With all his false lore

Turke / sarazyn / or iew

I reporte me to you

¶O mercyfull Iesu

You supporte and rescue rescue] rescite M

435

My style for to dyrecte

It may take some effecte

For I abhorre to wryte

Howe the lay-fee dyspyte

You prelates that of ryght

440

Shulde be lanternes of lyght

Ye lyue they say in delyte

Drowned in deliciis

In gloria et diuiciis

In o admirabile honore

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445

In gloria et splendore

Fulgurantes haste

Uiuentes parum caste

ref.ed: 258

Yet swete-meate hath soure sauce

For after gl[o]ria laus gloria] glyria K, gloria G, M

450

Chryst by cruelte

Was nayled vpyn a tre

He payed a bytter pencyon

For mannes redemcyon

He dranke eysell and gall

455

To redeme vs withall

But swete ypocras ye drynke

With let the cat wynke

Iche wot what yche [do] thynk yche do] yche other K, yche do G, eche other M

Howe-be-it per assimule

460

Some men thynke that ye

Shall haue penalyte

For your ini[q]uyte

Nota what I say Nota what I say] Note whayte I say H, Note well what to say L

And bere it well a_way

465

If it please not theologys not theologys] not theologi H, the not onely L

It is good for astrologys

For Ptholome tolde me

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The sonne somtyme to be

In Ariete

470

Ascendent a degre a degre] a dextre H, ad dextram L

Whan Scorpion descendynge

Was so then pretendynge

All fatall for one A fatall fall] All fatall K, M, A fatall fall G, Affatuall fall L

That shall syt on a trone shall syt] shuld sytte H, syttys nowe L

475

And rule all thynges alone

Your teth whet on this bone whet on] whetten G, whet on M, whette on H

Amongest you euerychone

[A]nd let Collyn_Cloute haue none And] Fnd K, And G; haue none] alon H, alone L

Maner of cause to mone

480

Lay salue to your owne sore

For els / as I sayd before

After gloria laus

May come a soure sauce

Sory therfore am I

485

But trouth can neuer lye

¶With language thus poluted

Holy churche is bruted

And shamfully confuted

ref.ed: 259

My penne nowe wyll I sharpe

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490

And wrest vp my harpe

With sharpe twynkyng trebelles

Agaynst all suche rebelles Agaynst] Agayne G

That laboure to confounde

And bryng the churche to the grounde

495

As ye may dayly se

Howe the lay-fee

Of one affynyte

Consent and agre

Agaynst the churche to be

500

And the dygnyte

Of the bysshoppes [s]ee see] fee K, G, M

And eyther ye be to bad

Or els they ar mad

Of this to reporte

505

But vnder your supporte

Tyll my dyenge day

I shall bothe wryte and say

And ye shall do the same

Howe they are to blame

510

You thus to dyffame

For it maketh me sad

Howe the peop[l]e are glad the people] the the peope K, the people G

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The churche to depraue

And some there are that raue

515

Presumynge on theyr owne wyt owne] M omits

What there is neuer a whyt

To maynteyne argumentes

Agaynst the sacramentes

Some make epylogacyon

520

Of hyghe predestynacyon

And of resyde[u]acyon resydeuacyon] resydenacyon K, G, residenation M

They make interpretacyon

Of an aquarde facyon

A[n]d of the prescience

525

Of dyuyne assence

And what Ipostacis

Of Christes manhode is

Suche logyke men wyll chop

And in theyr fury hop

ref.ed: 260

530

When the good ale-sop

Dothe daunce in theyr fore-top

Bothe women and men

Suche ye may well knowe and ken

That agaynst preesthode agaynst] agayn M

sig: [B6]

535

Theyr maly[c]e sprede abrode malyce] malyee K

Raylynge haynously

And dysdaynously

Of prestly dygnytes prestly] prrestly K

B[y] theyr malygnytes By] But K, M, By G

540

And some haue a smac[ke] smacke] smacek KThis line inset with a blank line following

Of Luthers sacke

And a brennyng sparke

Of Luthers we[r]ke werke] weike K, warke G, M

And are some-what suspecte

545

In Luthers secte

And some of them bar[ke] barke] barek K

Clatter and carpe

Of that heresy arte

Called wytclyftista wytclyftista] wicleuista M

550

The deuelysshe dogmatista

And some be hussyans

And some be arryans

And some be pollegians

And make moche varyans

555

Bytwene the clergye

And the temporaltye

sig: [B6v]

¶Howe the church hath to mykel

And they haue to lytell

And bryng in ma[t]erialites in materialites] in maierialites K, in materyalytes G, him in maierialities M

560

And qualyfyed qualytes

Of pluralytes

Of tryalytes

And of tot-quottes

They commune lyke sottes sottes] scottes M, sottes G, H

565

As cometh to theyr lottes

Of prebendaries and deanes

Howe some of them gleanes

And gathereth vp the store gathereth] gathered M; the] in G, the M

For to catche more and more

ref.ed: 261

570

Of persons and vycaryes

They make many out-cryes

They can not kepe theyr wyues

From them for theyr lyues

And thus the loselles stryues

575

And lewdely sayes by Christ

Agaynst the sely preest

Alas and well_away

What ayles them thus to say

They mought be better aduysed

sig: [B7]

580

Then to be so dysgysed

But they haue enterprysed

And shamfully surmysed

Howe prelacy is solde and bought

And come vp of nought

585

And where the prelates be

Come of lowe degre

And set in maieste

And spirituall dygnyte dygnyte] dyngnyte K

Farewell benygnyte

590

Farewell symplici[te] symplicite] sympliciet K

Farewell humylyte

Farewell good charyte

Ye are so puffed with pryde

That no man may abyde

595

Your hygh and lordely lokes

Ye cast vp then your bokes

And vertue is forgotten

For then ye wyll be wroken

Of euery lyght quarell

600

And call a lorde a iauell

A knyght a knaue to make to] ye G, H, to M

sig: [B7v]

Ye bost / ye face / ye crake

And vpon you take

To rule kynge and kayser

605

And yf ye may haue layser ye] you M

Ye wyll brynge all to noyght

And that is all your thought

For the lordes temporall

Theyr rule is very small

610

Almost nothyng at all

ref.ed: 262

Men saye howe ye appall

The noble blode royall

In ernest and in game

Ye are the lesse to blame

615

For lordes of noble blode

If they well v[n]derstode vnderstode] vnderstand M

How connyng myght them auaunce

They wold pype you another daunce

But noble-men borne

620

To lerne they haue scorne

But hun[te] and blowe an horne hunte] hunet K

Lepe ouer lakes and dykes

Set nothyng by polytykes

Ther-fore ye kepe them bace

sig: [B8]

625

And mocke them to theyr face

This is a pyteous case

To you that ouer the whele

Lordes must crouche and knele crouche] couch M, crouche G, cruche H

And breke theyr hose at the kne

630

As dayly men may se

And to remembraunce call

Fortune so turneth the ball

And ruleth so ouer all

That honoure hath a great fall

635

Shall I tell you more / ye shall

I am loth to tell all

But the communalte ye call

Ydolles of Babylon

De terra zabulon

640

De terra Neptalym

For you loue to go trym

Brought vp of poore estate

With pryde inordinate

Sodaynly vpstarte

645

From the donge-carte

The mattockes and the shule shule=shovel, sv OED

To reygne and to rule

sig: [B8v]

And haue no grace to thynke

Howe [ye] were wonte to drynke ye] they K, M, H, thy G

650

Of a lether botell

With a knauysshe stoppell

ref.ed: 263

Whan mamockes was your meate

With moulde brede to eate

Ye wolde none other gete wolde] coude G, would M, cowde H

655

To chewe and to gnawe

To fyll therwith your mawe

Lodged in the strawe

Couchyng your drousy heddes

Somtyme in lousy beddes

660

Al[l] this is out of mynde All] Alas K, M, All G, H

Ye growe nowe out of kynde

Many one [ye] haue [vnt]wynde ye haue vntwynde] haue but wynde K, G, haue but winde M

And make the commons blynde

But qui se existimat stare

665

Let hym well beware

Lest that his fote slyp

And haue suche a tryp

And fal[l]e in suche dekay falle] false K, fall G, H, falle M

That all the worlde myght say

670

Come downe on the deuyll way. deuyll] diuels M, deuyll G, H

sig: C1

¶Yet ouer all that

Of bysshops they chat

That though ye round your hear

An ynche aboue your ear

675

And [haue] aures patentes haue] K, M omit, haue G

And parum intendentes

And your [tonsors be croppyd] tonsors be croppyd] coursers betrapped K, G, coursers be trapped M

Your eares they be stopped

For maister adulator

680

And doctour assentator

And blandior blandiris

With mentior mentiris

That ye can not espye In G this line appears after 'And so ... your eye'; in M it is transposed with the following line

They folowe your desyres

685

And so they blere your eye

Howe the male dothe [wrye] wrye] wryte K, M, wrye G, H

¶Alas for goddes wyll

Why syt ye prelates styll

And suffre all this yll

690

Ye bysshops of estates

Shulde open the brode gates

ref.ed: 264

For your spirituall charge

sig: [C1v]

And [com forthe] at large com forthe] conforte K, G, confort M

Lyke lanternes of lyght

695

In the peoples syght

In pullpettes attentyke

For the wele publyke

Of preesthode in this case

And alwayes to chase

700

Suche maner of sysmatykes

And halfe-heretykes

That wolde intoxicate

That wolde conquinate

That wolde contemminate

705

And that wolde vyolate

And that wolde derogate

And that wolde abrogate

The churche hygh estates

After this maner rates

710

The which shulde be

Both franke and free

And haue theyr lyberte

A[s] of antiquyte As] And K, G, M

It was ratefyed

715

And also gratifyed

sig: [C2]

This leaf is torn and the text, where lacunose, is corrected by comparison with G and M

By holy synodalles

And bulles papalles

As it is res certa

Conteyned in magna Carta

720

¶But maister Damyan

Or some other man

That clerkely is / and can

Well scrypture expounde

And textes grounde textes] hys textes G, M omits

725

His benefyce worthe ten pou[nde]

Or skante worth twenty ma[rke]

And yet a noble clerke

He must do this werke

As I knowe a_parte

730

Some maisters of arte

Some doctours of lawe

Some lernde in other sawe

ref.ed: 265

As in dyuynyte

That hath no dygnyte

735

But the pore degre

Of the vnyuersyte

Or els frere Frederyck[e]

sig: [C2v]

Or els frere Dominike

Or frere Hugulinus

740

Or frere Agustinus

Or frere Carmelus

[T]hat gostly can heale vs

[Or e]ls yf we may

[Gette a] frere graye

745

[Or el]s of the order

[Upo]n Grenewyche border

[Calle]d obseruaunce

[And a] frere of Fraunce

[Or els] the poore scot

750

[It mu]st come to his lot

[To sho]te forthe his shot

[Or of B]abuell_besyde_Bery

[To post]ell vpon a kyry

[That] wolde it shulde [be] noted be] K omits, be G, M

755

[How] scripture shulde be coted

[And so] clerkely promoted

[And yet] the frere doted

[But [men say] your a]uctoryte But men say] Men say / But K, G, ML. 758 indented, followed by blank line

sig: [C3]

And your noble se se] fee M, see H

760

And your dygnyte

Shulde be imprynted better

Then all the freres letter

For if ye wolde take payne

To preche a worde or twayne

765

Though it were neuer so playne

With clauses two or thre

So as they myght be

Compendyously conueyde

These wordes shuld be more weyd These] Those M

770

And better perceyued

And thankfully receyued thankfully] thankefullyer G, thankfully M

And better shulde remayne

Amonge the people playne

ref.ed: 266

That wold your wordes retayne

775

And reherce them agayne

Than a thousand thousande other

That blaber / barke and bloder bloder] blother G, M

And make a walshmans hose

Of the texte and of the glose

780

¶For protestatyon made

sig: [C3v]

That I wyll not wade

Farther in this broke

Nor farther for to loke

In deuysynge of this boke

785

But answere that I may

For my-selfe alway

Eyther analogice

Or els cathagorice

So that in diuinite

790

Doctors that lerned be

Nor bachelers of that faculte

That hath taken degre

In the vniuersite

Shall not be obiected for me for] by G, for M, at by H

795

But doctour bullatus

Parum litteratus litteratus] littteratus K

Domi[n]us doctoratus Dominus] Domimus K

At the brode gatus

Doctour daupatus

800

And bacheler bacheleratus

Dronken as a mouse

At the ale-house

sig: [C4]

Taketh his pyllyon and his cap

At the good ale-tap

805

For lacke of good wyne

As wyse as Robyn_swyne

Under an notaryes sygne an] a G, M, H

Was make a dyuyne

As wyse as waltoms calfe

810

Must preche a goddes halfe

In the pulpyt solempnely

More mete in a pyllory

For by saynt Hyllary

ref.ed: 267

He can nothyng smatter

815

Of logyke / nor scole-matter

Neyther sylogysare

Nor of [enthymemare] enthymemare] emptimeniare K, M, emptymeniare G, entimemare H

Nor knoweth his el[enke]s knoweth] knoweth not G, knoweth M; elenkes] eloquens K, G, eloquence M

Nor his predicamen[te]s predicamentes] predicamens K, predicamentes G, predicamence M

820

And yet he wyll mell

To amend the gospell

And wyll preche and tell

What they do in hell

And he dare not well neuen

825

sig: [C4v]

[..............................................]

830

[..............................................]

835

[..............................................]

840

[..............................................]

845

[..............................................]

850

[..............................................]

855

[..............................................]

860

[..............................................]

865

[..............................................]

sig: [C5v]

870

Wyll knowe a Rauen from a rayle

A qualye, the raile and the olde rauen and] G omits, and M

Sed libera nos a malo Amen.

And by Dudum theyr clementine

Agaynst curates [they] repyne they] K, M omit, they G, H

875

And say propreli they ar sacerdotes

To shryue / assoyle and reles and] and to G, and M

Dame mergeres soule out of hell

But when the freare fell in the well

He coud not syng him-selfe therout

880

But by the helpe of christyan_clout

Another clementyne also

How frere Fabian / with other mo

Exiuit de paradiso

Whan they agayn theder shal come

885

De hoc petimus consilium

And through all the world they go

Wit Dirige and placebo

But nowe my mynd ye vnderstand

For the[y] must take in hande they] the K, they G, M

890

To prech and withstande

sig: [C6]

All maner of abiections

For bysshops haue protections

They say to do corrections

But they haue no aff[e]ctions affections] afflictions K, affections G, M, affeccions H

895

To take the sayd dyrections the sayd] sadde G, the sayd M

ref.ed: 269

In such maner of cases

Men say they bere no faces

To occupye suche places

To sowe the sede of graces sowe] saue G, sow M, sowe H

900

Theyr hertes are so faynted

And they be so attaynted

With coueytous and ambycyon and] G, H omit, and M

And other superstycyon

That they be deef and dum

905

And play scylens and glum

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

sig: [C6v]

Worship[fully] to withstande. Worshipfully] Worship K, Worshyp G, M

Such temporall warre and bate This line is inset and followed by a blank line

915

As nowe is made of late

Agaynst holy churche estate

Or to maynteyne good quarelles

The lay-men call them barelles

Full of glotony

920

And of hypocrysy

That counterfaytes and payntes

As they were very sayntes

In matters that them lyke

They shewe them polytyke

925

¶Pretendyng grautye

And sygnyoryte

With all solempnyte

For theyr indempnyte

For they wyll haue no losse

930

Of a peny / nor of a crosse

Of theyr predyall landes

Th[a]t cometh to theyr handes That] Thut K

And as farre as they dare set

sig: [C7]

All is fysshe that cometh to the net the] M, H omit

935

Buyldyng royally

Theyr mancyons curyously

ref.ed: 270

with turrettes and with toures

With halles and with boures

Stretchynge to the starres

940

With glasse wyndowes and barres

Hangynge aboute the walles

Clothes of golde and palles

Arras of ryche aray

Fresshe as flours in May

945

With dame Dyana naked

Howe lusty Uenus quaked

And howe Cupyde shaked

His darte / and bent his bowe

For to shote a crowe

950

At her tyrly_tyrlowe

And howe Parys of Troy

Daunced a lege_de_moy lege_de_moy] lege moy G, lege de moy M

Made lusty sporte and ioy

with dame Helyn the quene

955

With suche storyes by_dene

Their chambres well be_sene be_sene] sene G, be_seen M

sig: [C7v]

With triumphes of Cesar

And of his Pompeyus war

Of renowne and of fame

960

By them to get a name.

¶How all the worlde stares

How they ryde in goodly chares

Conueyed by Olyphantes

With lauryat garlantes

965

And by vnycornes

With their semely hornes

Upon these beestes rydynge

Naked boyes strydynge

With wanton wenches winkyng

970

Nowe truly to my thynkynge

That is a speculacyon

And a mete meditacyon meditacyon] meditacynon K

For prelates of estate

Their courage to abate

975

From worldly wantonnesse

Theyr chambre thus to dresse

ref.ed: 271

With suche parfetnesse

And all suche holynesse

sig: [C8]

Howbeit they let downe fall

980

Their churches cathedrall.

¶Squyre / knyght and lorde

Thus the churche remorde

With all temporall people

They ru[n]ne agaynst the steple runne] rune K, renne G, runne M

985

T[h]us talkynge and tellyng Thus] Tus K

Howe some of you are mellyng

Yet softe and fayre for swellyng

Beware of a quenes yellyng

It is a besy thyng

990

For one man to rule a [k]yng kyng] gyng K, kynge G, kyng M, H

Alone / and make rekenyng

To gouerne ouer-all

And rule a realme royall

By one mannes wyt

995

Fortune may chaunce to flyt

And whan he weneth to syt

Yet may he mysse the quysshon

For I rede a preposycyon

[C]um regibus amicare Cum] Sum K, G, M

1000

Et omnibus dominare

sig: [C8v]

Et supra te [g]rauare grauare] prauare K, M, grauare G

Wherfore he hathe good vre

That can hymselfe assure

Howe fortune wyll endure

1005

Than let reason you supporte

For the communalte [reporte] reporte] K, M omit, reporte G, dothe reporte H

That they haue great wonder

That [y]e kepe them so vnder ye] we K, ye G, M, H

Yet they meruayle so moche less[e] lesse] lessr K

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 [est]ate estate] steate K, estate G, M

1015

After suche a rate

That they shall mell nor make

ref.ed: 272

For vpon them take

For kynge nor kayser sake

But at the playsure of one

1020

That ruleth the rest alone

¶Helas / I say helas

Howe may this come to passe

sig: D1

That a man shall here a masse

And nat so hardy on his hede

1025

To loke on god in forme of brede

But that the parysshe-clerke

There-vpon must herke

And graunt hym at his askyng

For to se the sacryng

1030

And how may this accorde

No man to our souerayne lorde

So hardy to make sute

Nor to execute

His comma[u]ndement

1035

Without the assent

Of [y]our presydent your] our K, M, your G

Nor to expresse to his parson

Without your consentacyon your consentacyon] G omits, your assentacion M, george gascone H

Graunt hym his lycence

1040

To preas to his presence

Nor to speke to hym secretly

Openly nor preuyly

Without his presydent be by

Or els his substytute

sig: [D1v]

1045

Whom he wyll depute

Neyther erle ne duke

Permytted by saynt Luke

And by swete saynt Marke

This is a wonderous warke

1050

That the people talke this

Some-what there is amysse

Ye deuil can not stop their mouthes

But they wyl talke of such vncouthes

All that euer they ken

1055

Agaynst all spirituall men

¶Whether it be wrong or ryght

Or els for dyspyght

ref.ed: 273

Or howe-euer it hap

Theyr tonges thus do clap

1060

And through suche detractyon

They put you to your actyon

And whether they say trewly

As they may abyde therby abyde] byde G, abide M

Or els that they do lye

1065

Ye knowe better then I

But nowe / deb[e]tis scire debetis] debatis K, debetis G, M

sig: [D2]

And groundly audire

In your conuenire

Of this premenire

1070

Or els in the myre

They saye they wyll you cast

Therfore stande sure and fast

Stande sure and take good fotyng

And let be all your motyng

1075

Your gasyng and your totyng

And your parcyall promotyng

Of those that stande in your grace

But olde seruauntes ye chase

And put them out of theyr place

1080

Make ye no murmuracyon

Though I wryte after this facion

Though I Colyn_Cloute

Among the hole route Among] Amongest G, Among M

Of you that clerkes be

1085

Take vpon me

Thus copyously to wryte

I do it not for no despyte

Wherfore take no dysdayne

sig: [D2v]

At my style rude and playne

1090

For I rebuke no man

That vertuous is / why than

Wreke ye your anger on me

For those that ver[t]uous be vertuous] veruous K, vertuous G, M

Haue no cause to say Haue] Hath G, Haue M, H

1095

That I speke out of the way

¶Of no good bysshop speke I

Nor good preest I escrye I escrye] of the clargy M, I escrye G

Good frere / nor good chanon

ref.ed: 274

Good nonne / nor good canon

1100

Good monke / nor good clercke

Nor of no good werke

But my recountyng is

Of them that do amys

In spekyng and rebellyng

1105

In hynderyng and dysauaylyng

H[o]ly churche our mother Holy] Hyly K

One agaynst another

To vse suche despy[t]yng despytyng] despysyng K, dispising M, dysputyng H

Is all my hole wrytyng

1110

To hynder no man

sig: [D3]

As nere as I can

For no man haue I named

Wherfore sholde I be blamed

Ye ought to be ashamed

1115

Agaynst me to be gr[am]ed gramed] greued K, G, M, H

And can not tell no cause why not] M, H omit

But that I wryte trewly

Then yf any ther be

Of hygh or lowe degre

1120

Of the spiritualte

Or of the temporalte

That dothe thynke of wene

That his conscyence be not clene

And feleth hym-selfe sycke

1125

Or touched on the quycke

Suche grace god them sende

Them-selfe to amende

For I wyll not pretende

Any man to offende

1130

Wherfore as thynketh me

Great ydeottes they be

sig: [D3v]

And lytell grace they haue

This treatyse to depraue

Nor wyll here no prechyng

1135

Nor no vertuous techyng

Nor wyll haue no resytyng

Of any vertuous wrytyng

ref.ed: 275

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 no man shulde them blame

They haue an euyl name

1145

But yet they wyll occupy the same

¶With them the worde of god

I counted for no rod

They counte it for a raylyng

That nothyng is auaylyng

1150

The prechers with euyll hayling

Shall they daunt vs prelates daunt] taunt G, daunt M, teche H

That be theyr prymates

Not so hardy on theyr pates

sig: [D4]

Herke howe the losell prates

1155

With a wyde wesaunt

Auaunt syr Guy of gaunt

Auaunt lewde preest auaunt

Auaunt syr doctour deuyas deuyas] dyuers M, De[u]yas G, Deuias H

Prate of thy matyns and [thy] masse they] they K, thy G, M

1160

And let our maters passe

Howe darest thou daucocke mell

Howe darest thou losell

Allygate the gospell

Agaynst vs of the counsell

1165

Auaunt to the deuyll of hell

¶Take hym wa[r]deyne of the flete wardeyne] wadeyne K, wardeyn G, warden M

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 thyder by and by

The vyllayne precheth openly

1175

And declareth our vyllany

sig: [D4v]

And of our f[e]e-symplenesse fee] fre K, M

He sayes that we are rechelesse

ref.ed: 276

And full of wylfulnesse

Shameles / and mercylesse

1180

Incorrigible and insaciate

And after this rate

Agaynst vs dothe prate This line inset and followed by a blank line

At Poules_crosse / or els-where

Openly at westmynstere

1185

And saynt_Mary_spyttell

They set not by vs a whystell whystell] shytell G, whistel M, shetyll H

At the Austen fryers At] And at G, At M

They count vs for lyers

And at saynt_Thomas_of_akers

1190

They carpe vs lyke crakers carpe] carpe of G, carpe M

Howe we wyll rule all at wyll

Without good reason or skyll

And say how that we be

Full o[f] par[c]yalyte of parcyalyte] or paryalyte K, of pacyallyte G, of parcialitie M

1195

And howe at a pronge

We tourne ryght into wronge

sig: [D5]

Delay causes so longe

That ryght no man can fonge

They say many matters be born

1200

By the ryght of a rambes-horne

Is not this a shamfull scorne

To be teared thus and torne?

¶How may we thus indure

Wherfore we make you sure

1205

Ye prechers shall be yawde

Some shall be sawde

As noble Ezechyas

The holy prophet was

And some of you shall dye

1210

Lyke holy Ieremy

Some hanged / some slayne

Some beaten to the brayne

And we wyll rule and rayne

And our matters mayntayne

1215

Who dare say there-agayne

Or who dare dysdayne

At [our] pleasure and wyll our] your K, M, our G, owur H

For be it good / or be it yll or] G omits, or M

ref.ed: 277

sig: [D5v]

As it is / it shall be styll

1220

For all master doctour of cyuyll

Or of diuinite / or doctour d[r]yuyll diuinite] diuine M, Diuynyte G; dryuyll] deyuyll K, Dryuyll G, dryuil M, Oryll H

Let hym cough / rough / or sneuyll

Renne god renne deuyll

Renne who may renne best

1225

And let take all the rest

We set not a nut-shell

The way to heuen or to hell

¶Lo / this is the gyse now-a_dayes

It is to drede men sayes

1230

Lest they be s[e]duces seduces] scduces K, Seduces G, saducies M, Adusayes H

As they be [sad] sayne sad] sayd K, sad G, sayd M

Whiche determyne playne

We shulde not ryse agayne

At dredefull domis-day

1235

And so it semeth they play

Whiche hate to be cor[r]ected corrected] coreected K

Whan they be infected

Nor wyll suffre this boke

By hoke ne by croke

1240

Prynted for to be

sig: [D6]

For that no man shulde se

Nor rede in any scrolles

Of theyr dronken nolles

Nor of theyr noddy-polles

1245

Nor of theyr sely soules

Nor of some wytles pates

Of dyuers great estates

As well as other men

Now to withdrawe my pen

1250

And now a whyle to rest

Me semeth it for the best

¶The fore-castell of my shyp

Shall glyde and smothely slyp

Out of the wawes wod

1255

Of the stormy flod

Shote anker and lye at rode

And sayle not farre a_brode

Tyll the cost be clere

ref.ed: 278

That the lode-starre appere

1260

My shyp nowe wyll I [st]ere stere] pere K, M, stere G, H

Towarde the porte-sa[lue] porte salue] porte sauel K, porte salue G, port salu M

Of our sauyour Iesu

sig: [D6v]

Suche grace that he vs sende

To rectyfye and amende

1265

Thynges that are amys

Whan that his pleasure is

¶Amen.

In opere imperfecto In opere semper perfecto Et in opere plusquam perfecto

¶Imprinted at London by me Rycharde_Kele dwellyng in the powltry at the long shop vnder saynt_Myldredes. chyrche.

sig: [D7]