Collyn Clout

Here-after foloweth a lytell boke called Collyn_Clout compyled by Mayster Skelton Poete Laureate

Quis consurget mihi adversus malignantes aut quis stabit mecum adversus operantes iniquitatem Nemo Domine

What can it avayle

To dryve forth a snayle

Or to make a sayle

Of a herynges tayle

To ryme or to rayle

ref.ed: 247

To wryte or to indyte

Other for delyte Other] Eyther K

Or elles to desyte to desyte] for despite M for to desyte H for to despyte Kfor to desyte: Scattergood emends to: for despyte

Or bokes to compyle

Of dyvers maner style

Vyce to revyle

And synne to exyle

To teche or to preche

As reason wyll reche

Sey this and sey that

His heed is so fat

He wottyth never what

Ne whereof he speketh

He cryeth and he creketh

He pryeth and he preketh preketh] peketh K prekythe H

He chydeth and he chatters

He prayeth and he patters prayeth] prates K M pratythe H

He clyttreth and he clatters

He medleth and he smatters

He gloseth and he flatters.

Or yf he speke playne

Than he lacketh brayne

He is but a foole

Let hym go to scole

A thre-foted stole

That he may downe sytte

For he lacketh wytte

And yf that he hytte

The nayle on the hede

It standeth in no stede

The devyll they say is dede

The devyll is dede

It may well so be

Or elles they wolde se

Otherwyse and fle

From worldly vanyte worldly] wordly K

And foule covytousnesse

And other wretchednesse

Fyckell falsenesse

Varyablenesse

With unstablenesse

ref.ed: 248

And yf ye stande in doute

Who brought this ryme aboute

My name is Collyn_Cloute

I purpose to shake oute

All my connynge bagge

Lyke a clerkely hagge

For though my ryme be ragged

Tattered and iagged

Rudely rayne-beaten

Rusty and mo[t]he-eaten mothe] moche G moughte K mothe H

Yf ye take well therwith take] talke K 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 spirytualte

The spirytualte agayne

Dothe grudge and complayne

Upon the temporall men

Thus eche of other blother

The tone against the tother

Alas they make me shoder

For in hoder_moder

The churche is put in faute

The prelates ben so haute

They say and loke so hye

As though they wolde flye

Aboute the sterry skye Aboute] Above K M H

Laye-men say in-dede

Howe they take no hede

Theyr sely shepe to fede

But plucke away and pull

Theyr fleces of wull

Unneth they leve a locke

Of wolle amongest theyr flocke

And as for theyr connynge

A glommynge and a mommynge

And make therof a iape

They gaspe and they gape

All to have promocyon

There is theyr hole devocyon

ref.ed: 249

With money yf it wyll happe

To catche the forked cappe

For sothe they are to lewde

To say so all beshrewde

What trowe ye they say more

Of the bysshoppes lore

Howe in matters they ben rawe

They lumber forth the lawe

To herken Iacke and Gyll

Whan they put up a byll

And iudge it as they wyll

For other mens skyll

100

Expoundynge out theyr clauses

And leve theyr owne causes

In theyr pryncypall cure

They make but lytell sure

And meddels very lyght

105

In the churches ryght

But ire and venyre

And so[l] fa so alamyre sol fa] so fa G solfe H

That the premenyre

Is lyke to be set afyre

110

In theyr iurysdictyons

Through temporall afflictyons

Men say they have prescrypcyons

Agaynst the spirytual contradictyons

Accomptynge them as fictyons

115

And whyles the heedes do this

The remenaunt is amys

Of the clergye all

Bothe great and small

I wote never howe they warke

120

But thus the people carke

And surely thus they sey

Bysshoppes yf they may

Small housholdes woll kepe

But slombre forth and slepe

125

And assay to crepe

Within the noble walles

Of the kynges halles

ref.ed: 250

To fatte theyr bodyes full

Theyr soules lame and dull

130

And have full lytell care

Howe evyll theyr shepe fare

The temporalte say playne

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 G for H

But the greatest parte

Is for they have but small arte

140

And ryght slender connynge

Within theyr heedes wonnynge

But this reason they take

Howe they are able to make

With theyr golde and treasure

145

Clerkes out of measure

And yet that is a pleasure

Howebeit some there be

Almoost two or three

Of that dygnyte

150

Full worshypfull clerkes

As appereth by theyr werkes

Lyke Aron and Ure

The wolfe from the dore

To wary and to kepe

155

From theyr goostly shepe

And theyr spyrytuall lambes

Sequestred from rambes

And from the berded gotes

With theyr heery cotes

160

Set nought by golde ne grotes

Theyr names yf I durst tell

But they are lothe to mell

And lothe to hange the bell

Aboute the cattes necke

165

For drede to have a checke

They are fayne to play deuz decke

ref.ed: 251

Howebeit they are good men

Moche herted lyke an hen

Theyr lessons forgoten they have

170

That Saynt Thomas of Canterbury gave That Saynt Thomas of Canterbury gave] That becket them gave K M

Thomas manum mittit ad forcia

Spernit dampna spernit opprobria

Nulla Thomam frangit iniuria

But nowe every spirytuall father

175

Men say they had rather

Spende moche of theyr share

Than to be combred with care

Spende Nay but spare

For let se who that dare

180

Shoo the mockyssh mare

They make her wynche and kycke

But it is not worth a leke

Boldenes is to seke

The churche for to defende

185

Take me as I entende

For lothe I am to offende

In this that I have pende

I tell you as men say

Amende whan ye may

190

For usque ad montem Sare

Men say ye can nat appare

For some say [ye] hunte [in parkes] ye] they G ye H in parkes] partrykes G

And hauke on hobby-larkes

And other wanton warkes

195

Whan the nyght darkes

What have laye-men to do

The gray goos for to sho

Lyke houndes of hell

They crye and they yell

200

Howe that ye sell

The grace of the Holy Goost

Thus they make theyr boost

Through every coost

Howe some of you dothe eate

205

In lenton season flesshe-meate

ref.ed: 252

Fesauntes partryche and cranes

Men call you therfore prophanes

Ye pyke no shrympes nor pranes

Saltfysshe stockfyssh nor herynge

210

It is nat for your werynge

Nor in holy lenton season

Ye wyll neyther beanes ne peason

But ye loke to be let lose

To a pygge or to a goose

215

Your gorge nat endued

Without a capon stued

Or a stewed cocke

Under her surfled smocke

And her wanton wodicocke

220

And howe whan ye gyve orders

In your provyncyall borders

As at Sicientes

Some are insufficientes

Some parum sapientes

225

Some nichil intelligentes

Some valde negligentes

Some nullum sensum habentes

Some bestyall and untaught

But whan they have ones caught

230

Dominus vobiscum by the hede

Then renne they in every stede

God wote with dronken nolles

Yet take they cure of soules cure] cures K M

And wotteth never what thei rede

235

Paternoster nor crede

Construe nat worth a whystell

Neyther gospell nor pystell

Theyr matyns madly sayde

Nothynge devoutly 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 nat nowe of all

245

But the moost parte in generall

Of suche vacabundus

ref.ed: 253

Speketh totus mundus

Howe some synge letabundus

At every ale-stake

250

With Welcome hake and make

By the breed that God brake

I am sory for your sake

I speke nat of the good wyfe

But of her apostels lyfe her] theyr K ther H

255

Cum ipsis vel illis

Qui manent in villis

Est uxor vel ancilla

Welcom Iacke and Gylla

My prety Petronylla

260

And you wyll be stylla

You shall have your wylla

Of suche paternoster-pekes

All the worlde spekes

In you the faute is supposed

265

For that they are nat apposed

By iuste examynacyon

In connynge and conversacyon

They have none instructyon

To make a trewe constructyon

270

A preest without a letter

Without his vertue be greatter

Doutlesse were moche better were] where K

Uppon hym for to take

A mattocke or a rake

275

Alas for very shame

Some can nat declyne theyr name

Some can nat scarsly rede

And yet he wyll nat drede

For to kepe a cure

280

And in nothynge is sure

This dominus vobiscum

As wyse as Iacke_a_Thrum Iacke] Tom K M

A chaplayne of trust

Layth all in the dust

285

Thus I Collyn_Cloute

As I go aboute

ref.ed: 254

And wandrynge as I walke

I here the people talke

Men say for sylver and golde

290

Myters are bought and solde

Theyr shall no clergye appose

A myter nor a crose

But a full purse

A strawe for Goddes curse

295

What are they the worse

For a symoniake

Is but a hermoniake

And no more ye make

Of symony men say

300

But a chyldes play

Over this the foresayd lay

Reporte howe the pope may

A[n] holy anker call An] a G K M

Out of the stony wall

305

And hym a bysshop make

Yf he on hym dare take

To kepe so harde a rule

To ryde upon a mule

With golde all betrapped

310

In purple and paule belapped

Some hatted and some capped

Rychly bewrapped

God wotte to theyr great paynes

In rotchettes of fyne raynes

315

Whyte as mares-mylke mares] morowes K M marys H

Theyr tabertes of fyne sylke

Theyr styrops of myxt golde begared begared] 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 thoughe Gyll swete

Or Iacke_of_the_Nocke

The poore people they yoke

With sommons and citacyons

325

And excommunycacyons

ref.ed: 255

Aboute churches and market

The bysshop on his carpet

At home full softe doth sytte

This is a [farly] fytte farly] fearfull G K M ffarly H

330

To here the people iangle

Howe warely they wrangle

Alas why do ye nat handle

And them all [to]_mangle to_mangle] mangle G K M

Full falsely on you they lye

335

And shamfully you ascrye

And say as untrewly

As the butterfly

A man myght say in mocke

Ware the wether-cocke

340

Of the steple of Poules

And thus they hurte theyr soules

In sclaundrynge you for truthe

Alas it is great ruthe

Some say ye sytte in trones

345

Lyke princeps aquilonis princeps] prynces K M prinopes H

And shryne your rotten bonys

With perles and precyous stonys

But howe the commons gronys

And the people monys

350

For prestes and for lonys

Lent and never payde

But from daye to daye delayde

The communewelth decayde

Men say ye are tonge-tayde

355

And therof speke nothynge

But dyssymulynge and glosynge

Wherfore men be supposynge

That ye gyve shrewed counsell

Agaynst the communewell

360

By pollynge and pyllage

In cytes and vyllage

By taxynge and tollage

Ye make monkes to have the colerage make] haue K M make H; colerage] culerage K colerage H

For coverynge of an olde cottage

365

That commytted is a collage

In the charter of dottage

ref.ed: 256

Tenure par service de sottage

And nat par service de socage

After olde seygnours

370

And the lernynge of Lytelton Tenours

Ye have so overthwarted

That good lawes are subverted

And good reason perverted

Relygyous men are fayne

375

For to tourne agayne

In secula seculorum

And to forsake theyr corum

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

Begon and now 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 hevy chere

Must cast up theyr blacke vayles

And set up theyr [fucke]-sayles fucke sayles] flucke sayles G fulke saylys H

To catche wynde with theyr ventayles

What Collyn there thou shayles

400

Yet thus with yll hayles

The lay-fee people rayles

And all the faute they lay the faute] K M omit

In you prelates and say In] On M In H

Ye do them wronge and no ryght them] M omits

405

To put them thus to flyght

No matyns at mydnyght

ref.ed: 257

Boke and chalys gone quyte

Plucke away the leedes

Over theyr heedes

410

And sell away theyr belles

And all that they have elles

Thus the people telles

Rayles lyke rebelles

Rede[s] shrewdly and spelles redes] rede G K M

415

And with foundacyons melles

And talke[s] lyke tytyvylles talkes] talke G K M

Howe ye breke the dedes wylles

Turne monasteries into water-mylles

Of an abbey ye make a graunge ye] they K to H

420

Your workes they say are straunge

So that theyr founders soules

Have lost theyr bedde-roules bedde] beade K bede H

The money for theyr masses

Spent among wanton lasses

425

Theyr dyriges are forgotten Theyr dyriges] The Diriges K the dyrige H

Theyr founders lye there rotten

But where theyr soules dwell

Therwith I wyll nat mell

What coude the Turke do more

430

With all his false lore

Turke Sarazyn or Iewe

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 despyte

You prelates that of ryght

440

Shulde be lanternes of lyght

Ye lyve they say in delyte

Drowned in deliciis

In gloria et deviciis

In o admirabili honore

445

In gloria et splendore

Fulgurantes haste

Viventes parum caste

ref.ed: 258

Yet swete-meate hath soure sauce

For after gloria laus

450

Chryst by cruelte

Was nayled upon a tre

He payed a bitter pencyon

For mans redempcyon

He dranke eysell and gall

455

To redeme us with all

But swete ypocras ye drynke

With Let the catte wynke

Iche wotte what yche do thynke yche do] eche other K M

Howebeit per assimile

460

Some men thynke that ye

Shall have penalte

For your iniquite

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

And bere it well away

465

Yf it please nat theologys nat theologys] the not onely L not theologi H

It is good for astrologys

For Tholome tolde me

The sonne somtyme to be

In Ariete

470

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

Whan Scorpyon descendynge

Was so then pretendynge

A fatall fall for one A fatal] All K M Affatuall L

That shall sytte in a trone shall sytte] syttys nowe L shuld sytte H

475

And rule all thynges alone

Your teth whett [o]n this bone whett on] whetten G whette on H

Amongest you everychone

And let Collyn_Clout have none have none] alone L alon H

Maner of cause to mone

480

Lay salve to your owne sore

For elles as I sayd before

After gloria laus

May come a soure sauce

Sory therfore am I

485

But trouth can never lye

With language thus poluted

Holy churche is bruted

And shamfully confuted

ref.ed: 259

My penne nowe wyll I sharpe

490

And wrest up my harpe

With sharp twynkyng trebelles

Agayne all suche rebelles

That laboure to confounde

And brynge 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 G K M

And eyther ye be to badde

Or elles they are madde

Of this to reporte

505

But under 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 people are glad

The churche to deprave

And some there are that rave

515

Presumyng on theyr owne wytte owne] M omits

Whan there is never a whytte

To maynteyne argumentes

Agaynst the sacramentes

Some make epylogacyon

520

Of hygh predestynacyon

And of resyde[v]acyon resydevacyon] resdenacyon G K M

They make enterpretacyon

Of auquarde facyon

And of the prescyence

525

Of divyne assence assence] essence M

And what ipostacis

Of Chrystes manhode is

Suche logyke men woll choppe

And in theyr fury hoppe

ref.ed: 260

530

Whan the good ale-soppe

Dothe daunce in theyr foretoppe

Bothe women and men

Suche ye may well knowe and ken

That agaynst preesthode agaynst] agayn M

535

Theyr malyce sprede abrode

Raylynge haynously

And dysdaynously

Of preestly dygnytes

By theyr malygnytes By] But K M

540

And some have a smacke

Of Luthers sacke

And a brennynge sparke

Of Luthers warke

And are somewhat suspecte

545

In Luthers secte

And some of them barke

Clatter and carpe

Of that heresy arte

Called Wytclyftista Wytclyftista] Wicleuista M

550

The devylyshe dagmatista

And some be Hussians

And some be Arryans

And some be Pollegyans

And make moche varyans

555

Bytwene the clergye

And the temporaltye

How the churche hath to mykell

And they have to lytell

And brynge in materyalytes in materyalytes] him in maierialites M

560

And qualyfyed qualytes

Of pluralytes

Of tryalytes

And of tot-quottes

They commune lyke sottes sottes] scottes M sottes H

565

As cometh to theyr lottes

Of prebendaries and deanes

Howe some of them glenes

And gathereth up in store gathereth] gathered M

For to catche more and more

ref.ed: 261

570

Of parsons and vycaryes

They make many outcryes

They can nat kepe theyr wyves

From them for theyr lyves

And thus the loselles stryves

575

And lewdely sayes by Chryst

Agaynst the sely preest

Alas and wellaway

What eyles them thus to say

They mought be better advysed

580

Then to be so dysgysed

But they have enterprysed

And shamfully surmysed

How prelacye is solde and bought

And come up of nought

585

And where the prelates be

Come of lowe degre

And set in maieste

And spirytuall dygnyte

Farewell benygnyte

590

Farewell symplycyte

Farewell humylyte

Farewell good charyte

Ye are so puffed with pryde

That no man may abyde

595

Your hygh and lordely lokes

Ye caste up then your bokes

And vertue is forgotten

For then ye wyll be wroken

Of every lyght quarell

600

And call a lorde a iavell

A knyght a knave ye make ye] to K M ye H

Ye boost ye face ye crake

And upon you take

To rule kynge and kayser

605

And yf ye may have layser ye] you K M ye H

Ye wyll brynge all to nought

And that is all your thought

For the lordes temporall

Theyr rule is very small

610

Almoost nothynge at all

ref.ed: 262

Men say howe ye appalle

The noble bloode royall

In ernest and in game

Ye are the lesse to blame

615

For lordes of noble bloode

Yf they well understode understode] understand M

Howe connynge myght them avaunce

They wolde pype you another daunce

But noble-men borne

620

To lerne they have scorne

But hunte and blowe an horne

Lepe over lakes and dykes

Set nothynge by polytykes

Therfore ye kepe them base

625

And mocke them to theyr face

This is a pyteous case

To you that over the whele

Lordes must crouche and knele crouche] couch M cruche H

And breke theyr hose at the kne

630

As dayly men may se

And to remembraunce call

Fortune so tourneth the ball

And ruleth so over all

That honoure hath a great fall

635

Shall I tell you more Ye shall

I am lothe to tell all

But the communalte ye call

Ydolles of Babylon

De terra Zabulon

640

De terra Neptalym

For you love to go trym

Brought up of poore estate

With pryde inordynate

Sodaynly upstarte

645

From the donge-carte

The mattocke and the shovll

To reygne and to rule

And have no grace to thynke

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

650

Of a lether bottell

With a knavysshe stoppell

ref.ed: 263

Whan mammockes was your meate

With moulde brede to eate

Ye coude none other gette coude] wolde K M cowde H

655

To chewe and to g[n]awe gnawe] grawe G gnawe H

To fyll therwith your mawe

Lodged in the strawe

Couchynge your drousy heddes

Somtyme in lousy beddes

660

All this is out of mynde All] Alas K M All MS H

Ye growe nowe out of kynde

Many one ye have untwynde ye have untwynde] have but wynde G K M

And make the commons blynde

But qui se existimat stare

665

Let hym well beware

Leste that his fote slyppe

And have suche a tryppe

And fall in suche decay fall] false K fall H

That all the worlde myght say

670

Come downe on the devyll way devyll] deuils M devyll H

Yet over all that

Of bysshoppes they chat

That though ye rounde your heere

An ynche above your eere

675

And have aures patentes

And parum intendentes

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

Your eeres they be stopped

For Mayster Adulator

680

And Doctour Assentator

And Blandior Blandiris

With Mentior Mentiris

They folowe your desyris

And so they blere your eye

685

That ye can nat espye

Howe the male dothe wrye wrye] wryte K M wrye H

Alas for Goddes wyll

Why syt ye prelates styll

And suffre all this yll

690

Ye bysshoppes of estates

Shulde open the brode gates

ref.ed: 264

For your spirytuall charge

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

Lyke lanternes of lyght

695

In the peoples syght

In pulpyttes autentyke autentyke] attentyke K antentike M

For the wele-publyke

Of preesthode in this case

And all wayes to chase

700

Suche maner of sysmatykes

And halfe-heretykes

That wolde intoxica[te] intoxicate] intoxicall G intrixicate H

That wolde conquinate

That wolde contemminate contemminate] contaminate M H

705

And that wolde vyolate

And that wolde derogate

And that wolde abrogate

The churche hygh estates

After this maner rates

710

The whiche shulde be

Bothe franke and free

And have theyr lyberte

A[s] of antyquyte As] And G K M

It was ratyfyed

715

And also gratyfyed

By holy synodalles

And bulles papalles

As it is res certa

Conteyned in Magna Carta

720

But mayster Damyan

Or some other man

That clerkely is and can

Well scrypture expounde

And hys textes grounde hys] K M omit

725

His benefyce worth ten pounde

Or scante worth twenty marke

And yet a noble clerke

He must do this werke

As I know aparte

730

Some maysters of arte

Some doctours of lawe

Some lerned in other sawe

ref.ed: 265

As in divynyte

That hath no dygnyte

735

But the poore degre

Of the universyte

Or elles frere Frederyk

Or elles frere Dominyk

Or frere Hugulinus

740

Or frere Augustinus

Or frere Carmellus

That goostly can heale us

Or elles yf we may

Gette a frere gray

745

Or elles of the order

Upon Grenewytche border

Called Observaunce

And a frere of Fraunce

Or elles the poore Scot

750

It must come to his lot

To shote forthe his shot

Or of Babvell_besyde_Bery

To postell upon a kyry

That wolde it shulde be noted

755

How scrypture shulde be coted

And so clerkely promoted

And yet the frere doted

[But men say] your auctoryte But men say] Men say but G K M

And your noble se se] fee M see H

760

And your dygnyte

Shulde be imprynted better

Then all the freres letter

But yf ye wolde take payne

To preche a worde or twayne

765

Though it were never so playne

With clauses two or thre

So as they myght be

Compendyously conveyed

These words shuld be more weyed These words] Those words M This H

770

And better perceyved

And thankefullyer receyved

And better shulde remayne

Amonge the people playne

ref.ed: 266

That wolde your wordes retayne

775

And reherse them agayne

Than a thousande thousande other

That blaber barke and blother

And make a Welchmans hose

Of the texte and the glose

780

For protestacyon made

That I wyll nat wade

Farther in this broke

Nor farther for to loke

In devysynge of this boke

785

But answere that I may

For myselfe alway

Eyther analogice

Or elles cathagorice

So that in divynyte

790

Doctours that lerned be

Nor bachelers of that faculte

That hath taken degre

In the unyversyte

Shall nat be obiected by me by] for K M at by H

795

But doctour Bullatus

Parum litteratus

Dominus doctoratus

At the Brode gatus

Doctour Daupatus

800

And bacheler Bacheleratus

Dronken as a mouse

At the ale-house

Taketh his pyllyon and his cappe

At the good ale-tappe

805

For lacke of good wyne

As wyse as Robyn_Swyne

Under a notaries sygne a] an K a H

Was made a divyne

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 nothynge smatter

815

Of logyke nor scole-matter

Neyther sylogysare

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

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

Nor his predicamentes

820

And yet he wyll melle

To amende the gospell

And wyll preche and tell

What they do in hell

And he dare nat well neven

825

What they do in heven

Nor how farre Temple Barre is

From the seven sterrys

Nowe wyll I go

And tell of other mo

830

Semper protestando

De non impugnando

The foure ordres of freres

Though some of them by lyres lyres] lyers K M lyars H

As limyters at large

835

Wyll charge and dyscharge

As many a frere God wote

Preches for his grote

Flatterynge for a newe cote

And for to have his fees

840

Some to gather chese

Lothe they are to lese

Eyther corne or malte

Somtyme meale and salte

Somtyme a bacon-flycke

845

That is thre fyngers thycke

Of larde and of grece

Theyr covent to encrease

I put you out of dout

This can nat be brought about

850

But they theyr tonges fyle

And make a pleasaunt style

To Margery and to Maude

Howe they have no f[r]aude fraude] faude G fawte H

ref.ed: 268

And somtyme they provoke

855

Bothe Gyll and Iacke_at_Noke

Theyr dewtyes to withdrawe

That they ought by the lawe

Theyr curates to content

In open tyde and in lent open tyde] open tyme K M Ester tyde H

860

God wotte they take great payne

To flatter and to fayne

But it is an olde sayd sawe it] K omits

That nede hath no lawe

Some walke about in melottes

865

In gray russet and heery cotes

Some wyl neyther golde ne grotes

Some plucke a partryche in remotes

And by the barres of her tayle of] if M of H

Wyll knowe a raven from a rayle

870

A quayle the rayle the olde raven

Sed libera nos a malo Amen

And by Dudum theyr Clementyne

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

And say properly thei are sacerdotes

875

To shryve assoyle and to reles

Dame Margeres soule out of hell

But whan the frere fell in the well

He coude nat synge hymselfe therout

But by the helpe of Christen_Clout

880

Another Clementyne also

Howe frere Fabian with other mo

Exivit de paradiso

When thei agayn thyder shal come

De hoc petimus consilium

885

And through all the worlde thei go

With Diryge and Placebo

But now my mynde ye understande

For they must take in hande

To preche and withstande

890

All maner of abiections

For bysshoppes have protections

They say to do corrections

But they have no affections affections] afflictions K affeccions H

To take sadde dyrections sadde] the sayd K M

ref.ed: 269

895

In suche maner of cases

Men say they bere no faces

To occupye suche places

To s[ow]e the sede of graces sowe] save G sowe H

Theyr hertes are so faynted

900

And they be so attaynted

With covytous ambycyon ambycyon] and ambycyon K M ambyssyon H

And other superstycyon

That they be deefe and dum

And play scylence and glum

905

Can say nothynge but mum

They occupy them so

With syngynge Placebo

They wyll no farder go

They had lever to please

910

And take theyr worldly ease

Than to take on hande

Worshyp[fully] to withstande worshypfully] worshyp G K M

Suche temporall warre and bate

As now is made of late

915

Agaynst holy churche estate

Or to maynteyne good quarelles

The lay-men call them barelles

Full of glotony

And of ypocrysy

920

That counterfeytes and payntes

As they were very sayntes

In matters that them lyke

They shewe them polytyke

Pretendynge gravyte

925

And seygnyoryte

With all solempnyte

For theyr indempnyte

For they wyll have no losse

Of a peny nor of a crosse

930

Of theyr predyall landes

That cometh to theyr handes

And as farre as they dare set

All is fysshe that cometh to the net to the net] to net M to nett H

Buyldynge royally

935

Theyr mancyons curyously

ref.ed: 270

With turrettes and with toures

With halles and with boures

Stretchynge to the sterres

With glasse wyndowes and barres

940

Hangynge about the walles

Clothes of golde and paules

Arayse of ryche aray

Fresshe as flours in May

With Dame Dyana naked

945

Howe lusty Venus quaked

And howe Cupyde shaked

His dart and bent his bowe

For to shote a crowe

At her tyrly_tyrlowe

950

And howe Parys of Troy

Daunced a lege_moy lege moy] lege de moy K M

Made lusty sporte and ioy

With Dame Helyn the quene

With suche storyes bydene

955

Theyr chambres well sene

With tryumphes of Cesar

And of his Pompeyus warre

Of renowne and of fame

By them to gette a name

960

Howe all the worlde stares

Howe they ryde in goodly chares

Conveyde by olyfauntes

With lauryat garlantes

And by unycornes

965

With theyr semely hornes

Upon these beestes rydynge

Naked boyes strydynge

With wanton wenches wynkyng

Nowe trewely to my thynkyng

970

That is a speculacyon

And a mete meditacyon

For prelates of estate

Theyr courage to abate

From worldly wantones

975

Theyr chambre thus to dresse

ref.ed: 271

With suche perfytenesse

And all suche holynesse

Howebeit they let downe fall

Theyr churches cathedrall

980

Squyre knyght and lorde

Thus the churche remorde

With all temporall people

They renne agaynst the steple

Thus talkynge and tellynge

985

Howe some of you are mellynge

Yet softe and fayre for swellynge

Beware of a quenes yellynge

It is a besy thynge

For one man to rule a kynge kynge] gyng K kyng H

990

Alone and make rekenynge

To governe over all

And rule a realme royall

By one mannes wytte

Fortune may chaunce to flytte

995

And whan he weneth to sytte

Yet may he mysse the quysshon

For I rede a preposycyon rede a] reda M rede by H

Cum regibus amicare

Et omnibus dominare

1000

Et supra te gravare

Wherfore he hath good ure

That can hymselfe assure

How fortune wyll endure

Than lette reason you supporte

1005

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

That they have great wonder

That ye kepe them so under ye] we K ye H

Yet they mervayle so moche lesse

For ye play so at the chesse

1010

As they suppose and gesse

That some of you but late

Hath played so checkmate

With lordes of great estate

After suche a rate

1015

That they shall mell nor make

ref.ed: 272

Nor upon them take

For kynge nor kayser sake

But at the pleasure of one

That ruleth the rest alone

1020

Helas I say helas

Howe may this come to pas

That a man shall here a masse

And nat so hardy on his hede nat] M omits, not H

To loke on God in fourme of brede

1025

But that the parysshe-clerke

Therupon must herke

And graunte hym at his askynge

For to se the sacrynge

And howe may this accorde

1030

No man to our sovereygne lorde

So hardy to make suete

Nor to execute

His commaundement

Without the assent

1035

Of your presydent

Nor to expresse to his parson

Without Without] Without your consentacyon K Without your assentacion M Without george gascone H

Graunte hym his lycence

To prease to his presence

1040

Nor to speke to hym secretly

Openly nor prevyly

Without his presydent be by

Or elles his substytute

Whome he wyll depute

1045

Neyther erle ne duke

Perm[ytt]ed By saynt Luke Permytted] Permed G Now H

And by swete saynt Marke

This is a wonderous warke

That the people talke this

1050

Somwhat there is amysse

The devyll can nat stop their mouthes

But they wyl talke of suche uncouthes

All that ever they ken

Agaynst all spirytuall men

1055

Whether it be wronge or ryght

Or elles for despyght

ref.ed: 273

Or howeever it hap

Theyr tonges thus do clap

And through suche detractyon

1060

They put you to your actyon

And whether they say trewly

As they may byde therby

Or elles that they do lye

Ye knowe better than I

1065

But nowe debetis scire

And groundly audire

In your convenire

Of this premenyre

Or elles in the myre

1070

They say they wyll you cast

Therfore stande sure and fast

Stande sure and take good fotyng

And let be all your motynge

Your gasynge and your totynge

1075

And your parcyall promotynge

Of those that stande in your grace

But olde servauntes ye chase

And put them out of theyr place

Make ye no murmuracyon

1080

Though I wryte after this facyon

Though I Collyn_Clout

Amongest the hole rout

Of you that clerkes be

Take upon me Take upon me] Take now upon K I take now uppon H

1085

Thus copyously to wryte

I do it nat for no despyte

Wherfore take no dysdayne

At my style rude and playne

For I rebuke no man

1090

That vertuous is Why than

Wreke ye your anger on me

For those that vertuous be

Ha[ve] no cause to say have] hath G have H

That I speke out of the way

1095

Of no good bysshop speke I

Nor good preest I escrye I escrye] of the clargy M askrye H

Good frere nor good chanon

ref.ed: 274

Good nonne nor good canon

Good monke nor good clerke

1100

Nor of no good werke

But my recountynge is

Of them that do amys

In spekynge and rebellynge

In hyndrynge and dysavaylynge

1105

Holy churche our mother

One agayne another

To use suche despytynge despytynge] despysyng K M dysputyng H

Is all my hole wrytynge

To hynder no man

1110

As nere as I can

For no man have I named

Wherfore shulde I be blamed be] M omits

Ye ought to be ashamed

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

1115

And can nat tell no cause why can nat] can M H

But that I wryte trewly

Then yf any there be

Of hygh or lowe degre

Of the spirytualte

1120

Or of the temporalte

That doth thynke or wene

That his conscyence be nat clene

And feleth hymselfe sycke

Or touched on the quycke

1125

Suche grace God them sende

Themselfe to amende

For I wyll nat pretende

Any man to offende

Wherfore as thynketh me

1130

Great ydeottes they be

And lytell grace they have

This treatyse to deprave

Nor wyll here no prechynge

Nor no vertuous techynge

1135

Nor wyll have no resytynge

Of any vertuous wrytynge

ref.ed: 275

Wyll knowe none intellygence

To refourme theyr neglygence

But lyve styll out of facyon

1140

To theyr owne dampnacyon

To do shame they have no shame

But they wolde no man shuld them blame

They have an evyll name

But yet they wyll occupye the same

1145

With them the worde of God

Is counted for no rod

They counte it for a raylynge

That nothynge is avaylynge

The prechers with evyll haylynge

1150

Shall they taunt us prelates taunt] daunt K M teche MS H

That be theyr prymates

Nat so hardy on theyr pates

Harke howe the losell prates

With a wyde wesaunt

1155

Avaunt Syr Gye of Gaunt

Avaunt lewde preest avaunt

Avaunt syr doctour De[u]yas Deuyas] dyvers M Devias H

Prate of thy matens and thy mas

And let our matters pas matters] matter K maters M medlyng H

1160

How darest thou daucocke mell

Howe darest thou losell

Allygate the gospell

Agaynst us of the counsell

Avaunt to the devyll of hell

1165

Take him wardeyn of the Flete

Set hym fast by the fete

I say lieutenaunt of the Toure

Make this lurdeyne for to loure

Lodge hym in Lytell Ease

1170

Fede hym with beanes and pease

The Kynges Benche or Marshalsy

Have hym thyder by and by

The vyllayne precheth openly

And declareth our vyllany

1175

And of our fee-symplenes fee] fre K M H omits

He sayes that we are recheles

ref.ed: 276

And full of wylfulnes

Shameles and mercyles

Incorrigible and insaciate

1180

And after this rate

Agaynst us dothe prate

At Poules_Crosse or elswhere

Openly at Westmynstere

And Saynt_Mary_Spytell

1185

They set nat by us a shyttell shytell] whystell K M shetyll H

And at the Austen Fryars

They counte us for lyars

And at Saynt_Thomas_of_Akers

They carpe of us lyke crakers

1190

Howe we wyll rule all at wyll

Without good reason or skyll

And say howe that we be

Full of parcyallyte

And howe at a pronge

1195

We tourne ryght into wronge

Delay causes so longe

That ryght no man can fonge

They say many matters be borne

By the ryght of a rambes-horne

1200

Is nat this a shamfull scorne

To be tered thus and torne

Howe may we thus endure

Wherfore we make you sure

Ye prechers shall be yawde

1205

Some shall be sawde

As noble [Isaias] Isaias] Ezechyes G K M I say was H

The holy prophet was was] Ozeas H

And some of you shall dye

Lyke holy Ieremy

1210

Some hanged some slayne

Some beaten to the brayne

And we wyll rule and rayne

And our matters mayntayne

Who dare say there agayne

1215

Or who dare dysdayne

At our pleasure and wyll our] your K M owur H

For be it good be it yll

ref.ed: 277

As it is it shall be styll

For all maister Doctour of Cyvyll

1220

Or of Divynyte or Doctour Dryvyll Divynyte] Divine M deuynite H Dryvyll] oryll H

Let him cough rough or snevyll

Renne god renne devyll

Renne who may renne best

And let take all the rest

1225

We set nat a nutte-shell

The way to heven or to hell

Lo this is the gyse noweadayes

It is to drede men sayes

Lest they be Seduces Seduces] Saducies M Adusayes H

1230

As they be sad sayne sad] sayd K M

Whiche determyne playne

We shulde nat ryse agayne

At dredfull Domesday

And so it semeth they play

1235

Whiche hate to be corrected

Whan they be infected

Nor wyll suffre this boke

By hoke ne by croke

Prynted for to be

1240

For that no man shulde se

Nor rede in any scrolles

Of theyr dronken nolles

Nor of theyr noddy-polles

Nor of theyr sely soules

1245

Nor of some wytles pates

Of dyvers great estates

As well as other men

Nowe to withdrawe my pen

And now a whyle to rest

1250

Me semeth it for the best

The forecastell of my shyppe

Shall glyde and smothely slyppe

Out of the wawes wodde

Of the stormy flodde

1255

Shote anker and lye at rode

And sayle nat farre abrode

Tyll the coost be clere

ref.ed: 278

That the lodesterre appere

My shyp nowe wyll I stere stere] pere K M stere H

1260

Towarde the porte-salue

Of our Savyoure Iesu

Suche grace that he us sende

To rectyfye and amende

Thynges that are amys

1265

Whan that his pleasure is

Amen

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

Colinus_Cloutus Quanquam mea carmina multis

Sordescunt stulte sed pneumata sunt rara cultis

Pneumatis altisoni divino flamine flatis

Unde mea refert tanto minus invida quamvis

Lingua nocere parat quia quanquam rustica canto

Undique cantabor tamen et celebrabor ubique

Inclita dum maneat gens Anglica Laurus honoris

Quondam regnorum regina et gloria regum

Heu modo marcescit tabescit languida torpet

Ah pudet Ah miseret Vetor hic ego pandere plura

Pro gemitu et lacrimis prestet peto premia pena