Part 27 (2/2)
The more that they haue (the more they thynke they lacke) What deuyll can stop theyr throte so large and wyde Yet many all waste aboute Ryot and pryde
But yet is this moche more abhomynable That a.s.ses vntaught without wysdome or scyence Haue theyr proude myndes moste vnsaciable Nat commynge to worshyp by vertue nor prudence Yet counte they them worthy of this excellence Courters become prestis nought knowynge but the dyce They preste not for G.o.d, but for a benefyce
The clerke of the kechyn is a prest become In full trust to come to promosyon hye No thynge by vertue cunnynge nor wysdome But by couetyse, practyse and flatery The Stepyll and the chirche by this meane stand awry For some become rather prestis for couetyse.
Than for the loue of G.o.d or his seruyce.
Alas oft G.o.ddes goodes and cristis herytage Of suche folys is wastyd and spent in vayne In great folyes mundaynes and outrage Where it decreed, and ordeyned is certayne.
That prestis sholde helpe pore people that lyue in payne And with suche goodes kepe hospytalyte Whiche pryde ryot and Uenus suffreth nat to be
Thus is the grettest parte of the spiritualte Pore preste, persone, vicayr, relygyon and prelate With couetyse acloyde outher prodigalyte And folys promotyd causyth good clerkis haue hate Say lordes and bysshops with other of estate What mouyth you so gladly, suche to promote Whiche haue no cunnynge their wyt skant worth a grote
Wyll ye alway the folysshe a.s.se ouercharge With suche burthyns wherwith it can nat fare And suffer other to walke and ren at large And where they best myght bere theyr backes ar left bare And that is worst of all, suche folys can nat be ware But whan they ar promotyd after theyr owne entent.
Yet theyr insaciable mynde can neuer be content.
Some make exchanges and permutacions Some take to ferme, and some let out agayne Other folys for hope make resignacions And some for one G.o.d scosyth gladly twayne Some lyueth longe in hunger and in payne And in the somer day skarsly drynketh twyse Sparynge monay therwith to by a benefyce
Some for no wages in court doth attende With lorde or knyght, and all for this polecy To get of his lorde a benefyce at the ende And in the meane tyme ensueth rybawdry And somtyme laboureth by chraft of symony.
He playeth a fals cast, nat cessynge to coniure Tyll of some benefyce he at the last be sure
Than if this lorde haue in hym fauoure, he hath hope To haue another benefyce of gretter dignyte And so maketh a fals suggestyon to the pope For a Tot quot outher els a pluralyte Than shall he nat be pleased with .II. nouther thre But dyuers wyll he haue ay choppynge and changynge So oft a fole all and a G.o.de clerke no thynge
These of nought force so that they may haue gayne And golde ynough to spende on rybawdry and pryde They haue the profyte, another hath the payne The cure of the soulys of them is set asyde And no meruayle, for howe sholde they abyde.
To teche their parysshynges vertue wysdome or grace Syns no man can be atonys in euery place
Alas these folys our mayster criste betray Of mannes soule wherof they haue the cure And settynge in their stede syr Johnn of garnesey They thynketh them selfe dischargyd quyte and sure These folys note nat that euery creature.
Whiche here of soulys doth cure or charge take At domys day a compt for them shall make
But if I sholde touche all the enormytees The immoderat couetyse and desyre of dignyte That nowe is vsed amonge all the degrees Of benefycyd men ouer all the spiritualte I fere displeasour, and also I often se That trouth is blamed, and nat ay best to tell But he that in this lyfe wyll alway besy be To get dyuers prebendes shall haue the last in h.e.l.l
THENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
What meane ye gyders of Christis herytage Shall ye neuer leue this your deuowrynge mynde Shall ye no tyme your couytyse a.s.swage Whiche in G.o.ddes seruyce your hartis sore doth blynde Let this fals traytour no place amonge you fynde Graunt hym no rowne in churche nor in quere.
For this is sure ye shall all leue behynde We haue no Cyte, nor place abydynge here
Of them that prolonge from day to day to amende themselfe.
[Ill.u.s.tration: He that cras cras syngeth with the crowe Deferrynge the tyme of his amendement Amonge our folys, in this our shyp shall rowe For his presumpcion, dull mynde and blynde intent What knowe these folys whether G.o.d omnypotent Wyll graunt them to lyue vntyll another day.
Wherfore we ought to mende vs whyle we may.]
If vnto any almyghty G.o.d doth sende From heuen aboue by inspyracion dyuyne Wyll and G.o.de mynde his synnes to amende And with his grace his thoughtes enlumyne If that synner wyll nat therto enclyne But doth dyffer and dryue frome day to day A fole he is, no wyse man wyll denay
Yet many folowe this inconuenience And knowynge theyr owne vyce, and lyfe full of ordure The payne therof, and howe euery offence And synne is punysshed of eche creature Also they knowe that theyr deth is vnsure And dye they must knowynge no houre nor s.p.a.ce Yet synne they styll, nat receyuynge this grace
They folowe the crowes cry to theyr great sorowe Cras cras cras to morowe we shall amende And if we mende nat than, than shall we the next morowe Outher shortly after, we shall no more offende Amende mad fole whan G.o.d this grace doth sende He is vnwyse whiche trustes the crowes songe And that affermyth that he shall lyue so longe
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