Classic Poem

Jak, thou spekist ferthermore
of messis and of preires,
and askist what we sellen,
wen we seyen oure messe,
whether the sacrament,
our preieres, or our traveile;
and if ony of this we done,
thou arguest a greet errour.
Jak, unto this questioun
on wyse may be answerith,
aftir that seint Austyn
spekith of the apostlis.
The apostlis a seye
reseyved freely her breed
of hem that freely
token her techinge;
and so, Jak, freely graunte
we our masse
to hem that freely
geven us her almesse,
and synnen no wyse
bi noon other vice,
to selle no sacramentis
ne spiritual preier.
And thus among freres
gete thei no logginge,
but bete hem to gretter men
and geten her herbegage,
of patronis of chirchis,
or privyly with preestes,
wich to fatte benefices
wolde be promotid.
Jak, I suppose
That my labour y selle,
what wil thou seie therto,
do y ony symonye?
How than shal the persons seye
that setten her chirches to ferme,
that ben more spiritual
than bodili traveile;
and these paroche preestes
that ministren the sacramentis,
for a certen sawd bi geer
of ten mark or of twelfe;
and al these annuellers
that syngen for a tyme,
takyng for her traveil
as thei may acorde;
but thei can answere for hem silf,
and we shal for us.
Another mater ther is meved,
that touchith begging;
thou seist that we falsly
Crist him silf disclaundren,
to seie that he beggid,
sith he was lord of al,
and al in his demeyns.