Stanzas 31ÔÇô35 -
31.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to beguile children
or they commen to discretion,
and bind hem to your orders,
that ben not grounded in Gods law,
agains hir friends will?
Sithen by this follie been many apostataes,
both in will and deed,
and many beene apostataes in hir will
during all her life,
that would gladly be discharged,
if they wist how;
and so many ben apostataes,
that shoulden in other states have been true men.
32.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to make so many freers
in every country,
to the charge of the people?
Sith persons and vicars alone,
ye, secular priests alone,
ye, monkes and cannons alone,
with bishops above them,
were ynough to the church
to doe the priests office.
And to adde more than ynough,
is a foule errour,
and great charge to the people,
and this openly against Gods will.
that ordained all thyngs
to be done in weight, number, and measure.
And Christ himselfe was apaied
with twelve apostles and a fewe disciples,
to preach and doe priests office
to all the whole world;
then was it better doe than is nowe at this time,
by a thousand dele.
And right so as foure fingers
with a thombe in a mans hand
helpeth a man to worch,
and double number of fingers in one hand
should let him more;
and so the more number that there were
passing the measure of Gods ordinaunce,
the more were a man letted to worch;
right so, as it seemeth,
it is of these new orders
that ben added to the church,
without ground of holy write and Gods ordinance.
33.
Freer, what charity is this,
to the people to lie,
and say that ye follow Christ in povertie
more than other men done?
And yet in curious and costly housing,
and fine and precious clothing,
and delicious and liking feeding,
and in treasure and jewels.
and rich ornaments,
freers passen lords
and other rich worldly men,
and soonest they should bring
her cause about,
be it never so costly,
though Gods law be put abacke.
34.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to gather up the books of holy write,
and put hem in tresorie,
and so emprison them
from secular priestes and curats,
and by this cautell
let hem to preach the gospell
freely to the people
without worldly meed,
and also to defame
good priests of heresie,
and lien on hem openly,
for to let hem to show Gods law
by the holy gospell
to the Christian people.
35.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to faine so much holines
in your bodily clothing,
that ye clepe your habit,
that many blind fools desiren to die therein
more than in another?
And also that a freer that leveth his habit,
late founden of men,
may not be assoiled
till he take it againe,
but is apostata, as ye saine,
and cursed of God and man both?
The freer beleeveth truth and patience,
chastitie, meeknesse, and sobrietie,
yet for the more part of his life
he may soon be assoiled of his prior;
and if he bring home to his house
much, good by the yeare,
bee it never so falsely
begged and pilled
of the poore and needie people
in countries about,
he shall be hold a noble freer;
o Lord, whether this be charitie!
Freer, what charitie is this,
to beguile children
or they commen to discretion,
and bind hem to your orders,
that ben not grounded in Gods law,
agains hir friends will?
Sithen by this follie been many apostataes,
both in will and deed,
and many beene apostataes in hir will
during all her life,
that would gladly be discharged,
if they wist how;
and so many ben apostataes,
that shoulden in other states have been true men.
32.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to make so many freers
in every country,
to the charge of the people?
Sith persons and vicars alone,
ye, secular priests alone,
ye, monkes and cannons alone,
with bishops above them,
were ynough to the church
to doe the priests office.
And to adde more than ynough,
is a foule errour,
and great charge to the people,
and this openly against Gods will.
that ordained all thyngs
to be done in weight, number, and measure.
And Christ himselfe was apaied
with twelve apostles and a fewe disciples,
to preach and doe priests office
to all the whole world;
then was it better doe than is nowe at this time,
by a thousand dele.
And right so as foure fingers
with a thombe in a mans hand
helpeth a man to worch,
and double number of fingers in one hand
should let him more;
and so the more number that there were
passing the measure of Gods ordinaunce,
the more were a man letted to worch;
right so, as it seemeth,
it is of these new orders
that ben added to the church,
without ground of holy write and Gods ordinance.
33.
Freer, what charity is this,
to the people to lie,
and say that ye follow Christ in povertie
more than other men done?
And yet in curious and costly housing,
and fine and precious clothing,
and delicious and liking feeding,
and in treasure and jewels.
and rich ornaments,
freers passen lords
and other rich worldly men,
and soonest they should bring
her cause about,
be it never so costly,
though Gods law be put abacke.
34.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to gather up the books of holy write,
and put hem in tresorie,
and so emprison them
from secular priestes and curats,
and by this cautell
let hem to preach the gospell
freely to the people
without worldly meed,
and also to defame
good priests of heresie,
and lien on hem openly,
for to let hem to show Gods law
by the holy gospell
to the Christian people.
35.
Freer, what charitie is this,
to faine so much holines
in your bodily clothing,
that ye clepe your habit,
that many blind fools desiren to die therein
more than in another?
And also that a freer that leveth his habit,
late founden of men,
may not be assoiled
till he take it againe,
but is apostata, as ye saine,
and cursed of God and man both?
The freer beleeveth truth and patience,
chastitie, meeknesse, and sobrietie,
yet for the more part of his life
he may soon be assoiled of his prior;
and if he bring home to his house
much, good by the yeare,
bee it never so falsely
begged and pilled
of the poore and needie people
in countries about,
he shall be hold a noble freer;
o Lord, whether this be charitie!
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