These thinges me greven to thinke, and
namely on passed gladnesse, that in this worlde was wont me
disporte of highe and lowe; and now it is fayled; they that
wolden maystries me have in thilke stoundes. In heven on
highe, above Saturnes sphere, in sesonable tyme were they
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lodged; but now come queynte counsailours that in no house
wol suffre me sojourne, wherof is pitè; and yet sayn some that
they me have in celler with wyne shed; in gernere, there corn is
layd covered with whete; in sacke, sowed with wolle; in purse,
with money faste knit; among pannes mouled in a †whicche;
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in presse, among clothes layd, with riche pelure arayed; in stable,
among hors and other beestes, as hogges, sheep, and neet; and
in many other wyse. But thou, maker of light (in winking of
thyn eye the sonne is queynt), wost right wel that I in trewe name
was never thus herberowed.
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Somtyme, toforn the sonne in the seventh partie was smiten,
I bar both crosse and mytre, to yeve it where I wolde. With me
the pope wente a-fote; and I tho was worshipped of al holy
church. Kinges baden me their crownes holden. The law was
set as it shuld; tofore the juge, as wel the poore durste shewe
40
his greef as the riche, for al his money. I defended tho taylages,
and was redy for the poore to paye. I made grete feestes in my
tyme, and noble songes, and maryed damoselles of gentil feture,
withouten golde or other richesse. Poore clerkes, for witte of
schole, I sette in churches, and made suche persones to preche;
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and tho was service in holy churche honest and devout, in
plesaunce bothe of god and of the people. But now the leude
for symonye is avaunced, and shendeth al holy churche. Now is
steward, for his achates; now †is courtiour, for his debates; now
is eschetour, for his wronges; now is losel, for his songes,
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personer; and [hath his] provendre alone, with whiche manye
thrifty shulde encrese. And yet is this shrewe behynde; free
herte is forsake; and losengeour is take. Lo! it acordeth; for
suche there ben that voluntarie lustes haunten in courte with
ribaudye, that til midnight and more wol playe and wake, but in
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the churche at matins he is behynde, for yvel disposicion of his
stomake; therfore he shulde ete bene-breed (and so did his
syre) his estate ther-with to strengthen. His auter is broke, and
lowe lyth, in poynte to gon to the erthe; but his hors muste ben
esy and hye, to bere him over grete waters. His chalice poore,
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but he hath riche cuppes. No towayle but a shete, there god
shal ben handled; and on his mete-borde there shal ben bord-clothes
and towelles many payre. At masse serveth but a clergion;
fyve squiers in hal. Poore chaunsel, open holes in every
syde; beddes of silke, with tapites going al aboute his chambre.
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Poore masse-book and leud chapelayn, and broken surplice with
many an hole; good houndes and many, to hunte after hart and
hare, to fede in their feestes. Of poore men have they greet
care; for they ever crave and nothing offren, they wolden have
hem dolven! But among legistres there dar I not come; my
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doinge[s], they sayn, maken hem nedy. They ne wolde for
nothing have me in town; for than were tort and †force nought
worth an hawe about, and plesen no men, but thilk grevous and
torcious ben in might and in doing. These thinges to-forn-sayd
mowe wel, if men liste, ryme; trewly, they acorde nothing. And
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for-as-moch as al thinges by me shulden of right ben governed,
I am sory to see that governaunce fayleth, as thus: to sene smale
and lowe governe the hye and bodies above. Certes, that
policye is naught; it is forbode by them that of governaunce
treten and enformen. And right as beestly wit shulde ben
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subject to reson, so erthly power in it-selfe, the lower shulde ben
subject to the hygher. What is worth thy body, but it be
governed with thy soule? Right so litel or naught is worth
erthely power, but if reignatif prudence in heedes governe the
smale; to whiche heedes the smale owen to obey and suffre in
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their governaunce. But soverainnesse ayenward shulde thinke in
this wyse: "I am servaunt of these creatures to me delivered,
not lord, but defendour; not mayster, but enfourmer; not
possessour,
