Wonder is, that the parliament And all the lordes of this lond Here-to taken so litell entent To helpe the people out of hir hond; 680 For they ben harder in +hir bond, Wors bete[n] and [more] bitter brend Than to the king is understond; God him helpe this to amend! What bisshoppes, what religio[u]ns 685 Han in this lande as moch lay-fee, Lordshippes, and possessio[u]ns More than the lordes, it semeth me! That maketh hem lese charitè, They mowë nat to god attend; 690 In erthe they have so high degree, God, for his mercy, it amend! The emperour yaf the pope somtyme So hyghe lordship him about, That, at [the] laste, the sely kyme, 695 The proudë popë putte him out! So of this realme is in dout, But lordes be ware and +hem defend; For now these folk be wonder stout, The king and lordes now this amend! 700 THUS ENDETH THE SECONDE PART OF THIS TALE, AND HERAFTER FOLOWETH THE THIRDE. PART III. Moyses lawe forbood it tho, That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde, Christes gospel biddeth also Thát they shuld no lordship helde; Ne Christes apostels were never so bold 705 No such lordshippes to +hem enbrace; But smeren hir sheep and kepe hir fold; God amende hem for his grace! For they ne ben but countrefet, Men may knowe hem by hir fruit; 710 Hir gretnesse maketh hem god foryet, And take his mekenesse in dispyt. And they were pore and had but lyte, They nolde nat demen after the face, But norishe hir sheep, and hem nat byte; 715 God amende hem for his grace!" GRIFON. "What canst thou preche ayenst chanons Thát men clepen seculere?" PELICAN. "They ben curates of many towns, On erthë they have greet powére. 720 They han greet prebendes and dere, Some two or three, and some [han] mo, A personage to ben a playing-fere, And yet they serve the king also; And let to fermë all that fare 725 To whom that woll most give therfore; Some woll spende, and some woll spare, And some woll laye it up in store. A cure of soule[s] they care nat for, Só they mowë money take; 730 Whether hir soules be wonne or lore, Hir profits they woll nat forsake. They have a gedering procuratour That can the pore people enplede, And robben hem as a ravinour, 735 And to his lord the money lede; And cacche of quicke and eke of dede, And richen him and his lord eke, And to robbe the pore can give good rede Of olde and yonge, of hole and seke. 740