For if the pope lived as god bede, Pryde and hyghnesse he shuld dispyse, 1230 Richesse, covetyse, and crowne on hede, Mekenesse and povert he shulde use." The Gryffon sayd, he shulde abye-- "Thou shal[t] be brent in balefull fyre; And all thy secte I shall distrye, 1235 Ye shal be hanged by the swyre! Ye shullen be hanged and to-drawe. Who giveth you levë for to preche, Or speke +agaynës goddes lawe, And the people thus falsly teche? 1240 Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell, And dissevered from holy churche, And clene y-dampned into hell, Otherwyse but ye woll worche!" The Pellican sayd, "that I ne drede; 1245 Your cursinge is of litell value; Of god I hope to have my mede, For it is falshed that ye shewe. For ye ben out of charitè And wilneth vengeaunce, as did Nero; 1250 To suffren I woll redy be; I drede not that thou canst do. Christ bad ones suffre for his love, And so he taught all his servaunts; And but thou amend for his sake above, 1255 I drede not all thy mayntenaunce. For if I drede the worldes hate, Me thinketh, I were litell to prayse; I drede nothing your hye estat, Ne I drede not your disese. 1260 Wolde ye turne and leve your pryde, Your hyë port, and your richesse, Your cursing shuld not go so wyde; God bring you into rightwysnesse! For I drede not your tyranny, 1265 For nothing that ye can doon; To suffre I am all redy, Siker, I recke never how soon!" The Griffon grinned as he were wood, And loked lovely as an owle! 1270 And swor, by cockes hertë blood, He wolde him terë, every doule! "Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule! For thy resons I woll thee all to-race; And make thy flesh to rote and moule; 1275 Losell, thou shalt have hardë grace!" The Griffon flew forth on his way; The Pellican did sitte and weep; And to him-selfë he gan say, "God wolde that any of Christes sheep 1280 Had herd, and y-takë kepe Eche a word that here sayd was, And wolde it wryte and well it kepe! God wolde it were all, for his grace!" PLOWMAN. I answerde, and sayd I wolde, 1285 If for my travayl any wold pay. PELICAN. He sayd, "yes; these that god han sold; For they han [greet] store of money!" PLOWMAN. I sayd, "tell me, and thou may, Why tellest thou mennës trespace?" 1290 PELICAN. He said, "to amende hem, in good fay, If god woll give me any grace.