The worldes cause is wayted over-al; Ther be the werres redy, to the fulle; 205 But Cristes owne cause in special, Ther ben the swerdes and the speres dulle. And with the sentence of the popes bulle As for to doon the folk payën obeye, The chirche is tourned al another weye. 210 It is wonder, above any mannes wit, Withoute werre how Cristes fayth was wonne; And we that been upon this erthë yit Ne kepe it nat as it was first begonne. To every crëature under the sonne 215 Crist bad him-self, how that we shulde preche, And to the folke his evangely teche. More light it is to kepe than to make; But that we founden mad to-fore the hond We kepe nat, but lete it lightly slake; 220 The pees of Crist hath al to-broke his bond. We reste our-self, and suffren every lond To slee eche other as thing undefended; So stant the werre, and pees is nat amended. But though the heed of holy chirche above 225 Ne do nat al his hole businesse Among the men to sette pees and love, These kinges oughten, of hir rightwysnesse, Hir owne cause among hem-self redresse. Thogh Peters ship, as now, hath lost his stere, 230 It lyth in hem that barge for to stere. If holy chirche after the dewetè Of Cristes word ne be nat al avysed To make pees, accord, and unitè Among the kinges that be now devysed, 235 Yet, natheles, the lawë stant assysed Of mannes wit, to be so resonable Withoute that to stande hem-selve stable. Of holy chirche we ben children alle, And every child is holde for to bowe 240 Unto the moder, how that ever it falle, Or elles he mot reson disalowe. And, for that cause, a knight shal first avowe The right of holy chirche to defende, That no man shal the privilege offende. 245 Thus were it good to setten al in evene The worldes princes and the prelats bothe, For love of him whiche is the king of hevene; And if men shulde algate wexen wrothe, The Sarazins, whiche unto Crist ben lothe, 250 Let men be armed ayenst hem to fighte, So may the knight his dede of armes righte. Upon three poynts stant Cristes pees oppressed; First, holy chirche is in her-self devyded; Which oughte, of reson, first to be redressed; 255 But yet so high a cause is nat decyded. And thus, whan humble pacience is pryded, The remenaunt, which that they shulde reule, No wonder is, though it stande out of reule. Of that the heed is syk, the limmes aken; 260 These regnes, that to Cristes pees belongen, For worldes good, these deedly werres maken, Which helpelees, as in balaunce, hongen. The heed above hem hath nat underfongen To sette pees, but every man sleeth other; 265 And in this wyse hath charitè no brother.