A spendour þat spende mot, oþer a spille-tyme, Oþer beggest þy bylyue aboute ate menne hacches, Oþer faitest vpon Frydays oþer feste-dayes in churches, 30 The wiche is lollarene lyf, þat lytel ys preysed Þer Ryghtfulnesse rewardeþ ryght as men deserueþ:— _Reddit unicuique iuxta opera sua_. Oþer þow ert broke, so may be, in body oþer in membre, Oþer ymaymed þorw som myshap werby þow myȝt be excused?' 35 'Wanne ich ȝong was,' quath ich, 'meny ȝer hennes, My fader and my frendes founden me to scole, Tyl ich wiste wyterliche wat Holy Wryt menede, And wat is best for þe body, as þe Bok telleþ, And sykerest for þe soule, by so ich wolle continue. 40 And ȝut fond ich neuere, in faith, sytthen my frendes deyden, Lyf þat me lyked, bote in þes longe clothes. Hyf ich by laboure sholde lyue and lyflode deseruen, That labour þat ich lerned best þer_with_ lyue ich sholde:— _In eadem uocatione qua uocati estis_. 45 And ich lyue in Londene and on Londen bothe; The lomes þat ich laboure with and lyflode deserue Ys _Paternoster_, and my Prymer, _Placebo_ and _Dirige_, And my Sauter som tyme, and my Seuene Psalmes. Thus ich synge for hure soules of suche as me helpen, 50 And þo þat fynden me my fode vochen saf, ich trowe, To be wolcome wanne ich come oþerwyle in a monthe, Now with hym and now with hure; and þusgate ich begge Withoute bagge oþer botel bote my wombe one. And also, moreouer, me þynkeþ, syre Reson, 55 Men sholde constreyne no clerke to knauene werkes; For by lawe of _Leuitici_, þat oure Lord ordeynede, Clerkes þat aren crouned, of kynde vnderstondyng, Sholde noþer swynke, ne swete, ne swere at enquestes, Ne fyghte in no vauntwarde, ne hus fo greue:— 60 _Non reddas malum pro malo_. For it ben aires of heuene alle þat ben crounede, And in queer in churches Cristes owene mynestres:— _Dominus pars hereditatis mee_; & alibi: _Clementia non constringit_. Hit bycomeþ for clerkus Crist for to seruen, 65 And knaues vncrouned to cart and to worche. For shold no clerk be crouned bote yf he ycome were Of franklens and free men, and of folke yweddede. Bondmen and bastardes and beggers children, Thuse bylongeþ to labour, and lordes children sholde seruen, 70 Bothe God and good men, as here degree askeþ; Some to synge masses, oþer sitten and wryte, Rede and receyue þat Reson ouhte spende; And sith bondemenne barnes han be mad bisshopes, And barnes bastardes han ben archidekenes, 75 And sopers and here sones for seluer han be knyghtes,