But they are[942] loth to mell, And loth to hang the bell Aboute the cattes necke, For drede to haue a checke; They ar fayne to play deuz decke,[943] They ar made[944] for the becke. How be it they are good men, Moche[945] herted lyke an hen: Theyr lessons forgotten they haue 170 That Becket them[946] gaue: Thomas _manum mittit ad fortia,_ _Spernit damna, spernit opprobria,_ _Nulla Thomam frangit injuria_. But nowe euery spirituall father, Men say, they[947] had rather Spende moche[948] of theyr share Than to be combred with care: Spende! nay, nay,[949] but spare; For let se who that[950] dare 180 Sho the mockysshe mare; They make her wynche and keke, But it is not[951] worth a leke: Boldnesse is to seke The Churche[952] for to defend. Take me as I intende, For lothe[953] I am to offende In this that I haue pende: I tell you as men say; Amende whan[954] ye may, 190 For, _usque ad montem Sare_,[955] Men say ye can not appare;[956] For some say ye hunte in[957] parkes, And hauke on hobby larkes, And other wanton warkes, Whan the nyght darkes. What hath lay men to[958] do The gray gose[959] for to sho? Lyke houndes of hell, They crye and they yell, 200 Howe that ye[960] sell The grace of the Holy Gost: Thus they make theyr bost Through owte[961] euery cost, Howe some of you do eate In Lenton season[962] fleshe mete, Fesauntes, partryche, and cranes; Men call you therfor prophanes; Ye pycke no shrympes nor[963] pranes, Saltfysshe, stocfysshe, nor[964] heryng, 210 It is not for your werynge; Nor in holy Lenton[965] season Ye[966] wyll netheyr benes ne peason, But ye loke to be let lose[967] To a pygge[968] or to a gose, Your gorge not endewed Without a capon stewed, Or a stewed cocke, To knowe[969] whate ys a clocke Vnder her surfled[970] smocke, 220 And her wanton wodicocke. And howe whan ye[971] gyue orders In your prouinciall borders, As at _Sitientes_,[972] Some are _insufficientes_,[973] Some _parum sapientes_, Some _nihil intelligentes_, Some _valde negligentes_, Some _nullum sensum habentes_, But bestiall[974] and vntaught;[975] 230 But whan thei haue ones caught _Dominus vobiscum_ by the hede, Than renne they in euery stede, God wot, with dronken nolles; Yet take they[976] cure[977] of soules, And woteth neuer[978] what thei rede, Paternoster, Ave,[979] nor Crede; Construe not worth a whystle Nether Gospell nor Pystle; Theyr mattyns madly sayde, 240 Nothynge deuoutly prayde; Theyr lernynge is so small,[980] Theyr prymes[981] and houres fall And lepe[982] out of theyr lyppes