330 This is a farly[1023] fyt, To here the people iangle, Howe warely[1024] they wrangle: Alas, why do ye not handle And them all to-mangle?[1025] Full[1026] falsely on you they lye, And[1027] shamefully you ascrye, And say as vntruely,[1028] As the[1029] butterflye A man myght[1030] saye in mocke 340 Ware the[1031] wethercocke Of the steple of Poules; And thus they hurte theyr soules In sclaunderyng[1032] you for[1033] truthe: Alas, it is great ruthe! Some say ye syt in trones, Lyke prynces[1034] _aquilonis_, And shryne your rotten bones With perles[1035] and precyous stones; But howe the commons grones, 350 And the people mones[1036] For prestes and for lones Lent and neuer payd, But from day to day delayde, The commune welth decayde, Men say ye are tonge tayde,[1037] And therof speke[1038] nothynge But dyssymulyng and glosyng. Wherfore men be[1039] supposyng That ye gyue shrewd counsell 360 Agaynst the commune well, By poollynge and pyllage In cytyes and vyllage, By taxyng and tollage,[1040] Ye make[1041] monkes to[1042] haue the culerage For couerynge of an olde cottage, That commytted[1043] is a collage In the charter of dottage, _Tenure par seruyce[1044] de sottage_, And not _par seruyce de socage_, 370 After olde seygnyours, And the lerning of Lytelton tenours: Ye haue so ouerthwarted, That good lawes are subuerted, And good reason peruerted. Relygous men are fayne For to tourne[1045] agayne _In[1046] secula seculorum_, And to forsake[1047] theyr corum, And _vagabundare per forum_, 380 And take a fyne _meritorum_, _Contra regulam morum,_ _Aut_ blacke _monachorum,_ _Aut canonicorum,_ _Aut Bernardinorum,_ _Aut crucifixorum_, And to synge from place to place, Lyke apostataas. And the selfe same game Begone ys[1048] nowe with shame 390 Amongest[1049] the sely nonnes: My lady nowe[1050] she ronnes, Dame Sybly[1051] our abbesse, Dame Dorothe and lady Besse, Dame Sare[1052] our pryoresse, Out of theyr[1053] cloyster and quere With an heuy chere, Must cast vp theyr blacke vayles, And set vp theyr fucke sayles, To catch wynde with their ventales— 400 What, Colyne,[1054] there thou shales! Yet thus with yll hayles The lay fee[1055] people rayles. And all the fawte[1056] they lay On you, prelates,[1057] and say Ye do them wrong[1058] and no ryght To put them thus to flyght; No matyns at mydnyght, Boke and chalys gone quyte; And[1059] plucke awaye the leedes 410 Evyn[1060] ouer theyr heedes, And sell away theyr belles,