They set not by[1407] vs a whystell:[1408] At the Austen fryers They count vs for[1409] lyers: And[1410] at Saynt Thomas of Akers 1190 They carpe vs[1411] lyke crakers, Howe we wyll rule[1412] all at wyll Without good reason or[1413] skyll; And say how that we be Full of parcyalyte;[1414] And howe at a pronge We tourne ryght into[1415] wronge, Delay causes so longe That ryght no man can fonge; They say many matters be[1416] born 1200 By the ryght of[1417] a rambes horne. Is not this a shamfull scorne, To be[1418] teared thus and torne? How may we thys[1419] indure? Wherfore we make you sure, Ye[1420] prechers shall be yawde; And[1421] some shall be sawde, As noble[1422] Ezechyas, The holy prophet, was; And some of you shall dye, 1210 Lyke holy Jeremy; Some hanged, some[1423] slayne, Some beaten to the brayne; And we wyll rule[1424] and rayne, And our matters mayntayne Who dare say there agayne, Or who dare dysdayne At our[1425] pleasure and wyll: For, be it good or be it yll, As it is, it shall be styll, 1220 For all master doctour of Cyuyll,[1426] Or of Diuine,[1427] or doctour Dryuyll, Let hym cough, rough,[1428] or sneuyll; Renne[1429] God, renne deuyll, Renne who may renne[1430] best, And let take all the rest![1431] We[1432] set not a nut shell The way to heuen or to[1433] hell. Lo, this is the gyse now a dayes! It is to drede, men sayes, 1230 Lest they be Saduces,[1434] As they be sayd sayne Whiche[1435] determyned[1436] playne We shulde not ryse agayne At dredefull domis day; And so it semeth[1437] they play, Whiche hate to be corrected Whan they be infected, Nor wyll[1438] suffre this boke By hoke ne[1439] by croke 1240 Prynted for to be, For that no man shulde se Nor rede in any scrolles[1440] Of theyr drunken nolles, Nor of theyr noddy polles, Nor of theyr sely soules, Nor of some wytles pates Of dyuers great estates, As well[1441] as other men. Now to withdrawe my pen, 1250 And now a whyle to rest, Me semeth it[1442] for the best. The forecastell of my shyp Shall glyde, and smothely slyp Out of the wawes wod Of[1443] the stormy flod; Shote anker, and lye at rode, And sayle not farre abrode, Tyll the cost be clere, And[1444] the lode starre appere: 1260 My shyp nowe wyll I stere[1445] Towarde the porte salu[1446] Of our Sauyour Jesu, Suche grace that he vs sende, To rectyfye and[1447] amende Thynges that are amys, Whan that[1448] his pleasure is. Amen![1449] _In opere imperfecto,_ _In opere semper perfecto,_