The folys whose hertis vnto this vyce ar bounde Upon theyr sholders bereth aboute a sacke. Insaciable without botome, outher grounde: They thynke them nat lade though all be on theyr backe. The more that they haue (the more they thynke they lacke) What deuyll can stop theyr throte so large and wyde Yet many all waste aboute Ryot and pryde But yet is this moche more abhomynable That asses vntaught without wysdome or scyence Haue theyr proude myndes moste vnsaciable Nat commynge to worshyp by vertue nor prudence Yet counte they them worthy of this excellence Courters become prestis nought knowynge but the dyce They preste not for god, but for a benefyce The clerke of the kechyn is a prest become In full trust to come to promosyon hye No thynge by vertue cunnynge nor wysdome But by couetyse, practyse and flatery The Stepyll and the chirche by this meane stand awry For some become rather prestis for couetyse. Than for the loue of god or his seruyce. Alas oft goddes goodes and cristis herytage Of suche folys is wastyd and spent in vayne In great folyes mundaynes and outrage Where it decreed, and ordeyned is certayne. That prestis sholde helpe pore people that lyue in payne And with suche goodes kepe hospytalyte Whiche pryde ryot and Uenus suffreth nat to be Thus is the grettest parte of the spiritualte Pore preste, persone, vicayr, relygyon and prelate With couetyse acloyde outher prodigalyte And folys promotyd causyth good clerkis haue hate Say lordes and bysshops with other of estate What mouyth you so gladly, suche to promote Whiche haue no cunnynge their wyt skant worth a grote Wyll ye alway the folysshe asse ouercharge With suche burthyns wherwith it can nat fare And suffer other to walke and ren at large And where they best myght bere theyr backes ar left bare And that is worst of all, suche folys can nat be ware But whan they ar promotyd after theyr owne entent. Yet theyr insaciable mynde can neuer be content. Some make exchanges and permutacions Some take to ferme, and some let out agayne Other folys for hope make resignacions And some for one god scosyth gladly twayne Some lyueth longe in hunger and in payne And in the somer day skarsly drynketh twyse Sparynge monay therwith to by a benefyce Some for no wages in court doth attende With lorde or knyght, and all for this polecy To get of his lorde a benefyce at the ende And in the meane tyme ensueth rybawdry And somtyme laboureth by chraft of symony. He playeth a fals cast, nat cessynge to coniure Tyll of some benefyce he at the last be sure