"Right so ledeth lettrure Lewed men to reson; And as a blynd man in bataille Bereth wepne to fighte, And hath noon hap with his ax His enemy to hitte, Na-moore kan a kynde witted man, But clerkes hym teche, Come for al his kynde wit To cristendom, and be saved. 7660 {235} Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor, And clerkes kepe the keyes To unloken it at hir likyng, And to the lewed peple Gyve mercy for hire mysdedes, If men it wolde aske Buxomliche and benigneliche, And bidden it of Grace. "_Archa Dei_ in the olde lawe Levytes it kepten; 7670 Hadde nevere lewed man leve To leggen hond on that cheste, But he were preest or preestes sone, Patriark or prophete. For clergie is kepere Under Crist of hevene. Was ther nevere no knyght, But clergie hym made. Ac kynde wit cometh Of alle kynnes syghtes, 7680 Of briddes and of beestes, Of tastes of truthe and of deceites. "Lyveris to-forn us Useden to marke For selkouthes that thei seighen, Hir sones for to teche; And helden it an heigh science Hir wittes to knowe. Ac thorugh hir science soothly Was nevere no soule y-saved, 7690 Ne broght by hir bokes To blisse ne to joye; For alle hir kynde knowynges Come but of diverse sightes. {236} "Patriarkes and prophetes Repreveden hir science, And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomes Nas but a folye; And to the clergie of Crist Counted it but a trufle. 7700 _Sapientia hujus mundi stultitia est apud Deum._ = "For the heighe Holy Goost Hevene shal to-cleve, And love shall lepen out after Into the lowe erthe; And clennesse shal cacchen it, And clerkes shullen it fynde. _Pastores loquebantur ad invicem._ "He speketh there of riche men right noght, 7710 Ne of right witty, Ne of lordes that were lewed men, But of the hyeste lettred oute. _Ibant magi ab oriente._ "If any frere were founde there, I gyve thee fyve shillynges; Ne in none burgeises cote Was that barn born; But in a burgeises place Of Bethlem the beste. 7720 _Sed non erat ei locus in diversorio, et pauper non habet diversorium._ "To pastours and to poetes Appered the aungel, And bad hem go to Bethlem Goddes burthe to honoure; And songe a song of solas, _Gloria in excelsis Deo!_ {237} "Clerkes knewen it wel, And comen with hir presentz, 7730 And diden homage honurably To hym that was almyghty.