"And thanne freres in hir fraytour Shul fynden a keye Of Costantyns cofres, In which is the catel That Gregories god-children Han yvele despended. "And thanne shal the abbot of Abyngdone = And al his issue for evere, 6261 Have a knok of a kyng, And incurable the wounde. {193} "That this worth sooth, seke ye That ofte over-se the Bible: _Quomodo cessavit exactor, quievit tributum, contrivit Dominus baculum impiorum et virgam dominantium cædentium plaga insanabili._ 6270 "Ac er that kyng come, Caym shal awake. But Do-wel shal dyngen hym adoun, And destruye his myghte." "Thanne is Do-wel and Do-bet," quod I, "_Dominus_ and knyghthode." "I nel noght scorne," quod Scripture, "But if scryveynes lye; Kynghod ne knyghthod, By noght I kan a-wayte, 6280 Helpeth noght to hevene-ward Oone heris ende; Ne richesse right noght, Ne reautee of lordes. Poul preveth it impossible Riche men to have hevene. Salomon seith also That silver is worst to lovye: _Nihil iniquius quam amare pecuniam._ 6290 And Caton kenneth us to coveiten it Naught but as nede techeth, _Dilige denarium, sed parce dilige formam._ = And patriarkes and prophetes, And poetes bothe, Writen to wissen us {194} To wilne no richesse, And preiseden poverte with pacience; The apostles bereth witnesse 6300 That thei han eritage in hevene, And by trewe righte; Ther riche men no right may cleyme, But of ruthe and grace." "_Contra_," quod I, "by Crist! That kan I repreve, And preven it by Peter, And by Poul bothe, That is baptized beth saaf, Be he riche or povere." 6310 "That is _in extremis_," quod Scripture, "Amonges Sarzens and Jewes, They mowen be saved so, And that is oure bileve, That an un-cristene in that caas May cristen an hethen; And for his lele bileve, Whan he the lif tyneth, Have the heritage of hevene As any man cristene. 6320