Ac eremites that enhabiten hem By the heye weyes, And in borwes among brewesters, And beggen in churches Al that holy eremytes Hateden and despisede, As rychesses and reverences And ryche mennes almesse. These lolleres, latche-draweres, Lewede eremytes, Coveyten the contrarie, As cotyers thei lybben, For hit beth bote boyes, Lolleres atten ale, Of linguage of lettrure Ne lyf-holy as eremytes That wonnede wyle in wodes With beres and lyones. Some had lyflode of here lynage, And of no lyf elles; And some lyvede by here lettrure And labour of here hondes; Some had foreynes to frendes, That hem fode sente; And bryddes brouhten to some bred, Werby thei lyveden. Alle thuse holy eremytes Were of hye kynne, Forsoke londe and lordshep And lykynges of the body; Ac thuse eremytes, that edefyen Thus by the hye weyes, Wylen were workmen, Webbes and taillours, And carters knaves And clerkus without grace, Heelden hungry hous, And had much defaute, Long labour and lyte wynnynge, And atte laste aspiden That faitours in frere clothynge Had fatte chekus; For-thi lefte thei here laboure, Theese lewede knaves, And clothed hem in copes, Clerkus as hit were. Other on of som ordre, Othere elles prophite, Ayens the lawe he lyveth, Yf Latyn be trywe: _Non licet nobis legem voluntate, sed voluntatem conjungere legi._ Now kyndeliche, by Crist! Beth suche callyd lolleres, As by Englisch of oure eldres, Of olde menne techynge, He that lolleth his lame, Other his leg out of the joynte, Other meymed in som membre, For to meschief hit souneth; And ryght so sothlyche Suche manere eremytes Lollen ayen the bylyeve And lawe of holy churche. For holy churche hoteth Alle manere puple Under obedience to bee, And buxum to the lawe, Furst religious of religion Here ruele to holde, And under obedience to be By dayes and by nyghtes, Lewede men to laborie, Lordes to honte In frythes and in forestes For fox and other bestes That in wilde wodes ben, And in wast places, As wolves that wyrhyeth men, Wommen, and children, And upon Sonedayes to cesse, Godes service to huyre, Bothe matyns and messe, And after mete in churches To huyre here eve song Every man ouhte. Thus it bylongeth for lorde, For lered and lewede, Eche halyday to huyre Hollyche the service, Vigiles and fastyng dayes Forthere to knowe, And fulfille tho fastynges Bote infirmité hit made, Poverte othere penaunces, As pilgrymages and travayles. Under this obedience Arn we echone. Who so brekyeth this, be wel war, Bot yf he repente, Amenden hym and mercy aske, And meekliche hym shryve, Ich drede me, and he deye, Hit worth for dedlich synne Acounted byfore Crist, Bote Conscience excuse hym. Loke now were theese lolleres And lewede eremytes, Yf thei breke thys obedience That ben so fro churche,