And he in derke mete With robbours and with revers That riche men despoilen, Ther the messager is ay murye, Hus mouthe ful of songes, And leyveth for hus letters That no wight wol hym greve. Ac yut myghte the marchaunt Thorgh monye and other yeftes Have hors and hardy men, Thauh he mette theoves, Wolde non suche asailen hym For hem that hym folweth, As safliche passe as the messager, And as sone at hus hostel. Ye, wyten wel, ye wyse men, What this is to mene. The marchaunt is no more to mene Bote men that ben ryche Aren acountable to Crist And to the kyng of hevene, That holden mote the heye weye, Evene ten hestes, Bothe lovye and lene, The leele and the unleele, And have reuthe, and releve With hus grete richesse By hus power alle manere men In meschief y-falle, Fynde beggars bred, Backes for the colde, Tythen here goodes tryweliche, A tol as hit semeth That oure Lord loketh after Of eche a lyf that wyneth, Withoute wyles other wrong, Other wommen atte stuwes, And yut more, to make pees, And quyte menne dettes, Bothe spele and spare To spene upon the needful, As Crist self comandeth To alle Cristene puple. _Alter alterius onera porta._ The messager aren the mendinans That lyveth by menne almesse, Beth nat y-bounde, as beeth the riche, To bothe the two lawes, To lene and to lere, Ne lentenes to faste, And other pryvey penaunces The wiche the preest wol wel, That the law yeveth leve Suche lowe folke to be excused, As none tythes to tythen, Ne clothe the nakede, Ne in enquestes to come, Ne contumax thauh he worthe Halyday other holy eve Hus mete to deserve; For yf he loveth and byleyveth As the lawe techeth, _Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, etc._ Telleth the lord a tale, As a triwe messager, And sheweth by seel and suthe by lettere With wat lord he dwelleth, Kneweleche hym crystene And of holy churche byleyve, Ther is no lawe, as ich leyve, Wol let hym the gate, Ther God is gatwarde hymself And eche a gome knoweth. The porter of pure reuthe May parforme the lawe In that he wilneth and wolde Ech wight as hemself; For the wil is as muche worth Of a wretche beggere As al that the ryche may reyme And ryght fulliche dele, And as much mede For a myte that he offreth, As the riche man for al is moneye, And more, as by the Godspel: _Amen dico vobis quia hæc vidua paupercula, etc._ So that povre pacient Is parfitest lif of alle, And alle parfit preestes To poverte sholde drawe. 7128. Matth. xvii, 20. 7131. Psal. xxxiii, 11. 7141. Psal. xlii, 1. 7191. James ii, 10. 7194. _over-skipperis._ Those who skipped over words in reading or chanting the service of the church. The following distich points out the classes of defaulters in this respect:--