"Thus _in genere_ of gentries Jhesu Crist seide, To robberis and to reveris, To riche and to poore, Thou taughtest hem in the Trinité To taken bapteme, And to be clene through that cristnyng Of alle kynnes synne; {285} And if us fille thorugh folie To falle in synne after, 9290 Confession and knowlichynge In cravynge thi mercy, Shulde amenden us as manye sithes As man wolde desire. And if the pope wolde plede ayein, And punysshe us in conscience, He sholde take the acquitaunce as quyk, And to the queed shewen it. _Pateat, etc. per passionem Domini._ And putten of so the pouke, 9300 And preven us under borwe. Ac the parchemyn of this patente Of poverte be moste, And of pure pacience, And parfit bileve. "Of pompe and of pride The parchemym decourreth, And principalliche of al the peple, But thei be poore of herte; Ellis is al on ydel, 9310 Al that evere writen Pater-nostres and penaunce, And pilgrymages to Rome; But oure spences and spendynge Sprynge of a trewe wille, Ellis is al our labour lost, Lo! how men writeth In fenestres at the freres, If fals be the foundement. For-thi cristene sholde be in commune riche, 9320 Noon coveitous for hymselve. {286} "For sevene synnes ther ben, That assaillen us evere; The fend folweth hem alle, And fondeth hem to helpe. Ac with richesse that ribaud He rathest men bigileth. For ther that richesse regneth, Reverence folweth; And that is plesaunt to pride, 9330 In poore and in riche. And the riche is reverenced By reson of his richesse, Ther the poore is put bihynde, And peraventure kan moore Of wit and of wisdom, That fer awey is bettre Than richesse or reautee, And rather y-herd in hevene. For the riche hath muche to rekene; 9340 And many tyme hym that walketh The heighe wey to hevene-ward, Richesse hym letteth,-- _Ita inpossibile diviti, etc._-- Ther the poore preesseth bifore the riche, With a pak at his rugge,-- _Opera enim illorum sequuntur illos_.-- Batauntliche, as beggeris doon, And boldeliche he craveth, For his poverte and his pacience, 9350 A perpetuel blisse. _Beati pauperes, quoniam ipsorum est regnum cælorum._