Now mot ich soutere hys sone . seten to schole, And ich a beggares brol . on the book lerne, And worth to a writere . and with a lorde dwelle Other falsly to a frere . the fend for to serven; So of that beggares brol . a bychop shal worthen, Among the peres of the lond . prese to sytten, And lordes sones lowly . to the losels alowte, Knyghtes crouketh hem to . and cruccheth ful lowe; And his syre a soutere . y-suled in grees His teeth with toylyng of lether . tatered as a sawe Alaas! that lordes of the londe . leveth swiche wrecchen, And leveth swych lorels . for her lowe wordes. They shulden maken bichopes her owen bretheren childre Other to som gentil blod. And so yt best semed, And fostre none faytoures . ne swich false freres To maken fat and fulle . and her flesh combren. For her kynde were more . to y-clense diches Than ben to sopers y-set first . and served with sylver A grete bolle-ful of benen . were better in hys wombe And with the bandes of bakun . his baly for to fillen Than pertryches or plovers . or pecockes y-rosted. ABRIDGED TRANSLATION. Now every cobbler's son and beggar's brat becomes book-learned and a writer and dwells with a lord. The beggar's brat becomes a bishop, and lords' sons crouch before him, and his father a cobbler, soiled with grease, and his teeth jagged as a saw with working on leather! Alas! that the lords of the land love such as these; they should make gentlemen bishops, not these, who are more fit to clean dishes than sit in places of honour at supper, and be served with silver; and ought to eat beans and bacon rind, not partridges, or plovers, or roast peacocks. CAUSES OF THE IMPAIRING OF OUR LANGUAGE. SOURCE.--Malcom's _Manners and Customs of London_ (London, 1811), 65, [quoting Higden in his _Polychronicon_: translated by Trevisa]. "One is because children that go to school learn to speak first English, and then are compelled to construe their lessons in French, and that has been the custom since the Normans came to England. Also gentlemen's children are learned and taught from their youth to speak French, and uplandish men will counterfeit and liken themselves to gentlemen, and are busy to speak French, for to be more set by; wherefore it is said by the common proverb: 'Jack would be a gentleman if he could speak French.'"