The Ploughman's tale compylled by sir Geffray Chaucher knight.   

The prologue.  
¶ Here beginneth the Ploughman's Prologue.  

THe ploweman plucked up his plough.  
When midsummer moan was comen in  
And said his beasts should eat enough  
And lige in the grass up to the chin  
They been feeble both ox and cow  
Of he m●nys left but bone and skin  
He shaken of shear and coultre o● drew  
And hung his harness on a pin.   

☞ He took his tabard and his state e●e  
And on his heed he set his hat  
And said he wolbe saint Thomas seek  
On pilgrimage he goth forth plat  
In scrip he bore both breed and leeks  
He was forswonke and all forswatte  
Men might have seen through both his cheeks  
And every wang tooth and where it sat   

¶ Our host beheld well about  
And law this man was sun ybrent  
He knew well by his senged snout  
And by his clothes that were to rend  
He was a man wont to walk about  
He nas not alway in cloister ypent  
He could not religeouslyche lout  
And therefore was he fully shent.   

¶ Our host him axed, what man art thou?  
Sir quod he) I am an hyne  
For I am wont to go to the plough  
And earn my meat yet that I dine  
To sweet and swink I make avow  
My wife and children therewith to find  
And serve god and I witted how  
But we lewd men been full blind.   

¶ For clerks say we shullen be fain  
For her livelihood sweat and swink  
And they right nought us give again  
Neither to eat ne yet to drink  
The mow by law, as they say  
Us curse and damn to hell brink  
Thus they putten us to pain  
With candles quaint and bells clyncke   

¶ They make us thralls at her lust  
And sayne we mow not eyes be saved  
They have the corn and we the dust  
Who speaketh there again they say he raved  
¶ what man ꝙ our host canst thou preach  
Come near and tell us some holy thing  
¶ Sir quod he, I heard ones teach  
A priest in pulpit a hood preachnyge   

¶ say on quoth our host, I the beseech.  
Sir I am ready at your bidding  
I pray you that no man me reproach  
While that I am my tale telling.   
❧ Thus endeth the prologue, & here followeth the first part of the tale.   



A Stern strife is stired new  
In many steeds in a stound  
Of sundry sedes that bene sew  
It seemeth that some been unsound  
For some be great grown ungrounde  
Some been souble, simple and small  
Whether of hem is falser found  
The falser foul might him befall   

¶ That one side is that I of tell  
Popes▪ cardinals and prelate's  
Parsons, monks, and freers fell  
priors, abbots of great estates  
Of heaven and hell they keep the years  
And Peter's successors they been all  
This is deemed by old dates  
But falsehood foul mought it befall   

¶ The other side been poor and pale  
And people put out of press  
And seem caytyffes sore a cale  
And ever in one without increase  
I clepeth lollers and londlese  
Who toteth on 'em they been untall  
They been arrayed all for the peace,  
But falsehood foul might it befall.   

¶ Many a country have I sought  
To know the falser of these two  
But ever my travel was for nought  
All so f●rre as I have go  
〈◊〉 as I wrandred in a wro  
In a wood beside a wall  
though fowls saw I set though  
The falls foul might him befall   

❧ That one did plead on the Pope's side  
A griffon of a grim stature  
A pelican withouten pride  
To these lollers laid his lure  
He mused his matter in measure  
To counsel Christ ever 'gan he call  
The griffon showed as sharp as fire  
But falsehood foul might it befall   

The Pyllycan began to preach  
Both of mercy and of meekness  
And said that Chryst so 'gan us teach  
And meek and merciable 'gan bless  
The evangely beareth witness  
A lamb he likeneth Christ over all  
In tokening that he meekest was  
Sith pride was out of heaven fall.   

¶ And so should every Christened be  
priests, Peter'S successourp  
Beth lowlyche and of low degree.  
And usen none earthly honours  
Neither crown, ne curious covetours  
Ne pylloure, ne other proud pal  
Ne nought to cofrens up great treasures  
For falsehood foul might it befall   

¶ Preestes should for no cattle plead.  
But chasten 'em in charity  
Ne to no battle should men lead  
For enhancing of her own degree  
Nat wylne sitings in high see  
Ne sovereignty in house ne hall  
All wordly worship defy and flee  
For who so willeth highness foul shall fall   

¶ Alas who may such saints call  
That willeth wield earthly honour  
As low as Lucifere such shall fall  
In baleful blackness ybuylden her bower  
That eggeth the people to error  
And maketh them to hem thrall  
To Chryst I hold such one traitor  
As low as Lucifer such one shall fall   

That willeth to be kings peers  
And higher than the Emperor  
Some that were but poor freers  
Now woollen wax a warrior  
God is not her governor.  
That holdeth no man his permagall  
While covetise is her counsellor  
All such falsehood mote need fall   

¶ That high on horse willeth ride  
In glytterande gold of great array  
I painted and portrayed all in pride  
No comen knight may go so gay  
Change of clothing every day  
With golden girdles great and small  
As boistous as it bear at bay  
All such falsehood moat need fall.   

¶ With pride punished the poor  
And some they sustain with sale  
Of holy church maketh an hore  
And filleth her womb with wine and ale  
With money filleth many a male  
And chaffren churches when they fall  
And telleth the people a lewd tale  
Such false faitors foul them befall   

¶ With change of many manner meats  
With song and solace sitting long  
And filleth her womb, and fast fretes  
And from the meat to the gonge  
And after meat with harp and song  
And each man moat hem lords call  
And hot spices ever among  
Such false faitors foul hem fall   

¶ And miters more than one or two  
I perled as the queens heed  
A staff of gold, and pyrry lo  
As heavy as it were made of lead  
With cloth of gold both new and red  
With gltterande gold as green as gall  
By doom will damn men to deed  
All such faitors foul hem fall   

¶ And Christ's people proudly curse  
With broad book, and b●aying bell  
To put pennies in her purse  
They will sell both heaven and hell  
And in her sentence and thou wilt dwell  
They wyllen guess in her gay hall  
And though the soothe thou of 'em tell  
In great cursing shalt thou fall   

❧ That is blessed, that they bless  
And cursed that they curse will  
And thus the people they oppress  
And have their lord ships at full  
And many be merchants of will  
And to purse pennies will come thrall  
The poor people they all to pull  
Such false faitors full hem fall   

¶ lords mote to hem lout  
obeissant to her broad blessing  
They riden with her royal rout  
On a courser, as it were a king  
With saddle of gold glittering  
With curious harness quayntly crallyt  
Styroppes gay of gold mastling  
All such falsehood foul it befall   

¶ Christ's ministers clepe they been  
And rulen all in robbery  
But Antichrist they serven clean  
Attired all in tyranny  
witness of john's prophecy  
That Antichrist is her admiral  
Tyffelers attired in treachery  
All such faitors foul hem fall.   

¶ Who saith that some of hem may sin  
He shallbe done to be deed  
Some of 'em will gladly win  
All against that which god forbid  
All holiest they clepe her heed  
That of her rule is regal  
Alas that ever they eaten breed  
For all such falsehood will foul fall   

❧ Her heed loveth all honour  
And to be worshipped in word and deed  
Kings moat to hem kneel and coure  
To the apostles, that Christ forbid  
To Pope's hests such taketh more heed  
Than to keep Christ's commandment  
Of gold and silver mote been her weed  
They holdeth him hole omnipotent   

❧ He ordaineth by his ordinance  
To parish priests a power  
To another a greater advance  
A greater point to his mister  
But for he is highest in earth here  
To him reserveth he many a point  
But to Christ that hath no peer  
Reserveth he neither open no joint   

❧ So seemeth he above all  
And Christ above him nothing  
When he sitteth in his stall  
damneth and saveth as him think  
Such pride to fore god doth stink  
An angel bad john to him not kneel  
But only to god do his bowing  
Such willers of worship must need evil feel   

¶ hay ne clepe Christ, but sanctus deus  
And clepe her head Sanctissimus  
They that such a sect sewys  
I trow they taken 'em amiss  
In earth here they have her bliss  
Her high master is Belyal  
Christ'S people from 'em wysse  
For all such false will foul fall   

¶ They mow both bind and lose  
And all is for her holy life  
To save or damn they mow chose  
Between 'em now is great strife  
Many a man is killed with a knife  
To weet which of hem have lordship shall  
For such Chryst suffered wounds five  
For all such falsehood will foul fall   

¶ Chryst said: Out gladies percutit  
W●th sword shall die  
He had his priests peace and gryth  
And bad hem not dread for to die  
And bade them be both simple and sly  
And cark not for no cattle  
And trusteth on god that sitteth on high  
For all false shall foul fall   

¶ These woollen make men to swear  
Against Christ'S commandment  
And Christ'S members all to tear  
On rood, as he were new rent  
Such laws they make by comen assent  
Each on it choweth as a ball  
Thus the poor be fully shent  
But ever falsehood foul it befall.   

¶ They usen no simony  
But sellen churches and priories  
Ne they usen no envy  
But cursen all hem contraries  
And hireth men by days and years  
With strength to hold 'em in her stall  
And culleth all her adversaries  
Therefore falsehood foul thou fall   

¶ With purse they purchase parsonage  
With purse they paynen 'em to plead  
And men of war they will wage  
To bring her enemies to the deed  
And lords lives they will lead  
And moche take, and give but small  
But he it so get, from it shall shed  
And make such false right foul fall   

¶ They hallow nothing but for hire  
Church, font, ne vestment  
And make orders in every shyr  
But priests pay for the parchment  
Of riatours they taken rend  
Therewith thy smear the ships sakll  
For many churches been oft suspent  
All such falsehood yet foul it fall.   

Some liveth not in lechery  
But haunten wenches, widows & wives  
And punisheth the poor for putrye  
Themself it useth all their lives  
And but a man to them shrives  
To heaven come never he shall  
He shall be cucsed as be captives  
To hell they say that he shall fall   

¶ There was more mercy in Maxemyen  
And in Nero, that never was good  
Than is now in some of them  
When he hath on his furred hood  
They follow Christ that shed his blood  
To heaven, as buckette into the wall  
Such wretches been worse than wode  
And all such faitors foul hem fall   

¶ They give her alms to the rich  
To maintainers, and to men of law  
For to lords they will be like  
In harlots son not worth an haw  
sooth fastness such han slawe  
They comb her crokettes with crystal  
And dread, of god they have down draw  
All such faitors foul hem fall   

¶ They maken parsons for the penny  
And canons of her cardinals  
uneaths amongst 'em all any  
That he ne hath glossed the gospel falls  
For Christ made never no cathedrals  
Ne with him was no cardinal  
With a Red hat as vsyn mynstrals  
But falsehood foul might it befall   

¶ Their tithing, and her offering both  
The● clemeth it by possession  
Thereof nill they none forego  
But robben men as ransom  
The tithing of Turpe lucrum  
With these masters is meynall  
tithing of bribry, and larson  
Will make falsehood will foul fall   

¶ They taken to farm her sompnours  
To harm the people what they may  
To pardoners, and false faitors  
Sell her seals I dare well say  
And all to holden great array  
To multiply 'em more metal  
They dread full little domes day  
When all such shall foul fall   

¶ Such harlots shall men disclander  
Aor they shullen make her gree  
And been as proud as alexander  
●nd sayne to the poor, woe be ye  
By year each priest shall pay his fee  
To increase his lemans call  
Such heerdes' shall well evil the  
And all such false shall foul fall   

❧ And if a man be falsely famed  
And would make purgation  
Than will the officers be agramed  
And assing him fro town to town  
So need he must pay ransom  
Though he be clean, as is crystal  
And than have an absolution  
But all such false shall foul fall   

¶ Though he be guilty of the deed  
And that he may money pay  
All the while his purse will bleed  
He may use it fro day to day  
These bishops officers gone full gay  
And this game they usen over all  
The poor to pill is all their pray  
All such false shall foul fall   

¶ Alas, god ordained never such law  
Ne no such craft of covetise  
He forbade it by his saw  
Such governors mown of god agrise  
For all his rules is rightwise  
These new points been pure papal  
And god's law they dispyce  
And all such faitors shall foul fall   

¶ They say that Peter had the key  
Of heaven and hell, to have and hold  
I trow Peter took no money  
For no sins that he sold  
Such successors been to bold  
In winning all their wit they wrall  
Here conscience is waren cold  
And all such faitors foul hem fall   

¶ Peter was never so great a fool  
To leave his key with such a lorell  
Or to take such cursed such a toll  
He was advised nothing well  
I trow they have the key of hell  
Their master is of that place marshal  
For there they dressen 'em to dwell  
And with false Lucifere there to fall   

❧ They been as proud as Lucifarre  
As angry, and as envious  
From good faith they been full far  
In covetise they been curious  
To catch cattles as covetous  
As hound that for hunger will all  
ungodly and ungracious  
And needly such falsehood shall foul fall   

❧ The pope and he were Peter's heir  
●e think he erreth in this case  
When chose of bishops is in despair  
To chosen hem in divers place  
A lord shall write to him for grace  
For his clerk ano●e pray he shall  
So shall he speed his purchase  
And all such false foul hem fall   

❧ Though he can no more good  
A lords prayer shallbe sped  
Though he be wild of will or wood  
Nat understanding what men han red  
A lend boster and that god forbid  
As a good bishop is my horse ball  
Such a Pope is foul be stead  
And at last will foul fall   

❧ He maketh bishops for earthly thank  
And nothing for Christ's sake  
Such that been full fate and rank  
To soil heal none heed they take  
All is well done what ever they make  
For they shall answer at one for'rs all  
For worlds thank, such worch and wake  
And all such false shall foul fall   

¶ Such that can neither Crede  
With prayer shall be made prelate's  
Nother can the gospel read  
Such shall now weld high estates  
The high gods friendship hem makes  
They toteth on her some total  
such bear the kyes of hell yates  
And all such false shall foul fall   

❧ They forsake for Christ's love  
travail, hunger, thirst, and cold  
For they been ordered ever all above  
Out of youth till they been old  
By the door they go, not in to the fold  
To help their sheep they nought taravall  
Hired men all such I hold  
And all such false foul hem fall   

☞ For Christ her king they will forsake  
And know him nought for his poverty  
For Christ's love they will wake  
And drink peyment ale apart  
Of god they seem nothing afeared  
As †iusty† liveth, as did Lamuall  
And driven her sheep in to desert  
A● such taytours shall foul fall   

☞ Chryst hath xii apostles here  
Now say they, there may be but one  
That may not err in no manner  
Who leaveth not this been lost eachone  
Peter erred, so did not john  
Why is he cleped the principal?  
Christ cleped him Peter, but himself chestone  
All false faitors foul hem fall   

☞ Why cursen they the croysery  
Christ's christian creatures  
For between hem is now envy  
To be enhanced in honours  
And christian livers with her labours  
For they lived on no man moitall  
But do to death with dishonnurs  
And all such false foul hem fall   

❧ What knoweth a tylloure at the plough  
The pope's name and what he hate  
His creed sufficeth to him enough  
And knoweth a cardinal by his hat  
Rough is the poor unryghtly let  
That knoweth Christ his god royal  
Such matters be not worth a gnat  
But such false faitors foul hem fall   

¶ A king shall kneel and kiss his show  
Chryst suffered a sinful to kiss his feet  
Me thinketh he holdeth him high enough  
So Lucifer did, that high set  
Such one me thinketh himself for yet  
Either to the troth he was not call  
Christ that suffered wounds wet  
Shall make such falsehood foul fall   

¶ They layeth out her large nets  
For to take silver and gold  
F●llen coffers and sacks fetttes  
There as they souls catch should  
Her servants be to them unhold  
But they can doublyn their rental  
To big 'em castles, and big hem hold  
And all such false foul hem fall   
¶ Here endeth the first part of this tale, and hereafter followeth the second part   


TO accord with this word fall  
No more English can I rind  
Show another now I shall  
For I have much to say behind  
How priests han the people pinned  
As courteous Christ hath me kind  
And put this matter in my mind  
To make this manner men amend   

☞ Shortly to shend 'em, and show now  
How wrongfully they work and walk  
O high god nothing they tell, ne how  
But in god's word, telleth many a baulk  
In hernes hold 'em and in baulk  
And preachin of tithes and offrende  
And untruly of the gospel talk  
For his mercy god it amend   

☞ What is Antichrist to say  
But even Christ's adversary  
Such hath now been many a day  
To Christ's bidding full contrary  
That from the troth clean marry  
Out of the way they been wend  
And Christ's people untruly carry  
God for his pity it amend   

☞ That liven contrary to Christ's life  
In high pride against m●kenesse  
Against sufferance they usen strife  
And anger against soberness  
Against wisdom wilfulness  
To Christ's tales little tend  
Against measure outrageousness  
But when god will it may amend   

¶ Lordly life against lowliness  
And demyn all without mercy  
And covetise against largesse  
Against truth treachery  
And against alms envy  
Against Christ they comprehend  
For chastity they maintain lechery  
God for his grace this amend   

❧ Against penance they use delights  
Against sufferance strong defence  
Against god they usen evil rights  
Against pity punishments  
Open evil against continence  
Her wicked winning worse dispend  
soberness they set in to dispense  
But god for his goodness it amend   

❧ Why cleymen thy holy his power  
And wranglen against all his histes  
His living followen they nothing here  
But liven worse than witless beasts  
Of fish and flesh they loven feasts  
As lords they been broad ykende  
Of gods poor they haten gests  
God for his mercy this amend   

¶ With divers such shall have her doom  
That sayne that they be Christ's friends  
And do nothing as they should done  
All such been falser than been fiends  
On the people they lay such bends  
As god is in earth they han offend  
Succour for such Christ now send us  
And for his mercy this amend   

¶ A token of antichrist they be  
His careckes been now wide yknow  
received to preach shall no man be  
Without token of him I trow  
Each christian priest, to prechyn own  
From god above they been send  
God's word to all folk for to show  
Sinful man for to amend   

❧ Christ sent the poor for to preach  
The royal rich he did not so  
Now dare no poor the people teach  
For antichrist is over all her foe  
Among the people he moat go  
He hath bidden, all such suspend  
Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet more  
But all this god may well amend   

❧ All though that han the world forsake  
And liven loly, as god bad  
In to her prison shullen be take  
Betyn and bounden, and forth lad  
Hereof I read no man be dread  
Christ said, his should be shend  
Each man ought hereof be glad  
For god full well it will amend   

☞ They took on 'em royal power  
And say they have swords two  
One curse to hell, one slay men here  
For at this taking Christ had no more  
Yet Peter had one of though  
But Christ, to Peter smite 'gan defend  
And in to sheath bad put it in tho  
And all such mischiefs god amend   

☞ Christ bad Peter keep his sheep  
And with his sword forbade him smite  
Sword is no toll with sheep to keep  
But to shepherds that sheep will bite  
Me thinketh such sheperdes been to wite  
Again her sheep with sword that contend  
They drive her sheep with great despite  
But all this god may well amend   

☞ So successors to Peter be they nought  
Whom Christ made chief pastor  
answered no shepherd usen aught  
But he would slay, as a bochoure  
For who so were Peter's successor  
Sulde bear his sheep till his back bend  
And shadow 'em from every shower  
And all this god may well amend   

☞ Successors to Peter been these  
In that, that Peter Christ's forsook  
That ●ad liefer the love of god lose  
Than a shepherd had to lose his hock  
He culleth the sheep as doth the coke  
Of hem taken the will untrende  
And falsely gloze the gospel book  
God for his mercy them amend   

¶ After Christ had take Peter the key  
Christ said he must die for man  
That Peter to Christ 'gan with say  
Christ bad him go behind sathan  
Such coūs●ylours many of these men han  
For worlds weal, god to offend  
Peter's successors they been for than  
But all such god may well amend   

¶ For sathan is to say no more  
But he that contrary to Christ is  
In this they learn Peter's lore  
They sewen him when he did miss  
They follow Peter forsooth in this  
In all that Christ would Peter reprehend  
But not in that, that longeth so heaven bliss  
for for his mercy hem amend   

¶ Some of the apostles they sewen in case  
Of aught that I can understand  
Him that betrayed Christ, judas  
That bore the purse in every land  
And all that he might set on hone  
●e hid and stolen, and mispend  
his rule these traitors han in hand  
almighty god hem amend   

☞ And at the last his lord 'gan tray  
Cursedly through his false covetise  
So would these train him for money  
And they wisten in what wise  
They be seket of the self ensyse  
From all soothness they been friend  
And covetise chaungen with quaintise  
Almighty god all such amend   

☞ Where Chryst on earth here eft soon  
These would damn him to die  
All his beasts they han fordone  
And sayne his saws been heresy  
And against his commandments they cry  
And damn all his to be made  
For it liketh not hem such losenserye  
God almighty it amend   

These han more might in England here  
Than hath the king and all his law  
They han purchased 'em such power  
To take 'em whom list not gnaw  
And say that heresy is her saw  
And so to prison will him send  
It was not so by elder daw  
God for his mercy it amend   

❧ The kings law will no man dame  
Angerlyshe withouten answer  
But if any man these mysqueme  
He shallbe bayghteh as a bear  
And yet well worse they will him tear  
And in prison will hem pend  
In gives, and in other gear  
When god will, it may mend   

¶ The king taxeth not his men  
But by assent of the commonalty  
But these each year will ransom 'em  
Maysterfullye, more than doth he  
Her seals by year better be  
Than is the kings in extend  
Her officers han greater fee  
But this mischief god amend   

¶ For who so will prove a testament  
That is not all worth ten pound  
He shall pay for the parchment  
The third part of the money all round  
Thus the people is raunsounde  
They say such part to hem should apende  
There as they grypen it goth to groude  
God for his mercy it amend  
A simple fornication  
Twenty shillings he shall pay  
And than have an absolution  
And all the year usen it forth he may  
Thus they let 'em go a stray  
They reck not though the soul be brende  
These keepen evil Peter's key  
And all such shepherd's god amend   

Wonder is, that the parliament  
And all the lords of this land  
Here to taken so little intent  
To help the people out of her hand  
For they been harder in their bond  
Worse beat, and better brende  
Than to the king is understand  
God him help this to amend   

¶ What bishops, what religions  
Han in this land as much lay fee  
Lordshyppers and possessions  
More than the lords, it seemeth me  
That maketh 'em lose charity  
They mow not to god attend  
In earth they have so high degree  
God for his mercy it amend   

¶ The Emperor gave the pope sometime  
So high lordyshp him about  
That at last the silly kyme  
The prude Pope put him out  
So of this realm is in doubt  
But lords be ware and them defend  
For now these folk be wonder stout  
The king and lords now this amend.   
¶ Thus endeth the second part of this tale, and hereafter followeth the third   


Moyses' law forbade it to  
That priests should no lordshppes weld  
Christ's gospel biddeth also  
That they should no lordship held  
Ne Christ's apostles were never so bold  
No such lordships to them embrace  
But smerens her sheep and keep her fold  
God emend hem for his grace   

¶ For they ne been but counterfeit  
Men may know 'em by her fruit  
Her greatness maketh 'em god forget  
And take his meekness in despite  
And they were poor and had but light  
They nold not deemen after the face  
But nourish her sheep, and hem not bite  
God amend 'em for his grace   

¶ Gyfon,  
¶ What canst thou preach against canons  
That men clepe seculere?  
Peli. They been curates of many towns  
On earth they have great power  
They have great prebends and dear  
Some two or three, and some more  
A parsonage to been a playing fere  
And yet they learn the king also   

¶ And let to feruie all that far  
To whom that will most give therefore  
Some will spend, and some will spare  
And some will lay it up in store  
A cure of soul they care not for  
So they mow money take  
Whether her souls be won or lore  
Her profits they will not forsake   

¶ They have a gedering procurator  
That can the poor people enplede  
And robben him sa a ravynour  
And to his lord they money lead  
And catch of quick and eke of deed  
And richen him and his lord eke  
And to rob the poor can give good rede  
Of old and young, of hole and sick   

¶ Therewith they purchase 'em lay fee  
In loud there hem liketh best  
And b●ylde also broad as a city  
Both in the East, and eke in the west  
To purchase thus they been full priest  
But on the poor they will nought spend  
Ne no good give to god's gest  
Ne send him some that all hath send   

☞ By her service such will live  
And trust that other in to treasur  
Though all her parish die unshrive  
They will not give a rose flower  
Her life should be as a mirror  
Both to lered and to lewd also  
And teach the people her lele labour  
Such mister men been all mysgo.   

❧ Some of 'em been hard nygges  
And some of 'em been proud and gay  
Some spend her good upon gygges'  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hem of great array  
Alas, what think these men to say  
That thus dispended gods good  
At the dreadful domes day  
Such wretch's shall be worse than wood   

¶ Some her churces never ne sye  
Ne never openye, thither ne send  
Though the poor parishens for hungers die  
O penny on hem will they not spend  
Have they receiving of the rent  
They reck never of the remanant  
Alas, the devil hath clean hem blent  
Such one is Sathanas soiournante   

¶ And usen whoredom and harlotry  
covetise, pomp, and pride  
sloth, wrath, and eke envy  
And sewen sin by every side  
Alas, where think such tab●de  
How will they accounts yield  
From high god they mow 'em not hide  
Such willer's wit is not worth a nelde   

¶ They been so rooted in richesses  
Hhat Christ's poverty is for yet  
Served with so many mess  
Hempskirk thinketh that Manna is no meet  
All is good that they mow get  
They ween to live evermore  
But when god at doom is set  
Such treasure is a feeble store   

❧ uneath moat they matins say  
For counting and courtholding  
And yet he jangleth as a jay  
And ynd●rstont himself nothing  
He will serve both earl and king  
For his finding and his fee  
And hide his tithing and his offering  
This is a feeble charity   

❧ Other they been proud, or covetous  
Or th●y been hard, or hungry  
Or they been liberal or lecherous  
Or else meddlers with marchadry  
Or maintainers of men with mastery  
Or stewards▪ countours, or pledours  
And serve god in hypocrisy  
Such priests been Christ's false traitors   

❧ They been false, they been vengeable  
And begilen men in Christ's name  
They been unsteadfast and unstable  
To tray her lord, hem thinketh no shame  
To serve god they be full lame  
Gods thieves, and falsely steel  
And falsely goddess word defame  
In wenning is her worlds we'll   

☞ Antichrist these serve all  
I pray the who may say nay?  
With Antichrist such shall fall  
They followen him in deed and faith  
They serven 'em in rich array  
To serve Christ such falsely fain  
Why, at the dreadful domes day  
Full they not follow him to pain?   

☞ That known 'em self that they done ill  
Against Christ's commandment  
And amend 'em never ne will  
But serve satan by one assent  
Who saith sooth he shallbe shent  
Or speaketh against her false living  
Who so well liveth shallbe brent  
For such been greater than the king   

☞ Pope, bishops, and Chardinals  
Canons, Persons, and vycaire  
In god's service I trove been false  
That sacraments sellen here  
And been as proud as Lucifere  
Each man look whether that I lie  
Who so speaketh against her power  
It shall be holden heresy   

Look how many orders take  
Only o● Christ, for his service  
That the worlds gods forsake  
Who so taketh orders, or other wise  
I trow that they shall sore agrise  
For all the gloze that they con  
All sewen not this assize  
In evil time they thus begun   

¶ Look how many among 'em all  
Holden not this high way  
With Antichrist they shullen fall  
For they woollen god betray  
God amend 'em that best may  
For many men they maken shend  
They weren well the sooth I say  
But the devyel hath foul hem blend   

¶ Some on her churches dwell  
Appparailled poorly proud of port  
The seven sacraments they done sell  
In cattle catching is her comfort  
Of each matter they woollen mell  
And done 'em wrong is her disport  
To afray the people they been fell  
And hold 'em lower than doth the lord   

¶ For the tiding of a duck  
Or of an apple, or an aye  
They make men swore upon a book  
Thus they foulen Christ'S say  
such bearen evil heaven key  
They mown assoil, they mow shrive  
With men's wives strongly play  
With true tillers sturte and strive   

¶ At the wrestling, and at the wake  
And chief chauntours at the nail  
Market beaters, and meddling make  
Hoppen and houten with have and hale  
At fair fresh, and at wine stolen  
dine and drink, and make debate  
The seven sacraments set at sail  
How keep such the keys of heaven gate?   

¶ men's wives they woollen hold  
And though that they been right sorry  
To speak they shall nor be so bold  
For sompnenge to the consistory  
And make 'em say mouth I lie  
Though they it saw with her eye  
His leman holden openly  
No man so hardy to axe why   

¶ He will have tithing and offering  
Maugre whosoever it gruche  
And twice on the day he will sing  
Gods priests near none such  
He mote on hunting with dog and biche  
And blown his horn, and cryen hay  
And sorcery usen as a witch  
such keepen evil Peter's key   

¶ Yet they moat have some stock or stone  
jail painted, and proudly dight  
To maken men liven upon  
And say that it is full of might  
About such, men set up great light  
Other such stocks shall stand thereby  
As dark as it were midnight  
For it may make no mastery   

¶ That it lewd people see mow  
Thou Mary, thou worchest wonder things  
About that, men offren to now  
Hongen broochs, ouches, and tynges  
The priest purchaseth the offerings  
But he nill offer to none image  
Woe is the soul that he for sings  
That preacheth for such a pilgrimage   

¶ To men and women that been poor  
That been Christ's own likeness  
Men shullen offer at her door  
That suffer hunger and distress  
And to such images offer less  
That mow not feel thirst ne cold  
The poor in spirit 'gan Christ bless  
Therefore offereth to feeble and old   

☞ Buckelers' broad, and swords long  
Baudrke, with baselardes keen  
Such tolls about her neck they hung  
With Antichrist such priests been  
Upon her deeds it is well seen  
Whom they serven, whom they honoren  
Antichristes' they been clean  
And gods goods falsely devouren   

¶ Of scarlet and green gay gowns  
That moat be shape for the new  
To clyppen and kyssen counten in towns  
The damoseles that to the dance sew  
Cutted clothes to sew her hew  
With long● pikes on her shone  
Our god's gospel is not true  
Either they serven the devil or none   

¶ Now been priests pokes so wide  
That men must enlarge the vestement  
The holy gospel they done hide  
For they contraryen in raiment  
Such priests of Lucifer been sent  
Like conquetours they been arrayed  
The p●ude pendants at her arse ypent  
Falsely the truth they han betrayed   

¶ shrift silver such woollen ask is  
And will men creep to the crouch  
None of the sacraments save asks  
Without meed shall no man touch  
On her bishop their warrant vouch  
That is law of the deche  
With meed and money thus they much  
And thus they sayne is charity   

¶ In the mids of her mass  
The nill have no man but for hire  
And full shortly let forth pass  
Such shall men find in every shire  
That personages for profit desire  
To live in liking and in lusts  
I dare not sayne, Sans ose ●eo dire  
That such been antichristes priests   

❧ Or they yef the bishops why  
Or they moat been in his service  
And holden forth her harlotry  
Such prelate's been of feeble emprise  
Of god's grame such men agrise  
For such matters that taken meed  
How they excuse 'em, and in what wise  
Me thinketh, they ought greatly dread   

☞ They say that it to no man longeth  
To reprove them though they err  
But falsely god's goddess they fongeth  
And therewith maintain woe and were  
Her deeds should be as bright as star  
Her living, lewd man's light  
They say the pope may not err  
Need must that pass man's might   

☞ Though a priest lie with his leman all night  
And tell his fellow, and he him  
He goth to mass anon right  
And sayeth he singeth out of sin  
His bird abideth him at his in  
And hyghteth his dinner the mean while  
He singeth his mass for he would win  
And so he weeneth god beguile   

☞ Him thinketh long till they be met  
And that they usen forth all the year  
Among the folk when he is set  
He holdeth no man half his peer  
Of the bishop he hath power  
To soil men or else they been lore  
His absolution may make them skere  
And woe is the soul that he singeth for   

¶ The griffon began for to threat  
And said, of monks canst thou ought  
The Pyllycan said, they been full great  
And in this world much woe hath wrought  
Saint benet, that her order brought  
Ne made 'em never on such manner  
I trow it came never in his thought  
That they should use so great power   

❧ That a man should a monk lord call  
Ne serve on knees, as a king  
He is as proud as prince in pall  
In meat and drink, and all thing  
Some weareu mitre and ring  
With double worsted well ydight  
With royal meat and rich drink  
And rideth on a courser as a knight   

☞ With hawk and with hundes eke  
With broochs or ouches on his hood  
Some say no mass in all a week  
Of dainties is her most food  
With lordships and with bondmen  
This is a royal religion  
Saint Benet made never none of 'em  
To have lordship of man ne town   

¶ Now they been quaint and curious  
With fine cloth clad and served clean  
Proud angry, and envious  
Malice is much that they mean  
In catching crafty and covetous  
Lordly liven in great liking  
This living is not religious  
According to Benette in his living   

¶ The●●ē clerks, her courts they over see  
Her poor tenance fully they slyte  
The hire that a man amerced be  
The gladlier they will it write  
This is far from Christ's poverty  
For all with covetise they indite  
On the poor they have no pity  
Ne never hem cleryshe but ever him bite   

☞ And commonly such been common  
Of poor people, and of 'em beget  
That this perfection han ynomen  
Her fathers riden not but one her feet  
And travaylen sore for that they eat  
In poverty lydeth young and old  
H●r fathers suffereth drought and wet  
Many hungry meals, thirst, and cold   

¶ And all this the monks han forsake  
For Christ's love and saint Benette  
To pride and ease have 'em take  
This religion is evil beseate  
Had they been out of religion  
They must have hanged at the plough  
Threshing & dykinge fro town to town  
Wyht sorry meet, and not half enough   

☞ Therefore they han this all forsake  
And taken to riches, pride, and ease  
Full sew for god will monks hem make  
little is such order for to praise  
Saint Benet ordained it not so  
But bad 'em be cherelyche  
In churlyche manner live and go  
Boisterous in earth, and not lordlysh   

¶ They disclander saint Benette  
Therefore they have his holy curse  
Saint Benet with hem never meet  
But if they thought to rob his purse  
I can no more hereof tell  
But they been like though before  
And clean serve the devil of hell  
And been his treasure and his store   

❧ And all such other counterfaitours  
Chanhus, Canons, and such dysgysed  
Ben god's enemies and traitors  
His true religion han foul despised  
Of Freres I have told before  
In a making of a Crede  
And yet I could tell worse and more  
But men would werien it to read   

☞ As god's goodness no man tell might  
Write ne speak ne think in thought  
To her falsehood, and her untyght  
May no man tell that ever god wrought  
The griffon said, thou canst no good  
Thou came never of no gentle kind  
Other I trow thou waxest wood  
Or else thou hast lost thy mind   

❧ Should holy church have no heed  
Who should be her governail  
Who should her rute, who should her reed  
Who should her forthren, who should avail  
Each man shall live by his travail  
Who best doth shall have most need  
With strength if men the church assail  
With strength men must defend her need   

☞ And the pope were purely poor  
Needy, and nothing ne had  
He should be driven from door to door  
The wicked of him nold not be dread  
Of such and heed men would be sad  
And sinfully liven as hem lust  
With strength, amends such be made  
With weepen wolves from sheep be wust   

¶ If the pope and prelate's would  
To beg, and bid, bow and borrow  
Holy church should stand full cold  
Her servants sit and soup sorrow  
And they were naughty foul and horowe  
To worship god men would wlate  
Both on even and on morrow  
Such harlotry men would hate   

☞ Therefore men of holy church  
Should been honest in all thing  
worshipfully goddess works werche  
So seemeth it to serve Christ her king  
In honest and en clean clothing  
With vessels of gold and clothes rich  
To god honestly to make offering  
To his lordship none is liche   

¶ The Pelican cast an huge cry  
And said alas, why sayest thou so  
Christ is our heed that sitteth on high  
Hedde● ne ought we have no more  
We been his members both also  
And father he taught us to call him als  
masters to be called defended he though  
Of other masters been wicked and falls   

☞ That taketh mastery in his name  
ghostly, and for earthly good  
Kings and lords should lordship have  
And rule the people with mild mode  
Christ for us that shed his blood  
Bad his priests no mastership have  
Ne cark not for cloth ne food  
From every mischief he will hem save   

¶ Her rich clothing shallbe rightwiseness  
Her treasure, true life shallbe  
charity shallbe her richesse  
Her lordship shallbe unite  
Hope in god, her honest  
Her vessel clean conscience  
Poor in spirit, and humility  
shallbe holy church's defence   

¶ What said the griffon may the grieve  
That other folks faren we'll  
What haste thou to done with her live  
Thy falsehood each man may feel  
For thou canst no cattles get  
But lyveh in land as a lorel  
With glozing gettest thou thy meet  
He fareth the devil that wonnethe in hell   

¶ He would that each man there should dwell  
For he liveth in clean enuey  
So with the tales that thou dost tell  
Thou wouldest other peopl destry  
With your gloze, and your heresy  
For ye can live no better life  
But clean in hypocrisy  
And bringest the in woe and strife   

❧ And therewith have not to done  
For ye ne have here no cure  
Ye serve the devil, neither god ne man  
And he shall pay you your hire  
For ye will far well at feasts  
And warm clothed for the cold  
Therefore ye gloze god's heestes  
And beguile the people young and old   

❧ And all the seven sacraments  
Ye speak against as ye were sly  
Against tythinges, offerings which your intents  
And on our lords body falslylye  
And all this ye done to live in ease  
As who saith, there been none such  
And say the pope is not worth a pease  
To make the people again him gruche   

¶ And this cometh in by friends  
To bring the christian in distance  
For they would that no man were fiends  
Leave thy chattering with mischance  
If thou live well, what wilt thou more  
Let other men live as hem list  
Spend in good, or keep in store  
Other men's conscience never thou nist   

¶ Ye han no cure to answer fore  
What meddle ye, that han not to done  
Let men live as they han done yore  
For thou shalt answer for no man  
The Pelican said, Sir, nay  
I despised not the pope  
Ne no sacrament, soothe to say  
But speak in charity and good hope   

¶ But I despise her high pride  
Her richesse, that should be poor in spirit  
Her wickedness is know so wide  
They serve god in false habit  
And turnen meekness in to pride  
And lowliness in to high degree  
And god's word turn and hide  
And that am I moved by charity   

¶ To let men to live so  
With all my cunning and all my might  
And to warn men of her woe  
And to tell 'em troth and right  
The sacraments be soul hele  
If they been used in good use  
Against that speak I never a deal  
For then were I nothing wise   

But they that usen him in miss manner  
Or set 'em up to any sale  
I trow they shall abye 'em dear  
This is my reason, this is my tale  
Who so taketh 'em unryghtfullyche  
Against the ten commandments  
Or by gloze wretched like  
Selleth any of the sacraments   

I trow they do the devil homage  
In that they weten they to wrong  
And thereto I dare well wage  
They serven Satan for all her song  
To tythen and offren in wholesome life  
So it be done in dew manner  
A man to houselyn and to shryfe  
Wedding, and all the other in fere   

☞ So it be neither sold ne bought  
Ne take ne give for covetise  
And it be so taken it is nought  
Who selleth 'em so meye sore agrise  
On our lords body I do not lie  
I say sooth thorough true read  
His flesh and blood through his mystery  
Is there, in the form of breed   

¶ How it is there, it needeth not strive  
Whethe it be subject or accident  
But as Christ was, when he was on live  
So is he there verament  
If pope or cardinal live good live  
As Chryst commanded in his gospel  
Against that will I not strive  
But me thinketh they live not well   

¶ For if the people lived as god bede  
Pride and highness he shield despise  
richesse, covetise, and crown hi● heed  
meekness and poverty he should use  
The griffon said he should abye  
Thou shallbe brent in baleful fire  
And all thy sect I shall dystrye  
Ye shall hanged by the swyre   

¶ Ye shullen be hanged and to draw  
Who giveth you leave for to preach  
Or speak against god's law  
And the people thus falsely teach  
Thou shalt be cursed with book and bell  
And dissevered from holy church  
And cleney dampened into hell  
Otherwise but ye will work   

¶ The Pellycan said that I ne dread  
Your cursing is of little value  
Of god I hope to have my meed  
For it is falsehood that ye show  
For ye been out of charity  
And wylneth vengeance, as did Nero  
To suffern I will ready be  
I dread not that thou canst do   

¶ Christ bad ones suffer for his love  
And so he taught all his servants  
And but thou amend for his sake above  
I dread not all thy maintenance  
For if I dread the worlds hate  
Me thinketh I were little to praise  
I dread nothing your high estate  
Ne I dread not your disease   

¶ Would ye turn and leave your pride  
Your high port, and your richesse  
Your cursing should not go to wide  
God bring you into rightwiseness  
For I dread not your tyranny  
For nothing that ye can done  
To suffer I am all ready  
Syker I reck never how soon   

¶ The griffon grynned as he were wode  
And looked lovely as an owl  
And swore by cook's heart blood  
He would him tear every doule  
Holy church thou dysclaundrest foul  
For thy reasons I will the all to rate  
And make thy flesh to rote and mole  
Lo●e●, thou shalt have hard grace   

☞ 〈◊〉 griffon slew forth on his way  
The pelican did sit and weep  
And to himself he 'gan say  
God would that any of Christ's sheep  
And herd, and ytake keep  
Each a word that here said was  
And would it write and well it keep  
God would it were all for his grace   

Ploughman  
☞ I answered, and said I would  
If for my travel any man would pay  
Pelycan. He said yes, these that god han sold  
For they han store of money  
Ploughman. I said, tell me and thou may  
Why tellest thou men's trespass?  
Pelycan. He said, to amend 'em in good faith  
If God will give me any grace   

¶ For Christ himself is likened to me  
That for his people died on road  
As far I, right so fareth he  
He feedeth his birds with his blood  
But these done evil against god  
And been his fone under friends face  
I told 'em how her living stood  
God amend 'em for his grace   

Ploughman. what aileth the Griffon, tell why  
That he holdeth on that other side  
For they two been likely  
And with kinds robben wide  
Pelican. The foul betokeneth pryte  
As Lucifer, that high flew was  
And sith he did him an evil hide  
For he agylted god's grace   

❧ As bird flieth up into the air  
And liveth by birds that been meek  
So these been flow up into despair  
And shended silly souls eke  
The souls that been in sins seek  
He culleth 'em, kneel therefore alas  
For brybry gods forbade break  
God amend it for his grace   

❧ The hinder part is a lion  
A robber and a ravynere  
That robbeth the people in earth a down  
And in earth holdeth none his peer  
So fareth this foul both far and near  
And with temporal strength their people chase  
As a lion proud in earth here  
God amend 'em for his grace   

Pelican  
❧ He slew forth with his wings twain  
All drooping, dazed, and dull  
But son the griffon came again  
Of his fowls the earth was full  
The Pyllycan he had cast to pull  
So great a number never seen there was  
What manner of fowls tell I will  
If god will give me of his grace   

❧ With the griffon comen fowls feel  
ravens, tokes, crows, and pie  
Grace fowls, agadred weal  
I gurde above they would high  
Gledes and bosardes wherein hem by  
white molles and puttocks token her place  
And lap wings, that well cometh lie  
This fellowship han for gerde her grace   

❧ Lange the Pelican was out  
But at last he cometh again  
And brought with him the Phoenix stout  
The Griffon would have flow full feign  
His fowls that flown as thick as rain  
The Penyx though began 'em chase  
To fly from him it was in vain  
For he did vengeance and no grace   

☞ He slew 'em down without mercy  
There astart neither free ne thrall  
On him they cast a rueful cry  
When the griffon down was fall  
He beat him not, but slew 'em all  
Whither he hem drove no man may trace  
Under the earth me thought they yal  
Alas they had a feeble grace   

¶ The Pellycan then axed right  
For my writing if I have blame  
Who will for me fight of flight?  
Who shall shield me from shame  
He that had a maid to dame  
And the lamb that slain was  
●●al shield me from ghostly blame  
For earthly harm is god's grace   

❧ Therefore I pray every man  
Of my writing have me excused  
●●ys writhing writeth the Pelican  
That thus these people hath despised  
For I am fresh fully advised  
I nill not maintain his menace  
For the devil is often disguised  
To bring a man to evil grace   

❧ wyteth the Pelican and not me  
For hereof I nil not avow  
In high ne in low, ne in no degree  
But as a fable take it ye mow  
To holy church I will be bow  
Each man to amend him Christ send space  
And for my writing me allow  
He that is almighty for his grace    
❧ Thus endeth the book of Chaunterburye Tales   

☞ Imprinted at London in Paul's church yard at the sign of the Hill by William Hill