fol. 5v       5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 fol. 6r 60

Thus Ryghtwysnes do now procede, And sytyht lyke a gay emprece. Law hath lorn all maner of mede, And settyht up Treuth als hyghe as God is. Gode Feyth hath outelauwed all doubylnes, And Prudens setys all thingys beforne, Kepyng the ordour of perfyte stabulnes, Conveyd by a lyne ryght as a rammys horne. Princes of custom, thei wyll maynten non wrong, And Prelatys lyve in holynes. Knyghthod wyll maynten no falsyd among, And Prestehode hath refused all ryches. And Relygion of verrye holynes With perfyte lernyng up beth borne. Envy in cloyster hath non entres, Conveyed by a lyne ryght as a rammys horn. Merchandys of lucre thei take non hede, And Usry lyth fetered in destres. To carpe of our werke of Womanhede, Thei have banesched away all strangenes. Servantys doth allway there bysenes That of the dey non owre be lorn; With suete and traveyll thei pute awey Idelnes, Conveyd by a lyne . . . Out of this lond — els God forbede — Is baneschyd Symonye and Falsed also. Yonge and eld hathe takyn sadnes them to. Women hath loste pride and take them to mekenes, Whos pacyens is gode both at even and morn; Ther tonges hath no talent to schrewdnes, Conveyed by a lyn . . . Crysten Cowrte ther correccions do spred, More for soule helth than for symony, as I gesse; Right schall be reseyved withouten any mede. Ther schall no pounde be ther penance, And Sumoners wyll sofere no synne in ther offyce; Thei travell for the treuth, ther clothes be torne, Ther may no mede make them hold ther pece, Conveyd by a lyn . . . Schyrifes of chyres, thei take so gode hede That babys and burges schall no man overpresse,1 Nor thei wyll not endyte a man for any mede, Bot Ryche Men be mersyfull to more and lesse. Leders of the law, thei have refusyd ryches, Questemonggers on bokys, thei wyll not be forsuorn; Thes men perchas tham heven expresse, Conveyd by a lyn . . . Mynstrels make men myrth for no mede, Bot for soule helth to sette men in sadnes. Treuly thei do ther almys dede To the pore pepull that lyves in destres, And when thei mete togeder, there at festys es, The more the meryer; therfor thei wyll not mourne. When thei feyle felyschyp, than be thei in hevynes, Conveyd by a lyn . . . Princes, remembyr you, and prudently take hede How Vertues over Vyces is wexen a duches. Owre Feyth holdys not bot byleve in his Crede; The Ryght Beleve he beryth wytnes, The Scribes and Fareseys hath left ther frewardnes And wedyd the cokyll clen oute of the corn. Thus be we governed, for soth as I gesse, Conveyed by lyn . . . AMEN.

Righteousness; (see note) sits; empress forfeited; bribe sets deception governs above all else; (see note) stability Directed by (written by); (see note) support no one in the wrong; (see note) Prelates (churchmen) falsehood; (t-note) is supported entrance Merchants; no heed Usury; fettered in distress       To speak of the work of our women; (t-note) banished; novelty [So] that; no hour is lost sweat and labor [that it be] else (otherwise); (see note) Simony and Falsehood seriousness unto themselves; (t-note) (t-note) inclination to shrewishness Ecclesiastical courts; discipline; (see note) souls’ health received; bribe (i.e., no bribe; see note); (see note) allow; (t-note) strive Sheriffs of shires (t-note) indict; reward False witnesses; (see note); (t-note) earn for themselves heaven directly give men entertainment; (see note) soul’s health; seriousness ease (joy); (t-note) lack company; sadness; (t-note) has become a duchess; (t-note) holds nothing but Pharisees; obstinacy; (see note) weeded the cockle (tares)