fol. 181v Hwon Holy Chireche is under votetextual note 1

Hwiletextual note 2 wes Seynte Peter icleped Symon.
Tho queth ure Louerd him to, “Thu schalt hoten ‘Ston.’
Ich wile myne Chireche sette the upon.”explanatory note 1
Theo thattextual note 3 heo schulde biwite nu beoth hire ivon!
line5 Of alle hire forme freond, nu naveth heo non —
Tharfore is hire wurthsypeexplanatory note 2 wel neyh al agon!

Tho hertextual note 4 wes Symon, and nu is symonye,explanatory note 3
That muchel del haveth amerd of there clergie.
Bidde we ure Louerd Crist that hire warantye,
line10 For his swete moder luve Seynte Marie.

Soththe, wes Seynte Peter pope ine Rome,
Ther is that heued — and auhte to beon — of the Cristendome.textual note 5
Clementexplanatory note 4 and Gregorie,explanatory note 5 that him after come,
Hi hedden teone and seorewe ofte and ilome,explanatory note 6textual note 6
line15 For hi heolden Cristes men myd sib and myd some,explanatory note 7
And eke Holi Chireche withuten theowedome.

Tho heo stod ful vaste and seoththe sume stunde.
Nu me kasteth hire to myd markes and myd punde
Of seolvre and of golde, to vellen heo to grunde.explanatory note 8
line20 Nis nu non that wile, for hire, tholie deth ne wunde.explanatory note 9

Soththe, Seynt Thomasexplanatory note 10 tholede deth al myd unrihte;
The Archebisscop Stephneexplanatory note 11 for hire gon to fyhte;
And Seynt Admund,explanatory note 12 soththe, ful veyre hire dihte.
For holden hire wurschipe,explanatory note 13 hi duden al heore myhte.

line25 Nu is Holy Chireche uvele under honde.explanatory note 14
Al hire weorreth that wuneth ine londe —
Bispestextual note 7 and clerekes, knyhtes and bonde,
fol. 182r Kynges and eorles to hire habbeth onde.
And the seolve pope that heo biwyte scholde —
line30 Habbe he the yeftes of seolver and of golde,
Markes and pundes, myd rihte other myd wronge —
Heo let heom alle iwurthe that beoth so swythe stronge.explanatory note 15explanatory note 16

Away, that heo bi ure daye so is under vote!explanatory note 17
Bidde we alle Jhesu Crist that hyre sende bote
line35 For his swete moder luve, that is so veyr and swote,
That we in thisse lyve hit iseon mote. Amen.

fol. 181v When Holy Church is under foot

Saint Peter was once called Simon.
Our Lord said to him, “You shall be called ‘Rock.’
My Church I will establish upon you.”
Those who ought to protect her are now her foes!
line5 Of all her former friends, she now has none —
Therefore her honor is well nigh all gone!

Simon was once here, and now there’s simony,
Which has damaged many of the clergy.
We pray that our Lord Christ rescue her,
line10 For love of his blessed mother Saint Mary.

In truth, Saint Peter was pope in Rome,
Where the head is — and ought to be — of Christendom.
Clement and Gregory, who came after him,
They had trouble and sorrow again and again,
line15 Because they kept Christians in peace and accord,
And also Holy Church out of bondage.

Then she stood firm and afterwards for a time.
Now they cast at her with marks and pounds
Of silver and gold, to topple her to the ground.
line20 There’s none now willing, for her, to suffer death or wound.

In truth, Saint Thomas suffered death quite unjustly;
Archbishop Stephen went to battle for her;
And Saint Edmund, in truth, defended her valiantly.
To maintain her honor, they did all they could.

line25 Now Holy Church is in evil hands.
All war against her who inhabit the land —
Bishops and clerks, knights and bondsmen,
fol. 182r Kings and earls feel hatred toward her.
And the very pope who ought to protect her —
line30 Should he gain gifts of silver and gold,
Marks and pounds, by right or by wrong —
He lets powerful men do as they please.

Alas, that in our time she is thus under foot!
Let us all pray to Jesus Christ to send her help
line35 For love of his sweet mother, who’s so fair and sweet,
That we in this life may witness it. Amen.