Anonymous: Satire on the Consistory Courts (HP6) (601 words)

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page 24


1

6. SATIRE ON THE CONSISTORY COURTS (1307)


2

3Ne mai no lewed lued libben in londe,
4be he neuer in hyrt so hauer of honde,
5so lerede vs biledes;

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6ȝef ich on molde mote wiþ a mai,
7y shal falle hem byfore & lurnen huere lay,
8ant rewen alle huere redes.
9ah bote y be þe furme day on folde hem byfore,
10ne shal y nout so skere scapan of huere score;
11so grimly he on me gredes,
12þat y ne mot me lede þer wiþ mi lawe,
13on alle maner oþes þat heo me wulleþ awe,
14heore boc ase vn-bredes.
15heo wendeþ bokes vn-brad,
16ant makeþ men a moneþ a-mad;
17of scaþe y wol me skere,
18ant fleo from my fere;
19ne rohte he whet yt were,
20boten heo hit had.

21

22ffurst þer sit an old cherl in a blake hure,
23of alle þat þer sitteþ semeþ best syre,
24ant leyþ ys leg o-lonke.
25An heme in an herygoud wiþ honginde sleuen,
26& mo þen fourti him by-fore my bales to breuen,
27In sunnes ȝef y songe.
28heo pynkes wiþ heore penne on heore parchemyn,
29ant sayen y am breued ant y-broht yn
30of al my weole wlonke.
31Alle heo bueþ redy myn rouþes to rede,
32þer y mot for menske munte sum mede,
33ant þonkfulliche hem þonke.
34shal y þonke hem þer er y go?
35ȝe, þe maister ant ys men bo.
36ȝef y am wreint in heore write,
37þenne am y bac-bite;
38for moni mon heo makeþ wyte
39Of wymmene wo.

40

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41ȝet þer sitteþ somenours syexe oþer seuene,
42mys-motinde men alle by here euene,
43ant recheþ forþ heore rolle.
44Hyrdmen hem hatieþ, ant vch mones hyne,
45for eueruch a parosshe heo polkeþ in pyne,
46and clastreþ wyþ heore colle.
47Nou wol vch fol clerc þat is fayly,
48wende to þe bysshop ant bugge bayly -
49nys no wyt in is nolle -
50come to countene court, couren in a cope,
51ant suggen he haþ priuilegie proud of þe pope -
52swart ant al to-swolle.
53aren heo to-swolle, for-swore?
54ȝe, þe hatred of helle beo heore!
55for þer heo beodeþ a bok,
56to sugge ase y folht tok;
57heo shulen in helle on an hok
58honge þere-fore!

59

60þer stont vp a ȝeolumon, ȝeȝeþ wiþ a ȝerde,
61ant hat out an heh þat al þe hyrt herde,
62ant cleopeþ Magge ant Malle.
63ant heo comeþ bymodered ase a mor-hen,
64ant scrynkeþ for shome, & shomeþ for men,
65vncomely vnder calle.
66heo biginneþ to shryke, & scremeþ anon,
67ant saiþ, "by my gabbyng, ne shal hit so gon,
68ant þat beo on ou alle;
69þat þou shalt me wedde & welde to wyf."
70ah me were leuere wiþ lawe leose my lyf
71þen so to fote hem falle.
72shal y to fote falle for mi fo?
73ȝe, monie byswykeþ heo swo.
74of þralles y am þer þrat,
75þat sitteþ swart & for-swat;
76þer y mot hente me en hat
77er ich hom go.

78

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79such chaffare y chepe at þe chapitre,
80þat makeþ moni þryue mon vn-þeufol to be,
81wiþ þonkes ful þunne;
82ant seþþe y go coure at constory,
83ant falle to fote vch a fayly -
84heore is þis worldes wynne.
85seþþen y pleide at bisshopes plee,
86ah me were leuere be sonken y þe see,
87In sor wiþouten synne.
88At chirche ant þourh cheping, ase dogge y am dryue,
89þat me were leuere of lyue þen so forte lyue,
90to care of al my kynne.
91atte constorie heo kenneþ vs care,
92ant whissheþ vs euele & worse to fare.
93a pruest proud ase a po
94seþþe weddeþ vs bo;
95Wyde heo worcheþ vs wo
96for wymmene ware.