Classic Poem

Thou askist also ferthermore,
whos ben alle oure jewels;
and we seyen we han rigt nougt
in propre ne in comoun,
but gederen the goodes of the rewme
to make the pope riche.
Jak, the foure and twentithe pope
Joon wroot agens this mater,
and frere menours agens him,
as her actis shewen.
Examyne her actis
and loke who hath the beter,
and knowe noon other ordre
this perfitnesse approveth.
Thou grucchist also that we gon
two of us togider;
for of the perfit apostlis
wenten but oone aloone.
Thou seist that we pretenden
the perfeccioun of apostlis.
Parfay, Jak, in scripture
thou failist here ful foule,
herdest thou nevere the processe
of the actis of the apostlis,
in what maner the Holi Goost
chees Bernabé and Poule,
to gone bothe togidere,
and Cristis seed to sowun;
and aftirward whan Bernabas
from Poul was departid,
another felowe, Tymothé,
toke Poul to his feere.
And git thei weren perfit
bi fastinge and bi preieris,
and resseyved hadde the Holi Goost
bi the apostlis hondis.
And thus we gon two togider,
folwinge her stappis;
but more for the mysterie
includid in the noumbre,
for to bi workes of charité
fulfilling the lawe;
and two tablis of Moises
there the lawe was writun;
and two cherubyns in the temple,
and two in the tabernacle.
It was not good to Adam
for to be aloone;
and Crist seith woo to sool
in aventure that he falle.
Also for fraternité
ful harde thou us holdist,
to graunt part of merit,
and also of messis,
bicause that we witen not whether
that we ben in grace or in synne,
and happili for we praien for suche
that ben dampned in helle.
Jak, if this cause were good,
al preier were reproved,
and thanne were set at nougt
bothe messe and matynes,
and holy bedis and orisons
seid in holi chirche.
Thanne shulde we leve Cristis bede,
the holy pater-noster.
Thanne was the memento
put fally in the masse,
and hooli chirche voidli
or madli biddith preye,
and alle siche gonge impossibilitees
folowen therof.
For who is that that knowith him silf
worthi for to preien,
but God bi revelacion
specially wolde it shewe;
for noman, seith the scripture, woot,
whether he is worthi love,
or ellis maugree but God
it oonly knowith.
And who can telle ferthermore
whiche shulde be dampned,
sith Goddis privy domes
man may not comprehende;
and so shal noman preie for other,
ne noman for him silf.
Jak, se now thin errour,
and sum tyme sesse for shame;
for thou jangelist as a jay,
and woost not what thou meenest.
Moreover thou monest multipliyng
of so many freris,
whiche encresen combrouseli,
agens Goddis wille;
sith preestis with other religious
mygte serve the peple,
for twelve apostlis and fewe moo
serveden al the world,
and mo fyngris on myn hond
than foure and the thombe
amenusith my worching
more than it acresith;
and so thou seist that freris letten
Cristis growinge into heven
Jacke, thou weenest thou wynne lond,
but thou concludist thi silf;
thou seist that God alle thingis hath maad
in mesure, weigte, and noumbre,
and that every frere is sum thing,
thou maist not denye,
and thou seist freris ben maad
agens Goddis wille.
Than hath God maad sum thing
that he wolde not make,
and so his sovereyne goodnesse
is contrarious to him silfe.
Lo, Jakke Jospinel,
what folowith of thi sawis.
Jakke, if thoug a fewe moo
mygte serven al the world,
thanne mygte a fewe preestes
serven a litil rewme.
Whi renne thanne these gonge clerkes
so faste to the ordres,
to encresen preestes
above mony hundridis?
And if freris ben combrouse,
preestis ben wel more;
or ellis telle a beter skil
thanne thou hast begunne,
whi the toon is chargeaunt
more than the tother.
Also the ensaumple of thin hond
is no thing to purpos;
for kynde hath determyned
the noumbre of thi fyngris,
and if it passe noumbre,
it is clepid monstruosité;
but God and holi chirche
determyned noo noumbre
of preestis ne of freris
to helpen mannis soule.
For the mo good ther ben,
the better is Cristis spouse;
and thoug fewer mygten
done that nedis,
git many hondis togider
maken ligt werk.