The ferrest in his parissche moche and lite
Vppon his feet and in his hond a staf [folio 7b]
This noble ensample vnto his scheep he ȝaf
Line 496
That ferst he wroughte and after þat he taughte
Out of þe gospel he þo wordes caughte /
And þis figure he addid ȝit þerto
That if gold ruste what schulde yren doo?
Line 500
For if a prest be foul on whom we truste
No wondur is a lewid man to ruste;
And schame it is if a prest take kepe
A schiten schepperd and a clene schepe
Line 504
wel oughte a prest ensample for to ȝiue
By his clennesse how þat his scheep schulde lyue
he sette not his benefice to huyre
And lefte his scheep encombred in þe myre
Line 508
And ran to londoun vnto seynte poules
To seeken him a chaunterie for soules
Or with a brethurhede be wiþ-holde
But dwelte at hoom and kepte wel his folde /
Line 512
So þat þe wolf ne made it not myscarye
He was a schepparde and no mercenarie
And þough he holy were and vertuous
he was to senful man nought dispitous
Line 516
Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne
But in his teching discret and benigne
To drawe folk to heuen by clennesse
By good ensample was his busynesse
Line 520
But it were eny parsone obstinat
what so he were of high or lowe estat
him wolde he snybbe scharply for þe nones
A bettre preest I trowe ther nowher non is
Line 524
he waytud after no pompe ne reuerence
Ne maked him a spiced conscience /
But cristes lore and his apostles twelue
he taught. and ferst he folwed it himselue
Line 528
With hem þer was a plough man his broþur
