Þenkeþ on þe drede of seynt Ierom,
Line 7920
And wommans [wommens.] felawshepe for to fle
For doute of synne, for so ded he.
But of wymmen hyt ys grete wundyr,
hyt fareþ with hem as fyre and tundyr;
Comunly forsake þey none
Line 7925
Þat euer ys made of flessh and bone.
Ȝyf she wulde to foly here take,
Þe prest algate she myȝt forsake;
Line 7928
For þer ys none, þat she ne may
Haue a sengle man to here pay.
And ȝyf she wulde algate mysdo,
A knaue myȝt best beseme here to,
Line 7932
Þan hyt were to take a prest,
For synne and sclaunder were þere lest.
But how as euer men preche or spelle,
Of prestës wyues men here euer telle.
Line 7936
Of ouþer wyues y wyl naght say,
Þey do nat wrong, but al day;
But y dare sey, as y haue herde,
On Englys toung [tonge.] to alle þe werlde.
Line 7940
Ȝyf þyr be oþer mayden or wyfe
Þat dysturbleþ þe holy lyfe
Of þe prest, þurgh lecchery,
Aȝens here shal kalle and crye
Line 7944
Alle þat are yn paradys,
And alle þat yn purgatory lys;
And allë þat are yn þys lyue
Aȝens here shul aryse and stryue;
Line 7948
For euery prest, aftyr þe sacré,
He parteþ þere Goddys body yn þre, [þer þe vble yn þre.]
And offreþ hem to þe fadyr yn heuene
On þys wyse, as y shal neuene;
Line 7952
The fyrst he offreþ hem to blys,
To hem þat yn heuene ys; [O. gloss 'ben.']
Þe toþer he offreþ for vs alle here, [folio 53a:2]
Þat we to hym be boþe lefe and dere;
Line 7956
