'By [[Stowe]] dyuers extorsyons
Of dymes or Subvencions, [folio 30a] [[C. & St.]]
or taylladges [i]ffoundë newe, [[C. & St.]]
By Exaccïons full vntrewe: [[C. & St.]]
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Yiff thow yt suffre, ffer or ner, [[St. & C.]]
Thow dost not trewly thy deuer, [prose page xii] [[St. & C.]]
Whan thow fyndest or dost espye [[St. & C.]]
Sotyl weyës ffor flatrye [[St. & C.]]
Line 1824
To spoylle of Gracë Dieu the hous
By any tytles ravynous,
Thow dost to hyre no plesaunce,
But gret A-noye & dystourbaunce.
Line 1828
I say, as yt lyth in my thouht,
Platly the trouthe, & spare yt nouht:
¶ Thyn hornys hih vp on thyn hed,
Nor thy staff, (yt ys no dred,
Line 1832
I dar pleynly specefye,)
Ar but tooknes of mokerye,
Lych hornys of a lytell snayl,
Wych [[Whiche St.]] seruë for noon avayl,
Line 1836
But for a lytel strawh wyl shrynke:
Her-vp-on thow sholdest thynke.
'Swych hornys hadde nat Seyn Thomas, [prose cap xvi]
That kepte the entre & the paas
Line 1840
ful myghtyly ageyn the kyng,
And wolde suffre for no thyng
Hym to entren in-to thys hous;
But, as a champyoun vertuous,
Line 1844
Kepte the fredam & fraunchyse,
And suffrede in no maner wyse
The house of Grace Dieu at al
ffor to serue, nor to be thral:
Line 1848
Rather he ches to dey & sterue
Than suffre that yt sholdë serue,
Thys holy bysshop Seyn Thomas.
¶ Seynt Ambrose [Camb. MS. reads: Of seint Ambrose also j sey thee that defended his hous ayens emperoures and emperises, so that he was lord ther-of alone. 'Youre paleys,' quod he, 'ye haue youre toures, youre castelles, and your citees, with the reuenewes of the empire. Wel ouhte this to suffice yow,' p. 12.] in the [[this St.]] samë caas
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