'Off this world, fful off disseyte.
'And euere I lye in greet awayte,
And no moment I ne ffyne
ffor to leyne out hook and lyne.
Line 19248
'My lyne (by demonstracyoun)
I-callyd is Temptacyoun;
And whanne that ffolke (in ther entente)
Off herte and wylle ther-to concente,
Line 19252
Thanne on myn hook (by ffalse awayte,)
They ben I-cacchyd with the bayte;
And thannë, by fful mortal lawe,
Tó my bandoun, I hem drawe.
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'I leye out nettës nyght and day,
In water and lond, to cacche my pray.
'With nettys, I haue eke my repayre [Tib folio 55b] [Stowe folio 224a]
ffor bryddes that ffleen eke in the hayre,
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ffor to make hem ffalle adown
ffrom ther contemplacyown.
And, thus ffolkys to bygyle,
I am a ffoulere eke som whyle;
Line 19264
ffor alle that hygh or lowë goon,
I makë nettis ffor euerychoon,
(In myne entente, it is no drede),
To cacche hem, outher [[or St.]] by ffoot or hede,
Line 19268
As an vreyne wewyth [[wevithe St.]] a calle,
To makë fflyes there-in to [[to om. St.]] ffalle.
'But I ne may not do no wronge
To ffolke that ben in vertu stronge.
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I venquysche (nouther nygh nor fferre)
No man that halte ageyne me werre;
And ffeble is my vyolence,
Whanne ther is manly résystence.
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ANd ȝit I haue a thowsande treynes,
And as many laas and cheynes,
With [[om. St.]] whiche I compasse, day by day,
To lettë pylgrymes on ther way;
Line 19280
ffor I, by ffalse illusyoun
And by dyssumylacyoun, [[dyssimilasyon St.]]
Kan me [[me St., mys Tib.]] transfformë (anoon ryght,)
To lykenesse off an aungel bryght;
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