'their offices as thei sholde do,
to kepe ther obseruaunces also
(lich to their professïoun)
in prayer and deuocïoun,
Line 23764
god wil, of his ryghtful lawe,
to chastice hem, his hond with-drawe,
suffre her goodës to vnthryve,
but if thei amende hem blive;
Line 23768
yive it to hem that wil hym serue,
and his comandëmentes obserue.
'herof ye may sen a figure
fful wel rehersed in scripture:
Line 23772
In Egipt whilom, how it fel,
Whan the childre of Israel [folio 293a]
Wher [[were St.]] ther in subieccïoun
al that ilkë regioun;
Line 23776
thorugh their travaill and labour,
was maad ryche of gret tresour;
but afterward (as ye may se)
Vij yeres of Sterylite
Line 23780
folwed on, (as ye may red,)
wherof Ioseph took good hed
long a-forn, of high prudence;
and þaugh his noble providence,
Line 23784
Ageyn the hunger, Echë syde, [[eche syde St., ech a syde C.]]
ful prudently gan to provide,
and shop ther-fore a remedye,
(as Genesis doth specifye;)
Line 23788
for, thorugh the myght of goddës hond,
he sustened al the lond
from hunger and aduersite,
The vij yer of Sterilite.
Line 23792
'but of al this gretë dede,
thei of Egipt took non hede,
to thanken (in especial)
the myghti lord that gaf hem al;
Line 23796
nor wolde suffre, in no wyse,
Israel do sacrifyse;
but held in subieccïoun,
out of the lond of promyssioun.
Line 23800
