The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

¶The Parsone. 16.

A Good manne there was of religioun, And was a poore Parsone of a toun: But rich he was of holy thought and werke, He was eke a learned man and a clerke, That Christes Gospels truly would preach, His Parishens devoutly would he teach. Benigne he was, and wonder diligent, And in adversitie full pacient: And soch one he was proved oft sithes, Full loth were him to curse for his tithes, But rather would he yeuen out of doubt, Vnto his poore parishens all about, Both of his offring, and of his substaunce, He couthe in little thing have suffisaunce. Wide was his parish, and houses fer asonder, But he ne left, neither for raine ne thonder, In sikenesse ne in mischiefe, for to visite The ferdest in his parish, moch or lite, Vpon his feet, and in his hand a stafe: This noble ensample to his shepe he yafe, That first he wrought, & afterward taught, Out of the Gospel he the words caught, And this figure he added eke thereto, * That if Gold rust, what should Iron do? For yef a Priest be foule, on whom we trust, No wonder is a leude man to rust: * And shame it is, if a Priest take kepe, To see a shitten shepherd, and a cleane shepe: * Well ought a Priest ensample for to yeue By his clenenesse how his shepe should liue. He set not his benefice to hire, And let his shepe acomber in the mire, And renne to London to sainct Poules, To seken him a Chauntrie for soules: Or with a brotherhede to be withold: But dwelt at home, and kept well his fold, So that the Wolfe made hem not miscary, He was a shepherd, and not a mercenarie. And though he holy were, and vertuous, He was not to sinfull men dispitous, Ne of his speech daungerous ne digne, But in his teaching discrete and benigne, To drawen folke to heaven with fairenesse, By good ensample, this was his besinesse, But if he were any persone obstinate, Whether he were of hie, or low estate, Him would he snibbe sharply for the nonis, A better Priest, I trowe, no where none is. He waited after no pompe ne reuerence, Ne maked him no spiced conscience. But Christes lore, and his Apostles twelue, He taught, but first he followed it him selue.