The Multitext Edition > London, British Library MS. Harley 7334
The Parson's Tale
Folio 255v
8 of 69 folios
noon honor ne reuerence . for certes no more reuerence schal
ben doon to a kyng þan to a knaue
115
¶ For which god
saiþ by þe prophete Ieremie ¶ Thilke folk / þat me displesen
schul be despit
¶ Honour is eke cleped gret lordschipe . þere
schal no wigħt seruen oþir but of harm and of tormēt ¶ Ho-
nour eek is cleped gret dignite and heighnes ; but in helle
schulle þay be al fortrode of deueles
¶ And god saith . thorri-
ble deueles schuln goon and comen vpon þe heedes of dāp-
ned folk . And þis is for als moche as þe heyher þat þay
were ī þis persent lif ; þe more schuln þay ben abatid and
defouled in helle
¶ Agayns riches of þis world schuln þay
han mysese of pouert . A þis pouert schal be in .iiij. þinges
¶ In defaut of tresor of which as dauid saith ¶ The riche
folk þat embraseden and onedin al here herte þe tresor
of þis world . schuln slepen in þe slepyng of deth and no
þing schuln þay fynde in her hondes of al her tresor
120
¶ &
more ouer þe mysease of helle schal be in þe defaut of me-
te and drink
For god saith þus by moyses ¶ Thay schul
be wasted by hunger and þe briddes of helle schuln deuou-
ren hē wiþ bittir teeth and þe galle of þe dragoū schal be
her drink & þe venym of þe dragoū here morsels
¶ And
forþer more ouer her misease schal be in defaut of cloþīg
for þay schul be naked in body as of cloþing ¶ For þay
schuln be nakid of body saue of fuyr ī which þay brenne
and oþer filþis .
and naked schuln þay be of soule of aƚƚ
maner vertues which þat is cloþing of soule ¶ Wher ben
þāne þe gaye robes . and þe softe scheetis . and þe smale schir-
tes .
lo what saiþ of hem þe prophete I saye ¶ Vnder hem
schuln be strawed motthis and here couertours schuln
ben of wormes of helle
125
¶ And forþer mor ouer here disease /
schal be in defaute of frendes . for he is not pouere that
haþ goode frendes . but here is no frend .
For neyþer god
ne no creature schal be frend vnto hem . and euerich of
hē schal hate oþer wiþ dedly hate
¶ The sones and the
douȝtres schuln rebellen agayns þe fader and þe mooder
and kynrede agayns kynrede and chiden and despisen
euerich of hem oþer boþe day and nigħt . as god saith
by þe prophete Michias
¶ And þe louyng childrē þt whilom