And, Therefore, I Shall Tell You What The Soldan Told Me Upon A Day
In His Chamber.
He let void out of his chamber all manner of men,
lords and others, for he would speak with me in counsel.
And there
he asked me how the Christian men governed them in our country.
And I said him, "Right well, thanked be God!"
And he said me, "Truly nay! For ye Christian men reck right
nought, how untruly to serve God! Ye should give ensample to the
lewd people for to do well, and ye give them ensample to do evil.
For the commons, upon festival days, when they should go to church
to serve God, then go they to taverns, and be there in gluttony all
the day and all night, and eat and drink as beasts that have no
reason, and wit not when they have enough. And also the Christian
men enforce themselves in all manners that they may, for to fight
and for to deceive that one that other. And therewithal they be so
proud, that they know not how to be clothed; now long, now short,
now strait, now large, now sworded, now daggered, and in all manner
guises. They should be simple, meek and true, and full of alms-
deeds, as Jesu was, in whom they trow; but they be all the
contrary, and ever inclined to the evil, and to do evil. And they
be so covetous, that, for a little silver, they sell their
daughters, their sisters and their own wives to put them to
lechery.
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