A shiten Shepherde and a clene sheep Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yiue By his clennesse how that his sheep sholde lyue From Ch To hys spee parchons how they shold lyve He sette noght his benefice to hyre And leet his sheep encombred in the Myre And ran to Londoun vnto Seint Poules To seeken hym a Chauntrye for soules Or with a breetherede to been withhoolde But dwelte at hoom and kepte wel his foolde So that the wolf ne maade it noght myscarye He was a Sheepherde and noght a Mercenarye And thogh he hooly weere and vertuous He was noght to synful men despitous Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne But in his techyng discreet and benygne To drawen folk to heuene with fairnesse By good ensample this was his bisynesse But it weere any persone obstynaat What so he weere of heigh or lowe estaat Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys He wayted after no pomp and reuerence Ne maked hym a spyced conscience But Cristes loore and hise Apostles twelue He taughte but first he folwed it hymselue With hym ther was a Plowman was his broother That hadde ylad of donge ful many a Foother A trewe swynkere and a good was he Lyuynge in pees and parfit charitee