28
THE GREEK GODS ARE BUTCHERS.
728Ye put boughs on Hercules' altar; Þe hauter of he[r]cules · alle ȝe hihten,
& hit spreden wiþ spraiuus · of springinge braunchus.
and flowers on Cupid's Cupies þe corsed · wiþ comeliche flourus
Ȝe herien ful hertely · & hihten [h]is temple.
733Þus manye mihteles godus · & mo þan y telle,
For þe hope of hur help · ȝe herien on erþe.
Ye cannot serve them all at once. & ȝit may þer no man · in any maner wise
Wiþ solepne sacrifice · serue hem at onus,
736 But eueri wile of a wehy · his owene wone haue,
Be it bole oþur bor · betur oþur werse.
Of swiche bestus þat ben · of burnus y of reed,
739Þei han miht vp-on molde · & of no mo þingys.
Why do ye belive in false gods? Whi fauuree ȝe þanne falce godus · & folliche seggen
Þat þei ne han miht of no mor · nor no maistrie on erþe,
But of hur owne offringe · & onliche of bestes?
744For youe sins, For ȝour errours on erþe · sire emperour riche,
& for þe dedus vn-dingnge · þat ȝe don alle,
As ȝe ben worþi[1] of wo · whan þe word failus,
ye shalle be punished Ȝe schulle be punched & put · in paine for euere!
748Ȝour godus ful of gile ben · þat ȝe so good holden,
On hem is help of non harm · no hap of no grace,
Your gods are butchers. But bochours ben þei echon · ȝour body to dismembre,
& euerich pinchen his part · þere paine is vnended.
As many mihtelese godus · as ȝe on molde seruen.
[Fol. 213,back] As fale painus in fir · ȝou fallus to drie.
Your idols make you sin. For ȝour ydil idolus · don ȝou wille wirche;
755 Summe to lechorus lust · ȝour likinge turneþ,
Summe ȝou strenkþen to striue · & straiten ȝour minde,
& somme eggen in ese · to eten & to drinke.
Þei by-sette ȝou so · in sinne & in gile,
& hit spreden wiþ spraiuus · of springinge braunchus.
and flowers on Cupid's Cupies þe corsed · wiþ comeliche flourus
Ȝe herien ful hertely · & hihten [h]is temple.
733Þus manye mihteles godus · & mo þan y telle,
For þe hope of hur help · ȝe herien on erþe.
Ye cannot serve them all at once. & ȝit may þer no man · in any maner wise
Wiþ solepne sacrifice · serue hem at onus,
736 But eueri wile of a wehy · his owene wone haue,
Be it bole oþur bor · betur oþur werse.
Of swiche bestus þat ben · of burnus y of reed,
739Þei han miht vp-on molde · & of no mo þingys.
Why do ye belive in false gods? Whi fauuree ȝe þanne falce godus · & folliche seggen
Þat þei ne han miht of no mor · nor no maistrie on erþe,
But of hur owne offringe · & onliche of bestes?
744For youe sins, For ȝour errours on erþe · sire emperour riche,
& for þe dedus vn-dingnge · þat ȝe don alle,
As ȝe ben worþi[1] of wo · whan þe word failus,
ye shalle be punished Ȝe schulle be punched & put · in paine for euere!
748Ȝour godus ful of gile ben · þat ȝe so good holden,
On hem is help of non harm · no hap of no grace,
Your gods are butchers. But bochours ben þei echon · ȝour body to dismembre,
& euerich pinchen his part · þere paine is vnended.
As many mihtelese godus · as ȝe on molde seruen.
[Fol. 213,back] As fale painus in fir · ȝou fallus to drie.
Your idols make you sin. For ȝour ydil idolus · don ȝou wille wirche;
755 Summe to lechorus lust · ȝour likinge turneþ,
Summe ȝou strenkþen to striue · & straiten ȝour minde,
& somme eggen in ese · to eten & to drinke.
Þei by-sette ȝou so · in sinne & in gile,
cupidinis rosis et floribus siue frondibus ornas. Totam potestatem tuam ponis in illis, et non est in corpore tuo membrum quod illis non attribuas. Reuera non deos quos vocas adiutores, sed carnifices sunt vocandi; quoniam membra tua diuersis tormentis affligunt. Oportet enim vt tot tormenta subeas quot deos seu deorum culturas agis. Unus deus instruit te fornicari, alter bibere, alter litigare.
- ↑ MS. 'worþei'
