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And then divines who all the earth

O’errun that they may gather worth

Of worldly goods, and power and place,

Foremost in vice, and last in grace:

Most evil lives these preachers lead.

Treading in their unholy greed

Vainglory’s treacherous path, and eke

Thereby their souls’ damnation seek.

Their very selves do they deceive,

For through their preaching they receive

No vantage, though perchance their word

By others be with profit heard,

For if their sermonising be

Attaint with culpability,

Nought shall the preachers gain, but they,

Preaching, themselves are cast away,

And though the hearers virtue learn,

The teachers God’s damnation earn.

But let us leave the priests awhile,

And turn again unto the vile

Gold grubbers. Reverence, love, or fear

Of God they know not, but hold dear

Their pence alone: the trembling poor

They leave to starve beside their door,

Till God stretch forth His arm and show

How crime doth unto judgment grow.

Three cruel vengeances pursue

These miserable wretches who

Hoard up their worthless wealth: great toil

Is theirs to win it; then their spoil