For I learned never to read on book;
And I ken no French, in faith,
But of the farthest end of Norfolk."

Even the Pope is not exempt from a touch of satire:--

"He prayed the Pope
Have pity on holy Church,
And ere he gave any grace,
_Govern first himself_."

The prejudice against doctors and lawyers was as strong five hundred
years ago as now, judging from Piers Plowman, who says, that

"Murderers are many leeches,
Lord them amend!
They do men die through their drinks
Ere destiny it would."

Of lawyers he says they pleaded

"for pennies
And pounds, the law;
And not for the love of our Lord
Unclose their lips once.
Thou mightest better meet mist
On Malvern hills
Than get a mum of their mouth
Till money be showed."

No class of people suffered more in the Middle Ages than the Jews. They
were abhorred by the poor, despised by the wealthy, and cruelly
oppressed by the powerful. But through all their sufferings and trials
they were true to each other; and the monk holds up their fraternal
charity as an example to shame Christians into similar virtues. He
says:--

"A Jew would not see a Jew
Go jangling[40] for default.
For all the mebles[41] on this mould[42]
And he amend it might.
Alas! that a Christian creature
Shall be unkind to another;
Since Jews, that we judge
Judas's fellows,
Either of them helpeth other
Of that that him needeth.
Why not will we Christians
Of Christ's good be as kind
As Jews, that be our lores-men[43]?
Shame to us all!"

With one more curious passage, giving a glimpse of the belief of that
age concerning the future state, we will close our extracts from "Piers
Plowman." Discussing the condition of the thief upon the cross who was
promised a seat in heaven, the dreamer says:--

"Right as some man gave me meat,
And amid the floor set me,
And had meat more than enough,
But not so much worship
As those that sitten at the side-table,
Or with the sovereigns of the hall;
But set as a beggar boardless,
By myself on the ground.
So it fareth by that felon
That on Good Friday was saved,
He sits neither with Saint John,
Simon, nor Jude,
Nor with maidens nor with martyrs,
Confessors nor widows;
But by himself as a sullen,[44]
And served on earth.
For he that is once a t