Nay, this land is not for me to plough; it is too stony, too
thorny, too hard for me to plough. They have so many things that make
for them, so many things to lay for themselves, that it is not for my
weak team to plough them. They have to lay for themselves long customs,
ceremonies and authority, placing in parliament, and many things more.
And I fear me this land is not yet ripe to be ploughed: for, as the
saying is, it lacketh weathering: this gear lacketh weathering; at least
way it is not for me to plough. For what shall I look for among thorns,
but pricking and scratching? What among stones, but stumbling? What (I
had almost said) among serpents, but stinging? But this much I dare say,
that since lording and loitering hath come up, preaching hath come down,
contrary to the apostles' times: for they preached and lorded not, and
now they lord and preach not. For they that be lords will ill go to
plough: it is no meet office for them; it is not seeming for their
estate. Thus came up lording loiterers: thus crept in unpreaching
prelates; and so have they long continued. For how many unlearned
prelates have we now at this day! And no marvel: for if the ploughmen
that now be were made lords, they would clean give over ploughing; they
would leave off their labour, and fall to lording outright, and let the
plough stand: and then both ploughs not walking, nothing should be in the
commonweal but hunger.
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