“Johne the Baptist went to the wyldernes. Lazarus, Martha, and Marie Magdalene Left heretage and guddis, more and les. Prudent Sanct Paule thocht Propertie prophane; Frome toun to toun he ran, in wynde and rane, Upon his feit, techeing the word of grace, And never was subjectit to ryches.”
The Gled said, “Yit I heir no-thyng bot gude. Proceid schortlye, and thy mater avance.” The Papyngo said, “Father, be the Rude, It wer too lang to schaw the circumstance, Quhow Propertie, with hir new alyance, Grew gret with chylde, as trew men to me talde, And bure two dochteris gudelie to behalde.
“The eldest dochter named was Ryches, The secunde syster, Sensualytie; Quhilks did incres, within one schorte proces, Preplesande[180] to the Spiritualytie. In gret substance and excellent bewtie Thir Ladyis two grew so, within few yeiris, That in the warlde wer non mycht be thair peiris.
“This royall Ryches and lady Sensuall Frome that tyme furth tuke hole the governance Of the moste part of the Stait Spirituall: And thay agane, with humbyll observance, Amorouslie thair wyttis did avance, As trew luffaris, thair ladyis for to pleis. God wate geve than[181] thair hartis war at eis.
“Soune thay foryet[182] to study, praye, and preche, Thay grew so subject to dame Sensuall, And thocht bot paine pure pepyll for to teche; Yit thay decretit, in thair gret Counsall, Thay wald no more to mariage be thrall, Traistyng surely tyll observe Chaistitie, And all begylit quod[183] Sensualytie.
“Apperandlye thay did expell thair wyffis That thay mycht leif at large, without thirlage[184], At libertie to lede thair lustie lyffis[185], Thynkand men thrall that bene in mariage. For new faces provokis new corrage. Thus Chaistitie thay turne in-to delyte; Wantyng of wyffis bene cause of appetyte.
“Dame Chaistitie did steill away for schame, Frome tyme scho did persave thair proviance[186]. Dame Sensuall one letter gart proclame, And hir exilit Italy and France. In Inglande couthe scho get none ordinance[187]. Than to the kyng and courte of Scotlande Scho markit hir[188], withouttin more demande.
“Traistyng in-to that court to get conforte, Scho maid hir humyll supplycatioun. Schortlye thay said scho sulde get na supporte, Bot bostit hir[189], with blasphematioun, ‘To preistis go mak your protestatioun. It is,’ said thay, ‘mony one houndreth yeir Sen Chaistitie had ony entres[190] heir.’