7167   May never Iohn shewe well his myght.
7168   'Now have I you declared right
7169   The menyng of the bark and rynde
7170   That makith the entenciouns blynde.
7171   But now at erst I wole bigynne
7172   To expowne you the pith withynne:
7173   And the seculers comprehende,
7174   That cristes lawe wole defende,
7175   And shulde it kepen and mayntenen
7176   Ayens hem that all sustenen,
7177   And falsly to the puple techen.
7178   That Iohn bitokeneth hem to prechen,
7179   That ther nys lawe covenable
7180   But thilk gospel pdurable,
7181   That fro the holy gost was sent
7182   To turne folk that ben myswent.
7183   The strengthe of Iohn they undirstonde
7184   The grace in whiche, they seie, they stonde,
7185   That doth the synfull folk converte,
7186   And hem to ihc crist reverte.
7187   'ffull many another orribilite
7188   May men in that book se,
7189   That ben comaunded, douteles,
7190   Ayens the lawe of Rome expres;