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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;
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