Classic Poem

Now, Jak, to thi questions,
nedes me moste answer,
althoug thei wanten sentence
and good thrift bothe.
Which is the moost perfit ordre,
Jakke, thou askist,
and how many ordres
ther ben in erthe.
Off what ordre art thou, frere,
and who made thin ordre?
iff thou wolt have the higest ordre,
seke it in heven,
in the blessid Trinité
that fourmed us alle,
where flowith the Sunne from the Fadir,
the Holigost from hem bothe;
noon gretter in degré,
no more perfite than other,
but the ordre that there is,
is in her proceding;
and if we comen lower,
there finde we holy angels,
stablid in iij. ierarchies,
dividid in ordres nyne.
Seraphin he is the sovereynest,
in charité he brennith;
and of al ordris in erthe
y holde preesthood the higest,
that han the principal partis of men,
and kingis han the bodies;
and this is the popes decré
in comoun lawe.
But peraunter, Jak, thou menest
of religious ordre,
of templeres, hospitalers,
chanouns, monkes, and freres,
Jak, in this mater,
loke seint Thomas bokes,
and thei shal thee techen
and enfourme at the fulle.
How many ordris ther ben
can I not telle,
but if y cowde calkyn
al manere kyndes,
ffor to loken how many kyndes
oure Lord hath yfourmed.
But evermore betwene two and two, Jak,
thou shalt fynden ordre.
Off what ordre I am,
and who made myn ordre,
Jakke, fast thou fraynest,
and fayn woldist wite.
I am of Cristis ordre, Jak,
and Crist made myn ordre,
ensaumple in the gospel,
in many sondry place,
ffor who taugte obedience,
chastiti, and poverte?
Hopist thou not it was Crist,
and fulfillid in him silf,
in which ech religion
perfitli is groundid,
reversynge the soorie synnes
notid of the postle,
lust of fleich and lust of ige,
and pride in oure lyvynge.
On this three, Jak, by my ewté,
is groundid al gour colege.
Iff I breke myn ordre,
I breke Goddis lawe,
and if I be punishid for that oon,
I am ponishid for that other.
Bot the contrarie of this, Jak,
thou falsly afermest.
If ony religioun be more perfit,
than techith seint Jame, Jacke boy,
either more appreved of God,
fayne thou woldist witen.
Iff I seie thee, thou askist
where it is foundid;
and if y nayt seie not that thou seist,
thus thou procedist.