God be with trewthe wher he be!
I wolde he were in this cuntree.

A man that shuld of trewthe telle,
With grete lordes he may not dwelle;
In trewe story, as clerkes telle,
Trewthe is put in low degree.

In ladyes chaumbers cometh he not;
Ther dare trewthe setten non fot;
Though he wolde, he may not
Comen among the high menee.

With men of lawe he hath none space;
They loven trewthe in none place;
Me thinketh they han a rewly grace
That trewthe is put at swich degree.

In holy cherche he may not sitte;
Fro man to man they shuln him flitte.
It reweth me sore in myn witte;
Of trewthe I have gret pitee.

Religious, that shulde be good,
If trewthe cum ther, I holde him wood:
They shulden him rende cote and hood
And make him bare for to flee.

A man that shuld of trewthe aspye,
He must him seeken esilye
In the bosom of Marye,
For ther he is, forsoothe, pardee!