A TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT
NOURISHED FROM THE ROOT:
BRANCHES DRY ARE PRUNED AWAY
TO BE BURNED PREACHERS SAY;
FAITH KEPT IN RELIQUARY
FEEDS OBITUARY:
RELIGIOUS MUMMERY,
PRELATE TOMFOOLERY,
DEAD BONES, WHITED SEPULCHRE,
COLD CULT OF SEPULTURE,
DOES GOD DELIGHT IN PRAISE OF PALMERS
SHROUDED IN CEREMENTS?
IS THE LAY OF SCALDS LIKE A PSALMER'S
HEARTINTENT?
AARON'S PRIESTHOOD! BLACK SANCTUS!
CABAL OF CHURCH! LORD, HELP US!
OBSEQUIES SEASONED WITH SOULSCAT;
IDOL'S COWL ON FATCAT
THEOW AND ESNE BY SIN:
SUCH REMAIN UNSHRIVEN,
THEIR RUNLET OF CANARY
QUAFFED IN ORATORY:
PRAYERSUBSTITUTE SET ABROACH
JESUS FOR TO REPROACH
EMPLOYING FALSE THANE CHIVALRY;
PARRICIDAL DERRINGDO,
STOUP TOASTS "WAES HAEL!" VAIN GRAMMERCY!
FELON IS WHO?
A MURRAIN IS SUCH HALIDOM
REFINED BY MILLER'S THUMB;
THEIR VESTURE CONTENTIONS WEEDS,
FORNICATION ENVY BREEDS:
REGARDS NOT RUSTIC AND HINDS
IF ANY JESUS FINDS
TO BE FOLKFREE AND SCALESS
BY THE POWER OF GOD'S GRACE;
DEVILCHILD THEIR NEOPHYTE,
SORCERER'S PROSELYTE:
A CROSIER USED AS COUNTERPOISE
TENDS CORRUPTION'S EMBRASURE,
FOOLS CLAD IN LAODICEAN NOISE
WEEN TREASURE…
IF THUS MY NAME YOU SHOULD HEAR
SCORNED, DEFAMED FAR OR NEAR,
WOT I'M NOBODY AS SUCH,
NOR AMOUNT I TO MUCH;
ASHAMED YOU MIGHT BE OF ME
WHEN JUST MY FLESH YOU SEE:
HATED BY THE SYSTEMITE
OF ME FEW STAND THE SIGHT
BECAUSE I ADVOCATE TRUTH,
TRUST ONLY JESUS' RUTH;
HOWEVER, ABOUT THE LIKES OF ME
THERE'S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW:
SOMETIMES EVEN ON A SORRY TREE
GOOD HEALTHY FRUIT WILL GROW!
GLOSSARY OF UNDERLINED OBSCURE OLD ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES:
1. MUMMERY: IDLE, FOOLISH PERFORMANCE
2. PALMERS: PILGRIMS WHO'VE BEEN TO OLD JERUSALEM CITY
3. LAY OF SCALDS: ANCIENT SONG OF BARDS
4. BLACK SANCTUS: PROFANE HYMN
5. CABAL: INTRIGUE, SECRET NUMERICAL COMBINATION, NUMEROLOGY
6. FATCAT: USERER, MONEY LENDER, LOAN SHARK
7. OBSEQUIES: FUNERAL RITES
8. THEOW AND ESNE: SLAVE AND BONDSMAN, LOW CASTE
9. RUNLET OF CANARY: SMALL BARREL OF WINE
10. ORATORY: SMALL PRIVATE CHAPEL
11. SET ABROACH: PUT IN A HIGH PLACE SO AS TO DRAIN
12. THANE CHIVALRY: POLITE SOCIAL CITIZEN BEHAVIOUR
13. PARRICIDAL DERRINGDO: MURDEROUS FOOLHARDINESS
14. STOUP: FLAGON, DRINKING VESSEL, CHALICE, GRAIL
15. WAES HAEL: TO YOUR HEALTH
16. GRAMERCY: MANY THANKS, VERY THANKFUL
17. MURRAIN: PLAGUE, CURSE, EVIL LUCK
18. HALIDOM: HONOR
19. WEEDS: CLOTHES
20. MILLER'S THUMB: SKILFUL, FINE TOUCH
21. RUSTIC AND HINDS: PEASANTS AND FARMERS
22. FOLKFREE AND SCALESS: LAWFUL FREEPERSON, CITIZEN
23. WEEN: DESIRE SOMETHING IMAGINED, FANCY, WISHFUL THINKING TO OBTAIN, IMAGINED GAIN
24. WOT: BE INFORMED, KNOW THIS
25. RUTH: COMPASSION
26. SOULSCAT: SOULMUSIC BY VOICE WITHOUT INSTRUMENTAL ACCOMPANIMENT
27. COWL: HOODED CLOAK, MONK'S HOOD
28. SEPULTURE: THE ACT OF BURRYING, PLACING IN A GRAVE
29. UNSHRIVEN: UNCONFESSED AND NOT ABSOLVED, UNSAVED
30. LAODICEAN: BIBLICAL REFERENCE TO BOOK OF REVELATION, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 14-22
31. SYSTEMITE: SOMEONE WHO IS COMMITTED TO THE SYSTEM
