Of the Platschierers, or Blind Harpers.
HE xxviijth chapter is about the Platschierers. These are the blind men who sit before the churches on chairs, and play on the lute, and sing various songs of foreign lands whither they have never been, and when they have done singing they begin to VOP (to lie) and FERB in what manner they had lost their eye-sight. Item, the hangmen (Platschierers) also before the DIFTEL door (church-door) will take their clothes off till they are stark-naked, and lash themselves with whips and sticks for the sake of their sins, and they do this VOPPERY to cheat mankind, as thou hast just heard in the previous chapter; and this is called PLATSCHIERING. Also those who stand on stools, and lash themselves with stones and other things, and talk about the saints, usually become hangmen and slayers.
¶ The Second Part.
This is the Second Part of this Book, which speaketh of several Notabilia that relate to the afore-mentioned customs and methods of getting a living, given in a few words.
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