þorgh þe lond is don suilk grete greuance,
Bot it be mendid son, a werre may rise o chance.
þise contekours whidere þei assigned a stede þat es,
& þer þei com togidere & mak a sikernes,
þat þei salle alle go, to whom or where þei wille,
To robbe, bete or slo, ageyn alle manere skille.
þei profere a man to bete, for tuo schilynges or þre,
With piked staues grete, beten salle he be.
In feire & markette þei salle seke him oute,
Alle þe lond is sette with suilk foles stoute.
If a chapman wille not lene of his merchaundie,
In his hous for tene þei do him vilenie,
Or els he be at one largely to gyue of his,
Els þei salle him ilkone bete him þat he pis.
For men of suilk maners, bot þer be som justise,
Sone in for ȝers per chance a werre salle rise.
þe kyng herd alle þe fame, þe pleynt of ilka toun,
& gaf þam a newe name, & cald þam Traile bastoun.
þe date was a þousand þre hundred mo bi fiue,
Suilk men þorgh þe land he did þam tak bilyue.
THE kyng þorgh þe lond did seke men o resons,
& with þe justise þam bond, to site on Trailebastons.
Som þorgh quest þei demed be bonden in prisons,
& þo þat fled þei flemed als þe kynge's felons.
