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¶ The prologe of the mannes tale of lawe
Ohateful harm / condicion of pouerte
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With thurst with coold / with hunger so confoundid
To asken help / thee shameth in thyn herte
If thou noon aske / so soore artow ywoundid
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That verray nede / vnwrappeth al thy wounde hid
Maugree thyn heed / thou most for Indigence
Or stele / or begge / or borwe thy despence
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Thow blamest crist and seist ful bitterly
He mysdeparteth / richesse temporal
Thy neighebore / thou wytest synfully
And seist thou hast to lite / and he hath al
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Parfay seistow / somtyme he rekene shal
Whan that his tayl / shal brennen in the gleede
ffor he noght helpeth / needfulle / in hir neede
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¶ Herke / what is the sentence of the wise
Bet is to dyen / than haue Indigence
Thy selue neighebor / wol thee despise
If thou be poure / farwel thy reuerence
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Yet of the wise man / take this sentence
Alle dayes of poure men been wikke
Be war therfore / er thou come to that prikke
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If thou be poure / thy brother hateth thee
And alle thy freendes / fleen from thee allas
O riche marchauntz / ful of wele been yee
O noble / o prudent folk / as in this cas
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Youre bagges / been nat fild with ambes as
But with sys cynk / that renneth for youre chaunce
At Cristemasse / myrie may ye daunce
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