¶ Here bigynneth the tale.
[THE PROLOGUE.]
O hateful harm / condicion of pouerte
Line 99
With thurst with cold / with hunger so confoundid
To axen help / thee shameth in thyn herte
If thou noon axe / with nede artow so woundid
Line 102
That verray nede / vnwrappeth al thy wounde hid
Maugree thyn heed / thou most for Indigence
Or stele / or begge / or borwe thy despence
Line 105
Thow blamest Crist and seist ful bitterly
He mysdeparteth / richesse temporal
Thy neghebore / thow witest synfully
And seist thow hast to lite / and he hath al
Line 109
Parfay seistow / som tyme he rekne shal
Whan þat his tayl / shal brennen in the gleede
ffor he noght helpeth / nedefulle in hir nede
Line 112
[ [Rats.] [folio 113b] He]rke / what is the sentence of the wise
Bet is to dyen / than haue Indigence
Thy selue neghebor / wol thee despise
If thow be pouere / fare wel thy reuerence
Line 116
Yet of the wise man / tak this sentence
Alle the dayes / of pouere men been wikke
Be war ther fore / er thow come to that prikke
Line 119
¶ If thou be pouere / thy brother hateth thee
And alle thy freendes / fleen from thee allas
O riche Marchauntz / ful of wele been ye
O noble / O prudent folk / as in this cas
Line 123
Youre bagges / been noght filled with ambes as
But with sys cynk. that renneth for youre chaunce
At Cristemasse / murye may ye daunce
Line 126
