Iustice he was fuloften in assise
By patent and by pleyn comissioun
For his science and for his heih renoun
Line 316
Of fees and Robes had he many oon
So gret a purchasour was þer no wher noon
Al was fee symple to him in effecte
his purchasyng might nought ben to hī m suspecte
Line 320
No wher so besy a man as he þer nas /
And ȝit he semed besier þan he was
In termes hadde caas and domes alle
That fro þe tyme þat kyng were falle
Line 324
Ther to he couþe endite and make a þing
Ther couþe no man pynche at his writyng
And euery statute couthe he pleyn by roote
He rood but hoomly in a medled coote
Line 328
Gird with a seynt of silk wiþ barres smale
Of his array telle I no lenger tale
A Frankeleyn þer was in his companye /
whit was his berde as þe dayesye
Line 332
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn
wel loued he in þe morn a sop of wyn
To lyue in delite was al his wone
For he was Epicurius owne sone
Line 336
That heeld opynyoun þat pleyn delyt
was verraily felicite perfyt
An houshaldere and þat a gret was he
Seynt Iulian he was in his countre
Line 340
his breed his ale was alway after oon
A bettre envyned man was no wher noon.
wiþoute bake mete was neuer his hous [folio 5b]
Of fleissch and fissch and þat so plentyuous
Line 344
Hit snewed in his hous of mete and drynk
Of alle deyntees þat men cowde þynk
Aftur þe sondry sesouns of þe ȝeer
He chaunged hem at mete and at soper
Line 348
Ful many a fat partrich had he in mewe
