That hadde I-lad of dong ful many a foþur
A trewe swynker and a good was hee
Lyuynge in pees and parfiȝt charitee
Line 532
God loued he best al his trewe herte [folio 8a]
At alle tymes þough him gamed or smerte
And þanne his neighebour right as himselue
He wolde threisshe and þerto dyke and delue
Line 536
For cristes sake with euery pore wight
wiþouten huyre if it laye in his might
His tythes payede he ful faire and wel
Bathe of his owne swynk and his catel
Line 540
In a tabbard Rood vpon a mere
Ther was also a Reeue and a mellere
A sompnour and a pardoner also
A maunciple and my self þer was no mo
Line 544
THe mellere was a stout carl for þe nones
Full big he was of braun and eek of boones /
That preuede wel for ouer al þer he cam
At wrastlynge he wolde bere awey þe Ram
Line 548
He was schort schuldred broode a þikke knarre
Ther was no dore þat he nolde heue of harre
Or breke it with a rennyng with his heed
his berd as ony sowe or fox was reed
Line 552
And þerto brood as þough it were a spade
vpon þe cop right of his nose he hade
A werte and þer on stood a tuft of heres
Reede as þe berstles of a souwes eeres
Line 556
his nose-þurles blake were and wyde
A swerd and a bocler baar he by his side
His mouth as wyde was as a gret forneys
he was a Iangler and a golyardeys
Line 560
And þat was most of synne and harlotries
wel cowde he stele corn and tollen þries
And ȝet he hadde a þombe of golde parde
A whiȝt cote and blewe hood wered he
Line 564
A bagge pipe. cowde he blowe and sowne
