And þerwiþ al he brought vs out of towne
A Gentil maunciple was ther of a temple
Of which achatours mighten take exemple
Line 568
For to be wys in beyyng of vitaille
For wheþur þat he payde or took by taille
Algate he wayted so in his acate [folio 8b]
That he was ay biforn and in good state
Line 572
Now is not þat of god a ful fair grace
That such a lewed mannes wit schal pace
The wisdom of an heep of lernede men
Of maystres hadde moo þan þries ten
Line 576
That were of lawe expert and curious
Of which þer were a doseyn in an hous
worthi to be stiwardȝ of Rente and lond
Of any lord þat is in Engelond
Line 580
To make him lyue by his propre good
In honour detteles but if he were wood
Of lyue as scarsly as he can desire
And able for to helpen al a schire
Line 584
In any caas þat mighte falle or happe
And ȝit this maunciple sette here aller cappe
The Reeue was a sklendre colerik man
his berd was schaue as neigh as euer he can
Line 588
his heer was by his Eres neigh I-schorn
his top was dockud lyk a preest biforn
Ful longe wern his leggus and ful lene
Al like a staff ther was no calf y-sene
Line 592
wel cowde he kepe a gerner and a bynne
Ther was non auditour cowde on him wynne
wel wiste he by the drought and by þe Reyn
The ȝeeldyng of his seed and of his greyn
Line 596
his lordes scheep his neet his dayerie
his swyn his hors his stoor and his pultrie
was holly in this Reeues gouernynge
And by his couenaunt ȝaf þe Rekenynge
Line 600
Syn þat his lord was .xx..ti ȝeer of age
