Ther couthe noman bringe him in arrerage
Ther nas baillif ne herde ne oþer hyne
That þey ne knewe his sleight and his couyne
Line 604
They were adrad of him as of þe deth
his wonyng was ful fair vpon an heth
wiþ grene trees I-schadewed was his place
he cowde bettre þan his lord purchace
Line 608
Ful riche he was I-stored priuely [folio 9a]
His lord wel couthe he plese subtilly
To ȝeue him and lene him of his owne good
And haue a þank a cote and eek an hood
Line 612
In ȝouþe he lerned hadde a good mester
he was a wel good wright a carpenter
This Reeue sat vpon a wel good stot
That was a pomely gray and highte Scot
Line 616
A long surcote of blew vppon he hadde
And by his side he bar a Rusty bladde
Of Northfolk was þis Reeue of which I telle
Byside a toun men callen Baldeswelle
Line 620
Tukkud he was as is a frere aboute
And euer he rood the hynderest of þe route
A Sompnour was þer with vs in þat place
That hadde a fyr-reed Cherubyns face
Line 624
For sawceflem he was with eyȝen narwe
As hoot he was and leccherous as a sparwe
Wiþ skalled browes blak and piled berd
Of his visage children weren aferd
Line 628
Ther nas quyk siluer litarge ne bremston
Boras Ceruce ne oille of Tartre noon
Ne oynement þat wolde clense and byte
That him might helpen of his whelkes white
Line 632
Ne of þe knobbes sittyng on his cheekes
wel loued he garleek oynouns and ek leekes
And for to drinke strong wyn reed as blood
Thanne wolde he speke and crye as he were wood
Line 636
And whan that he wel dronken hadde þe wyn
