Þys man vp sterte, and toke þe gate, [O. gloss 'wey.']
Line 5601
Tyl he com, at Pers ȝate.
As he stode stylle, and bode [abode.] þe quede,
One come with an asse charged with brede;
Þat ychë bredë Pers hade boght,
Line 5605
And to hys hous shuld hyt be broght.
He sagh Pers comë þerwith-alle;
Þe porë þoght 'now aske y shal.'
Line 5608
"Y aske þe sum gode, pur charyte,
Pers, ȝyf þy wyl be."
Pers stode, and loked on hym
Felunlyche with yȝen grym.
Line 5612
He stouped down to seke a stone,
But, as hap was, þan fonde he none.
For þe stone he toke a lofe,
And at þe porë man hyf drofe.
Line 5616
Þe pore man hente hyt vp belyue,
And was þerof ful ferly blyþe.
To hys felaws faste he ran
with þe lofe, þys porë man,
Line 5620
"lo," he seydë, "what y haue
Of Pers ȝyft, so God me saue!"
Nay, þey sworë [swore alle.] by here þryft,
Pers ȝaue [ȝaf.] neuer swych a ȝyft.
Line 5624
he seyd, "ȝe shul weyl vndyrstonde
Þat y hyt had, at [of.] Pers honde;
Þat dar y swere on þe halydom
Here beforë ȝow echoun."
Line 5628
Gretë merueyle had þey alle,
Þat swych a chaunce myȝt hym befalle. [falle.]
Þe þryddë day, þus wryte hyt ys, [es.] [folio 38a]
Pers fyl yn a grete syknes;
Line 5632
And, as he lay yn hys bedde,
Hym þoght weyl, þat he was ledde
