And þefte ne ys gode, ne gode [gode O, no H, þ. to god is not lefe D.] man lefe; [lef O.]
And ȝyf y stele, y am a felun;
hanged y shal be, þurgh [hangen schal I be D.] ryȝt resun.
Line 2112
Fyrst y wylle wyte [wete O, wete þe certeyn D.] þe soþe certeyne.
Ȝyf y may suffre þat yche [ilke D.] peyne
Þat þefys [þeuys OD.] suffre for þeft [þefte O, þeftis D.] sake,
Ar y wyl [wyle O, or I wil ony D.] oght of þe fruyt take;
Line 2116
And ȝyf y may nat suffre þat wo,
To þeftë wyl [þan wil D.] y neuer go."
Ryght as he þoght, he dede eche dele,
he ȝede and clambe [þer he clomb D.] vpp on a pele, [peyl O, pel D.] [perche]
Line 2120
And hyng [hynge O, heng D.] þeron by þe hond, [handys D.] —
Nat by þe nekke, y vndyrstonde [not be . . . we vnderstandis D.] —
For hyt ys nat oueral þe lawe
For to do so, men to [men so to O, don men so of D.] dawe.
Line 2124
Fyuë days he hyng [hynge O, hong D.] þere stylle
Aȝens þe sunnë by [þat synne be D.] hys wylle;
And hyt was [& was D.] yn þe somerys tyde,
whan þe hete ys al yn [qwan hete is in al his D.] pryde.
Line 2128
Þan seyd [spak D.] he, to hymself þore,
"Þys peynë wyl [wyle O, of þ. fr. wil D.] y suffre no more:
Þefte, he seyde, y here [here I D.] forsake; [folio 15a]
Þys fruyt, wyl [wyle O.] y nat take.
Line 2132
Syn [Siþþin (om. for) D.] y may nat suffre for grefe
Þe peyne þat befalleþ to [falliþ for D.] a þefe."
Þys ensample were gode to kone, [example is good to knowe D.]
Alle hem þat to þefte hem wone; [þat to þefte wil hym drawe D.]
Line 2136
Þo þat haue here handys as lyme, [han hool handis & lym D.]
To hem were gode to here þys ryme;
