Ac a[l] þat tyme trewly: taugh [Sk. on þe teeme trewely: tauht] was I neuer.
I wold, y couþe", said þe kneȝth: "by Crist and his modir,
I wold assay sum tyme: for solas as hit were."
"Sikirly, sir kneȝth": said Peres þan,
"I schald [Sk. shal] swynke and swete: and sow for vs boþ
And labour for þo þat þou louest: al my [Sk. for þe while þou lyuest al þy . .] liue tyme,
In couenante þat þou kep: holy kyrke and my silfe
For wastours and fro wicked men: þat þis world strueþ.
And go hunte hardely: to hares and to foxes,
To berres [Sk. bores] and to buckes: þat br[e]kkeþ [Ms. bkkeþ (Sk. brekeþ)] adoun my hegges,
And affaite þi facouns: to kyl þe wyle [Sk. wylde] fowles,
For þei comeþ to my croft: my corne to defoule." etc.
Cf. E. E. T. S. 54, p. 264.
Omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno. [folio 67a]
Þan consciens comford vs: boþ clerge and scriptour
And seide "Cor contritum et humiliatum: deus, non despicies".
Paciens was wel apaide: of þis propir seruice,
And mad myry wiþ þis mette: ac I mourned euer,
For a doctour at þe hey dees: drank wyne faste —
Ve vobis qui potentes estis: ad bibendum vinum —
And ete many sondry mettes: morturus [Sk. mortrews] and podynges,
Braune and blod of gees: bacoun and colopus.
Þan said I to my silf: so paciens hit herde:
"Hit is noȝth þre dayes don: þis doctour þat he preched
At Poules byfor þe pepil: what penance þei suffered, [folio 67b]
All þat couete to come: to any kyn Ioy,
And how Poule þe appostil: what penance he þolled
For our lordis loue, as holy letter telliþ:
"In fame and frig[ore]"
Ac me wondereþ in my witte: why þat þei ne precheþ,
As Poul þe appostil: preched to þe pepill ofte
"Periculum est in falsis fratribus!"
Holy writte biddiþ men be war: and wysely hem kepe,
