Necessitas non habet legem.[Ys] Ne T. yhote] hote I; is hoten T. to] K om. take] nyme M. Most MSS. agree in making lines 44 and 45 end nearly alike; but ITKFG insert Necessitas—legem between them; M omits this quotation alto|gether.] Ac yf þe marchaunt make hus way · ouere menne corne, [yf] & S. menne] so PIK; mennes F; menes M; menis T; men ES. corne] cornne P.] And þe haywarde happe · with hym for to mete, Line 47 Oþer hus hatt oþer hus [hode] · oþere elles hus gloues [[hode EK] hod MG; hood ITFS; hed (!) P. hus (3)] K om.] The marchaunt mot for-go · oþer moneye of hus porse, [mot] he moot F.] And ȝut be lett, as ich leyue · for þe lawe askeþ [ȝut] K om. lett] i-letted M. leyue] leue ITMKSE; leeue F.] Marchauns for here merchaundise · in meny place to tollen. [in] E om. place] places MEFS. to] KFS om. tollen TESG] tolle IMF; tullen P; tellen K.] Line 51 Ȝut þauh þei wenden on way · as to wynchestre fayre, [Ȝut] & ȝit IFT. þauh] þer I; E om. on] o IK; a FT; þe M.] The marchaunt with hus marchaundise · may nat go so swithe [may] he may F.] As þe messager may · ne with so mochel ese. [mochel] mychel ES; muchel FT; mykel M; moche I.] For þat on bereþ bote a boxe · a breuet þer-ynne, [þat on] þe one K.] Ther þe marchaunt ledeþ a male · with meny kynne þynges, [ledeþ] let IT; lat KF. meny kynne] many skenis T.] Line 56 And dredeþ to be ded þere-fore · and he in derke mete With robbours and reuers · þat riche men dispoilen; [reuers] with reuers P; but MKFSET omit with. þat] & F.] Ther þe messager is ay murye · hus mouthe ful of songes, [ay] euer S. hus] & his FT.] And leyueþ for hus letteres · þat no wight wol hym greue. [
So PEMIK. The alliteration is imperfect, unless we put lede for wight, as in T; F has—
& leeueth for his lettres · ay to be welcome,
& þat no wiȝt wole him greue · walkyng on weies.
S has the same, but with euer for ay, and omitting & before þat.
] Line 60
