Reuel and trouthe / as in a lowe degre
They ben ful wrothe / al day / as men may se
¶ . This ioly Prentis / with his maister stode
Til he was ny / out of his Prentyshode
Line 4400
Al were he snybbed / bothe erly and late
And somtyme lad / with reuel to Newgate
But at the last / his Maister him bythought
Vp-on a day / whan he his paper sought
Line 4404
Of a prouerbe / that seith this same word
Wel bet is roten Appel / out of hord
Than that he rote / al the remenaunt
So fareth it / by a riotous seruaunt
Line 4408
It is ful lasse harm / to late him passe
Than he shende alle / the seruauntes in the place
Therfore his Maister / ȝaf him acquietance
And bad him go / with sorwe / & with meschaunce
Line 4412
And thus this ioly Prentys / had his leue
Now late him riote / al the nyght / or leue
And for there nys no thef / with-oute a louke
That helpeth him / to wasten and to souke
Line 4416
Of that he bribe can / or borwe may
A-non he sent his bed / and his array
Vn-to a Compere / of his owen sorte
That loued Dys / ryot and desporte
Line 4420
And had a wyf / þat held for countenaunce
A shoppe / and swyued for hire sustenaunce [[Rest of page blank.]] [folio 54a]
¶ Sic desinit fabula Coci /
