(23. Beggar.)
¶ "Lettered [Lettred R, Letterd H.] folk han gretter discrecioun,
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And bet conceyuë konne a mannes saw,
And raþer wole applië to resoun
And from folyë [folye R, foly H.] soner hem with-draw,
Þan he þat noþer reson can, ne law,
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Ne lerned haþ no maner of [of om. R H.] lettrure:
Plukke vp þin herte! I hope I schal þe cure."
(24. Hoccleve.)
¶ "Curë, good man? ya, þow arte a fayre leche!
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Curë þi self, þat tremblest as þou gost,
ffor al þin art wole enden [enden R, ende H.] in þi speche;
It liþ not in þi power, porë gost,
To helë me; þou art as seek almost
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As I; first on þi self kyþë þin art;
And if aght leue, late me þanne hauë part.
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(25. Hoccleve.)
¶ "Go forth þi way, I þe preye, or be stylle; [folio 4a]
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Þou dost me more annoy þan þat þou wenest;
Þou art as ful of clap as is a mylle;
Þou dost nought [nought R, not H.] heer, but greuest me & tenest.
Good man, þou woste but lytyl what þou menest;
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In þe, liþe not redressë my nuysance, [noiaunce R.]
And ȝit þou mayste be wele willéd perchaunce.
(26. Hoccleve and Beggar.)
¶ "It mostë be a greter [moste be a gretter R, most be a grete H.] man of myght
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Þan þat þou art, þat scholdë me releue."
¶ "What, sone myn! þou felist not a-right!
To herkene me, what schal it harme or greue?"
"Peter! [In the 17th cent. hand: "Peter Goodman was perhaps som olde man wt. whom hee consulted concerning his pension &c." Peter = by St. Peter.] good man, þogh we talke here tyl eue,
Al is in veyne; þi myght may nat atteyne
To helë me, swich is my woful peyne."
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