(67. Beggar.)
¶ "What is a lord withouten his meynee?
Line 463
I puttë cas, þat his foos hym assaille
Sodenly in þe stret,—What help schal he,
Wos sleeuës encombrous so sydë traille,
Do to his lord? he may hym nat auaille;
Line 467
In swych a cas he nys but a womman;
He may nat stand hym in steed of a man.
Line 469
(68. Beggar.)
¶ "His armys two han ryght y-now to done,
Line 470
And sumwhat more, his sleeuës vp to holde;
The taillours, trow I, moot heer-after soone
Shape in þe feeld; thay shal nat sprede and folde
On hir bord, thogh þei neuer só fayn wolde,
Line 474
The cloth þat shal ben in a gownë wroght;
Take an hool cloth is best, for lesse is noght.
Line 476
(69. Beggar.)
¶ "The skynner vn-to þe feeld moot also, [folio 9b]
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His hous in london is to streyt & scars
To doon his craft; sum tyme it was nat so.
O lordës, yeue vnto your men hir pars
That so doon, and aqwente hem bet with mars,
Line 481
God of bataile; he loueth non array
That hurtyth manhode at preef or assay.
Line 483
(70. Beggar.)
¶ "Who now moost may bere on his bak at ones
Line 484
Of cloth and furrour, hath a fressch renoun;
He is 'a lusty man' clept for þe nones;
But drapers & eek skynners in þe toun,
ffor swich folk han a special orisoun [orisoune R, orsoun H.]
Line 488
That troppid is with curses heere & there,
And ay schal, til þei paid be for hir gere.
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