(71. Beggar.)
¶ "In dayës oldë, whan smal apparaille
Line 491
Suffisid vn-to hy estat or mene,
Was gret houshold wel stuffid of victaille;
But now housholdes ben ful sclender & lene,
ffor al þe good þat men may repe or glene,
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Wasted is in outragëous array,
So that housholdës men nat holdë may.
Line 497
(72. Beggar.)
¶ "Pryde hath wel leuer bere an hungry mawe
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To beddë, than lakke of array outrage;
He no prys settith [setteth R, setthit H.] be mesurës lawe,
Ne takith of hym cloth[ë], mete, ne wage:
Mesure is out of londe on pylgrymage;
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But I suppose he schal resorte as blyue,
ffor verray needë wol [wole R, wel H.] vs ther-to dryue.
Line 504
(73. Beggar.)
¶ "Ther may no lord tak vp no [a R.] newë gyse [folio 10a]
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But þat a knauë shal þe same vp take.
If lordës wolden [cessyn] in þis wyse,
ffor to do swichë gownës to hem make
As men did in old tyme, I vndertake
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The samë get [jette R.] sholde vp be take and vsid,
And al þis costelew [costeleue R, costlew H.] outrage refusid.
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(74. Beggar.)
¶ "Of lancastre duk Iohn, whos soule in heuene [This was John of Gaunt, father to Henry the fourth, and Grandfather to Henry the fyuth. hee dyed anno 1399. (In the 1700 hand.)]
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I fully deme, And trustë sit ful hye—
A noble prince I may allegge & neuene,
(Other may no man of hym testifye)—
I neuer sy a lord that cowde hym gye
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Bet like his éstat; al knyghtly prowesse
Was to hym girt: o god! his soulë blisse!
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