| | To make hym lyue be his owen good | |
| | In honour detles but he were wood | |
| 585 | Othir lyue scarsely as hym list desire | |
| | And forto helpe al the shire | |
| | In ony cause that myghte falle or happe | |
| | And this mancipill set al her cappe | |
| | A | Reue ther was a slendir colerik man | |
| 590 | His berd is shaue as nygh as he can | |
| | His heris were be his eris rounde I shore | |
| | His top was dockid lik a prest before | |
| | Ful longe were his leggis and ful lene | |
| | Lik a staf ther nys no calf I sene | |
| 595 | Wel coude he kepe a garner and a bynne | |
| | Ther was non auditour coude of hym wynne | |
| | Wel wiste he be the droughte and be the rayn | |
| | The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn | |
| | His lordis sheep his neet and his deirie | |
| 600 | His swyne his hors his stoor and his pultrie | |
| | Was hoolly in this reuys gouernynge | |
| | And by his couenaunt yaf the rekenynge | |
| | Seth his lord was twenty yeer of age | |
| | Ther coude noman brynge hym in rerage | |
| 605 | Ther nas bailly ne noon other hyne | |
| | That coude his sleyghte or his couyne | |
| | They were of hym a drad as of the deth | |
| | His wonynge was fair vp on an heth | |
| | With grene treys shadowed was his place | |
| 610 | He coude better than his lord purchace | |
| | Ful riche he was astored pryuely | |
