| | Ofte and of his craft som what wol I shewe | |
| | Sire my lorde can suche a subtilte | |
| | That al his craft ye may not wite of me | |
| | For al the ground to Caunterbury toun | |
| | He coude all clene turne vp so doun | |
| | And paue it al with siluer and with gold | |
| | And when this yeman hath thus told | |
| 75 | Vnto our ost he sayde benedicite | |
| | This thing is wonder meruaylus to me | |
| | Syn that thy lorde is of so high prudence | |
| | Be cause of whiche sholde men hym reuerence | |
| | That of his worship reckith he so lyte | |
| 80 | His ouerist sloppe is not worth a myte | |
| | As in effect to hym so moot I go | |
| | It is al baudy and to tore also | |
| | Why is thy lorde so sluttyssh I the pray | |
| | And of power is bettir cloth to bey | |
| 85 | Yf that his dede a corde with his speche | |
| | Tel me and that I the beseche | |
| | Why quod this yeman wherto axe ye of me | |
| | God helpe me so for he shal neuer the | |
| | But I wol nat auowe that I sey | |
| 90 | And therfore kepe it secret I you prey | |
| | He is to wyse in feith as I beleue | |
| | That is ouer do it wol neuer preue | |
| | And right as clerkis sayn it is a vice | |
| | Wherfore in that I holde hym lewd and nyce | |
| 95 | For whan a man hath ouer gret a wytte | |
| | Ful ofte it happith hym to mys vse it | |
