| | If that men list thyse folk knowe they may | |
| | And yf a man wol axe hem priuely | |
| | Why they be clothid so vnthriftely | |
| 175 | Right anon they wol roune in his ere | |
| | And sayen yf that they aspyed were | |
| | Men wolde hem sle be cause of her science | |
| | Lo thus this folk betraien Innocence | |
| | Pas ouer this I go my tale vnto | |
| 180 | Er that the pot be on the fyre ydo | |
| | And metallis a certeyn quantite | |
| | My lord hem temprith and noman but he | |
| | Now is he goon I dar sey boldely | |
| | For as men say he can do craftly | |
| 185 | Algate I woot wel he hath suche a name | |
| | And yet ful ofte he rennyth in the blame | |
| | And whyte ye how ful ofte it farith so | |
| | The pot to brekith and farwel al is do | |
| | The metallis been of so greet violence | |
| 190 | Our wallis mowe not make hem resistence | |
| | But yf they were wrought of lym and stoon | |
| | They persyn so and thorow the wal they goon | |
| | And some of hem synke doun in to the grounde | |
| | Thus haue we lost betyme meny a pounde | |
| 195 | And some ar skaterid al the floor aboute | |
| | Some lepyn into the fire withouten doute | |
| | Though þt the fend in our sighte him not shewe | |
| | I trow that he with vs be that ilke shrewe | |
| | In helle where he is lord and sire | |
| 200 | Ne is ther more wo rancour ne Ire | |
