| | Now certenly he was a feir prelate | |
| 205 | He was not pale as a forpyned gost | |
| | A fat swan loued he best of ony rost | |
| | His palfrey was as broun as a bery | |
| | A | Frere ther was awanton & a mery | |
| | A lymytour and a ful solemne man | |
| 210 | In alle the ordris four is non that so wel can | |
| | So moche of daliaunce and fair langage | |
| | He hadde made meny a fair mariage | |
| | Of yonge wommen at his owen cost | |
| | Vntil his ordre he was an nobil post | |
| 215 | Ful welbeloued and ful famulier was he | |
| | With frankeleyns ouer al in his contre | |
| | And with worthy yemen of the toun | |
| | For he hadde power of confession | |
| | And plesaunt was his absolucion | |
| | To them that had grete contricion | |
| | And sayde hym self more than a curat | |
| 220 | And of his ordre he was licenciat | |
| | And an esi man to yeue penaunce | |
| | There he wiste to haue good pitaunce | |
| 225 | Vnto a poure ordre forto yeue | |
| | Whan that a man is wel I shryue | |
| | Yf he yaf he durste make a vaunt | |
| | Yf that a man was repentaunt | |
| | Many a man so hard is of herte | |
| 230 | He may not wepe though he sore smerte | |
| | Therfore in stede of wepynge and praiers | |
| | Men moste yeue siluer to the poure freris | |
