| 585 | Of al this pley agayn no word he yaf | |
| | He hadde more towh on his distaf | |
| | Than geruais knew and saide frend so dere | |
| | That hoot cultre in the chynmey here | |
| | As lene it me I haue therwith to doon | |
| 590 | And I wol bringe it the agayn ful sone | |
| | Geruais answerd . certis were it gold | |
| | Or in a poke noblis al vntold | |
| | Thou sholdest it haue as I am trew smyth | |
| | Ey cristis foot what wil ye do ther with | |
| 595 | Therfore quod absolon be as be may | |
| | I shal wel telle it the to morow or day | |
| | And caughte the cultre be the cold steele | |
| | Ful softe out of the dore he gan stele | |
| | And wente vnto the Carpenteris wal | |
| 600 | He cowghed first and knokked therwith al | |
| | Vp on the wyndow . right as he did eer | |
| | This alison answerd who is there | |
| | That knockith so y warant it a thef | |
| | Why nay quod he god woot my swete lef | |
| 605 | I am absolon thy owne derlinge | |
| | Of gold quod he I haue the brought a ryng | |
| | My moder yaf it me so god me saue | |
| | Ful fyn it is and therto wel I graue | |
| | This wol y gyue the yf thou me kysse | |
| 610 | This Nicholas was risen forto pysse | |
| | And thoughte he wolde amende al the iape | |
| | He sholde kisse his ers or that he scape | |
| | And vp the wyndow dede he hastely | |
