Part 6 (1/2)

[37] 'Nempned:' named.

[38] 'Loth:' willing.

[39] 'Lever:' rather.

[40] 'Waxeth: grow.

[41] 'Them were lever:' they had rather.

[42] 'Kerse:' curse.

[43] 'Loveday:'lady.

[44] 'Wieldeth:' commands.

[45] 'Fayting:' deceiving.

[46] 'Can:' know.

[47] 'Losenchery:' lying.

[48] 'Carpen:' speak.

[49] 'Dais:' table.

[50] 'Gorge:' throat.

[51] 'Careful:' poor.

[52] 'Chill:' cold.

[53] 'Nymen:' take.

[54] 'Noye:' trouble.

[55] 'Hoten:' order.

[56] 'Mendynauntes meatless:' beggars supperless.

[57] 'Faitours:' idle fellows.

[58] 'Elenge:' strange, deserted.

[59] 'Rule:' custom.

[60] 'Hoten:' named.

[61] 'Syb:' mother.

[62] 'Clergy:' learning.

[63] 'Lyther:' wanton.

[64] 'Gard:' made.

[65] 'Tened:' grieved.

COVETOUSNESS.

And then came Covetise; can I him no descrive, So hungerly and hollow, so sternely he looked, He was bittle-browed and baberlipped also; With two bleared eyen as a blinde hag, And as a leathern purse lolled his cheekes, Well sider than his chin they s.h.i.+vered for cold: And as a bondman of his bacon his beard was bidrauled, With a hood on his head, and a lousy hat above.

And in a tawny tabard,[1] of twelve winter age, Alle torn and baudy, and full of lice creeping; But that if a louse could have leapen the better, She had not walked on the welt, so was it threadbare.

'I have been Covetise,' quoth this caitiff, 'For sometime I served Symme at style, And was his prentice plight, his profit to wait.

First I learned to lie, a leef other twain Wickedly to weigh, was my first lesson: To Wye and to Winchester I went to the fair With many manner merchandise, as my master me hight.-- Then drave I me among drapers my donet[2] to learn.