And everich of these riotoures ran, every one Til thay come to the tre, and ther thay founde Of florins fyn of gold ycoyned rounde, coined Wel neygh a seven busshels, as hem thoughte. No lenger thanne after Deth thay soughte, But ech of hem so glad was of that sighte, For that the florens so faire were and brighte, That doun thai sette hem by the precious hord. The werste[185] of hem he spake the firste word. Bretheren, quod he, take kepe what I schal saye, My witte is gret, though that I bourde and playe, wisdom, jest This tresour hath fortune to us yiven, given In mirth and jolyté our lif to lyven, jollity, live And lightly as it comth, so wil we spende. cometh Ey, Goddis precious dignite, who wende supposed Today, that we schuld have so fair a grace? But mighte this gold be caried fro this place Hom to myn hous, or ellis unto youres, (For wel I wot that this gold is nought oures), know Than were we in heyh felicité. high But trewely by day it may not be, Men wolde saye that we were theves stronge, And for our tresour doon us for to honge. have us hanged This tresour moste caried be by nighte As wysly and as slely as it mighte. Wherfore I rede, that cut among us alle advise We drawe, and let se wher the cut wil falle, And he that hath the cut, with herte blithe, blithe heart Shal renne to the toun, and that ful swithe, run, quickly And bring us bred and wyn ful prively, And tuo of us shal kepe subtilly This tresour wel: and if he wol not tarie, delay Whan it is night, we wol this tresour carie,[186] By oon assent, ther as us liketh best. wither That oon of hem the cut brought in his fest, fist And bad hem drawe and loke wher it wil falle, look And it fel on the yongest of hem alle, And forth toward the toun he went anoon. at once And al so soone as that he was agoon, That oon of hem spak thus unto that other: Thou wost wel that thou art my sworne brother, Thy profyt wol I telle the anoon. directly Thou wost wel that our felaw is agoon, knowest And her is gold, and that ful gret plente, plenty That schal departed be among us thre. But natheles if I can schape it so That it departed were betwix us tuo, Hadde I not doon a frendes torn to the?