'And this my boding mind misgave I therefore left this trusty friend Let it now shield thy foule disgrace, And all thy shame and sorrows end.' Sorely shent wi' this rebuke, Sorely shent was the heir of Lime; His heart, I wis, was near to burst With guilt and sorrow, shame and sin. Never a word spake the heir of Lime, Never a word he spake but three: 'This is a trusty friend indeed, And is right welcome unto me' Then round his neck the cord he drew, And sprang aloft with his bodie: When lo! the ceiling burst in twaine, And to the ground came tumbing he. Astonished lay the heir of Linne Nor knewe if he were live or dead: At length he looked, and saw a bill, And in it a key of gold so redd. He took the bill, and lookt it on, Strait good comfort found he there: It told him of a hole in the wall, In which there stood three chests in-fere. Two were full of the beaten gold, The third was full of white money; And over them in broad letters These words were written so plain to see: 'Once more, my son, I set thee clear; Amend thy life and follies past; For but thou amend thee of thy life, That rope must be thy end at last.' And let it be,' said the heir of Linne; 'And let it be, but if I amend: For here I will make mine avow, This read shall guide me to the end.' Away then went with a merry cheer, Away then went the heir of Linne; I wis, he neither ceas'd nor stayed, Till John o' the Scales' house he did win. And when he came to John o' the Scales, Up at the window then looked he: There sate three lords upon a row, Were drinking of the wine so free. And John himself sate at the bord-head, Because now lord of Linne was he. 'I pray thee,' he said, 'good John o' the Scales, One forty pence for to lend me.' 'Away, away, thou thriftless loone; Away, away, this may not be: For a curse upon my head he said, If ever I trust thee one pennie.' Then bespake the heir of Linne, To John o' the Scales' wife then spake he: 'Madame, some alms on me bestow, I pray for sweet saint Charitie.' 'Away, away, thou thriftless loone, I swear thou gettest no alms of me; For if we shold hang any losel here, The first we would begin with thee.' Then bespake a good fellowe, Which sat at John o' the Scales his bord; Sayd, 'Turn again, thou heir of Linne; Some time thou wast a well good Lord: 'Some time a good fellow thou hast been, And sparedst not thy gold and fee: Therefore I'll lend thee forty pence, And other forty if need be. 'And ever, I pray thee, John o' the Scales, To let him sit in thy companie: For well I wot thou hadst his land, And a good bargain it was to thee.' Up then spake him John o' the Scales, All hot he answered him againe: 'Now a curse upon my head, he said, But I did lose by that bargaine. 'And here I proffer thee, heir of Linne, Before these lords so fair and free, Thou shalt have it back again better cheap, By a hundred markes, than I had it of thee.