And over all there as profit should arise, Courteous he was, and lowly of service. There was no man no where so virtuous, He was the beste beggar in all his house, And gave a certain ferme for the grant None of his brethren came in his haunt." As to his costume:-- "For there was he not like a cloisterer, With threadbare cope, as is a poor scholar, But he was like a master or a pope, Of double worsted was his semi-cope,[25] That round was as a bell out of the press." In the Sompnour's tale the character, here merely sketched, is worked out in detail, and gives such a wonderfully life-like picture of a friar, and of his occupation, and his intercourse with the people, that we cannot do better than lay considerable extracts from it before our readers:-- "Lordings there is in Yorkshire, as I guess, A marsh country y-called Holderness, In which there went a limitour[26] about To preach, and eke to beg, it is no doubt. And so befel that on a day this frere Had preached at a church in his mannére, And specially aboven every thing Excited he the people in his preaching To trentals,[27] and to give for Goddé's sake, Wherewith men mighten holy houses make, There as divine service is honoured, Not there as it is wasted and devoured.[28] 'Trentals,' said he, 'deliver from penance Ther friendés' soules, as well old as young, Yea, when that they are speedily y-sung. Not for to hold a priest jolly and gay, He singeth not but one mass[29] of a day, Deliver out,' quoth he, 'anon[30] the souls. Full hard it is, with flesh-hook or with owles To be y-clawed, or to burn or bake: Now speed you heartily, for Christé's sake.' And when this frere had said all his intent, With _qui cum patre_[31] forth his way he went; When folk in church had given him what they lest He went his way, no longer would he rest." Then he takes his way through the village with his brother friar (it seems to have been the rule for them to go in couples) and a servant after them to carry their sack, begging at every house.