"With scrippe and tipped staff, y-tucked high, In every house he gan to pore and pry; And begged meal or cheese, or ellés corn. His fellow had a staff tipped with horn, A pair of tables all of ivory, And a pointel y-polished fetisly, And wrote always the namés, as he stood, Of allé folk that gave them any good, As though that he woulde for them pray. 'Give us a bushel of wheat, or malt, or rye, A Goddé's kichel,[32] or a trippe of cheese; Or ellés what you list, we may not chese;[33] A Godde's halfpenny, or a mass penny, Or give us of your bran, if ye have any, A dagon[34] of your blanket, dearé dame, Our sister dear (lo! here I write your name): Bacon or beef, or such thing as you find.' A sturdy harlot[35] went them aye behind, That was their hosté's man, and bare a sack, And what men gave them laid it on his back. And when that he was out at door, anon He planed away the names every one, That he before had written on his tables; He served them with triffles[36] and with fables." At length he comes to a house in which, the goodwife being _devôte_, he has been accustomed to be hospitably received:-- "So along he went, from house to house, till he Came to a house where he was wont to be Refreshed more than in a hundred places. Sick lay the husbandman whose that the place is; Bedrid upon a couché low he lay: '_Deus hic_,' quoth he, 'O Thomas, friend, good day' Said this frere, all courteously and soft. 'Thomas,' quoth he, 'God yield[37] it you, full oft Have I upon this bench fared full well, Here have I eaten many a merry meal.' And from the bench he drove away the cat, And laid adown his potent[38] and his hat, And eke his scrip, and set himself adown: His fellow was y-walked into town Forth with his knave, into that hostlery Where as he shope him thilké night to lie 'O deré master,' quoth this sické man, 'How have ye fared since that March began? I saw you not this fourteen night and more.' 'God wot,' quoth he, 'laboured have I full sore; And specially for thy salvation Have I sayd many a precious orison, And for our other friendes, God them bless. I have this day been at your church at messe, And said a sermon to my simple wit. * * * * *