And as I thrust the prese amonge, By froward chaunce my hood was gone, Yet for all that I stayd not longe, Tyll to the kyngs bench I was come. Before the judge I kneled anone, And prayd hym for Gods sake to take heede; But for lack of mony I myght not speede. Beneth them sat clarkes a great rout, Which fast dyd wryte by one assent, There stoode up one and cryed about, Rychard, Robert, and John of Kent. I wyst not well what this man ment, He cryed so thycke there indede; But he that lackt mony myght not spede. Unto the common place I yode thoo, Where sat one with a sylken hoode; I dyd hym reverence, for I ought to do so, And told my case as well as I coode, How my goods were defrauded me by falshood. I gat not a mum of his mouth for my meed, And for lack of mony I myght not spede. Unto the Rolls I gat me from thence, Before the clarkes of the chauncerye, Where many I found earnying of pence, But none at all once regarded mee. I gave them my playnt uppon my knee; They lyked it well, when they had it reade: But lackyng money I could not be sped. In Westmynster hall I found out one, Which went in a long gown of raye; I crowched and kneled before hym anon, For Maryes love, of help I hym praye. "I wot not that thou meanest," gan he say: To get me thence he did me bede, For lack of mony I cold not speed. Within this hall, neither rich nor yett poore Wold do for me ought, although I shold dye. Which seing, I gat me out of the doore, Where Flemynges began on me for to cry, "Master, what will you copen or by? Fyne felt hattes, or spectacles to reede? Lay down your sylver, and here you may speede." Then to Westmynster-Gate I presently went, When the sonn was at hyghe pryme; Cookes to me, they tooke good entente, And proffered me bread, with ale and wyne, Rybbs of befe, both fat and ful fyne. A fayre cloth they gan for to sprede; But wantyng mony I myght not then speede. Then unto London I dyd me hye, Of all the land it beareth the pryse: Hot pescodes, one began to crye, Strabery rype, and cherryes in the ryse; One bad me come nere and by some spyce, Peper and safforne they gan me bede, But for lack of mony I myght not spede.