And then came Covetise; can I him no descrive, So hungerly and hollow, so sternely he looked, He was bittle-browed and baberlipped also; With two bleared eyen as a blinde hag, And as a leathern purse lolled his cheekes, Well sider than his chin they shivered for cold: And as a bondman of his bacon his beard was bidrauled, With a hood on his head, and a lousy hat above. And in a tawny tabard,[1] of twelve winter age, Alle torn and baudy, and full of lice creeping; But that if a louse could have leapen the better, She had not walked on the welt, so was it threadbare. 'I have been Covetise,' quoth this caitiff, 'For sometime I served Symme at style, And was his prentice plight, his profit to wait. First I learned to lie, a leef other twain Wickedly to weigh, was my first lesson: To Wye and to Winchester I went to the fair With many manner merchandise, as my master me hight.-- Then drave I me among drapers my donet[2] to learn. To draw the lyfer along, the longer it seemed Among the rich rays,' &c. [1] 'Tabard:' a coat. [2] 'Donet:' lesson. THE PRELATES. And now is religion a rider, a roamer by the street, A leader of lovedays,[1] and a loude[2] beggar, A pricker on a palfrey from manor to manor, An heap of houndes at his arse as he a lord were. And if but his knave kneel, that shall his cope bring, He loured on him, and asked who taught him courtesy. [1] 'Lovedays:' ladies. [2] 'Loude:' lewd. MERCY AND TRUTH. Out of the west coast, a wench, as methought, Came walking in the way, to heavenward she looked; Mercy hight that maide, a meek thing withal, A full benign birde, and buxom of speech; Her sister, as it seemed, came worthily walking, Even out of the east, and westward she looked, A full comely creature, Truth she hight, For the virtue that her followed afeared was she never. When these maidens met, Mercy and Truth, Either asked other of this great marvel, Of the din and of the darkness, &c. NATURE, OR KIND, SENDING FORTH HIS DISEASES FROM THE PLANETS, AT THE COMMAND OF CONSCIENCE, AND OF HIS ATTENDANTS, AGE AND DEATH.