‘Do gladly, Sir Abbot,’ said the Knight, ‘I am come to hold my day.’ The first word that the Abbot spake, ‘Hast thou brought me my pay?’ CIV ‘Not one penny,’ said the Knight, ‘By Him that makèd me’: ‘Thou art a shrewd[776] debtor,’ said the Abbot; ‘Sir Justice, drink to me!’ CV ‘What doest thou here,’ said the Abbot, ‘But[777] thou hadst brought thy pay?’ ‘Alack is me,’ then said the Knight, ‘To pray of a longer day!’ CVI ‘Thy day is broke,’ said the Justice, ‘Land gettest thou none.’-- ‘Now, good Sir Justice, be my friend, And fend[778] me of my fone[779]!’ CVII ‘I am held with the Abbot,’ said the Justice, ‘Both with cloth and fee.’-- ‘Now, good Sir Sheriff, be my friend!’ ‘Nay, nay, not I,’ said he. CVIII ‘Now, good Sir Abbot, be my friend, For thy courtesy, And hold my landès in thy hand Till I have made thee gree[780] CIX ‘And I will be thy true servànt And truly servè thee, Till ye have four hundred pound Of money good and free.’ CX The Abbot sware a full great oath, ‘By Him that died on tree, Get thy landès where thou mayst, For thou gettest none of me!’ CXI ‘By dear-worth God,’ then said the Knight, ‘That all this worldè wrought, But I have[781] my land again, Full dear it shall be bought. CXII ‘God, that was of a maiden born, Give us well to speed! For it is good to assay a friend Ere that a man have need.’ CXIII The Abbot loathly on him gan look, And villainously him gan call; ‘Out,’ he said, ‘thou falsè Knight, Speed thee out of my hall!’ CXIV ‘Thou liest,’ said the gentle Knight; ‘Abbot, in thy hall; Falsè Knight was I never, By God that made us all.’ CXV Up then stood that gentle Knight, To the Abbot said he, ‘To suffer a knight to kneel so long, Thou canst[782] no courtesy. CXVI ‘In joustès and in tournaments Full far then have I be, And put myself as far in press[783] As any that ever I see.’ CXVII ‘What will ye give more,’ said the Justice, ‘An the Knight shall make a release[784]? And ellès[785] dare I safely swear Ye hold never your land in peace.’ CXVIII ‘An hundred pound,’ said the Abbot; The Justice said, ‘Give him two;’ ‘Nay, by God,’ said the Knight, ‘Ye get not my land so. CXIX ‘Though ye would give a thousand more, Yet were ye never the nigher; Shall there never be mine heir Abbot, Justice, nor Friar.’ CXX He started to a board anon, Till a table round, And here he shook out of a bag Even four hundred pound. CXXI