How harde ys mie dome to wurch! Moke is mie woe. Dame Agnes, whoe lies ynne the Chyrche With birlette[17] golde, Wythe gelten[18] aumeres[19] stronge ontolde, 25 What was shee moe than me, to be soe? MANNE. I kenne Syr Roger from afar Tryppynge over the lea; Ich ask whie the loverds[20] son Is moe than mee. 30 SYR ROGERRE. The sweltrie[21] sonne dothe hie apace hys wayne[22], From everich beme a seme[23]; of lyfe doe falle; Swythyn[24] scille[25] oppe the haie uponne the playne; Methynckes the cockes begynneth to gre[26] talle. Thys ys alyche oure doome[27]; the great, the smalle, 35 Mofte withe[28] and bee forwyned[29] by deathis darte. See! the swote[30] flourette[31] hathe noe swote at alle; Itte wythe the ranke wede bereth evalle[32] parte. The cravent[33], warrioure, and the wyse be blente[34], Alyche to drie awaie wythe those theie dyd bemente[35]. 40 MANNE. All-a-boon[36], Syr Priest, all-a-boon, Bye yer preestschype nowe saye unto mee; Syr Gaufryd the knyghte, who lyvethe harde bie, Whie shoulde hee than mee Bee moe greate, 45 Inne honnoure, knyghtehoode and estate? SYR ROGERRE. Attourne[37] thine eyne arounde thys haied mee, Tentyflie[38] loke arounde the chaper[39] delle[40]; An answere to thie barganette[41] here see, Thys welked[42] flourette wylle a leson telle: 50 Arist[43] it blew[44], itte florished, and dyd welle, Lokeynge ascaunce[45] upon the naighboure greene; Yet with the deigned[46] greene yttes rennome[47] felle, Eftsoones[48] ytte shronke upon the daie-brente[49] playne, Didde not yttes loke, whilest ytte there dyd stonde, 55 To croppe ytte in the bodde move somme dred honde. Syke[50] ys the waie of lyffe; the loverds[51] ente[52] Mooveth the robber hym therfor to slea[53]; Gyf thou has ethe[54], the shadowe of contente, Beleive the trothe[55], theres none moe haile[56] yan thee. 60 Thou wurchest[57]; welle, canne thatte a trobble bee? Slothe moe wulde jade thee than the roughest daie. Couldest thou the kivercled[58] of soughlys[59] see, Thou wouldst eftsoones[60] see trothe ynne whatte I saie; Botte lette me heere thie waie of lyffe, and thenne 65 Heare thou from me the lyffes of odher menne. MANNE.