"My wif was a webbe, And wollen cloth made; She spak to spynnesteres To spynnen it oute, {90} Ac the pound that she paied by Peised a quatron moore Than myn owene auncer, Who so weyed truthe. "I boughte hire barly-malt, She brew it to selle, 2910 Peny ale and puddyng ale She poured togideres, For laborers and for lowe folk That lay by hymselve. "The beste ale lay in my bour, Or in my bed-chambre; And who so bummed therof, Boughte it therafter, A galon for a grote, God woot, no lesse! 2920 And yet it cam in cuppe-mele, This craft my wif used. Rose the Regrater Was hire righte name; She hath holden hukkerye Al hire lif tyme. Ac I swere now, so thee ik! That synne wol I lete, And nevere wikkedly weye, Ne wikke chaffare use; 2930 But wenden to Walsyngham, And my wif als, And bidde the Roode of Bromholm Brynge me out of dette." "Repentedestow evere?" quod Repentaunce, "Or restitucion madest." "Yis, ones I was y-herberwed," quod he, {91} "With an heep of chapmen, I roos whan thei were a-reste And riflede hire males." 2940 "That was no restitucion," quod Repentaunce, "But a robberis thefte; Thow haddest be the bettre worthi Ben hanged therfore, Than for al that That thow hast here shewed." "I wende riflynge were restitucion," quod he, "For I lerned nevere rede on boke; And I kan no Frensshe, in feith, But of the fertheste ende of Northfolk." 2950 "Usedestow evere usurie?" quod Repentaunce, "In al thi lif tyme." "Nay sothly," he seide, "Save in my youthe I lerned among Lumbardes And Jewes a lesson, To weye pens with a peis, And pare the hevyeste, And lene it for love of the cros, To legge a wed and lese it. 2960 Swiche dedes I dide write, If he his day breke, I have mo manoirs thorugh rerages, Than thorugh _miseretur et commodat_. "I have lent lordes And ladies my chaffare, And ben hire brocour after, And bought it myselve; {92} Eschaunges and chevysaunces With swich chaffare I dele, 2970 And lene folk that lese wole A lippe at every noble, And with Lumbardes lettres I ladde gold to Rome, And took it by tale here, And tolde hem there lasse." "Lentestow evere lordes, For love of hire mayntenaunce?" "Ye, I have lent to lordes, Loved me nevere after, 2980 And have y-maad many a knyght Bothe mercer and draper, That payed nevere for his prentishode Noght a peire gloves." "Hastow pité on povere men, That mote nedes borwe?" "I have as muche pité of povere men, As pedlere hath of cattes, That wolde kille hem, if he cacche hem myghte, For coveitise of hir skynnes." 2990