"If I bigge and borwe aught, But if it be y-tailed, I foryete it as yerne; And if men me it axe Sixe sithes or sevene, I forsake it with othes; And thus tene I trewe men {103} Ten hundred tymes. "And my servauntz som tyme Hir salarie is bi-hynde; 3340 Ruthe it is to here the rekenyng, Whan we shul rede acountes. So with wikked wil and wrathe, My werkmen I paye. "If any man dooth me a bienfait, Or helpeth me at nede, I am unkynde ayeins curteisie, And kan nought understounden it; For I have and have had Som del haukes maneres, 3350 I am noght lured with love, But ther ligge aught under the thombe. "The kyndenesse that myn even cristene Kidde me fernyere, Sixty sithes I Sleuthe Have foryete it siththe. In speche and in sparynge of speche Y-spilt many a tyme Bothe flessh and fissh, And manye othere vitailles, 3360 Both bred and ale, Buttre, melk, and chese, For-sleuthed in my service Til it myghte serve no man. "I ran aboute in youthe, And yaf me naught to lerne, And evere siththe have I be beggere For my foule sleuthe. _Heu michi! quia sterilem vitam duxi juvenilem._" 3370 "Repentedestow noght?" quod Repentaunce; {104} And right with that he swowned, Til _Vigilate_ the veille Fette water at hise eighen, And flatte it on his face, And faste on hym cryde, And seide, "Ware thee, for Wanhope Wolde thee bi-traye, 'I am sory for my synnes' Seye to thiselve, 3380 And beet thiself on the brest, And bidde hym of grace; For is ne gilt here so gret That his goodnesse nys moore." Thanne sat Sleuthe up, And seyned hym swithe, And made a vow to-fore God For his foule sleuthe. "Shal no Sonday be this seven yer, But siknesse it lette, 3390 That I ne shal do me er day To the deere chirche; And here matyns and masse, As I a monk were, Shal noon ale after mete Holde me thennes, Til I have even-song herd, I bi-hote to the roode! And yet wole I yelde ayein, If I so much have, 3400 Al that I wikkedly wan Sithen I wit hadde. "And though my liflode lakke, Leten I nelle, That ech man ne shal have his, {105} Er I hennes wende; And with the residue and the remenaunt, Bi the Rode of Chestre! I shal seken Truthe erst Er I se Rome." 3410