GLOUTON A LA TAVERNE

Now by-gynneth Gloton • for to go to shryfte, And kayres hym to-kirke-ward ■ hus coupe to shewe. Fastyng on a fryday ■ forth gan he wende By Betone hous the brewestere ■ that bad hym good

[morwe, And whederwarde hc wolde ■ the brew-wif hym asked. « To holy cburche, » quath be ■ « for to hure masse; And sitthen sitte and be ysbriuen ■ and synwe namore. » « Ich haue good aie, godsyb • Gloton, wolt thow

[assaye? »

« What hauest thow, » quath he ■ « eny bote spices? » « Ich haue piper and pionys ■ and a pound of garlik,

A ferthyng-worth of fynkelsede • for fastinge-daies. »

Thenne goth Gloton yn ■ and grete othes after.

Sesse the sywestere ■ sat on the benche,

Watte the warynere ■ and hus wif dronke,

Thomme the tynkere ■ and hveyc of hus knaues,

Hicke the hakeneyman • and Ilouwe the neldere,

Claryce of Cockeslane • the clerk of the rhurche,

Syre Peeres ofPrydie* and Purncl of Flaundres,

An haywarde and an heremyte ■ the hangeman of Tybofne,

Dauwe the dykere ■ with a dosen harlotes

<Jf portours and of pykeporses ■ and pylede toth-drawers,

A rybibour and a ratoner ■ a rakere and hus knaue,

A ropere and a redyngkynge ■ and Rose the disshere,

Godefray the garlek-mongere ■ and GritTyn the walisb ;

And of vp-holders an hep ■ erly hy the morwe

Geuen Gloton with glad chère ■ good aie to hansele.

Clément the coblere ■ cast of hus eloke, And to the newe fayre ■ nempned hit to selle. Hicke the hakeneyman ■ bitte hus hod after, And bad Bette the bouchère ■ to he on hus syde, Ther wer chapmen y-chose- the chaffare to preise; That he hadde the hod ■ sholde nat hahbe the eloke; The betere thyng by arbytours ■ sholde bote the werse. Two preysed the penyworthes ■ apart by hem-selue, And ther were othes an hepe ■ for other sholde hauc the

[werse.

Thei couthe nouht by hère conscience- a-corde for

[treuthe, Tyl Robyn the ropere - aryse thei bysouhte, And nempned hym a nompeyr - that no debate were.

Hicke the hakeneyman - hadde the eloke,

In couenant that Clément • sholde thc coppe fylle, And haue the hakeneymannes hod ■ and hold hym y-serned ; And who repentyde rathest • shold aryse after, And grete syre Gloton ■ with a galon of aie.

Ther was lauhyng and Iakeryng ■ and a let go the

[coppe ! »

Bargeynes and beuereges ■ by-gunne to aryse, And setyn so til enensong rang ■ and songe vmhwhyle,

Til Gloton hadde yglobbed ■ a galon and a gylle

He myghte nother stappe ne stonde- lyl lie a staf

[hadde.

Thanne gan he go ■ lyke a glemanncs byeche, Som tyine asyde ' and som tyme a-rerc, As ho so laith lynes ■ for to lacche foules.

And when he drow to the dore ■ thanne dynimcd hus

[eyen ; He thrumbled at the threshefold ■ and threw to the

[erthe, Tho Clément the cohlere ■ eanhte hym hy the mydel, For to lifte hym on loft ■ he leyde hym on luis knees ; Ac Gloton was a gret cherl ■ and gronyd in the liltynge... "With al the \vo of the worlde ■ hus wif and luis wenche Bere hym to hus hcdde • and brouhte hym ther-ynne ; And after al this excesse ■ he hadde an accidie, He slep Saterday and Sonday ■ tyl sonne yede to reste Thenne awakyde he wel wan ■ and wolde haue ydronke ; The ferst word that lie spak ■ was « ho hait the holle ? »