“With ‘howe! hissa!’ then they cry,
‘What, howe! mate, thow stondyst to ny[26]
Thy fellow may nat hale the by’:
Thus they begyn to crake.[27]
“A boy or tweyne anone up-styen,[28]
And overthwart the sayle-yerde lyen:—
‘Y how! taylia!’[29] the remenaunt cryen,
And pull with all theyr myght.
“‘Bestowe[30] the boote, bote-swayne, anon,
That our pylgryms may pley thereon:
For som ar lyke to cowgh and grone,
Or hit be full mydnyght.’
“‘Hale the bowelyne! now, vere the shete!
Cooke, make redy anoon our mete,
Our pylgryms have no lust to ete,
I pray God yeve hem rest.’
“‘Go to the helm! what, howe! no nere![31]
Steward, felow! a pot of bere!’
‘Ye shall have, sir, with good chere,
Anone all of the best.’
“‘Y howe! trussa! hale in the brayles!
Thou halyst nat, be God, thow fayles![32]
O se howe well owre good shyp sayles!’
And thus they say among.
“‘Hale in the wartake!’[33] ‘Hit shall be done.’
‘Steward! cover the boorde anone,[34]
And set bred and salt thereone.
And tary nat to long.’
“Then cometh oone and seyth, ‘be mery:
Ye shall have a storme or a pery.’[35]
‘Holde thow thy pese! thow canst no whery,[36]
Thow medlyst wondyr sore.’
“Thys menewhyle the pylgryms ly,
And have theyr bowlys fast them by,
And cry aftyr hote malvesy,[37]
‘Thow helpe for to restore.’
“And som wold have a saltyd tost,
For they myght ete neyther sode ne rost[38]:
A man myght sone pay for theyr cost,
As for oo day or twayne.