Ac beggers aboute myd-somere · bredlees þei soupe,
And ȝut is wynter for hem wors · for wet-shood þei gangen,
A-furst and a-fyngred [Athirst and ahungered] · and foule rebuked
Of þese worlde-riche men · þat reuthe hit is to huyre [hear of it].'
Piers Plowman, C. xvii. 10; B. xiv. 158.
127. seken, search through; much like the word compass in the phrase 'ye compass sea and land' in Matth. xxiii. 15.
128. thestaat, for the estaat, i. e. the estate. This coalescence of the article and substantive is common in Chaucer, when the substantive begins with a vowel; cf. thoccident, B. 3864; thorient, B. 3871.
129. fadres, fathers, originators; by bringing tidings from afar.
130. debat, strife. Merchants, being great travellers, were expected to pick up good stories.
131. were, should be. desolat, destitute. 'The E. E. word is westi; 'westi of alle gode theawes,' destitute of all good virtues; O. Eng. Homilies, i. 285.'—M.