Til ayein Eve it fell per chance,

A while er it began to nyhte,

A povere man, which Bardus hihte,

Cam forth walkende with his asse,

And hadde gadred him a tasse

Of grene stickes and of dreie

To selle, who that wolde hem beie, 4960

As he which hadde no liflode,

Bot whanne he myhte such a lode

To toune with his Asse carie.