Envy. It were a great loss if thou were marred!
Now, fie on the stark whoreson coward!
By Cock's precious blood!
It were no sin to slay such a knave.
Hast not thou wages as other men have?
And few of us so good;
Yet wilt thou fail us at this need!
Now, whosoever shall quit my meed,
I will no further go
Till I have slain him [with] mine own hand,
Though I should forswear the land
Even when I have do. [Then goeth out Bodily Lust.
Hold him in, sirs! I you require—
Alas! would ye not, at my desire,
Do so much for me?
I wis it would have done me more good
To have seen the knave's heart-blood
Than twenty shillings of fee. [Man returneth.
Man. What ho, sirs! what meaneth this gear?
Will ye slay each other here?
No more of this work!
Envy. By the heart of God! and he had abiden
A little while he should never have spoken
With priest nor with clerk.
Man. Who was that?
Envy. Your own minion,
Bodily Lust.
Man. Why, what hath he done?
Envy. Even like a lurden
He saith that ye have given him licence
To abide at home, and keep residence
While we bear the burden,
And serve you now at your need!
Man. He prayed me so, in very deed,
Within these two days.
He said he would serve me with a good will;
But of the wars he could no skill,
Nor knew thereof the ways:
Howbeit I gave him thereof none answer.
Envy. No! but I am sure he will not come there;
And now may ye see
That no man is so much to blame
As yourself.
Man. I?
Envy. Yea, by Saint Jame!
No man but even ye.
For, I am well assured of one thing,
Ye gave him better clothing
Than ye did me;
And better wages and fees also;
And though I said but little thereto,
But suffered evermore,
Yet I disdained it ever in my mind;
And though[t] that ye were to me unkind
To set so great store
By such a knave as he was—
I would I had him here, by the mass!
And no man but we twain.