“Certes, Sire, I know not;—I eat sage and only grass,—more harm did I not;—therefore was I accused.”—“Fair friend, that was misdone,—that was against thy nature,—for to eat such grass so:—hastily ye him bind;
“Draw ye all his bones to pieces,—look that ye do not fail;—and that I give all for law,—that his flesh be all torn to pieces.”—Thus it fares now in the land,—whoever will take heed thereto:—of they that have in hand,—of thieves they take gifts.
The man who acts according to law shall be bound,—and condemned to strong pain,—and held in fast prison,—until he pays a fine.—And the thief to escape so,—that acts ever against the right!—God take heed thereto,—who is all full of might!
Thus fares all the world now,—as we may all see,—both east and west, north and south;—God and the Trinity help us!—Truth is failed with stranger and relation,—and as wide as all this land—no man can live therein,—what through covetousness and through contention.
Though the man who acts according to law would hold his life—in love, in charity, and in peace,—soon they will compass his life,—and that in a little space of time.—Pride is master and covetousness—the third brother is called contention;—night and day they labour certainly—lawful men, to have their land.
When earth has obtained earth,—and thus of earth hast enough,—when he is stuck therein,—woe to him that was in wickedness!—What is the good that man shall have,—when he shall go out of this world?—A sorry garment,—why shall I joke?—For he brought him no more.
Just as he came, he shall go,—in woe, in pain, in poverty;—take good heed, men, to your end,—for as I say, so it will be.—I know not of what men are so proud;—of earth, and ashes, skin and bone?—when the soul is once out,—there is no viler carcase.
The carcase is so loathsome to see,—that under earth men must it hide;—both wife and child will from him fly,—there is no friend that will stay with him.—What will men for the soul give?—corn nor meal, well thou knowest;—but very seldom at their meal,—a rough bare trencher, or a crust.
The beggar that the crust shall have,—right scornfully he looks thereon:—truth to say, and not to joke,—right not a pan he is paid.—Then saith the beggar in his mood,—“The crust is both hard and tough,—the wretch was hard that possessed the goods,—hard for hard is good enough.”
May he have much misadventure who for him saith—Pater-noster or creed;—but let him have as he did,—for of the gift hath he no reward.—I counsel thee have trust in no man,—nor upon no other;—but share it with your own fist,—trust neither to sister nor brother.