Men sholde noht sumtime finde a boy for to bere a lettre,
That wolde eten eny mete, but it were the betre.
For beof ne for bakoun, ne for swich stor of house,
Unnethe wolde eny don a char, so were theih daungerouse
for wlaunke;
And siththen bicom ful reulich, that thanne weren so ranke. 390
For tho God seih that the world was so over gart,
He sente a derthe on eorthe, and made hit ful smart.
A busshel of whete was at foure shillinges or more,