‘Why?’ quod this yeman, ‘wherto axe ye me? 640
God help me so, for he shal never thee!
(But I wol nat avowe that I seye,
And therfor kepe it secree, I yow preye). (90)
He is to wys, in feith, as I bileve;
That that is overdoon, it wol nat preve 645
Aright, as clerkes seyn, it is a vyce.
Wherfor in that I holde him lewed and nyce.
For whan a man hath over-greet a wit,
Ful oft him happeth to misusen it;
[530: T. 16118-16154.]
So dooth my lord, and that me greveth sore. 650
God it amende, I can sey yow na-more.’
‘Ther-of no fors, good yeman,’ quod our host;
‘Sin of the conning of thy lord thou wost, (100)
Tel how he dooth, I pray thee hertely,
Sin that he is so crafty and so sly. 655
Wher dwellen ye, if it to telle be?’
‘In the suburbes of a toun,’ quod he,
‘Lurkinge in hernes and in lanes blinde,
Wher-as thise robbours and thise theves by kinde
Holden hir privee fereful residence, 660
As they that dar nat shewen hir presence;
So faren we, if I shal seye the sothe.’
‘Now,’ quod our host, ‘yit lat me talke to the; (110)
Why artow so discoloured of thy face?’