89.
'The knyght is ferre beyonde the see,
In Englonde is his ryght,
And suffreth honger and colde
And many a sory nyght.

90.
'It were grete pyte,' said the pryoure,
'So to have his londe;
And ye be so lyght of your consyence,
Ye do to hym moch wronge.'

91.
'Thou arte ever in my berde,' sayd the abbot,
'By God and Saynt Rycharde';
With that cam in a fat-heded monke,
The heygh selerer.

92.
'He is dede or hanged,' sayd the monke,
'By God that bought me dere,
And we shall have to spende in this place
Foure hondred pounde by yere.'

93.
The abbot and the hy selerer
Sterte forthe full bolde,
The highe justyce of Englonde
The abbot there dyde holde.

94.
The hye justyce and many mo
Had take in to theyr honde
Holy all the knyghtes det,
To put that knyght to wronge.

95.
They demed the knyght wonder sore,
The abbot and his meyne:
'But he come this ylke day
Dysheryte shall he be.'

96.
'He wyll not come yet,' sayd the justyce,
'I dare well undertake';
But in sorowe tyme for them all
The knight came to the gate.

97.
Than bespake that gentyll knyght
Untyll his meyne:
'Now put on your symple wedes
That ye brought fro the see.'

98.
[They put on their symple wedes,]
They came to the gates anone;
The porter was redy hymselfe
And welcomed them everychone.

99.
'Welcome, syr knyght,' sayd the porter,
'My lorde to mete is he,
And so is many a gentyll man,
For the love of thee.'

100.
The porter swore a full grete othe:
'By God that made me,
Here be the best coresed hors
That ever yet sawe I me.

101.
'Lede them in to the stable,' he sayd,
'That eased myght they be';
'They shall not come therin,' sayd the knyght,
'By God that dyed on a tre.'

102.
Lordes were to mete isette
In that abbotes hall;
The knyght went forth and kneled down,
And salved them grete and small.

103.
'Do gladly, syr abbot,' sayd the knyght,
'I am come to holde my day.'
The fyrst word that the abbot spake,
'Hast thou brought my pay?'

104.
'Not one peny,' sayd the knyght,
'By God that maked me.'
'Thou art a shrewed dettour,' sayd the abbot;
'Syr justyce, drynke to me.

105.
'What doost thou here,' sayd the abbot,
'But thou haddest brought thy pay?'
'For God,' than sayd th