ne duke ne erl; but he hathe mo that
holden of him londes and other lordschipes: for he is more riche. For he
hathe every zeer of annuelle rente 300000 hors charged with corn of dyverse
greynes and of ryzs: and so he ledethe a fulle noble lif, and a delycate,
aftre the custom of the contree. For he hathe every day, 50 fair damyseles,
alle maydenes, that serven him everemore at his mete, and for to lye be hem
o nyght, and for to do with hem that is to his pleasance. And whan he is at
the table, they bryngen him hys mete at every tyme, 5 and 5 to gedre. And
in bryngynge hire servyse, thei syngen a song. And aftre that, thei kutten
his mete, and putten it in his mouthe; for he touchethe no thing ne
handlethe nought, but holdethe evere more his hondes before him, upon the
table. For he hathe so long nayles, that he may take no thing, ne handle no
thing. For the noblesse of that contree is to have longe nayles, and to
make hem growen alle weys to ben as longe as men may. And there ben manye
in that contree, that han hire nayles so longe, that thei envyronne alle
the hond: and that is a gret noblesse. And the noblesse of the wommen, is
for to haven smale feet and litille: and therfore anon as thei ben born,
they leet bynde hire feet so streyte, that thei may not growen half as
nature wolde; and alle weys theise damyseles, that I spak of beforn, syngen
alle the tyme that this riche man etethe: and whan that he etethe no more
of his firste cours, than other 5 and 5 of faire damyseles bryngen him his
seconde cours, alle weys syngynge, as thei dide beforn. And so thei don
contynuelly every day, to the ende of his mete. And in this manere he
ledethe his lif. And so dide thei before him, that weren his auncestres;
and so schulle thei that comen aftre him, with outen doynge of ony dedes of
armes: but lyven evere more thus in ese, as a swyn, that is fedde in sty,
for to ben made fatte. He hathe a fulle fair palays and fulle riche, where
that he dwellethe inne: of the whiche, the walles ben in circuyt 2 myle:
and he hathe with inne many faire gardynes, and many faire halles and
chambres, and the pawment of his halles and chambres ben of gold and
sylver. And in the myd place of on of his gardynes, is a lytylle mountayne,
wher there is a litylle medewe: and in that medewe, is a litylle toothille
with toures and pynacles, alle of gold: and in that litylle toothille wole
he sytten often tyme, for to taken the ayr and to desporten hym: for th