Than thought I to frayne the first Of this foure ordres; And presed to the Prechoures, To proven hir wille. Ich highed to her house, To herken of more; And when I came to that court, I gaped aboute, 310 Swich a bild bold Y-buld upon erthe heighte Say I nought in certeyn Syththe a long tyme. I semed opon that hous, And yerne theron loked, Whow the pileres weren y-paint, And pulched ful clene, And queyntly y-corven With curious knottes; 320 With wyndowes wel y-wrought, Wyde up a-lofte, And thanne I entred in, And even forth wente; And al was walled that wone, Though it wiid were, With posternes in privité To pasen when hem liste; Orcheyardes and erberes Evesed wel clene, 330 { 461} And a curious cros Craftly entayled, With tabernacles y-tight To toten al abouten. The pris of a plough-lond Of penies so rounde To aparaile that pyler Were pure litel. Than I munte me forth The mynstre to knowen, 340 And awaytede a woon Wonderly wel y-bild, With arches on everiche half, And bellyche y-corven, With crochetes on corneres, With knottes of gold, Wyde wyndowes y-wrought, Y-wryten ful thikke, Shynen with shapen sheldes, To shewen aboute, 350 With merkes of merchauntes Y-medeled betwene, Mo than twentie and two Twyse y-noumbbred. Ther is non heraud that hath Half swich a rolle, Right as a rageman Hath rekned hem newe. Tombes upon tabernacles Tylde opon lofte, 360 Housed in hornes, Harde set abouten, Of armede alabaustre Clad for the nones, { 462} Maad opon marbel In many manner wyse, Knyghtes in ther conisante Clad for the nones; Alle it semed seyntes Y-sacred opon erthe; 370 And lovely ladies y-wrought Leyen by her sydes In manye gay garnemens, That weren gold beten. Though the tax of ten yere Were trewely y-gadered, Nolde it nought maken that hous Half, as I trowe. Than cam I to that cloystre, And gaped abouten, 380 Whough it was pilered and peynt, And portreyed wel clene, Al y-hyled with leed Lowe to the stones, And y-paved with poynttyl Ich point after other; With cundites of clene tyn Closed al aboute, With lavoures of latun Loveliche y-greithed. 390 I trowe the gaynage of the ground In a gret shyre Nold aparaile that place Oo poynt tyl other ende. Thanne was that chapitre house Wrought as a greet chirche, Corven and covered; And queyntelyche entayled, { 463} With semliche selure Y-seet on lofte, 400 As a parlement-hous Y-peynted aboute. Thanne ferd I into fraytoure, And fond there another, An halle for an hygh kynge An houshold to holden, With brode bordes abouten Y-benched wel clene, With wyndowes of glaas Wrought as a chirche 410 Than walkede I ferrer, And went al abouten, And seigh halles full heygh, And houses ful noble, Chambres with chymeneys, And chapeles gaye, And kychenes for an high kynge In casteles to holden; And her dortoure y-dight With dores ful stronge; 420 Fermerye and fraitur, With fele mo houses, And al strong ston wal Sterne upon heithe, With gaye garites and grete, And iche hole y-glased, And other houses y-nowe To herberwe the queene. And yet thise bilderes wiln beggen A bagge ful of whete 430 Of a pure pore man, That may onethe paye { 464} Half his rent in a yere, And half ben byhynde.