¶ A merry gest how a sergeant woldel earn to be a frete:  
 
wise men alway  
Affirm & say/ the best is  
For a diligently (man  
For to apply/ the business  
that he and in no wise (can  
To enterprise/ an other faculty  
For he that will  
And can no skill/ is never like to the  
He that hath left  
The hosiers craft & falleth to making  
The smith that shall (shone  
To panting fall his thrift is welhygh  
A black draper (done  
With wite yaꝑ/ to go to writing stole  
An old butler  
Betum a cutler/ I ween shall prove afole  
In old trot  
That good can not/ but ever kiss the cup  
With her pbysyke  
Will keep oneseke/ till she have soved him up  
A man of law  
That never saw/ the ways to by and sell  
weening to arise  
By merchandise/ I pray god speed him well  
A merchant cke  
That will good seek/ by all the means he may  
To fall in suit  
Till he dispute/ his monay clean away  
Pleting the law  
For every straw/ shall prove a thrifty man  
with bate and strife  
But by my life/ I can not tell you when  
when an hatter  
will go smater In philosophy  
Or a pedlat  
wax a medlar/ in theolegy  
All that ensue  
such crafts ne we/ they drive so fere a cast  
That ever more  
They do therefore/ boshre we themself at last  
This thing was cried  
And vere tied/ here by a sergeant late  
That tyfely was  
Or he could get/ rapped about the pate  
While that he would  
See how he could/ in goddes'name play the frere  
Now if you will  
Know how it fill/ Take heed & ye shall here  
It happened so  
Not long ago/ a thrifty man dyede  
An hundred pound  
Of nobles round that had he laid a side  
His sone he would  
Should have this gold/ for to begin with all  
But to suffice  
His child well thrice/ the monay were to small!  
yet or this day  
I have held say/ that many a man certes  
Hath with good cast  
Be rich at last/ That hath begun, with less  
But this young man  
So well he can his money to Employ  
That certainly  
His po●cy/ role it was a joy  
For lest lum blast  
Might over cast/ his ship or by mischance  
Men with some wile  
Might him beguile/ & minish his substance  
For to put out  
All manner doubt/ he made a good putavye  
For every why●  
Of his own wit/ and took other way  
〈…〉 te tayre and weal  
A great deal/ he dyghthyt in a pot  
But tenh him thought  
That was nought/ and there he left it not  
So was he fain  
from thence again/ to put it in a cup  
And by and by  
Covetously/ he supped hytfayre up  
In his own breast  
He thought it best/ his money to enclose  
Then wist he well  
what ever fell he could it never lose  
He porowed than  
Of another man/ money and matchaundyse  
Never paid it  
Up he laid it/ in like manner wise  
yet on the get  
That he would were/ he wrought not what he  
So it were nice (spent  
As for the price/ could him not myscontente  
With lusty sport  
And with resorce/ of jolly company  
In mirth and play  
Full many a day/ he lived merely  
And men had sworn  
Some man is borne/ to have a goodly flower  
And so was he  
For such degree/ he gate and such honour  
That with out doubt  
When he went out/ a sergaunt well and fair  
was ready straight  
On him to wait/ as sown as on the mayre  
But he doubtless  
Of his meekness/ hated such pomp & pride  
And would not go  
Compnyed so/ but drew himself a syden  
To saint Katherine  
Straight as a line/ he gate him at a tide  
For promotion  
Or promotion/ there would he needs abide  
There expense he fast  
Till all was past/ and to him rame there many  
To ask their det  
But non could get/ the valour of a penny  
With visage stout  
He bore it out/ unto the hard hedge  
A month or twain  
Till he was ta'en to lay his gown to pledge  
Than was he there  
In groter fere/ then or that he came thither  
And would as fain  
De part again/ but that he wist not whither  
Than after this  
To a trende of his/ he went and there abode  
Where as he lay  
So sick all way/ he might not come abroad  
Hyt happened than  
A merchant man/ that he ought money to  
Of an officer  
Than 'gan inquire/ what him was best to do  
And he answered  
Be not a feared/ take an action therefore  
I you behest  
I shall him rest/ and than care for no more  
I fere quoth he  
Hyt will not be/ for he will not come out  
The sergeant said  
Be not afraid/ it shall be brought about  
In many a game  
Like to the same have I been well in ure  
And for your sake  
Let me be bake/ but if I do this cure  
Thus part they both  
And to him goth/ a place this officer  
And for a day  
All his array/ he changed with a frere  
So was he vyght  
That no man might/ him for a frere deny  
He dopped and doked  
He spoke and looked/ so religiously  
Yet in a glass  
Or he would pass/ he to ted and he peted  
His heart for pride  
leaped in his side/ to see how well he frered  
Than forth a pace  
Unto the place/ he goeth in god's name  
To do this deed  
But now take heed/ for here beginneth the game  
He drew hy nigh  
And softly/ at the door he knocked  
A damosel  
That heard him well/ came & it unlocked  
The frere said  
God speed fair maid/ here lodget such a man  
It is told me  
Well sir quoth she/ and if he do what than  
Quoth he mistress  
No harm doubtless/ it longeth for our order  
To hurt no man  
But as we can/ every wight to fordre  
With him truly  
Fain speak would I/ sir quod she by my faith  
He is so sick  
ye be not like/ to speak with him to day  
Quod he fair may.  
yet I you pray/ this moche at my despre  
vouch safe to do  
As to go him to/ and say an austin frere  
mould with him speak  
And matters break/ for his avail certyne  
Quoth he I will  
stand ye here still/ till I come down again  
Up is she go  
And told him so/ as she wis bode to say  
He mystrysting  
No manner thing/ said maiden go they way  
And fetch him hither  
That we together/ may talk adown she goth  
And up she brought  
No harm she thought/ but it made some folk  
But this officer (wrath  
This feigned frere/ when he was come aloft  
He dopped then  
And great this man/ religiously and oft  
And he again  
Right glad & fain/ took him there by the should  
The frere than said  
ye be dismayed/ hith trouble I understand  
In deed quoth he  
Hyt hath with me been better than it is  
Sir quoth the frere  
Be of good cheer/ yet shall it after this  
For Christ's sake  
Look that you take/ no thought in your breast  
God may turn all  
And so he shall/ I trust unto the best  
But I would now  
Lomyn with you, in counsel if you please  
Or else not  
Of matters that/ shall set your heart at ease  
Down went the maid  
The merchant said/ Now say on gentle frere  
Of all this tiding  
That ye me bring/ I long full sore to here  
When there was none  
But they alone/ the frete with evil grace  
Said I rest the  
Come on with me/ and out he took his mace  
Thou shalt obey  
Come on thy way/ I have them in my cloche  
Thou goest not hence  
For all the pense/ the mayre hath in his pouch  
This merchant there  
For wrath and feet/ waxed welnyghe wood  
Said horsone thief  
With a maschete/ who hath caught the good  
And with his fist  
Upon the list/ he gave him such a blow  
That backward down  
Almost in sown/ the frere is over throw  
yet was this man  
Well farther than/ lest he the frere had slain  
Till with good raps  
And heavy claps/ he dawde him up again  
The frere took heart  
And up he stette/ and well he laid about  
And so there goth  
Between them both/ many aluity clout  
They rinse and tear  
Each other here/ and clave together fast  
Till with lugging  
Haling & judging/ they fell down both at last  
That on the ground  
together round/ with many asdde stroke  
The roll and rumble  
They turn & cumble/ like pigs in a poke  
So long above  
They have and shove/ together that at the last  
They maid the wife  
To break the strife/ hied them upward fast  
And when they see  
They captayves lie/ walrting on the place  
T 〈…〉 p 〈…〉 ode  
They pulled a good: adoune about this face  
while he was blind  
The wench behind/ lent him on the flore  
Many a Jolle  
About the noise/ with a great batyll door  
The wife came yet  
And with her feet/ she holp to keep him down  
And with her rock  
Many a knock she gave him on the crown  
They laid his mace  
About his fuce/ that he was wood for pain  
The frere frappe  
Gate many a swap/ till he was fall nigh slain  
Up they hymlyfte  
And with evil thrift/ headlong all the stair  
Down they him threw  
And said a dew/ command us to the mayre  
The frere arose  
But I suppose/ amazed was his heed  
He shaken his ears  
And from great feres/ he thought him well a fled  
Quod he now lost  
Is all this cost/ we be never the near  
ill morche the  
That caused me/ to make myself a frere  
Now masters all  
And now I shall/ end there I began  
In any wise  
I would advise/ and counsel every man  
His own crafe use  
All new refuse/ and utterly let them gone  
Play not the frere  
Now make good there/ and welcome every eachone  
¶ imprinted at Loudom by me julian Notary dwelling in Paul's church yard at the wistedore at the sign of saint Macke