Piers Plowman - Maybe You Like It

6.295: And profrede Piers this present to plese with Hunger.
6.296: Al Hunger eet in haste and axed after moore.
6.297: Thanne povere folk for fere fedden Hunger yerne;
6.298: With grene poret and pesen to poisone hym thei thoghte!
6.299: By that it neghed neer hervest and newe corn cam to chepyng;
6.300: Thanne was folk fayn, and fedde Hunger with the beste —
6.301: With good ale, as Gloton taghte — and garte Hunger to slepe.
6.302: And tho wolde Wastour noght werche, but wandren aboute,
6.303: Ne no beggere ete breed that benes inne were,
6.304: But of coket and clermatyn or ellis of clene whete,
6.305: Ne noon halfpeny ale in none wise drynke,
6.306: But of the beste and of the brunneste that [brewesteres] selle.
6.307: Laborers that have no land to lyve on but hire handes
6.308: Deyned nought to dyne aday nyght-olde wortes;
6.309: May no peny ale hem paie, ne no pece of bacoun,
6.310: But if it be fressh flessh outher fissh fryed outher ybake —
6.311: And that chaud and plus chaud, for chillynge of hir mawe.
6.312: And but if he be heighliche hyred, ellis wole he chide —
6.313: And that he was werkman wroght wa[ri]e the tyme.
6.314: Ayeins Catons counseil comseth he to jangle:
6.314: Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento.
6.315: He greveth hym ageyn God and gruccheth ageyn Reson.
6.316: And thanne corseth he the Kyng and al his Counseil after
6.317: Swiche lawes to loke, laborers to greve.
6.318: Ac whiles Hunger was hir maister, ther wolde noon of hem chide,
6.319: Ne stryven ayeins his statut, so sterneliche he loked!
6.320: Ac I warne yow werkmen — wynneth whil ye mowe,
6.321: For Hunger hiderward hasteth hym faste!
6.322: He shal awake [thorugh] water, wastours to chaste,
6.323: Er fyve yer be fulfilled swich famyn shal aryse:
6.324: Thorugh flodes and thorugh foule wedres, fruytes shul faille —
6.325: And so seith Saturne and sent yow to warne:
6.326: Whan ye se the [mo]ne amys and two monkes heddes,
6.327: And a mayde have the maistrie, and multiplie by eighte,
6.328: Thanne shal deeth withdrawe and derthe be justice,
6.329: And Dawe the Dykere deye for hunger —
6.330: But if God of his goodnesse graunte us a trewe.
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