Liste! now the thunder’s rattling clymmynge sound
  Cheves slowie on, and then embollen clangs,
  Shakes the hie spyre, and, losst, dispended, drowned,
  Still on the gallard eare of terroure hanges;
  The windes are up, the lofty elmen swanges;
  Again the levynne and the thunder poures,
  And the full cloudes are braste attenes in stonen showers.

  Spurreynge his palfrie oere the watrie plaine,
  The Abbote of Seyncte Godwyne’s convente came: 
  His chapournette was drented with the reine,
  And his pencte gyrdle met with mickle shame;
  He aynewarde tolde his bederoll at the same. 
  The storme encreasen, and he drew aside
  With the mist almes-craver neere to the holme to bide.

  His cope was all of Lyncolne clothe so fyne,
  With a gold button fastened neere his chynne;
  His autremete was edged with golden twynne,
  And his shoone pyke a loverds mighte have binne—­
  Full well it shewn he thoughten coste no sinne;
  The trammels of the palfrye pleasde his sighte,
  For the horse-millanare his head with roses dighte.

  ‘An almes, sir prieste!’ the droppynge pilgrim saide;
  ’O let me waite within your covente dore,
  Till the sunne sheneth hie above our heade,
  And the loude tempeste of the aire is oer. 
  Helpless and ould am I, alas! and poor;
  No house, ne friend, ne moneie in my pouche;
  All yatte I calle my owne is this my silver crouche.’

  ‘Varlet,’ replyd the Abbatte, ’cease your dinne! 
  This is no season almes and prayers to give. 
  Mie porter never lets a faitour in;
  None touch mie rynge who not in honour live.’ 
  And now the sonne with the blacke cloudes did stryve,
  And shettynge on the ground his glairie raie: 
  The Abbatte spurrde his steede, and eftsoones roadde awaie. 
  Once moe the skie was blacke, the thounder rolde: 
  Faste reyneynge oer the plaine a prieste was seen,
  Ne dighte full proude, ne buttoned up in golde;
  His cope and jape were graie, and eke were clene;
  A Limitoure he was of order seene,
  And from the pathwaie side then turned bee,
  Where the pore almer laie binethe the holmen tree,

  ‘An almes, sir priest!’ the droppynge pilgrim sayde,
  ‘For sweete Seyncte Marie and your order sake!’
  The Limitoure then loosened his pouche threade,
  And did thereoute a groate of silver take: 
  The mister pilgrim dyd for halline shake. 
  ’Here, take this silver; it maie eathe thie care: 
  We are Goddes stewards all, nete of our owne we bare.

  ’But ah, unhailie pilgrim, lerne of me
  Scathe anie give a rentrolle to their Lorde. 
  Here, take my semecope—­thou arte bare, I see;
  ‘Tis thyne; the Seynctes will give me mie rewarde.’ 
  He left the pilgrim, and his waie aborde. 
  Virgynne and hallie Seyncte, who sitte yn gloure,
  Or give the mittee will, or give the gode man power!