As Austin bit?[67] how shal the world be served? 
  Let Austin have his swink to him reserved. 
  Therfore he was a prickasoure[68] a right: 
  Greihoundes he hadde as swift as foul of flight: 
  Of pricking[69] and of hunting for the hare
  Was all his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. 
    I saw his sleves purfiled[70] at the hond
  With gris,[71] and that the finest of the lond. 
  And for to fasten his hood under his chinne,
  He hadde of gold ywrought a curious pinne;
  A love-knotte in the greter end ther was. 
  His hed was balled,[72] and shone as any glas,
  And eke his face, as it hadde ben anoint. 
  He was a lord ful fat and in good point. 
  His eyen stepe,[73] and rolling in his hed,
  That stemed as a forneis of led.[74]
  His bootes souple, his hors in gret estat: 
  Now certainly he was a fayre prelat. 
  He was not pale as a forpined[75] gost. 
  A fat swan loved he best of any rost,
  His palfrey was as broune as is a bery.

  III.

  A Frere[76] ther was, a wanton and a mery,
  A Limitour,[77] a ful solempne man. 
  In all the ordres foure is none that can
  So muche of daliance and fayre langage. 
  He hadde ymade ful many a mariage
  Of yonge wimmen, at his owen cost. 
  Until[78] his ordre he was a noble post. 
  Ful wel beloved, and familier was he
  With frankeleins[79] over all in his contree,
  And eke with worthy wimmen of the toun: 
  For he had power of confessioun,
  As saide himselfe, more than a curat,
  For of his ordre he was a licenciat. 
  Ful swetely herde he confession,
  And plesant was his absolution. 
  He was an esy man to give penaunce,
  Ther as he wiste[80] to han[81] a good pitaunce: 
  For unto a poure[82] ordre for to give
  Is signe that a man is wel yshrive.[83]
  For if he gaf, he dorste make avaunt,[84]
  He wiste that a man was repentaunt. 
  For many a man so hard is of his herte,
  He may not wepe although him sore smerte. 
  Therfore in stede of weping and praieres,
  Men mote[85] give silver to the poure freres. 
    His tippet was ay farsed[86] ful of knives,
  And pinnes, for to given fayre wives. 
  And certainly he hadde a mery note. 
  Wel coude he singe and plaien on a rote.[87]
  Of yeddinges[88] he bar utterly the pris. 
  His nekke was white as the flour de lis. 
  Therto he strong was as a champioun,
  And knew wel the tavernes in every toun,
  And every hosteler and tappestere,
  Better than a lazar or a beggestere,
  For unto swiche a worthy man as he
  Accordeth not, as by his faculte,
  To haven[89] with sike lazars acquaintance. 
  It is not honest, it may not avance,[90]
  As for to delen with no swiche pouraille,[91]
  But all with riche, and sellers of vitaille. 
  And over all, ther as profit shuld arise,