| 375 |
Thise riotoures thre, of whiche I telle, |
| Longe erst er prime rong of any belle, |
| Were set hem in a taverne for to drynke. |
| And as they sat, they herde a belle clynke |
| Biforn a cors, was caried to his grave. |
| 380 | That oon of hem gan callen to his knave, |
| "Go bet," quod he, "and axe redily |
| What cors is this, that passeth heer forby; |
| And looke, that thou reporte his name weel." |
| "Sire," quod this boy, "it nedeth never a deel; |
| 385 | It was me toold, er ye cam heer two houres. |
| He was, pardee, an old felawe of youres; |
| And sodeynly he was yslayn to-nyght, |
| Fordronke, as he sat on his bench upright. |
| Ther cam a privee theef men clepeth Deeth, |
| 390 | That in this contree al the peple sleeth, |
| And with his spere he smoot his herte atwo, |
| And wente his wey withouten wordes mo. |
| He hath a thousand slayn this pestilence. |
| And, maister, er ye come in his presence, |
| 395 | Me thynketh that it were necessarie |
| For to be war of swich an adversarie. |
| Beth redy for to meete hym everemoore; |
| Thus taughte me my dame, I sey namoore." |
| "By Seinte Marie!" seyde this taverner, |
| 400 | "The child seith sooth, for he hath slayn this yeer |
| Henne over a mile, withinne a greet village |
| Bothe man and womman, child, and hyne, and page. |
| I trowe his habitacioun be there. |
| To been avysed, greet wysdom it were, |
| 405 | Er that he dide a man a dishonour." |
|
| 375 | Now these three roisterers, whereof I tell, |
| Long before prime was rung by any bell, |
| Were sitting in a tavern for to drink; |
| And as they sat they heard a small bell clink |
| Before a corpse being carried to his grave; |
| 380 | Whereat one of them called unto his knave: |
| "Go run," said he, "and ask them civilly |
| What corpse it is that's just now passing by, |
| And see that you report the man's name well." |
| "Sir," said the boy, "it needs not that they tell. |
| 385 | I learned it, before you came here, full two hours; |
| He was, by gad, an old comrade of yours; |
| And he was slain, all suddenly, last night, |
| When drunk, as he sat on his bench upright; |
| An unseen thief, called Death, came stalking by, |
| 390 | Who hereabouts makes all the people die, |
| And with his spear he clove his heart in two |
| And went his way and made no more ado. |
| He's slain a thousand with this pestilence; |
| And, master, before you come in his presence, |
| 395 | It seems to me to be right necessary |
| To be forewarned of such an adversary: |
| Be ready to meet him for evermore. |
| My mother taught me this, I say no more." |
| "By holy Mary," said the innkeeper, |
| 400 | "The boy speaks truth, for Death has slain, this year, |
| A mile or more hence, in a large village, |
| Both man and woman, child and hind and page. |
| I think his habitation must be there; |
| To be advised of him great wisdom 'twere, |
| 405 | Before he did a man some dishonour." |
|
