A shirreue hadde he been and a countour Was nowheer swich a worthy vauasour An Haberdasshere and a Carpenter A Webbe a Dyere and a Tapycer And they weere clothed alle in oo lyueree Of a solempne and a greet fraternytee Ful fressh and newe hir geere apyked was Hir knyues weere chaped noght with bras But al with siluer wroght ful cleene and wel Hir girdles and hir pouches euerydel Wel seemed eech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys Euerych for the wisdom that he kan Was shaply for to been an alderman For catel hadde they ynogh and rente And eek hir wyues wolde it wel assente And ellis certeyn they weere to blame It is ful fair to been yclepyd madame And goon to vigilies al bifore And haue a mantel realliche ybore A Cook they hadde with hem for the nones To boille the chiknes with the marybones And poudre marchaunt tart and galyngale Wel koude he knowe a draghte of London ale He koude rooste and seethe and broille and frye Maken mortreux and wel bake a pye But greet harm was it as it thoughte me That on his shyne a mormal hadde he For blankmanger that maade he with the beste A Shipman was ther wonyng fer by weste