Men honours him with great reverence, Makes full mickle obedience,

Unto that little swain.

In king's court is it no boot
Against Sir Penny for to moot;1
So mickle is he of might:

He is so witty and so strong,
That be it never so mickle wrong,

He will make it right.

With Penny may men women till,2
Be they never so strange of will;
So oft may it be seen:

Long with him will they not chide,
For he may ger them trail side 3
In good scarlet and green.

He may buy both heaven and hell,
And ilka thing that is to sell,

In earth has he swich grace:
He may loose, and he may bind,
The poor are aye put behind

Where he comes in place.

When he begins him to mell,
He makes meek that ere was fell;

And weak that bold has been.
All ye need full soon is sped,
Both withouten borgh and wed
Where Penny goes between.

The deoms-men 2 he makes so blind,
That hi may not the right find;
Ne the sooth to see:

For to give doom them is full lath,3
Therewith to make Sir Penny wrath,
Full dear with them is he,

There strife was Penny makes peace,
Of all angers he may release,

In land where he will lend;

Of foes may he make friends sad,
Of counsel there them never be rad
That may have him to friend.

That sire is set on high dess,

And served with many

At the high board.

Borrowing and pledging. 3 Loth.

rich mess,

2

Judges. 4 Void.

On him wholly their heart is set,
Him for to love will they not let
Neither for good ne ill;

All that he will in earth have done
Ilka man grants it full soon

Right at his own will:
He may both lend and give,
He may ger both slay and live,
. Both by frith and fell.4

Penny is a good felláw,

Men welcomes him in deed and saw.5

Come he never so oft,

1 Desired.

2 Misfortunes.

End, terminate.

4

By water and land.

• Words.

He is not welcomed as a guest,

But evermore served with the best,
And made to sit full soft.

Whoso is sted in any need,
With Sir Penny may they speed,
Howsoever they betide:

He that Sir Penny is withal,

Shall have his will in steed and stall,

When other are set beside.

Sir Penny gers in rich weed

Full many go, and ride on steed,

In this world wide;

In ilka game, and ilka play,

The mastery is given aye

To Penny for his pride.

Sir Penny over all gets the gre,
Both in burgh and in cité,

In castle and in tower.
Withouten either spear or shield,
Is he the best in frith or field,
And stalworthest 2 in stour.3

• Degree, step.

• Fight, battle.

• Boldest, strongest.

In ilka place the sooth is seen,

Sir Penny is over albidene1

Master most in mood;

And all is as he will command,

Against his steven2 dare no man stand, Neither by land ne flood.

Sir Penny may full mickle avail,

To them that has need of counsail,
As seen is in assize : 3

He lenkeths life, and saves from dead.
But love it not overwell, I rede,
For sin of covetise!

If thou have hap tresoúr to win,
Delight thee not too mickle therein,

6

Ne nything thereof be :

But spend it as well as thou can,

So that thou love both God and man

In perfect charity.

God grant us grace, with heart and will,

The goods that he has given us til

Well and wisely to spend.

• Altogether.

3 In courts of judicature.

• Death.

2 Voice.

4 Lengthens.

• Careless.