What I may get in counsel, privily,
I feel no sort of qualm thereon, not I.
Extortion or starvation;--that's my creed.
Repent who list. The best of saints must feed.
That's all the stomach that my conscience knoweth.
Curse on the ass that to confession goeth.
Well be we met, 'Od's heart! and by my dame!
But tell me, brother dear, what is thy name?"

Now ye must know, that right in this meanwhile,
This yeoman 'gan a little for to smile.
"Brother," quoth he, "my name, if I must tell -
I am a fiend: my dwelling is in hell:
And here I ride about my fortuning,
To wot if folk will give me anything.
To that sole end ride I, and ridest thou;
And, without pulling rein, will I ride now
To the world's end, ere I will lose a prey."

"God bless me," quoth the Sumner, "what d'ye say?
I thought ye were a yeoman verily.
Ye have a man's shape, sir, as well as I.
Have ye a shape then, pray, determinate
In hell, good sir, where ye have your estate?"

"Nay, certainly," quoth he, "there have we none;
But whoso liketh it, he taketh one;
And so we make folk think us what we please.
Sometimes we go like apes, sometimes like bees,
Like man, or angel, black dog, or black crow:-