¶ Of a Poller That Begyled a Prest. Xx
¶ Vpon a tyme in Andwarpe a false pollynge165 felowe came vnto a certeyne preste, that hadde his purse hangynge at his gyrdell strouttinge166 oute full of money that he a lytell before had resceyued, and gentilly gretynge hym sayde: good Mayster, our parysshe preste bad me bye him a palle167 (which is the vppermoste vestement, that a preste syngeth masse in); if it wolde please you to go with me, I were moche bounde to you: for our curat and you be of one stature. The preste was contente. Whan they came there where he wolde bye it, the palle was broughte forth, and the preste dyd it on: the poller loketh and toteth168 thereon, and preyseth it, but he layde a wyte,169 that it was to shorte before. Nay, quod the syller, the faute is nat in the vestement, hit is the strouttinge purse vnderneth that beareth hit up. Shortely to speake, the prest dyd of his purse, and layde hit by, and than the vestiment they behelde agayne. Whan the poller sawe the preste was tourned, he snatched vp the purs, and toke his legges and to go.170 The preste rounne after with the vestement on his backe: and the vestement-maker after the prest. The prest bad stop the thefe, the siller bad stop the prest, the poller bade holde the mad preste, and euery man wende171 he had ben mad in dede, bicause he had the vestement on his backe; and so whyle one letted an other, the false poller went his waye.