This clerk was cleped hende Amos.

Of deerne love he koude and of solas;

And therto he was sleigh and ful privee,

And lyk a mayden meke for to see.

A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye

Allone, withouten any compaignye,

Ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote;

And he hymself as sweete as is the roote

Of lycorys, or any cetewale.

His Almageste, and bookes grete and smale,

His astrelabie, longynge for his art,

His augrym stones layen faire apart,

On shelves couched at his beddes heed;

His presse ycovered with a faldyng reed

And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,

On which he made a-nyghtes melodie

So swetely that all the chambre rong;

And Angelus ad virginem he song;

And after that he song the Kynges Noote.

Ful often blessed was his myrie throte.

And thus this sweete clerk his tyme spente

After his freendes fyndyng and his rente.