“Nay,” quoth this Sompnour, “that shall ne’er betide. I am a yeoman, that is known full wide; My trothë will I hold, as in this case; For though thou wert the devil Satanas, My trothë will I hold to thee, my brother, As I have sworn, and each of us to other, For to be truë brethren in this case, And both we go abouten our purchase. 2214 Take thou thy part, what that men will thee give, And I shall mine, thus may we bothë live. And if that any of us have more than other, Let him be true, and part it with his brother.” “I grantë,” quoth the devil, “by my fay.” And with that word they rodë forth their way, And right at th’ ent’ring of the townë’s end, To which this Sompnour shope 2215 him for to wend, 2216 They saw a cart, that charged was with hay, Which that a carter drove forth on his way. Deep was the way, for which the cartë stood: The carter smote, and cried as he were wood,