An HABERDASSHERE and a CARPENTER,
  A HABERDASHER and a CARPENTER,

A WEBBE, a DYERE, and a TAPYCER,-
An ARRAS-MAKER, DYER, and WEAVER           

And they were clothed alle in o lyveree
Were with us, clothed in the same livery,

Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
All of one solemn, great fraternity.

Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was;
Freshly and new their gear, and well adorned it was;

Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras,
Their weapons were not cheaply shaped with brass,

But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel,
But all with silver; neatly made and well
                                                                                
Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel.
Their belt and their purses too, I tell.  

Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys
Each man of them appeared a proper citizen

To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
To sit in guildhall on a dais, he can

Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,
And each of them, for wisdom he could span,

Was shaply for to been an alderman.
Was suitable to serve as an alderman;                        

For catel hadde they ynogh and rente,
For property they'd enough, and income too;

And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
Besides their wives declared it was their due,

And elles certeyn, were they to blame.
Or else for certain they had been to blame.

It is ful fair to been ycleped "madame,"
It's good to hear "Madam" before one's name,

And goon to vigilies al bifore,
And go to church when all the world may see,     
   
And have a mantel roialliche ybore.
Having one's gown carried right royally.
      

 =Brian Ó Broin