‘Li clerc sunt vers nos trop engrés,

Trop nos vunt barbiant de pres;

Car j'ai pris .v. cenz chevaliers,

Dont j'ai e armes e destriers

E tot lor herneis retenu;

Se por ço m'est contretenu

Li reignes Dé, n'i a que prendre,

Car je nel porreie pas rendre.

Je ne puis plus fere, ce cui,

A Deu, fors rendre mei a lui

Repentant de toz mes mesfez,

De toz les mals que je ai fez.

S'il ne me volent eschacier,

Avant ne me poent eschacier;

Ou lor argument est ci fals,

Ou nuls hom ne puet estre sals.’

[‘Churchmen are too hard on us, shaving us too closely. If, simply because I've taken five hundred knights and kept their arms, horses, and all their equipment, the kingdom of heaven is closed to me, then there's nothing to be done, for I am unable to return these things. I can do no more as regards God but surrender myself up to him, repentant for all my misdeeds and all the wrongs I have done. If they don't want to destroy me, they can pursue me no further; either their argument is false about this or no man can be saved.’]