And also my Lord Abbot of Westminster did do show to me lately certain evidences written in old English, for to reduce it into our English now used.

And certainly it was written in such wise that it was more like to Dutch than English, I could not reduce ne bring it to be understood.

And certainly our language now used varieth far from that which was used and spoken when I was born.
For we Englishmen be born under the domination of the moon, which is never steadfast but ever wavering, waxing one season and waneth and decreaseth another season.

And that common English that is spoken in one shire varieth from another, insomuch that in my days happened that certain merchants were in a ship in Thames for to have sailed over the sea into Zealand, and for lack of wind they tarried at Foreland, and went to land for to refresh them.

And one of them named Sheffield, a mercer, came into a house and asked for meat, and especially he asked after eggs; and the good wife answered that she could speak no French, and the merchant was angry, for he also could speak no French, but would have had eggs, and she understood him not.