Careless their merits or their faults to scan,
His pity gave ere charity began.

Careless their merits or their faults to scan,
His pity gave ere charity began.

His house was known to all the vagrant train,
He chid their wanderings but reliev'd their pain;
read more

His house was known to all the vagrant train,
He chid their wanderings but reliev'd their pain;
The long remembered beggar was his guest,
Whose beard descending swept his aged breast.

To steale the Hog, and give the feet for almes.
[To steal the hog, and give the feet to read more

To steale the Hog, and give the feet for almes.
[To steal the hog, and give the feet to alms.]

Pity the sorrow of a poor old man,
Whose trembling limbs have brought him to your door.

Pity the sorrow of a poor old man,
Whose trembling limbs have brought him to your door.

A kind and gentle heart he had,
To comfort friends and foes;
The naked every day he read more

A kind and gentle heart he had,
To comfort friends and foes;
The naked every day he clad
When he put on his clothes.

Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence, of this
virtue.

Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence, of this
virtue.

By Jove the stranger and the poor are sent,
And what to those we give, to Jove is lent.

By Jove the stranger and the poor are sent,
And what to those we give, to Jove is lent.

Help thi kynne, Crist bit (biddeth), for ther bygynneth charitie.

Help thi kynne, Crist bit (biddeth), for ther bygynneth charitie.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth:
That thine read more

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in
secret himself shall reward thee openly.