The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 334]

GROUP D. FRAGMENT V.

§ 1. WIFE OF BATH'S PREAMBLE.

CORPUS MS.

Prologus vxoris de Bathe. [headline] [folio 100a]

Experiment þough non auctorite Were in þis world is right ynough for me To speke of wo þat is in mariage ffor lordynges syn I twelue ȝeer was of age / Line 4 Thanked be god þat is eterne alyue housbondes atte chirche dore I haue had fyue/ If I so often might haue wedded be But alle were worþy men in here degre Line 8 But me was told certein nought longe agones [that criste ne wente / neuere but onys] To weddyng in þe Cane of Galile / That by þilke ensample taught he me Line 12 That I ne schulde wedded be but ones herk eek lo which a scharpe worde for þe nones Besyde a welle Ihesu god and man Spak in repreef of þe Samaritan Line 16 Thow hast y-hadde .v. housebondes quod he. And þat ilke man þat now haþ þe Is not þin housbonde þus sayde he certayne What he mente þer-by I can nought sayne Line 20 Wele But þat/ I axe why þe fyfte man Was non housbonde to þe Samaritan how many might sche han in mariage Line 23 Ȝitt hardde I neuere telle in al myn age

[6-text p 335] Vppon þis nombre diffinicioun Men may deuyne and glosen vp and doun But wel I woot expresse wiþouten lye God bad vs for to wexe and multiplye Line 28 That gentil text can I wel vnderstonde Eke wel I woot he seyde myn housebonde Schulde lete fader & mooder and take to me But of noon nombre mension made he / Of Bigamye or of Octogamye Line 33 Why schulde men þenne haue it in vilanye / loke here þe wise man king Salomon I trowe he hadde wyues moo þan on Now wolde god it leeful were to me / Line 37 To be refreisshed half so ofte as he [folio 100b] Which ȝifte of god hadde he for alle his wyues No man haþ such þat in þis world a lyue is Line 40 God wot þis noble king as to my witte The firste night hadde many a mery fitte Wiþ iche of hem so wel was him alyue Blissed be god þat I haue wedded fyue Line 44 Welcome þe sixte whan þat euer he schal ffor siþþe I wille nought kepe chaste in al Whan myn housebonde is fro þe world y-gon Som crystne man schal wedde me anon Line 48 ffor þan þe apostle seiþ þat I am free To wedde a goddes half wher it likeþ me he seiþ þat to be wedded is no senne Betre is it to be wedded þan to brenne Line 52 What rekkeþ me þough folk sey vylanye Of schrewed lameth and his Bygamye / I woot wel Abraham was an holy man And Iacob eek as fer as euer I can Line 56 And ech of hem hadde wyues mo þan tuo And many anoþer holy man also Wher can ȝe say in any maner age That vs god defended mariage Line 60

[6-text p 336] Line 60 By expresse word I pray yow telleþ me Or wher comaunded he virginite I wot as wel as ye it is no drede þe apostel whan he spekeþ of maydenhede Line 64 he seyde þer-of precepte hadde he noone Men may counseille a womman to ben oone But counseilling is no comaundement he putte it in oure owne Iuggement Line 68 ffor hadde god commaunded maydenhede þanne hadde he dampned weddyng with þe dede And certes if þer were no seed y-sowe virginite þanne wher-of scholde it growe Line 72 Poule dorste nought comanden at þe leste A þing of which his mayster ȝaf him non heste [folio 101a] The darte is sette vppe fro virginite Chase who so may who so renneþ best lat see Line 76 But þis word is nought take of euery wight But þere as god wolde yeue it of his might I wot wel þat þe apostel was a mayde / But naþeles þough þat he wrot or sayde Line 80 he wolde þat euery wight were such as he / Al nys nat but counseile to virginite And for to be a wijf he yaf me leue Of Indulgence so is it no repreue Line 84 To wedde me if þat my make deye / Wiþoute excepcion of Bygamie / Al were it good no womman for to touche he mente as his body or in his couche Line 88 ffor peril is boþe to touche and for to assemble Ȝe knowe what þis ensample may resemble This al and some he heeld virginite More perfyt þan wedded in freelte Line 92 ffreltee clepe I not but þat he and sche Wolde leede here lijf al in chastite I graunte it wel I haue non envye Though maydenhede preferre Bygamye Line 96

[6-text p 337] Line 96 It likeþ hem to be clene in body and gost Of myn estate I wole make no boost ffor wel ȝe knowe a lord in his houshold haþ not euery vessele of golde / Line 100 Some ben of tree / and doon here lord seruise God clepeþ folk to him in sondry wise And euerich haþ of god a propre ȝifte / Some þis some þat as him likeþ schifte Line 104 virginite is gret perfection And conscience eek with deuocion But crist þat of perfection is welle Bad nought euery wight he schulde selle Line 108 Al þat he hadde and ȝiue it to þe pore And in swich wise folwe him and his lore [folio 101b] he spak to hem þat wolde lyue parfitly And lordynges by ȝoure leue þat am not I I wole bystowe þe flour of alle myn age Line 113 In charite and fruyt of maryage Telle me also to what conclusion Were membres maade of generacion Line 116 And of so parfyt wise and why y-wrought Tristeþ right wel þey were not made for nought Glose who so wile and seye boþe vp and doun That þey were made for purgacioun Line 120 Of vryne and oure boþe þinges smale Were eek to knowe a femal from a male And for non oþer cause what seye ȝe no; The experience woot it is nouȝt so Line 124 So þat þe clerkes be not with me wroþe I seye þis þat þey maked be for boþe This is to seyn for office and for eese Of engendrynge þare we not god displese Line 128 Why schulden men elles in here bokes sette That man schal yelde to his wijf his dette Now wher-wiþ scholde he paye his payement yf þat he ne vsed his seely instrument Line 132

[6-text p 338] Line 132 Than were þey maade vpon a creature To purgie vryne and eek for engendure But I seye nought þat euery wight is holde That haþ such harneys as I to yow of tolde Line 136 To gon and vsen hem in engendrure Thanne scholde men take of chastite no cure Crist was a mayden and schapen as a man And many a seynt syn þat þe world bygan Line 140 Yet lyued þey euere in parfyt chastite I nel envye with no virginite lete hem ete brede of pured whete seed And late vs wyues ete barly breed Line 144 And yet with barly breed Mark telle can Oure lord [Ihesu refresshed / many a man [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 84b] in suche estate as god hath cleped vs I wol perceiver / I am nought precious Line 148 in wiffhode wol I vse myn instrument as frely as my maker / hath hit sent yiff I be dangerous / god yeve me sorowe myn housbonde shal it haue both eve and amorwe Line 152 whan that him list / com forth and pay his dette an housbonde wol I haue / I wol not lette which shal be / both my dettour and my thralle and han his tribulacioun with-alle Line 156 vppon his flesshe / while that I am his wiff I haue the power / durynge al my liff vppon his propre body / and not he right thus the Appostel / tolde vn-to me Line 160 and bad oure housbondes / for to love vs welle alle this sentence / me liketh euerydelle

Uppe sterte the pardoner / and that anoon now dame quod he / bi god and bi seint Iohn Line 164 ye ben a noble prechoure / in this caas I was abovte to wedde a wiff allaas what shulde I bye it / on my flesshe so dere yit had I lever wedde noon to yere Line 168

[6-text p 339] Line 168 abyde quod she / my tale is not bigonne nay thow shalt drynken / of another tonne or that I go / shal sauour wers than ale [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 85a] and whan I haue tolde forth my tale Line 172 of tribulacioun / that is in mariage of which I am expert / in myn age this is to seie / my-silff hath ben the whippe than maistow chese / whether thow wih sippe Line 176 of thilke tonne / that I shal abroche be war of hit / or thow to nygh approche for I shal telle ensamples / mo than ten who so that wil not / be war bi other men Line 180 by him shulle other men corrected be these same wordis / writeth Protholome rede in his Almageste / and take it there dame I wol pray yow / if youre wille were Line 184 seide this Pardoner / as ye bigan telle forth youre tale / spare for no man and teche vs yongemen / of youre practike gladly quod she / sith it may yow like Line 188 but that I pray / to al this companye if that I speke / after my fantesie as taketh nought agreff / of that I seye for myn entente / is not / but for to pleye. Line 192

NOw sirs than shal I telle yow my tale as euere mot y drynke wyn or ale I shal sey soth / tho housbondes that I hadde as thre of hem were goode / and two were badde Line 196 the thre were goode men / riche and olde vnneth myghten thei / the statute holde in which thei were bounden vn-to me ye wot wel what I meene of this parde Line 200 as god me helpe / I laugh whan I thynke how pitously a nyght / I made hem swynke but bi my fay / I tolde of hit no store thei hadde me yeve here londe / and here tresore Line 204

[6-text p 340] Line 204 me nedede nought / do lenger diligence to wynne here love / and do hem reuerence they loued me so wel / bi god above [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 85b] that I ne tolde no deynte / of here love Line 208 a wise woman wol besy hir / euere in oon to gete hir love / ye there as she hath noon but sith I hadde hem / holly in myn honde and that thei hadde / yeve me al here londe Line 212 what shulde I take kepe hem for to please but if it were my profyte / and myn ease I sette hem so a worke / bi my fay that many a night / thei songen welaway Line 216 the Bacoun was not fette for hem I trowe] That some men haue in Essexe at Dunmowe [folio 107a] I gouerned hem so wel after my lawe That iche of hem ful blisful was and fawe / Line 220 To bringe me gay þinges fro þe feyre They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire ffor god it woot I chidde hem spytously Now herkneþ how I bar me proprely Line 224 ye wyse wyues þat can vnderstande Thus schulde ye speke and bere hem wrong on hande ffor half so boldely þer can no man Swere and lye as a womman can Line 228 I seye not þis by wyues þat ben wise / But it be whan þat þey hem mysavyse / A wise wijf schal if þat sche can hire good Bere him on hond þat þe kow is wood Line 232 And take witnesse of hir owne mayde / Of hire assent but herkeþ how I sayde / Sire olde kaynard is þis þin array Why is my neyheboures wijf so gay Line 236 Sche is honoured ouer al wher sche goþ I sitte at hom I haue no þrifty cloþ What dostow at my neyhebores hous Is sche so fair art þou so amerous Line 240

[6-text p 341] Line 240 What roune ȝe wiþ oure mayde benedicite Sire olde lechour let þy iapes be / And if I haue a gossibb or a freende Wiþoute gilte ȝe chide as a feende Line 244 If þat I walke or pleye vnto his hous þou comest home as drunken as a mous And prechest on þi benche wiþ euel preef þou seist to me it is a gret meschief Line 248 To wedde a pouer womman for costage And if þat sche be riche of gret parage þanne seistow þat it is a tormentrie / To suffre hire pryde and hire malencolie / Line 252 And if þat sche be fair þou verray knaue / Thow seist þat euery holour wol hir haue / [folio 107b] Sche may no while in chastite abyde That is assayed vppon eche syde Line 256 Thou seist some folk desire vs for richesse Some for oure schapp and some for oure fayrnesse And some for sche can oþer synge or daunce þus saistow wernard god ȝiue þe meschance Line 260 Some for here hondes and here armes smale Thus goþ al to þe deuel by þy tale/ þou seist men may not kepe a castel walle It may so longe assailed ben ouer alle / Line 264 And if þat sche be foule þou seist þat sche Coueiteþ euery man þat sche may see ffor as a spaynel sche wol on him lepe Til þat sche fynde som man þat wol hir chepe Line 268 Ne non so grey goos goþ þer in þe lake As seist þou þat wol be wiþouten make And seist it is an hard þing for to weelde A wight þat noman wille his þankes helde Line 272 Thus seistow lorel whan þou gost to bedde And þat no wys man needeþ for to wedde And noman þat entendiþ to þe heuene Wiþ wilde þunder dent and fyre leuene / Line 276

[6-text p 342] Line 276 Mote þy wicked necke be to-broke þou seist þat droppyng houses and eek smoke And chydyng wyues maken men to fle Out of here owne houses a benedicite Line 280 What eyleþ swich an olde man for to chyde Thou seist we wyues wille oure vices hyde Til we be faste and þanne we wille hem schewe Wel may þis be a prouerbe of a schrewe Line 284 Thou seist þat Oxen assen hors and houndes They ben assayed at diuerse stoundes Bacynes lauours or þat men hem bye Spoones stooles and swich housbondrye Line 288 And so ben cloþes pottes and oþer arrayes But of wommen aren maked non assayes [folio 108a] Til þei ben wedded olde dotard schrewe And seist how þanne we wil oure vices schewe Line 292 Thou seist also þat it displeses me But if þou wille preyse my beaute And but þou poure alwey vpon my face And clepe me faire dame in euery place Line 296 And but þou make a feste on þat ilke day That I was born and make me freische and gay And but þou do to my norys honour And to my chambre wiþinne my bour Line 300 And to my fadres folk and his allyes Thus seist þou olde barel ful of lyes And yit of oure apprentys Iankyn ffor his crispe heer schynynge so gold fyn Line 304 And for he squyeres me boþe vp and doun yet hastow þought and fals suspecion I wil him nought þough þou were deed to morwe But telle me þis why hydest þou with sorwe Line 308 Thy keyes of þi cheste away fro me / It is my good as wel as þin parde What wenestow make an ydyot of oure dame / Now by þat lord þat called is seint Iame Line 312

[6-text p 343] Line 312 þou schalt not boþe þough þou were wood Be maister of my body and my good That oon þou schalt forgo maugre þin eyȝen What helpeþ it on me enquere and spyen Line 316 I trowe þough þou woldest loke me in þi cheste þou scholdest seie wyf go where þe leste Take youre disporte I wol not leue no tales I knowe ȝow for a good wyf dame Alis Line 320 We loue no man þat takeþ keepe or charge Where þat we go we wole be at oure large Of alle men blessed mote he be The wise astrologien dann ptholome Line 324 That seiþ þis prouerbe in his almageste Of alle men his wisdam is hyeste [folio 108b] That rekkeþ not who haþ þe world in hande By þis prouerbe þou schalt wel vnderstande Line 328 haue þou ynough what þar þe rekke or kare how meryly þat oþer folkes fare ffor certes olde dotard by youre leue ye schulle haue queynte right ynough at eue Line 332 he is to gret a nygard þat wol warne A man to light a candel at his lantarne he schal haue neuer þe lesse light/ parde haue þou ynough þe þar not pleyne þe Line 336 þou seist also þat if þou make vs gay Wiþ cloþing or with precious array That it is peril of oure chastite And ȝit with wordes þou most enforce me / Line 340 And seie þise wordes in þe apostels name In habyt made with chastite and schame ye wommen schulle apparaille you quod he/ And nat in tressed heer and gay perre Line 344 As perle ne wiþ golde ne cloþes riche After þi texte ne after þi rubriche I wol not werke as mochil as a gnatt þou saydest als þat I was like a catt Line 348

[6-text p 344] Line 348 But who so wolde senge a cattes skyn þanne wolde þe catt wel dwellen in his In And if þe cattes skyn be slike and gay Sche nel not dwelle in house half a day Line 352 But forþ sche wille or ony day be dawed To schewe hire skyn and go a caterwrawed þis is to say if I be gay sir schrewe I wil renne out my borel for to schewe Line 356 Sire olde fool what helpeþ þe to spien They þou prey argus with his þousand yhen To be my warde corps as he can best In feiþ he schal not kepe me but if me lest Line 360 yet couþe I make his berd so mote I þee þou seist eek þat þer ben þinges þree [folio 109a] þe whiche þinges troublen al þis Erþe And þat no wight may endure þe ferþe Line 364 O leue sire schrewe ihesu schorte þi lijf yet prechest þou and seist an hateful wijf y-rekned is for oon of þis meschances Ben þer non oþer maner resemblances Line 368 þat ye may likene ȝoure parables to But if a sely wijf be on of þo And likenest wommannes loue to helle To bareyne lond þer water may not dwelle Line 372 þou likenest it/ also to wilde fyre The more it brenneth þe more it haþ desire To consume eny þing þat brende wolde be Thou seist þat right as wormes schende a tree Line 376 Right so a wyf destroyeþ hir housebonde This knowen þey þat ben to wyues bonde lordynges right þus ȝe han vnderstande Bar I stifly myn olde housbondes on hande Line 380 þat þus þey seyden in here drunkenesse And eek þat he hadde suspecion and Ielousnesse On Iankyn and on my nefe also O lord þe peyne I dede hem and þe woo Line 384

[6-text p 345] Line 384 fful gilteles by goddes sweete pyne ffor as an hors I couþe boþe byte and whyne I couþe pleyne and I was in þe gilte Or elles ofte tyme I hadde ben spilte Line 388 Who so þat first to mylle comþ ferst grynte I pleyned first so was oure werre stynte þey were ful glade to excusen hem ful blyue / Of þing which þei agilte neuer here lyue Line 392 Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde Whan þat for sike þey might vnneþe stonde yet tykeled I his herte for þat he Wende I hadde of him so gret chiertee Line 396 I swore þat al my walkynge be night Was for to aspye wenches þat he dighte [folio 109b] vnder þat colour hadde I many a myrþe ffor alle such witte is ȝiue vs in oure birþe Line 400 Desceipte wepyng spynnyng god haþ ȝiue To womman kyndely whil þat þei may lyue And þus of o þing I auaunte me At þe ende I hadde þe beste in eche degre Line 404 By sleighte or force or by som maner þing As by continuel murmur and grucching Namely a bedde hadde þey meschaunce Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce Line 408 I wolde no lenger in þe bedde abyde If þat I felte his arm ouer my syde Til he hadde made his raunsom vnto me Thanne wolde I suffre him do his nycete Line 412 And þerfore euery man þis tale I telle Wynne who so may al are for to selle Wiþ empty hande men may non haukes lure ffor wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure Line 416 And make me a feyned appetyt And ȝit in bakon hadde I neuer delit/ That maked me þat euer I wolde him chyde ffor þough þe pope hadde sete him besyde Line 420

[6-text p 346] Line 420 I wolde nouȝt spare him at his oughne bord ffor by my trouþe I quitte him word for word As helpe me verrey god omnipotent þough I right now schulde make my testament Line 424 I ne owe him a word þat it nys quitte I brought it so aboute by my witte That he muste ȝiue it vp as for þe beste / Or elles hadde we neuere ben in reste Line 428 ffor þough he loked as a leoun ȝet scholde he faile of his conclusion Thenne wolde I seye now goode leef take keepe / how mekely lokeþ wilkyn oure scheepe Line 432 Com ner my spouse lat me ba þi cheeke ȝe schulle be al pacient and meeke [folio 110a] And han a sweete spiced conscience / Syn ȝe so preche of Iobis pacience Line 436 Suffreþ alwey syn ȝe so wel can preche And but ȝe do certein we schul ȝou teche That it is fair to haue a wyf in pees On of vs moot bowen doutelees Line 440 And siþþe a man is more resonable Than woman is sire ȝe moste be suffrable / What eyleþ ȝou to grucche þus and grone Is it for ȝe wolde haue my queynte allone Line 444 Whi tak it al / lo haue it euery del Petir I schrewe ȝou but ȝe loue me wel ffor If I wolde selle my bele chose I couþe walke as freissche as a rose Line 448 But I wil kepe it for ȝour owne toþ ȝe be to blame by god I seye ȝou soþ Suche maner wordes hadde we on honde Now wol I speke of my ferþe housbonde / Line 452 ¶ My ferþe housbond was a reuelour This is to seye he hadde a paramour And I was yong and ful of Ragerie Styborne and strong and ioly as a pye Line 456

[6-text p 347] Line 456 lord how couþe I daunce to an harpe smale / And synge ywys as eny nyghtyngale / Whan I hadde dronke a draughte of sweete wyn Meteling þe foule cherle þe swyn Line 460 That with a staf byraft his wif hir lyf ffor sche drank wyn þough I hadde ben his wijf Ne schulde he nought han daunted me fro drynke And after wyn on venus most I þinke Line 464 ffor also syker as colde engendreþ hayl A likerous mouþ moste han a likerous tail In womman violent is no defence This knowen lecchoures by experience Line 468 But lord crist whan þat it remembreþ me / vpon my ȝouþe and my Iolyte [folio 110b] It tykeleþ me about myn herte roote vnto þis day it doþ myn herte boote Line 472 þat I haue had my world as in my tyme But age allas þat al wol envenyme haþ me byraft my beaute and my piþ lat go far wel þe deuel go þer-wiþ Line 476 The flour is gon þer is nomore to telle The bren as I best can now moot I selle But ȝet to be right mery wol I fonde / Now forþ to telle of my ferþe housbonde Line 480 I seye I hatte in herte gret despyt That he of eny oþer hadde delyt But he was quyte by god and by sent Iose I made him of þe same woode a crose Line 484 Not of my body in no foul manere But certeinly I made folk such cheere That in his owne grece I made him frye ffor angery and for verray Ialousie / Line 488 By god in erþe I was his purgatorie ffor which I hope his soule be in glorie / ffor god it wot he sat ful ofte and song Whan þat his scho ful bitterly him wrong Line 492

[6-text p 348] Line 492 ffor þer was non sauf god and he þat wiste In many wise where I him twiste he deyed whan I cam fro Ierusalem And liþ y-graue vnder þe Roode beem Line 496 Al nys his tombe not so curious As was þe sepulcre of him Darius Which þat appelles wroughten subtilly It nys but waste to burye him preciously Line 500 lat him far wel god ȝiue his soule reste he is now in his graue and in his cheste ¶ Now of my fyfþe housbonde wil I telle God late neuer his soule come in helle / Line 504 And ȝit was he to me þe moste schrewe / That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe [folio 111a] And euere schal vnto myn endyng day But in a bed he was so freissh and gay Line 508 And þer-wiþ-al so wel couþe he me glose / Whan þat he wolde han my bele chose / þat þough he hadde me bete on euery boon he couþe wynne agayn my loue anon Line 512 I trowe I loued him þe bet for he Was of his loue daungerous to me We wymmen han if þat I schal not lye In þis manere a queinte fantasye Line 516 Wayte what þing we may nought lightly haue Ther-after wole we crye alday and craue / fforbede vs þing and þat desyren we Prees on vs faste and þanne wil we flee / Line 520 Wiþ daunger outen we alle oure chaffare Gret prees at market makeþ deere ware / And to gret cheep is holde / at litel pris This knoweþ euery womman þat is wys Line 524 My .v^e. housbonde god his soule blesse Which þat I took for loue and no richesse / he som tyme was a clerk of Oxenforde And hadde left scole and wente at hom to borde Line 528

[6-text p 349] Line 528 Wiþ my gossybb dwellyng in oure toun God haue hire soule hir name was alisoun Sche knew myn herte and al my priuyte / Bettre þan oure parissche prest so mote I þee / Line 532 To hire bywreyed I my counseil al ffor hadde myn housbonde pyssed on a wal Or don a þing þat schulde haue cost his lyf To hire and to anoþer worþy wyf Line 536 And to my neece which I loue wel I wolde han told his counseill euerydell And so I dede ful ofte god it woot That made his face often reed and hoot Line 540 ffor verray schame and blamed himself for he hadde told to me so gret a pryuyte [folio 111b] And so it felle þat ones in a lente So ofte tyme vnto my gossib wente / Line 544 ffor euer ȝit I loued to be gay And for to walke in march aueril and may ffrom hous to hous to herkne sondry tales That Iankyn clerk and my gossibb dame alis Line 548 And I my self in to þe feldes wente myn housbond was at london al þat lente I hadde þe bettre leysir for to pleye And for to see and eek for to be seye Line 552 Of lusty folk what wist I wher my grace Was schapen for to be or in what place þerfore made I my visitacions To vigilies and to processions Line 556 To prechyng eek and to þis pilgrimages To pleyes of myracles and of mariages And wered vpon my gaye skarlet gytes This wormes ne þise moþþes ne þise mytes Line 560 vppon my peril frete hem neuer a del And wostow why for þey were vsed wel ¶ Now wol I tellen forþ what happed me I seye þat in þe feeldes walked we Line 564

[6-text p 350] Line 564 Til trewely we hadde such dalyance þis clerk and I þat of my purueiaunce I spak to him and seyde how þat he If I were wydow schulde wedde me Line 568 ffor certeynly I seye for no bobaunce / þat was I neuer ȝit wiþoute purueance Of mariage ne of oþer þinges eeke I holde a mouses witte nat worþ a leek Line 572 þat haþ but oon hole for to stirten to And if þat faile þan is al y-do [I bar him on honde / he had enchaunted me my dame taughte me / that subtilte and eke I seide / I mette of him al night he wolde haue shamed me / as I lay vpright and al my bed was ful / of verry blood but yit I hope / that ye shul do me good Line 580 for blood bitokeneth gold / as me was taughte and al was fals / for I dremed right naughte but as I folwed ay / my dames lore als wel of that / as of other thinges more] But now sire lat me see what I schal seyn A ha. by god I haue my tale agayn Whan þat my ferþe housbonde was on bere I wepe algate and made sory chere [folio 112a] Line 588 As wyues mooten for it is vsage / And with my keuercheeff couered my visage But for þat I was purueyed of a make / I weep but smale and þat I vndertake Line 592 To chirche was myn housbond y-born on morwe With neghebours þat for him made sorwe And Iankyn oure clerk was on of þo As help me god whan þat I seih him go Line 596 After þe beere me þought he hadde a paire Of legges and of feet so cleene and faire That al myn herte I yaf vnto his holde he was I trowe twenty wynter olde Line 600

[6-text p 351] Line 600 And I was fourty if I schal seye soþ But yet I hadde alwey a coltes toþ Gat toþed I was and þat bycam me wel I hadde þe printe of seint venus sel Line 604 As help me god I was a lusty oon And fair and riche and ȝong and wel bygon And trewely as myn housbond tolde me I hadde þe beste queynte þat/ mighte be Line 608 [for certis I am al fully Venerian in feling / and myn herte is Marcian Venus me yaff my lust / my likerousnes and Mars yaff me / my sturdy hardynes] Line 612 Myn ascendent was Taur and Mars þerinne Allas allas þat euer loue was synne / I folwed ay myn inclinacion By vertue of my constellacion · Line 616 That made me I couþe not wiþdrawe My chambre of venus from a good felawe [yit haue I Mars is marke / vppon my face and also in another prevy place for god so wis be / my sauacioun I loued neuere / bi no discressioun but euere folwed / myn appetite al were he long / shorte / blak or white Line 624 I toke no kepe / so that he liked me how pore he was / ne eke of what degre] What schulde I seye but at þe monþes ende This Ioly clerk Iankyn þat was so heende / Line 628 haþ wedded me with gret solempnite And to him ȝaf I al þe lond and fee / That euere was me ȝiuen þer byfore But afterward repentede me ful sore Line 632 he nolde suffre no þing of my lest By god he smot me onys on þe lest ffor þat I rente out of his book a leef That of þat strook my eeren woxen deef [folio 112b] Line 636

[6-text p 352] Line 636 ¶ Stiborne I was as is a leonesse / And of my tonge a verray Iangleresse / And walke I wolde as I hadde don biforn ffrom hous to hous al þough he hadde it sworn Line 640 ffor wiþ ful often tyme he wolde preche And me olde romance gestes teche how he simplicius Gallus lefte his wijf And hire forsook for terme of his lijf Line 644 Not but for openhede he hir say Lokyng out at his dore on a day Anoþer Romayn tolde he me by name That for his wyf was at a Somer game / Line 648 Wiþoute his wytyng he forsook hire eeke And þanne wolde he vpon his bible seeke That ilke prouerbe of ecclesiaste Wher he comaūndeþ and forbedeþ faste Line 652 Man schal not suffre his wyf to roule aboute þan wolde he seye right þus wiþouten doute Who so þat buldeth his hous al of salwes And prikeþ his blynde hors ouer þe falwes Line 656 And suffreþ his wijf go for to seeken halwes Is worþy for to be hanged on þe galwes But al for nought I sette nat an hawe Of his prouerbes ne of his olde lawe Line 660 Ne I wolde not of him corrected be / I hate him þat my vice telleþ me And so don mo god woot of vs þan I This made him with me wood al outerly Line 664 I nolde not forbere him in no caas Now wil I seie ȝou soþ by seint Thomas Why þat I rent out of his book a leef ffor which he smot me þat I was deef Line 668 he hadde a book þat gladly night and day ffor his disporte he wolde rede alway he clepede valery and Theofraste At which book he lowh alwey ful faste [folio 113a] Line 672

[6-text p 353] Line 672 And eek þer was som tyme a clerk in Rome / A Cardinal þat highte seint Ierome That made a book aȝein Iouynian In which book eeke þer was Terculan Line 676 Crisippus Trocula and helowys That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys And eek þe parables of Salomon Ovides art and bokes many oon Line 680 And alle þise were bounde in oo volume And euery night and day was his custume Whan he hadde leysyr and vacacioun ffrom oþer worldly occupacion Line 684 To reden in þis book of wikked wyues he knew of hem mo legendes and lyues Than ben of goode wyues in þe bible / ffor trusteþ wel it is an impossible Line 688 That ony clerk wole speken good of wyues But if it be of holy seintes lyues Ne of non oþer wommen neuer þe mo Who peynted þe lyoun tel me who Line 692 By god if wommen hadden writen stories As clerkes han wiþinne here oratories They wolde haue writen of men more wickednesse Than alle þe marke of adam may redresse Line 696 The children of mercurie and venus Ben in here werkynge contrarious Mercurie loueþ wisdam and science / And venus loueþ ryot and dispence / Line 700 And for here diuerse disposicion Eche falleþ in oþres exaltacion As þus god wot mercurie is desolat In Piscis. where venus is exaltat Line 704 And venus falleþ þer mercurie is reised Ther-fore no womman of no man is preysed The clerk whan he is olde and may not do To Venus werk nought worþ his olde scho [folio 113b]

[6-text p 354] Than sitte he doun and writ in his dotage / That wommen con not keepe here mariage But now to purpos why I tolde þe That I was beten for a book pardee Line 712 Vppon a night Iankyn þat was oure syre Redde on his book as he sat by þe fyre Of Eua first þat for hire wickednesse Was al mankynde brought to wrecchednesse Line 716 [for which Ihesu crist / him silff was sleyne that bought vs with his herte blood ageyne lo here expresse of recorde / may ye fynde that woman was the loos / of al mankynde [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 92b] ] Line 720 Tho redde he me how Sampson lost his heris Slepyng his lemman kit it wiþ hir scheris Thurgh which treson lost he boþe his eyen Tho redde he me if þat I schal not lyen Line 724 Of ercules and of his deyanire / That caused him to sette himself a fyre No þing for-gat he þe penance and woo That Socrates hadde with his wyues tuo Line 728 how þat ancipa caste pisse on his heed This seely man sat stille as he were deed he wyped his heed no more durste he seyn But or þat þundir stynte comeþ a reyn Line 732 Of Phasipha þat was þe queen of Grete / ffor schrewednesse him þought þe tale swete ffy spek nomore it is a grisly þing Of hire horrible lust and hire likyng Line 736 Of Clitermistra for hire leccherie That falsly made hir housbonde for to dye he redde it wiþ wel good deuocion he tolde me for what occasion Line 740 Amphiorax at Thebes lost his lyf Myn housbond had a legend of his wijf Eriphilem þat for an ouche of golde haþ pryuyly vnto þe Grekes tolde Line 744

[6-text p 355] Line 744 Wher þat hir housbond hid him in a place ffor which he hadde at Thebes sory grace Of lyma tolde he me and of lucye Line 747 They boþe made here housbondes for to dye [folio 114a] That on for loue þat oþer was for hate lyma hire housebonde on euen late Enpoysoned hadde for sche was his foo Lucia likerous loued hir housbonde so Line 752 That for he scholde vppon hir alwey þinke Sche yaf him such a loue maner drynke That he was deed er it was by þe morwe And þus algates housbondes han sorwe Line 756 Than tolde he me how oon latumyus Compleigned to his felaw arius That in his gardyn growed such a tree On which he seyde þat his wyues þre Line 760 hanged hemselue for hertes dispitous O leeue broþer quod þis arious ȝif me a plante of þat blisful tree And in my gardyn planted schal it be/ Line 764 Of later date of wyues haþ he redde That han slayne here housbondes in þe bedde And leet hir lecchour dight hir al þe night Whan þat þe corps lay in þe floor vpright Line 768 And some han dryuen nayles in here brayn Whil þat þey sleepe and þus þey han hem slayn Some han ȝiuen poyson in here drynke He spak more harme þan herte may beþynke Line 772 And þer-wiþ-al he knew of mo prouerbes þan in þis worlde þer growen gresse or herbes Bet is quod he þin habitacion Be with a leoun or a foul dragon Line 776 Than with a womman vsyng for to chyde Bet is quod he heihe in þe roof abyde Than wiþ an angry wyf doun in an hous They ben so wicked and contrarious Line 780

[6-text p 356] Line 780 þey hateþ þat here housbondes loueþ ay he seyde a womman cast hir schame away Whan sche cast of hir smok and forþermo A fair womman but sche be chast also [folio 114b] Line 784 Is lyk a goldryng on a sowes nose Who wolde wene or wolde suppose þe woo þat in myn herte was and pyne And whan I saugh he wolde neuer fyne Line 788 To reden on þis cursed book al night Al sodeinly þre leues haue I plight Out of his book right as he red and eeke I with my fest so took him on þe cheeke Line 792 þat in oure fire he fille bakward adoun And he vpstirte as doþ a wood leoun And with his fest he smot me on þe heed þat in þe floor I lay as I were deed Line 796 And whan he saugh how stille þat I lay he was agast and wolde han fledde away Til atte laste out of my swowe I brayde O hast þou slayn me false þeef I sayde Line 800 And for my lond þus hastow moerdred me / Or I be deed ȝit wol I kisse þe And neer he come and kneled faire adoun And seyde deere suster alisoun Line 804 As help me god I schal þe neuer smyte þat I haue doon it is þiself to wyte fforȝiue it me and þat I þe beseke / And ȝit eftsones I hitte him on þe cheeke / Line 808 And seyde þeef þus mochel am I wreke Now wil I dye I may no lenger speke But at þe laste / wiþ mochel care and woo We felle acorded by vs seluen tuo Line 812 he ȝaf me al þe brydel in myn hond To haue þe gouernance of hous and lond And of his tunge and of his hand also/ And made him brenne his book anon right þo Line 816

[6-text p 357] Line 816 And whan þat I hadde geten vnto me By maistrie al þe souerainte þan he seyde myn owne trewe wyf Do as þou list þe terme of alle þy lif / kepe þin honour and keep eek myn estate / After þat day we hadde neuer debate / God help me so I was to him as kynde As eny wijf from Denmark in to ynde Line 824 And al so trewe and so was he to me / I pray to god þat sitte in mageste So blisse his soule for his mercy deere Now wol I telle my tale if ȝe wol heere Line 828

¶ Here endeþ þe prologe of þe gode wif of Baþe

[The Wrangle between the Summoner and Friar.]

The frere lowh whan he haþ herd al þis Now dame quod he so haue I ioye or blis This is a long preamble of a tale And whan þis somnour herde þe freere gale / Line 832 Lo quod þe somnour goddes armes tuo A freere wille entremette him euermo lo goode men a flye and eek a freere Wille falle in euery dissche and eek/ matiere / Line 836 What spekest þou of preambulacion What amble or trotte or pees or go sit doun Thou lettest/ oure disport in þis manere / ȝe woltow so þou sompnour quod þe ffrere / Line 840 Now by my fay I schal er þat I go Telle of a Somnour such a tale or tuo That alle þe folk schulle laughen in þis place Now elles frere I beschrewe þy face Line 844 Quod þis somnour and I byschrewe me / But if I telle þe tales tuo or þre Of freres or I come to Sydyngborne þat I schal make þin herte for to morne Line 848

[6-text p 358] Line 848 ffor wel I wot þy pacience is gon Oure hoste cryde pees and þat anon And seyde lat þe womman telle hir tale / Ye faren as folk þat dronken ben of ale Line 852 Do dame telle forþ youre tale and þat is beste Al redy sire quod sche right as yow leste [If I have licens o]f þis worþi frere [Yis dame telle] forþ þi tale I wol here Line 856

[6-text p 359]

[Here bigynneth] þe goode wyues tale of bathe

IN olde dayes of þe king arthour [O]f which þat britons speken gret honour [A]l was þis land fulfild of fayerie [T]he elfe queen with hire ioly compaignie Line 860 [D]aunced wiþouten in many a greene meede [T]his was þe olde opynion as I rede [I speke of many] hundred ȝeer ago [But] now can noman see non elues moo Line 864 [For] þe grete charite and þe preyeres [Of] lymytoures and oþre pouere freeres [T]hat serchen euery land and euery streem [A]s þikke as motes in þe sonne beem Line 868 Blissynge halles chambres boures [C]itees burghes castels hihe toures [T]hropes bernes schipenes dayeries This makeþ þat þer ben no fayeries Line 872 ffor þer as wont to walke was an elf Ther walkeþ now þe lymytour himself In vndermeles and in morwenynges And seiþ his matyns and his holy þinges Line 876 As he goþ in his lymytacioun Wommen may go now saufly vp and doun In euery busch or vnder euery tree þer is non oþer Incubus but he Line 880 And he wol do hem but dishonour And so felle it / þat þis king arthour hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler þat on a day cam rydyng fro ryuer Line 884

[6-text p 360] Line 884 And happed alone as sche was born he saugh a mayden walkyng him biforn Of which mayde maugre hire heed By verray force he refte hir maydenhed Line 888 ffor which oppression was such clamour And swich pursute vnto þe king artour [folio 102a] That dampned was þis knight for to be deed By cours of lawe and scholde haue lost his heed Line 892 Perauenture such was þe statute þo But þat þe queene and oþer ladyes mo So longe preyede þe king of grace / Til he his lijf him graunted in þe place Line 896 And yaf him to þe queen al at hire wille To cheese wheþer sche wolde him saue or spille The queen þankeþ þe king with alle hire might And after þis þus spak sche to þe knight Line 900 Whan þat sche seigh hir tyme on a day þou stondest ȝet quod sche in such aray þat of þi lijf ȝet hast þou no suerte I graunte þe lijf if þou canst telle me Line 904 What þing is it/ þat wommen most desiren Be war and keep þi neeke bon from yren And if þou canst nought telle it me anon ȝit/ wol I ȝiue þe leue for to gon Line 908 A twelf monþe and a day to seeke and lere An answere sufficant/ in þis matiere And seurte wil I han or þat þou pace Thy body for to yelden in þis place Line 912 Wo was þis knight and sorufully he sikeþ But what he may not do al as him likeþ And at þe laste he chese him for to wende / And come aȝein right at þe yeres ende / Line 916 With swich answere as god wolde him purueye / And takeþ his leue and wendeþ forþ his weye he seekeþ euery hous and euery place / Wher as he hopeþ for to fynde grace Line 920

[6-text p 361] Line 920 To lerne what þing wommen louen most But he now couþe arryuen in no coost Wher as he mighte fynde in þis matere / Tuo creatures acordyng in feere Line 924 Some seyden wommen loue best richesse Some seyde honour some seyden Iolynesse / [folio 102b] Some riche array some seyden lust a bedde / And ofte time to be wydewe and wedde / Line 928 Some seyden þat we be most yesed Whan þat we ben y-flatered and y-plesed he goþ ful neigh þe soþe I wol nat lye A man schal wynne vs best wiþ flaterie Line 932 And with attendaunce and wiþ besynesse Ben we y-lymed boþe more and lesse / And some men sein how þat we louen best ffor to be fre and do right as vs lest Line 936 And þat noman / repreue vs of oure vice But seye þat we be wyse and noþing nyce ffor trewely þer nys non of vs alle / If eny wight wol clawe vs on þe galle / Line 940 þat we nyl loke or he seiþ vs soþ Assay and he schal fynde it þat he doþ ffor be we neuer so vicious wiþinne We wil be holden wys and clene of synne Line 944 And some men sein þat gret delyt haue we ffor to be holden stable and ek secre And in oo purpos stedefastly to dwelle And not bewreye þing þat men vs telle Line 948 But þat tale is not worþ a rake stele Parde we wommen konnen noþing hele Witnesse on Myda wil ȝe heere þe tale / Ovide amonges oþer þinges smale Line 952 Setthe myda hadde vnder his longe heris Growynge vp his heed two assis eeres þe whiche vice he hidde as he best might fful sotilly from euery mannes sight Line 956

[6-text p 362] Line 956 þat saf his wijf þer wist of it no mo he loued hire most and trusted to hire also he preyde hire most þat vnto no creature Sche scholde not tellen of his disfigure Line 960 Sche swor him nay for al þis world to wynne / Sche wolde do þat vylanye or þat synne [folio 103a] To make hire housbonde han so foul a name ffor reproeuyng of him and foule schame Line 964 But naþeles hir þoughte þat sche dyde That sche so longe scholde a counseil hyde hir þought it sat so sore aboute hir herte That needely som word hir most asterte Line 968 And siþþe sche dorste tellen it no man Doun to a mareys faste sche ran Til sche cam þer hir herte was a fyre And as a bytore bumliþ in þe myre Line 972 Sche leyde hire mouþ vnto þe water doun Bewreye me nought þou water with þy soun Quod sche to þe I telle it and nomo Myn housebonde haþ longe asses eeres tuo Line 976 Now is myn herte al hool now it is oute I might no lenger kepe it out of doute here may ȝe see þough we a tyme abyde Yet out it moot we mowe no counseil hyde Line 980 The remenant of þe tale if ye wol heere Redeþ Ovyde and ȝe may it leere This knight of which my tale is specially Whan þat he saugh he mighte nought come þerby Line 984 þis is to seye what wommen louen most Wiþinne his herte sorwful was þe gost But home he goþ he mighte nought soiourne þe day was come þat homward most he tourne Line 988 And in his way it happed him to ryde In alle his care vnder a forest syde Wher he saugh on one daunce go Of ladyes xxiiij. and ȝit mo Line 992

[6-text p 363] Line 992 Toward þe daunce he drowe him yerne In hope þat som wisdam schulde he lerne But certeinly or he cam fully þere / Vanyssched was þe daunce he nyste not where / Line 996 No creature saugh he þat bar lyf Saue in þe grene he saugh sittyng a wijf [folio 103b] A foulere wight þer may non deuyse Agayn þe knight þe olde wijf gan arise Line 1000 And seyde sire knight here forþ ne liþ no wey Telle me what þat ȝe seken by ȝoure fey Perauenture it may þe bettre be / This olde folk konne mochel þing quod sche / Line 1004 my leeue mooder quod þis knight certeyn I am but ded but if þat I can seyn What þing it is þat wommen most desire Cowde ȝe me wisse I wolde wel quyte youre hyre Line 1008 Plight me þi trouþe here in myn hand quod sche The nexte þing þat I require þe Thou schalt it do if it lye in þy might And I wil telle it ȝou or it be night Line 1012 haue here my trouþe quod þe knight I graunte Than quod sche I may me wel auaunte Thy lyf is sauf for I wol stonde þer by vpon my lijf þe queen wole seye as I Line 1016 lat se which is þe proudest of hem alle That wereþ on a kerchef or a calle þat dar say nay of þat I schal ȝou teche lat vs go forþ wiþoute lenger speche Line 1020 Tho rowned sche a pystel in his eere And bad him to be glad and haue no feere Whan þey be comen to þe court þis knight Seyde he hadde holde his day as he hadde hight Line 1024 And redy was his answere as he sayde fful many a noble wijf and many a mayde And many a wydowe for þat þey ben wyse / The queen hir seluen sittyng as Iustyse Line 1028

[6-text p 364] Line 1028 Assembled ben his answer for to heere And afterward þis knight was bode appeere And þat þe knight schal telle in audience To euery wight comanded was scilence Line 1032 What þing þat worldly wommen louen meest This knight ne stood nat stille as doþ a beest [folio 104a] But to his question anon answerde / With manly vois þat al þe court/ it herde Line 1036 My liege lady generally quod he / Womman desireþ to haue soueraynte As wel ouer hir housbonde and hire loue And for to be in maystrie him aboue Line 1040 þis is ȝoure most desyr þough ȝe me kille Doþ as you list I am heer at your wille In al þe court ne was þer wijf ne mayde Ne wydewe þat contraried þat he sayde Line 1044 But seyden he was worþy han his lijf And wiþ þat word vp sterte þat olde wijf Which þat þe knight saugh sittyng on þe grene Mercy quod sche my souerayn lady queene/ Line 1048 Or þat youre court departe do me right I taughte þis answere vnto þis knight ffor which he plighte me his treuþe þere The firste þing I wolde of him requere Line 1052 he wolde it do if it lay in his might Byfore þe court þan preye I þe sire knight Quod sche þat þou me take vnto þi wijf ffor wel þou wost þat I haue kept þy lijf Line 1056 If I seye fals sey nay vpon þy fey This knight answerde allas and weylowey I wot right wel þat such was my biheste / ffor goddes loue chese a newe requeste/ Line 1060 Tak al my good and lat my body go Nay þan quod sche I schrewe vs boþe tuo ffor þough þat I be foule and olde and poure I nolde for al þe metal ne for oure Line 1064

[6-text p 365] Line 1064 þat vnder erþe is graue or liþ aboue But if þat I þy wyf were and þi loue My loue quod he nay my dampnacion Allas þat eny of my nacion Line 1068 Scholde euere so foule y-disparaged be But al for nought þe ende is þis þat he [folio 104b] Constreyned was he nedes moste hire wedde And takeþ þis olde wijf and goþ to bedde Line 1072 Now wolden some men seyn perauenture That for my necgligence I do no cure To telle ȝou þe Ioye and þe array That at þe feste was þat ilke day Line 1076 To which þing schortly answere I schal I seye þer was no ioye ne feste at al þer nas but heuynesse and mochil sorwe ffor priuely he wedded hire on a morwe Line 1080 And al day after hidde him as an owle / So wo was him his wijf loked so foule Gret was þe sorwe þe knight hadde in his þought Whan he was with his wyf a bedde brought Line 1084 he walweþ and torneþ to and fro his olde wijf lay smylyng eueremo And seide O dere housbonde o benedicite ffareþ euery knight þus with his wijf as ȝe Line 1088 Is þis þe lawe of king arthures hous Is euery knight of his loue þus daungerous I am ȝour owne loue and eek ȝoure wijf I am sche which þat saued haþ ȝoure lijf Line 1092 And certes ȝit dede I ȝou neuer vnright Why fare ȝe þus wiþ me þe ferste night ȝe faren like a man þat hadde lost his wit ffy what is my gilt for godes loue tel it Line 1096 And it schal ben amended if I may Amended quod þis knight nay nay That wil nat ben amended neueremo þou art so loþly and so olde also Line 1100

[6-text p 366] Line 1100 And þer-to comen of so lowh a kynde That litel wonder is þough I walwe & wynde So wolde god myn herte wolde breste Is þis quod sche þe cause of ȝoure vnreste; Line 1104 ȝe· certeinly quod he no wonder is Now sire quod sche I couþe amende al þis [folio 105a] If þat me liste or it were dayes þre So wel ȝe mighte bere ȝou vnto me Line 1108 ¶ But for ȝe speken of such gentilesse As is descended out of alle richesse / þat þerfore schulden ȝe be gentil men Such erregance nys nat worþ an hen Line 1112 lo who þat most is vertuous alway Preuy and aperte and most endeþ ay To do þe gentil dedes þat he can And take him for þe grettest gentil man Line 1116 Crist wole we clayme of him oure gentilnesse Nat of oure eldres for here olde richesse ffor þough þey ȝeue vs alle here heritage ffor which we clayme to be of heigh parage Line 1120 ȝet may þey not bequeþe for no þing To non of vs here vertuous lyuyng That made hem gentil men y-called be And bad vs folwen hem in such degre Line 1124 Wel can þe wise poete of fflorence That highte dante speke in þis sentence Lo in swich maner ryme is dauntes tale fful seelde vp riseþ by his branches smale Line 1128 Prowesse of man for god of his prowesse / Wil þat of him we clayme oure gentilnesse ffor of oure eldres may we noþing clayme But temperel þing þat we may hurte and mayme Line 1132 Ek euery wight wot þis as wel as I If gentilesse were plaunted naturelly Vnto a certein linage doun þe lyne Pryue and aperte þanne wolde þey neuer fyne Line 1136

[6-text p 367] Line 1136 To don of gentilesse þe faire office þey mighten do no vylanye ne vice Tak fyre and bere it in þe derkest hous Bitwixe þis and þe mount of Caucasous Line 1140 And lat men schette þe dores and go þenne ȝet wol þe fyr as faire lye and brenne [folio 105b] As þough a þousand men might it beholde his office naturel ay wol it holde / Line 1144 vp peril of lyf til þat it dye / here may ȝe se wel how þat genterie / Is not annexed to possession Siþþe folk do nat here operacion Line 1148 alwey as doþ þe fir lo in his kinde ffor god it wot men may ful often fynde A lordes sone do schame and vilanye And he þat wol haue pris of his gentrie Line 1152 ffor he was boren of a gentil hous And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous And nyl himseluen do no gentil dedes Ne folwe his gentil ancestre þat ded is Line 1156 he nys nat gentil be he duk or eerle ffor vyleyns synful dedes make a cheerle ffor gentilnesse nys but reneute Of þin ancestres for here beaute Line 1160 Which is a strong þing for þi persone The gentilesse comeþ fro god allone Thanne comeþ oure verray gentilesse of grace It was noþing byqueþe vs wiþ oure place / Line 1164 þinkeþ how noble as seiþ valerius Was þilke Tullius hostilius That out of pouert ros to heigh noblesse Redeþ Senec/ and redeþ eek Boesse / Line 1168 þer schulde ȝe seen expres þat it no dredis That he is gentil þat doþ gentil dedis And þerfore deere housebonde I þus conclude Al were it þat myn ancestres were rude Line 1172

[6-text p 368] Line 1172 ȝet may þat heye god and so hope I Graunte me grace to lyue vertuously Thanne am I gentil whan þat I begynne To lyuen vertuously and weyuen synne Line 1176 And þer as ye of pouert me repreue The hihe god on whom þat we bileeue [folio 106a] In wilful pouert chese to leese his lijf And certes euery man and mayde and wijf Line 1180 May vnderstonde ihesu heuen king Ne wolde not chese a vicious lyuyng Glad pouert is an honest þing certeyn þis wille Senec/ and oþer clerkes sein Line 1184 Who so þat holt him payed of his pouert I holde him riche al hadde he nought cert he þat coueyteþ is a pouere wight ffor he wolde han þat nys nat in his might Line 1188 But he þat nought haþ ne coueyteþ to haue Is riche al þough men holde him but a knaue Verray pouert is synne proprely Iuuenal seiþ of pouert myrily Line 1192 The pouere man whan he goþ by þe way Bifore þe þeues he may synge and play Pouert is hatel good and as I gesse / A ful gret brynger out of busynesse Line 1196 A gret amender eek of Sapience To him þat lackeþ it in pacience Pouert is þis al þough it seme alenge Possession þat no wight wol chalenge Line 1200 Pouert ful often whan a man is lowe Makeþ his god and eek himself to knowe Pouert a spectacle is as þinkeþ me þurgh which he may his verray freendes se Line 1204 And þerfore syn þat I you nought greue Of my pouerte nomore me repreue Now sire of eelde ȝe reproeue me And certes sire þough non auctorite Line 1208

[6-text p 369] Line 1208 Were in no book / ȝe gentil of honour Seyn þat men schulde an old wijf do fauour And clepe him fader for ȝour gentilnesse / And auctours schal I fynden as I gesse / Line 1212 Now þer ȝe seyn þat I am foul and olde Than drede ȝou nought to ben a cokewolde [folio 106b] ffor filþe and helþe al so mote I þe Ben grete wardeyns vpon chastite Line 1216 But naþeles syn I knowe ȝoure delyt I schal fulfille your worldly appetyt Chees now quod sche on of þese þinges tweye / To han me foule and olde til þat I deye Line 1220 And be to ȝow a trewe humble wijf And neuere ȝow displese in alle my lijf Or elles ȝe wol haue me ȝong and fair And take ȝour auenture of þe repair Line 1224 That schal come to your hous by cause of me Or in som oþer place wel may be Now chees ȝour seluen wheþer þat ȝou likeþ þis knight auysed him and sore sikeþ Line 1228 But atte laste he seyde in þis manere My lady and my loue and wijf so deere I putte me in ȝoure wise gouernance Cheseþ ȝour self which may be most plesance Line 1232 And most honour to yow and me also I do no force þe wheþer of þe tuo ffor as ȝou likeþ it sufficeþ me þanne haue I gote of ȝou maystrie quod sche Line 1236 Syn I may cheese and gouerne as me list ȝe certes wijf quod he I holde it for best kisse me quod sche we be no lenger wroþe / ffor by my trouþe I wol be to yow boþe Line 1240 þis is to sein / to be boþe fair and good I pray to god þat I mote steruen wood But I to ȝou be also sad and trewe / As euer was wijf syn þat þe world was newe Line 1244

[6-text p 370] Line 1244 And but I be to morwe as fair to seene As eny lady emperice or queene / þat is bitwen þe est and eek þe weste / Do wiþ my lijf and deþ right as ȝou leste Line 1248 Cast vp þe curteyne loke how it is / And whanne þat þe knight sawh al þis [folio 115b] That sche so fair was and so ȝong þerto ffor ioye he hente hir in his armes tuo Line 1252 his herte baþed in a baþ of blisse A þousand tyme a rowe he gan hire kisse And sche obeyed him in euery þing That mighte doon him pleisance or likyng Line 1256 And þus þey lyued vnto here lyues ende In perfyt ioye and ihesu crist vs sende housbondes meke ȝonge and freissche abedde And grace to ouerlede hem þat we wedde Line 1260 And eek I pray to Ihesu schorte here lyues That wol not be gouerned by here wyues And olde and angry nyggardes of dispence Line 1263 God send hem sone a verray pestilence

¶ Explicit

[6-text p 371]

¶ Here bygynneþ þe prologe of þe ffrere /

This worþy lymytour þis noble ffrere he made alway lowrynge cheere vpon þe somnour but for honeste No vyleynes word as ȝit spak he / Line 1268 But atte laste he seyde vnto þe wijf Dame goode god ȝif ȝou right good lijf Ȝe han touched heer al so mote I þe In scole matier gret difficulte Line 1272 Ȝe han seid mochel þing right wel I seye But dame heere as we ryden by þe weye Vs nedeþ nat to speken but of game And late auctoritees a goddes name Line 1276 To preching & to scole eek of clergie / But if it like vnto þis companye I wol ȝou of a somnour telle a game Parde ȝe may wel knowe by þe name Line 1280 That of no somnour may no good be sayd I pray þat non of ȝou be yuele payd A somnour is a romere vp and doun Wiþ amendement of fornicacioun Line 1284 And is y-bete at euery townes ende [folio 115b] Oure host þo spak a sire ȝe scholde ben heende And curteys as a man of ȝour astat In companye we wille no debat / Line 1288 Telleþ ȝoure tale and lateþ þe somnour be Nay quod þe somnour lat him seye to me What so him list whan it comþ to my lot By god I schal him quiten euery grot Line 1292 I schal him telle such a gret honour It is to be a flateryng lymytour And eek of ful many an oþer cryme Which nedeþ nat/ rehersen at þis tyme Line 1296 And his office I schal him telle y-wys Oure host answerde pees nomore of þis And afterward he seyde vnto þe frere / Telle forþ ȝoure tale my leue mayster deere Line 1300

[6-text p 372]

¶ Here bygynneth þe ¶ ffreres tale

Whilom þer was dwellyng in Couentre An erchedekne a man of heih degre That boldely dide execuciōn In punysschyng of fornicacion Line 1304 Of wichcraf and eek of Bawderie Of diffamacion and auoutrie Of chirche reeues and of testamentes Of contractes and of lak of sacramentes Line 1308 Of vsure and Symonye also But certes lecchours dede he grettest wo They scholden syngen if þey were hent And smale tyþeres weren foule y-schent Line 1312 If eny person wolde vpon hem pleyne Ther might astirte him no pecunial peyne ffor smale tyþes and eek for smal offrynge he made þe poeple spitously to synge Line 1316 ffor or þe bisschop caught hem wiþ his hook They weren in þe Erchedeknes book And þanne hadde he þurgh his Iurdiction Power to don on hem correction Line 1320 he hadde a somnour redy to his hande [folio 116a] A sleyere boy was non in engelande ffor sotilly he hadde his especiaile That taughte him where þat him mighte auayle Line 1324 he coude spare of lecchours on or tuo To techen him to foure and twenty mo ffor þough þis somnour wood were as an hare To telle his harlottrie I wil not spare Line 1328

[6-text p 373] Line 1328 ffor we ben oute of here correction They han of vs no Iuresdiction We neuer schullen terme of alle hire lyues Petur so ben þe wommen of þe Styues Line 1332 Quod þis Somnour y-putt out of oure cure Pees with meschance and with mysauenture Thus seyde oure host and let him telle his tale Now telleþ forþ and late þe somnour gale Line 1336 Ne spareþ nought myn oughne maister deere This false þeef þis somnour quod þe ffrere / hadde alwey bawdes redy to his hond As eny hauke to lure in Engelond Line 1340 That telle him al þe secre þat þey knewe ffor here aqueintance was nat come of newe þey weren his approwours priuely he tok himself a gret profyt þerby Line 1344 his maister knew nat alwey what he wan Wiþouten maundement of a lewed man he coude somne on peyne of cristes curs And þey were ynly gladde to fille his purs Line 1348 And made him grete festes atte nale And right as Iudas hadde purses smale And was a þeef right swich a þeef was he his mayster hadde but half his dewete Line 1352 he was if I schal ȝiuen him his laude A theef and eek a sompnour and a baude he hadde eek wenches of his retenue That wheþer þat sir Roberd or sir huwe Line 1356 Or Iohn or Rauf or who þat it were [folio 116b] That lay by hem þat tolde it in his eere Thus was þe wenche and he of oon assent And he wolde fecche a feyned maundement Line 1360 And somne hem to þe Chapitre boþe tuo And pile þe man and late þe wenche go þanne wolde he seye I schal freend for þy sake Do strike þe out of oure lettres blake Line 1364

[6-text p 374] Line 1364 þe þar nomore as in þis cas trauayle I am þi frend þer I þe may auayle Certein he knew of briberies mo þan possible is to telle ȝou vnto Line 1368 ffor in þis worlde is dogge for no bowe That knew an hurt deer from an old bite kowe Than þat þis sompnour knew a sleigh lecchour Or avouter or elles a paramour Line 1372 And for þat was þe fruyt of alle þe rent Therfore on it he sette al his entent And so bifelle þat ones on a day This somnour euer waytyng on his pray Line 1376 Rode for to somne an old wijf a ribibe ffeynyng a cause for he wolde bribe And happede þat he seigh byfore hym ryde / A gay yoman vnder a forest syde Line 1380 A bowe he bar and arwes bright and keene he hadde vppon a courtepy of grene / An hatte vppon his heed wiþ frenges blake Sire quod þis Sompnour hail and wel atake / Line 1384 Welcome quod he and euery good felawe Whider ridestow vnder þis greene schawe Seyde þis ȝeman wilt þou fer to day This somnour him answerde and seyde nay Line 1388 here faste by quod he is myn entente To ryden for to reysen vp a rente / It longeþ to my lordes dewete Art þou þanne a baillif ȝe quod he Line 1392 he dorste nouȝt for verray filþe and schame [folio 117a] Seie þat he was a somnour for þe name Depardieux quod þis ȝoman dere broþer þou art a bailly and I am anoþer Line 1396 I am vnknowen as in þis cuntre Of þin aqueintance I wil preye þe And eek of breþerhode if þat þou leste I haue golde and siluer in my cheste Line 1400

[6-text p 375] Line 1400 If þat þe happed come in-to oure schire Al schal be þin right as þou wolt desyre Graunt mercy quod þis somnour by my feiþ Euerich in oþeres hond his trouþe leiþ Line 1404 ffor to be swore broþer til þey deye and wiþ þat word þey ryden forþ here weye This somnour wiþ þat was so / As ful of venym ben þis wary-angles Line 1408 And euer enquiryng vpon euery þing Broþer quod he wher is ȝoure dwellyng Anoþer day if I scholde ȝou seche This ȝoman him answerde in softe speche Line 1412 Broþer quod he fer in þe Norþ cuntre Wher as I hope som tyme I schal þe se Or we departe I schal þe so wel wisse That of myn hous schalt þou neuer misse / Line 1416 Now broþer quod þis sompnour I ȝou pray Teche me whil we ryden by þe way / Syn þat ȝe ben a baillyf as am I Som subtilte telle me feiþfully Line 1420 In myn office how þat I may most wynne And spareþ not for conscience ne synne But as my broþer tell me how do ȝe Now by my trouþe broþer deere seyde he Line 1424 As I schal tellen þe a feiþful tale / My wages ben ful streyte and smale / My lord is hard to me and daungerous And my office ful laborious Line 1428 And þerfore by extorciouns I lyue [folio 117b] ffor soþe I [take] al þat men wil me ȝiue Algate be sleigte or violence ffrom ȝeer to ȝer I wynne al my dispence / Line 1432 I can no bettre tellen feiþfully Now certes quod þis sompnour so fare I I spare not to take god it wot But if it be to heuy or to hoot Line 1436

[6-text p 376] Line 1436 What I may gete in counseil priuely No maner conscience of þat haue I Ner myn extorcion I might noȝt lyuen Of swiche iapes wil I nat be schriuen Line 1440 Stomake ne fro conscience knowe I noon I schrewe þese schriftefadres euerichon Wel be we mette by god and by seint Iame But leeue broþer telle me þanne þy name Line 1444 Quod þis somnour in þis mene while This ȝeman gan a litel for to smyle Broþer quod he wiltow þat I þe telle I am a steue my dwellyng is in helle Line 1448 And heer I ryde aboute my purchasyng To wite wher men wil ȝif me eny þing my purchace is to fette of alle my rente loke how þou rydest for þe same entente Line 1452 To wynne good þou rekkest neuer how Right so fare I for ryde wolde I now vnto þe worldes ende for a preye A quod þis somnour benedicite what ȝe seye Line 1456 I wende ȝe were a yoman trewely Ȝe han a mannes schappe as wel as I han ȝe a figure þanne determinat In helle þer ȝe ben in ȝoure estat Line 1460 Nay certeinly quod he þer han we noon But whan vs likeþ we can take vs oon Or elles make ȝou wene we ben schape Som tyme [like] a man or like an ape / Line 1464 Or lik an aungel can I ryde or go [folio 118a] It is no wonder þing þough it be so A lousy iogulour can deceyue þe And par de ȝit can I more craft þan he / Line 1468 Why quod þis somnour ryde ȝe þanne or gon In sondry schappe and nat alwey in oon ffor we quod he wille vs swich forme make As most able is oure prayes for to take Line 1472

[6-text p 377] Line 1472 What makeþ ȝou to han al þis labour fful many a cause leeue sire somonour Seyde þis feend but al þing haþ tyme The day is schort and it is passed prime Line 1476 And ȝet ne wan I no þing in þis day I wil entende to wynnyng if I may And nat entende oure wittes to declare ffor broþer myn þi witte is al to bare Line 1480 To vnderstonde þough I tolde hem þe But for þou axest whi labouren we ffor somtyme ben we goddes instrumentz And menes to do his comaundementz Line 1484 Whan þat him list vpon his creatures In diuerse acte and in diuers figures Wiþouten him we han no might certayn If þat him liste to stonden þer agayn Line 1488 And som time at oure praye han we leue Only þe body and not þe soule greeue / Witnesse on Iob whom þat we dyden wo And som tyme han we might of boþe tuo Line 1492 þis is to seyn of soule and body eeke And som tyme we ben suffred for to seeke vpon a man and do his soule vnreste Nat his body and al is for þe beste Line 1496 Whan he wiþstondeþ oure temptacion It is a cause of his saluacion Al be it þat it was not oure entente he schulde be sauf but þat we wolde him hente Line 1500 And som tyme be we seruantz vn-to man [folio 118b] As þe erchebisschope seint Dunstan And to þe apostles seruant/ was I ȝet telleþ me quod þe somnour feiþfully Line 1504 Make ȝe ȝow newe bodyes þus alwey Of elementz þe feend answerde nay Som tyme we feyne and som tyme we arise / Wiþ dede bodyes in ful sondry wise Line 1508

[6-text p 378] Line 1508 And speke as renabely and faire and wel As to þe phitonessa dede Samuel / And ȝit wol some men say it was nat he I do no force of ȝoure diuinite Line 1512 But o þing warne I þe I wil nat Iape Thou wilt algates wite how we be schape / þou schalt her aftirward my broþer deere Come wher þe needeþ nat of me to leere Line 1516 ffor þou schalt by þin owne experience Come in-to þe chayer rede þis sentence Bet þan virgile whil he was a lyue Or dante also now lat vs ryde blyue Line 1520 ffor I wil holde company wiþ þe Til it be so þat þou forsake me Nay quod þis somnour þat schal nat betyde I am a ȝeman knowe is ful wyde Line 1524 my trouþe wil I holde to þe as in þis cas ffor þey þou were þe deuyl Sathanas My trouþe wil I holde to my broþer As I am sworne and eche of vs to oþer Line 1528 ffor to be trewe broþer in þis cas And broþer we gon to oure purchas Take þou þy part what men þe wole yiue And I schal myn þus may we boþe lyue Line 1532 And if þat eny of vs haue more þan oþer lat him be trewe and parte it wiþ his broþer I graunte quod þe deuyl by my fay And wiþ þat word þey ryden forþ here way Line 1536 And right at þentryng of þe tounes ende [folio 119a] To which þe somnour schop him for to wende They say a carte þat charged was with hey Which þat a cartere drof forþ on his wey Line 1540 Deep was þe wey for whiche þe carte strood This cartere smot and striued as he were wood hayt brok hayt scot what spare we for þe stones The feend quoþ he ȝow fecche boþe body and bones / Line 1544

[6-text p 379] Line 1544 As ferforþly as euere were ȝe foled So moche woo as I haue for ȝou þoled þe deuel haue al boþe hors and cart and hey þoughte þis somnour he schulle we haue a pley Line 1548 And neer þe feend he drough as nought ne were fful priuely and rouned in his eere herkne my broþer herkne by þy feiþ herestow nat how þe cartere seiþ Line 1552 hente it anone for he haþ ȝiuen þe Boþe hey and carte and eek his caples þre / Nay quod þe deuyl god not neuer a del It is not his entente truste me wel Line 1556 Aske him þiself if þou nat trowest me Or elles stynte a while and þou schalt se This carter þakked his hors on þe croupe / And þey bygonne to drawe and to stoupe / Line 1560 hayt now quod he þat Ihesu crist ȝou blisse And alle his hondywerk boþe more and lesse / þat was wel twight myn owne lyard boy I pray god saue þe and seinte Loy. Line 1564 Now is my carte out/ of þe slough par de lo broþer quod þe feend what tolde I þe / here may ye see myn oughne deere broþer The carle spak o þing but he þought anoþer Line 1568 late vs go forþ abouten oure viage here wynne I noþing vpon cariage Whan þat þey comen somwhat out of þe toun Þis somnour to his broþer gan to roun Line 1572 Broþer quod he here woneþ an old rebekke [folio 119b] That hadde almost as leef to leese hire necke As for to ȝiue a peny of hire good I wil haue twelue pens þough þat sche be wood Line 1576 Or I wille sompne hire to oure office And ȝit god woot of hire knowe I no vice But for þou canst nat as in þis contre Wynne þi coste tak here ensample of/ me Line 1580

[6-text p 380] Line 1580 This somnour clappeþ at þe wydowes gate Com out he seyde þou olde viritrate I trowe þou hast som frere or prest wiþ þe Who clappeþ seyde þis wijf benedicite Line 1584 God saue ȝou sire what is ȝour swete wille I haue quod he a somonur of þe here a bille vp peyne of cursyng loke þat þou be To morwe biforn oure erchedekenes kne Line 1588 To answere to þe court of certein þinges Now lord quod sche crist ihesu heuen kinges So wisly helpe me as I ne may I haue ben syk and þat ful many a day Line 1592 I may nat gon so fer quod sche ne ryde But I be deed so prikeþ it in my syde / May I nat axe a libel sire somonour And answere þere by my procutour Line 1596 To swich a þing as men wolde appose me / ȝis quod þis somnour pay anon lat se Twelue pens to me and I wil þe aquite I schal no profyt haue þer-by but lite Line 1600 My maister haþ þe profyt/ and nat I Come of and late me ryden hastily Ȝeue me twelue [pens] I may no lenger tarye twelue quod sche lady seinte marie Line 1604 So wisly help me out of care and synne þis wyde world þough þat I scholde it wynne Ne haue I not xij. pens wiþinne myn holde ȝe knowen wel þat I am pouer and olde Line 1608 kyþe ȝoure almesse on me pouere wrecche [folio 120a] Nay þanne quod he þe foule feend me fecche If I þe excuse þough þou scholde be spilt Allas quod sche god wot I haue no gilt Line 1612 Pay me quod he or by þe swete seint anne As I wol bere a-way þy newe panne / ffor dette which þou owest me of old Whan þat þou madest þin housbond kukkewold Line 1616

[6-text p 381] Line 1616 I preyde at home for þy correction Thow lixt quod sche by my sauacion Ne was I neuer or now wydewe ne wijf Somoned vnto your court in al my lijf Line 1620 Ne neuer I nas but of my body trewe / vnto þe deuel blake and rowe of hewe yeue I þy body and my panne And whan þe deuyl herde hir curse so Line 1624 vpon hir knees he seyde in þis manere Now mabely myn owne mooder deere It is ȝour wille in ernest þat ȝe seye þe deuyl quod sche fette him or he deye / Line 1628 And panne and al but he wil him repente Nay olde stot þat is not myn entente Quoþ þis somnour for to repente me ffor any þing þat I haue had of þe Line 1632 I wolde I hadde þy smok and euery cloþ Now broþer quod þe deuyl be nat wroþ þy body and þis panne is myn by right þou schalt wiþ me to helle yet to night Line 1636 Wher þou schalt knowen of oure priuete More þan a mayster of diuinite And wiþ þat word þis foule feend him hent Body and soule he with þe deuyl went Line 1640 Where þat somnours han here heritage And god þat made after his ymage Mankynde saue and gyde vs alle and some And leeue þis somnour good man to bycome Line 1644 lordinges I couþe han told ȝou quod þis frere [folio 120b] hadde I had leysir for þis somnour heere After þe tixte of crist poule and Iohn And of oure oþer doctours many oon Line 1648 Suche peynes þat ȝoure hertes might agrise Al be it so no tonge may deuyse / þough þat I might a þousand wynter telle þe peyne of þilke cursed hous of helle Line 1652

[6-text p 382] Line 1652 But for to kepe vs fro þat cursed place Wakeþ and prayeþ ihesu for his grace So kepe vs fro þe temptour Sathanas herkneþ þis word be war as in þis cas Line 1656 þe leoun sitte in his awayte alway To sle þe Innocent if þat he may Disposeþ ay ȝour hertes to wiþstonde þe feend þat ȝou wolde make þralle and bonde Line 1660 he may nat tempten yow ouer your might ffor crist wille be ȝour champion and knight And preyeþ þat þis somnour him repente Line 1663 Of his mysdede or þat þe feend him hente

¶ Her endeþ þe ffrere his tale /

¶ Explicit

[6-text p 383]

This Somnour in his styrop heyhe stood Vpon þis frere his herte was so wood That lik an aspen leef he quok for Ire lordynges quod he but o þing I desire / Line 1668 I ȝou beseche þat of ȝour curtesye Siþ ȝe han herde þis false frere lye As suffreþ me I may a tale telle This frere bosteþ þat he knoweþ helle/ Line 1672 And god wot þat it is litel wonder ffreres and feendes ben but litel asonder ffor parde ȝe han. ofte tyme herd telle/ how þat a frere rauyssched was in helle Line 1676 In spirit ones by avisioun And as an aungel ladde him vp and doun To schewen him þe peynes þat þer were In alle þe place saugh he nat a ffrere [folio 121a] Line 1680 Of oþer folk he saugh ynowe in woo Vnto þis aungel spak þe frere þo Now sire quod he han freres such a grace / That non of hem schal come to þis place / Line 1684 Ȝis quod þis aungel many a milioun And vnto Sathanas he hadde him doun And now haþ Sathanas saiþ he a taile Bradder þan of þe Caryk is þe saile Line 1688 hold vp þi tayl þou Satanas quod he / Schew forþ þin ersand lat þe frere se / Wher is þe neste of ffreres in þis place And er þat half a forlong wey of space Line 1692

[6-text p 384] Line 1692 Right so as bees swermen out of an hyue Out of þe deueles ers þey gon to dryue Twenty þousand freres on a route And þoughte helle swarme al aboute Line 1696 And camen aȝein as faste as þey mighte gon And in his ers þey crepeden euerichon he clapte his tayl aȝein and lay stille This frere whan he loked hadde his fille Line 1700 vppon þis tormentes of þis sory place / his spirit god restored of his grace / Vnto his body aȝein and he awok But naþeles for feere ȝit he quok Line 1704 So was þe deueles ars ay in his mynde þat is his heritage of verray kinde God saue ȝow alle saue þis cursed frere / My prologe wol I ende in þis manere / Line 1708

[6-text p 385]

¶ Here begynneþ þe Somnours tale

LOrdynges þer is in york schire / as I gesse A mersshy countre called Holdernesse In which þer wente a lymytour aboute / To preche and eek to begge it is no doute Line 1712 And so bifelle þat on a day þis frere Hadde preched atte cherche in þis manere And specially abouen euery þing [folio 121b] Excited he þe poeple in his preching Line 1716 To trentales and for goddes sake Ther-with men mighten holy houses make Ther as diuin seruice is honoured Nought þer as it is wasted and deuoured Line 1720 Ne þer it nedeþ not for to be ȝiue As to possessioners þat may elles lyue þanked be god in wele and habundance Trentales seyde he deliuereþ fro penance Line 1724 here frendes soules as wel olde as ȝonge If þat þey ben hastily y-songe Nought for to holde a prest ioly and gay he syngeþ not but o messe in a day Line 1728 Delyuereþ out quod he anon þe soules fful hard it is wiþ fleisshook oþer with oules Now speed ȝou hastely for cristes sake Line 1732 to kepe ȝou fro peynes of feendes blake Line 1731 And whan þe frere hadde seyde al his entente Wiþ Qui cum patre forþ he wente Whan folk in chirche hadde ȝiue him what hem leste he wente his way no lenger wolde he reste Line 1736

[6-text p 386] Line 1736 Wiþ scrippe and tipped staf tukked ful hye In euery hous he gan to pore and prye And beggeþ mele or chese or elles corn his felaw had a staf typped with horn Line 1740 A payre of tabeles of yuory And a poyntel polisshed fetously And wrot þe names alwey as he stood Of any folk þat ȝaf hem eny good Line 1744 Ascance þat he wolde for hem preye ȝiue vs a busshel whete malt/ or reye A goddes kechil or a trippe of chese Oþer elles what ȝow list we may nat cheese Line 1748 A goddes halpeny oþer a masse peny Oþer ȝiue vs of ȝour bran if ȝe haue eny A dagoun of ȝour blanket leeue dame [folio 122a] Oure suster deere here I write ȝoure name Line 1752 Bacon or beef or such þing as ȝe fynde A sturdy harlot wente hem ay behynde That was here hostes man and bar a sakke And what men ȝaf hem leyde it on his bakke Line 1756 And whan he was out at þe dore anoon he planed awey þe names euerychoon That he bifore hadde writen in his tables he serued hem with nyfles and with fables Line 1760 Nay þer þou lixt þou somnour quod þe frere / Pees quod oure host for cristes moder deere Telle forþ þi tale spare it not at al So þryue I quod þis somnour so I schal Line 1764 So longe he wente hous by hous quod he Til he come to an hous þer he was wont to be Refresshed more þan in an .C. places Seke lay þe bonde man whos þe place is Line 1768 And vpon a kowche lowe he lay Deus hic quod he / O Thomas frend good day Seyde þis frere curteysly and softe Thomas sayde he god ȝelde ȝow ful ofte Line 1772

[6-text p 387] Line 1772 haue I vpon þis benche faren wel heere haue I eten many a mery meel And fro þe benche he drof awey þe cat And leyde doun his potent and his hat Line 1776 And eek his scrippe and sette him softe a doun his felawe was go walked in þe toun fforþ with his knaue in-to þat ostelrie Wher as he schop him þilke night to lye Line 1780 O deere maister quod þis seeke man how han ȝe fare siþenes þat marche bigan I say ȝow nought þis fourtenight and more God woot quod he laboured haue I ful sore Line 1784 And specially for þy Saluacion haue I seyde many a precious orison And for oure oþer frendes god hem blesse [folio 122b] I haue to day don at ȝoure chirche a messe Line 1788 A sayd a sermon after my simple wit nought alle after þe text of holy writ ffor it is hard to ȝou as I suppose þerfore wol I teche to ȝou al þe glose Line 1792 Glosyng is a glorious þing certein ffor lettre sleeþ so as clerkes sein þer haue I taught hem to be charitable And spende here good þer it is resonable Line 1796 There I sawh oure dame a wher is sche yonde in þe yerde I trowe þat sche be / Seyde þis man and sche wil come anon Ey mayster welcome be ȝe by seint/ Iohn Line 1800 Seyde þis wijf how fare ȝe hertely þe frere ariseþ vp ful curteisly And hir enbrased in his armes narwe And kisseþ hir swete and chirkeþ as a sparwe Line 1804 Wiþ his lippes dame quod he right wel As he þat is your seruant eueridel I-þanked be god þat ȝou ȝaf soule and lyf ȝit/ sawh I not to day so fair a wijf Line 1808

[6-text p 388] Line 1808 In al þe chirche god so saue me ȝe god amende defautes sir quod sche Algates welcome be ȝe by my fey Gramercy dame þis haue I founde alwey Line 1812 But of ȝour grete goodnes by ȝour leeue I wolde pray ȝou þat ȝe nought ȝou greue I wole with Thomas speken a litel þrowe þese curates ben ful necligent/ and slowe Line 1816 To grope tendrely a conscience In schrifte and in preching is my diligence And studye in petres wordes and in poules I walke and fisshe mennes soules Line 1820 To ȝelde ihesu crist/ his propre rente To sprede his wordes is sette al myn entente ¶ Now by ȝour leeue o deere sire quod sche [folio 123a] Chydeþ him wel for god in trinite Line 1824 he is as angry as a pissemire þey þat he haue al þat he can desire þey I him wrye a night and make him warm And ouer him leye my legg or arm Line 1828 he groyneþ lik oure boor gronyng in sty Oþer desport of him right non haue I I may not plesen him in no maner caas ¶ Ieo vous dy trescher & bien amy O Thomas Line 1832 This makeþ þe feende þis mot ben amended Ire is a þing þat heye god defended And þer-of wol I speke a word or tuo Now maister quod þe wijf or þat I go Line 1836 What wol ȝe dyne I wole go þer aboute Now dame quod he Ieo vous dye sanz doute haue I not of a Capon but þe lyuere And of ȝour softe brede but a schyuere Line 1840 And after þat a rosted pigges heed But þat I wolde for me no beeste were deed þanne hadde I wiþ ȝou holly suffisance I am a man of litel sustenance / Line 1844

[6-text p 389] Line 1844 My spirit is fostred in þe bible þe body is ay so redy and penyble To wake þat my stomak is destroyed I pray ȝou dame þat ȝe be nought anoyed Line 1848 þey I so frendly my counseil to ȝou schewe By god I wolde not telle it/ but a fewe Now sire quod sche but oo word or I go my child is deed wiþinne þise wikes tuo Line 1852 Siþþen þat ȝe wente out of þis toun his deþ saugh I by reuelacion Seiþ þis frere at home in oure dortour I dar wel seyn þat/ er þat half an hour Line 1856 after his deþ I sawh him born to blisse In myn avision so god me wisse So dede our sextein and oure fermorer [folio 123b] That han ben trewe freres. fyfty ȝeer Line 1860 They may now god by þanke of his lone maken here Iubile and walken allone And vp I ros and alle oure couent eeke With many a teere trillyng on my cheeke Line 1864 Wiþouten noyse or clateryng of bellis Te deum was oure song and no þing elles Saue þat to crist I seyde an orison Thankyng him of his reuelacion Line 1868 ffor sire and dame trusteþ me right wel Oure orisons ben more spirituel And more we se of cristes secre þinges Line 1871 Than burel folk [though they were kynges [Harl. 1758 folio 109a] We lyue in pouerte & in abstynence. And borell solke] in richesse and wynnynges Of mete and drynk and in here foul delit/ We han þis worldes lust al in despit Line 1876 Lazar and Diues liueden dyuersely And dyuerse guerdon hadde þey þerby Who-so wol preye he moot faste and be clene And fatte his soule and make his cheekes lene Line 1880

[6-text p 390] Line 1880 We fare as seiþ þapostil cloþ and foode Sufficeþ vs þeyȝ þey ben not goode The clennes and þe fastyng of ous ffreres makeþ þat crist accepteþ oure prayeres Line 1884 lo moyses .xl. dayes and .xl. nyght ffasted or þat þe heihe god of might Spak wiþ him in þe mount of Synay With empty wombe fastyng many a day Line 1888 Receyued he þe lawe þat was writen Wiþ goddes fynger and helthe wel ȝe witen In þe mont or elles er he hadde eny speche With heyhe god þat is oure lyues leche Line 1892 he fasted longe and was in contemplance And aaron þat hadde þe temple of god in gouernance And eek þat oþer prestes euerichon In-to þe temple whan þey scholden gon Line 1896 To praye for þe poeple and do seruise [folio 124a] They nolden drynken in no maner wise/ No drynk þe which hem mighte drunke make But euere in abstynence to preye and wake Line 1900 lest þat þey deyede tak heede what I seye But þey ben sobre þat for þe poeple preye Ware þat I say no more for it suffiseþ Oure lord ihesus / as holy god deuyseþ Line 1904 ȝiueþ ous ensample of fastyng and prayeres Therfore we mendinantz we pouere freres Ben wedded to pouert and to continence To charite humblesse and also pacience Line 1908 To persecucion for rightwisnesse / To wepyng misericorde and clennesse And þerfore may ȝe see þat oure prayeres I speke of vs we mendenante ffreres Line 1912 Ben to þe hihe god more acceptable Than ȝoures wiþ ȝoure feste at þe table ffro paradys first if I schal nought lye Was man out chaced for his glotonye Line 1916

[6-text p 391] Line 1916 And chast was man in paradys certayn But herkne þere what I schal ȝou sayn I haue no text of þat as I suppose But I schal fynde it in a maner glose Line 1920 That specially oure swete lord Ihesus Spak þus by vers whan he seyde þus Blessed ben þey þat pore in spirit/ ben And so forþ al þe gospel may ȝe seen Line 1924 Wher it be like oure profession Or hem þat swymmen in possession ffy on here pompe and on here glotonye And for here lewednesse I hem diffye Line 1928 Me þinkeþ þey ben like Iovinian ffatte as a whale and walking as a swan As vynolent as botel in þe spence here prayer is ful of gret reuerence Line 1932 Whan þey for soules sein þe psalme of dauid [folio 124b] lo buff þey sain cor meum eructauit Who folweþ cristes gospel and his lore But we þat humble be and chaste and pore Line 1936 Werkers of goddes word and eek auditoures / þerfore right as an hauke rype at a sours vp springeþ vnto þe ayre right so prayeres Of charitable and chaste besy freres Line 1940 maken here sours to goddes eeren and who Thomas þerfore so mote I ride or go And by þat god þat cleped is seint yue Nere þou oure broþer schuldest þou not þriue Line 1944 In oure chapitre praye we day and night To crist þat he sende þe hele and might Thy body for to welden hastily God wot quod he noþing þer-of wot I Line 1948 As helpe me crist as in fewe ȝeeres haue I spended vpon diuers maner freres fful many a pound ȝit fare I neuer þe bett Certein my good haue I almost bisett Line 1952

[6-text p 392] Line 1952 ffar wel my golde for it is al a-go The ffrere answerde o Thomas why dost þou so What needeþ ȝou diuerse freres to seche What needeþ him þat haþ a parfit leche Line 1956 To sechen oþer leches in þe toun ȝour inconstance is ȝour confusioun holde ȝe þen me or elles oure couent To preye for ȝou ben insufficient Line 1960 Thomas þat Iape is not worþ a myte ȝoure maladye is for ȝe han ȝiuen vs so lite A ȝif þat couent half a quarter otes A ȝiue hem one or tuo grotes Line 1964 A ȝiue þe frere a peny and let him go Nay nay Thomas it may no þing be so What is a ferþing worþ parted in twelue lo eche þing þat is oned by himselue Line 1968 Is more straunge þen when it is skatered [folio 125a] Thomas of me þou schalt nat be flatered þou woldest oure labour haue for nought The hihe god þat al þis world haþ wrought Line 1972 Seiþ þat þe werkman is worþi his hyre Thomas nought of ȝour tresore I desire As for my self but þat alle oure couent To pray for ȝou is ay so diligent Line 1976 And for to bulden cristes oughne chirche Thomas if ȝe wol lerne for to wirche Of buldyng vp of chirches may ȝe fynde If it be good in Thomas lijf of Inde Line 1980 Ȝe ligge heer ful of anger and of Ire With þe which þe deuyl sette ȝoure ers a fyre And chyden heere þis sely Innocent Ȝoure wijf þat is so meeke and pacient Line 1984 And þerfore Thomas trowe me if ȝou list Ne stryue not wiþ þy wijf al for þe beste And bere þis word awey now by þy feith Touchinge such þing lo what þe wise man seiþ Line 1988

[6-text p 393] Line 1988 Wiþinne þin hous ne be þou no leoun To þy subiectis do non oppressioun Ne make þin acqueintance not for to fle And Thomas ȝit eft sones say I þe Line 1992 Be war for hire þat in þy bosom slepeþ Be war of þe serpent þat so slyly crepeþ vnder þe grasse þat styngeþ subtilly Be war my sone and herkene paciently Line 1996 That xx^ti. þousand men han lost here lyues / ffor þat þei han ben spitous to here wyues Now siþ ȝe han so holy and so meeke a wijf What needeþ ȝou Thomas to make strif Line 2000 þer is y-wys no serpent so cruel Whan men trede on his tail ne half so fel As womman is whan sche haþ caught an Ire Vengance is þanne al þat þey desyre Line 2004 Ire is a synne on of þe grete of seuene [folio 125b] Abhominable vnto þe god of heuene And to himself it is destruction þis euery lewed vicary or parson Line 2008 Can say how Ire engendreþ homicide Ire in soþ is executor of pryde I couþe of Ire seye so mochil sorwe My tale scholde laste til to morwe Line 2012 And þerfore I praye god boþe day and night An Irous man sende him litel might It is gret harm and certes gret pite To sette an Irous man in heih degre Line 2016 ¶ Whilom þer was an Irous potestat As seiþ Senek durynge his estat Vpon a day out riden knightes tuo And as fortune wolde it were so Line 2020 That oon of hem cam home þat oþer nought Anon þe knight bifore þe Iuge is brought And seyde þus þou hast þy felaw slayn ffor which I deme þe to deþ certain Line 2024

[6-text p 394] Line 2024 And to anoþer knight comaunded he Go lede him to þe deþ I charge þe And happed as þey wente by þe weye Toward þe place þer as he schulde deye Line 2028 The knight cam which þey wend hadde be deed Thenne þoughten þey it were þe beste reed To lede hem boþe to þe Iuge aȝein þey seyden lord þe knight ne haþ not sleyn Line 2032 his felawe here he stant on lyue ȝe schulle be deed quod he so mot I þriue þis is to say boþe oon and tuo and þre And to þe firste knight right þus spak he Line 2036 I dampned þe þou most algate be deed And þou also most needes lese þin heed ffor þou art cause why þy felaw deyþ And to þe þridde knight right þus he seiþ Line 2040 Thou hast not don þat I comaunded þe [folio 126a] And þus he dede do slee hem alle þre Irous kambises was eek drunkelewe And ay delited him to ben a schrewe Line 2044 And so bifelle a lord of his meigne That loued vertuous moralite Sayde on a day vnto himself right þus A lord is lost if he be vicious Line 2048 And drunkenesse is eek a foul record Of any man and namly in a lord Ther is ful many an ey and many an eere Awaytyng on a lord and he not where Line 2052 ffor goddes loue drynkeþ more attemperelly Wyn makeþ a man to lese wrecchedly his mynde and eek his lymes euerychon The reuers schalt þou see quod he anoon Line 2056 And proue it by þin owne experience That wyn doþ to folk no such offence Ther is no wyn byreueþ me my might Of hande ne foot ne of myn eyȝen sight Line 2060

[6-text p 395] Line 2060 And for despite he dranke ful moche more An hundred part þan he had don bifore And right anon þis cursede wrecche lete þis knightes sone biforn him fecche Line 2064 And commaundyng hem þey schulde biforn him stonde And sodeinly he took his bowe on honde And vp þe streng he pulled to his eere And wiþ an arwe he slough þe child right þere Line 2068 Now wheþer haue I a siker hond or non Quoþ he is al my might and my witte agon haþ wyn byreued me myn yhe sight What schulde I telle þe answere of þe knight Line 2072 his sone was slayn þer is namore to say Beþ war þerfore wiþ lordes how ȝe play Syngeþ placebo and I schal if I can But if it be vnto a pouere man Line 2076 To a pouere man men scholde his vices telle / [folio 126b] But not to a lord þei he schulde go te helle / Lo Irrous Sirus þilke Percien how he destroyed þe ryuer of Gysen Line 2080 ffor þat an hors of his was dreynt þerinne Whan þat he wente Babilon to wynne he made þat þe ryuer was so smal That wommen mighten waden oueral Line 2084 lo what seyde he þat so wel teche can Ne he no felawe to an yrous man Ne wiþ no wood man walke by þe way leste þe repente I wol nomore say Line 2088 Now Thomas leeue broþer leue þin Ire Thou schalt me fynde as iuste as is a squire holde nought þe deueles knyf ay at þin herte / Thin anger doþ þe al to sore smerte Line 2092 But schewe to me alle þy confession Nay quod þis seeke man by seint Symon I haue ben schriuen þis day at my curate I haue him tolde al holly myn estate Line 2096

[6-text p 396] Line 2096 It needeþ nomore speke of it sayde he But if me luste of myn humilite Ȝiue me þenne of þy gold to make oure cloystre Quod he for many a muscle and many an oystre Line 2100 haþ ben our foode oure cloystre for to reyse Whan oþer men han ben ful wel at eyse And ȝit god wot vnneþes þe foundement Parformed is ne of oure pauyment Line 2104 Nis nought a tile ȝit wiþinne oure wones By god we owen fourty pound for stoones/ Now helpe thomas for him þat harwed helle Or elles moote we oure bokes selle Line 2108 And if we lacke oure predicacion þanne goþ þe world al to destruccion ffor whos wolde fro þis world vs byreue So god me saue Thomas by ȝoure leeue Line 2112 he wolde byreue out of þe world þe sonne / [folio 127a] ffor who can teche and werchen as we konne And þat is not of litel time quod he But sethyns Elye was or Elyze Line 2116 han freres ben þat fynde I of record In charite I-þanked be oure lord Now Thomas help for seinte charite A-doun anon he sette him on his kne Line 2120 This sike man wex wel neigh wood for Ire he wolde þat þe frere hadde ben a fuyre With his fals dissimilacion Such þing as is her in my possession Line 2124 Quod he þat I may ȝiue and non oþer ȝe sein me þus / þat I am ȝour broþer ȝe certes quod þe ffrere trusteþ me wel I took oure dame oure lettres wiþ oure seel Line 2128 ¶ Now wel quod he and somwhat schal I ȝiue vnto ȝour holy couent whil I lyue And in þin hand þou schalt it han anon vp þis condicion and oþer non Line 2132

[6-text p 397] Line 2132 þat þou depart it so myn owne deere broþer That euery frere haue as moche as oþer þis schalt þou swere on þy profession Wiþouten fraude or cauellacion Line 2136 I swere it quod þis frere vpon my feiþ And þer wiþal his hond in his he leiþ lo heer my feiþ in me schal be no lacke þan putte þin hond doun by my bakke Line 2140 Sayde þis man and grope wel byhynde Byneþe my buttok þere schalt þou fynde A þing þat I haue hidde in priuete A þought þis frere þat schal go wiþ me Line 2144 And doun his hande he launceþ vnto þe clifte he hopede þere for to fynden a ȝifte And þanne ful besy was þis frere Abouten his tuwel gropyng here and þere Line 2148 ¶ Amydde his hand he leet þe frere a fart [folio 127b] Ther is no capel drawyng in þe cart þat might haue lete a fart of such a soun þe frere vp sterte as it were a fers leoun Line 2152 A false cherl quod he for cokkes bones This hast þou for despite doon for þe nones þou schalt abeye þi farte if þat I may his meigne which þat herden þis affray Line 2156 Cam lepynge in and chased out þe ffrere And forþ he goþ wiþ a ful angry cheere And fette his felawe þer as lay his store he loked as it were a wilde boor Line 2160 he grynded his teeþ so was he wroþ A stourdy paas doun to þe court he goþ Wher as þer woned a man of gret honour To whom þat he was alwey confessour Line 2164 This worþy man was lord of þat village þis frere cam as þough it were in a rage Wher as þis lord sat etyng at his bord vnneþes might þe frere speke a word Line 2168

[6-text p 398] Line 2168 Til atte laste he seyde god ȝou se þis lord gan loke and seyde benedicite Quod he frere Iohn what maner world is þis I see wel þat som þing is amys Line 2172 ȝe loken as þe woode were ful of þeeues Sit doun anon and telle me what ȝour greef is And it schal ben amended if þat I may I haue quod he had a despit to day Line 2176 God ȝelde ȝou a-doun in ȝoure village þat in þis world is non so pore a page þat he nolde han abhominacion Of þat I haue receyued in þis toun Line 2180 And ȝit me greueþ no þing so sore As þat þis olde cherl wiþ lokkes hore Blasphemed haþ oure holy couent eeke Now maister quod þis lord I ȝou beseke Line 2184 No maister quod he but a seruitour [folio 128a] þey I haue had in scole þat honour God likeþ nouȝt þat men vs Raby calle neiþer in market ne in ȝour halle Line 2188 No force quod he but telle me of ȝour greef sire quod þis frere an ydious mescheef This day betidde is to myn ordre and to me And so par consequens to eche degre Line 2192 Of holy chirche god amende it sone Sire quod þe lord ȝe wot what is to doone Distempre ȝou nought ȝe be my confessour ȝe ben þe salt/ of þerþe and þe sauour Line 2196 ffor goddes loue ȝoure pacience ȝe holde Telleþ me ȝour greef and he anon him tolde As ȝe han herd byfore ȝe wot wel what The lady of þe hous ay stille sat Line 2200 Til sche hadde herde what þe frere sayde Ey goddes moder quod sche blisful mayde Is þer nouȝt elles telleþ me feiþfully ¶ madame quod he how þenke ȝou þerby Line 2204

[6-text p 399] Line 2204 how þat me þenkeþ quod sche so god me spede I say a cherl haþ don a cherles deede what schulde I say god let him neuer þe his seeke heed is ful of vanite Line 2208 I holde him in a maner frenesye Madame quod he by god I schal not lye but I on oþer wise may ben awreke I schal sclaundre him oueral wher I speke Line 2212 The false blasphemour þat charged me To parte þat might nouȝt departed be To euery man y-liche wiþ meschaunce þe lord sat stille as he lay in a traunse Line 2216 And in his herte he rolled vp and doun how hadde þis cherl ymaginacioun To schewe such a probleme to þe frere Neuer erst er now herde I of such matere Line 2220 I trowe þe deuyl putte it in his mynde [folio 128b] In ars metrik schal þer no man fynde Biforn þis day of such a question Who schulde make a demonstracion Line 2224 þat euery man schulde haue y-lik his part Of a soun or of a sauour of a fart O nyce proude cherle I schrewe his face lo sires quod þe lord wiþ harde grace Line 2228 Who herde euer of such a þing er now / To euery man ylike telle me how It is a impossible it may not be O nyce cherle god let him neuer þe Line 2232 þe rublyng of a fart and euery soun Nys but of eyre reuellacioun And þer-wiþ wasteþ litel and litel away þer is no man can deme by my fay Line 2236 If þat it/ were departed equaly What lo my cherle lo ȝit how schrewedely vnto my confessour to day he spak I holde him certein a demoniak Line 2240

[6-text p 400] Line 2240 Now eteþ ȝoure mete and leteþ him go pleye lete him go hange himself a deuelweye Now stood þe lordes squier at þe bord þat karf here mete and herde word for word Line 2244 Of alle þing of which I haue ȝou sayd my lord quod he beþ not yuele payd I couþe telle for a gowne cloþ To ȝou sir frere so ȝe ben nat wroþ Line 2248 how þat þis fart scholde euene deled be Among ȝour couent/ if it like me Telle on quod þe lord and þou schalt haue anon A gowne cloþ by god and by seint Iohn Line 2252 My lord quod he whan þat þe weder is faire Wiþouten wynd or pertourbyng of ayre let bringe a cart whel heer in-to þis halle But loke þat he haue his spokes alle Line 2256 xij. spokes haþ a carte whel comunly [folio 129a] And bringe me þanne .xij. freres wite ȝe why ffor .xiij. is a couent as I gesse ȝoure confessour hede for his worþinesse Line 2260 Schal performe vp þe nombre of his couent þanne schullen þey knelen doun by oon assent And to euery spokes ende in þis manere fful sadly leye his nose schal þe freere Line 2264 ȝoure noble confessour þere god him saue Schal holde his nose vpright vnto þe naue þanne schal þis cherl wiþ bely styf and touȝt As any tabour hider ben y-brought Line 2268 And sette him on þe wheel right on þis carte vpon þe naue and make him lete a farte And ȝe schuln se vp peril of my lijf By preof which þat is demonstratif Line 2272

[6-text p 401] Line 2272 þat equaly þe soun of hit wole wende And eeke þe stynke vnto þe spokes ende Saue þat þis worþi man þis confessour By cause he is a man of gret honour Line 2276 Schal haue þe ferste fruytes as reson is þe noble vsage of freres ȝit is þis þe worþy men of hem schuln ferst be serued And certeinly he haþ it wel disserued Line 2280 he haþ to day taught vs so mochil good Wiþ preching in þe pulpit þer he stood þat I may vouche sauf I say for me he hadde þe firste smelle of fartes þre Line 2284 And so wolde alle his couent hardily he bereþ him so faire and holyly þe lord þe lady & eche man saue þe ffrere Sayden þat Iankyn spak in þis matiere Line 2288 As wel as euclide or protholome Touchinge þe cherle þey seyden subtilite And by heyh witte make him speke as he spake he is no fool ne no demonyake Line 2292 And Iankyn haþ y-wonne a newe goune [folio 129b] My tale is doon we ben almost at towne

¶ Here endeþ þe Somnours tale

Notes

• ¶ Prologus vxoris de Bathe .C^o.vij^o.
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14.]
• [This line is by another hand, over an erasure.]
• ¶ Relinquet homo patrem & matrem & adherebit &c/
• ¶ Genesis ij^o. Quamobrem
• ¶ Melius est nubere quam vri
• ¶ Mathei xix^o. Dixit autem ihesus vade & vende omnia que habes & da pauperibus
• [catchword: a leaf out; a sheet misplaced]
• ¶ Ad Corinthios vij^o vir sui corporis non habet potestatem set mulier &c
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]
• ¶ Protholome
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]
• [Arch. Seld. B. 14 ex|tract stops]
• for 102
• [This line is by another hand.]
• for 103
• argus habuit mille oculos.
• for 104
• ¶ ffallere flere nere dedit deus in muliere
• for 105
• for 106
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14. No other Oxford MS has these lines.—G. Parker.]
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14. extract stops]
• for 107
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14. Only this Oxf. MS has these lines. Barlow 20 omits ll. 605-8 too.—G. P.]
• [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14. Laud 600 also has these lines. 619-226, but no other Oxford MS has them.—G. P.]
• nota bene
• for 108
• [Laud MS 739 omits 716-720.]
• for 109
• ¶ Solo melius est habitare
• leaf 114, back, at bottom of the page
• leaf 101 b. for 110
• MS cut away. lf 101b, bk
• MS cut away. lf 101b, bk
• [MS cut away.]
• on lf 101, bk
• for 111
• for 112
• for 113
• for 114
• ¶ Nota bene de Nobilitate
• for 115a
• Nota de paupertate
• bottom of leaf 106
• ¶ Incipit pro|logus ffratris
• on leaf 120, back
• [in dispence. Harl. 1758]
• [The Solution of the "Probleme" by the Lord's Squire. No break in the MS.]