Page 335
[6-text p 476]
Ey goddes mercy sayd our hoste þo
Now such a wyf I pray god keep me fro
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lo whiche sleightes and subtilitees
In wommen ben for ay as busy as bees
Ben þay vs seely men for to desceyue
And from a soth. euer wol þay weyue
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By this marchaundes tale it proueth wel
But douteles as trewe as eny steel
I haue a wyf þough þat sche pore be
But of hir tonge a labbyng schrewe is sche
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And ȝit sche hath an heep of vices mo
Ther-of no fors let alle such þinges go
But wite ȝe what in counseil be it seyd
Me rewith sore I am vnto hir teyd
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And if I scholde reken euery vice
which þat sche hath I-wis I were to nyce
And cause why. it schuld reported be
And told to hir of som of þis meyne
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Of whom it needith not for to declare
Syn wommen connen oute such chaffare
And eek my witte suffisith nought þerto
To tellen al wherfor my tale is do
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