[6-text p 294]
This storie / is al so trewe I vndertake
As is the book / of launcelot de lake
That wommen holde / in ful greet reuerence
Now wol I / come / agayn to my sentence
Line 4404
A Colfox / ful of sly Iniquitee
That in the groue / hadde wonned yeres three
By heigh ymaginacion / forn-cast
The same nyght / thurgh-out the hegges brast
Line 4408
In-to the yerd / ther Chauntecleer the faire
Was wont and eek hise wyues to repaire
And in a bed of wortes / stille he lay
Til it was passed / vndren of the day
Line 4412
Waitynge his tyme / on Chauntecleer to falle
As gladly / doon thise homycides alle
That in await liggen / to mordre men
O false mordrour / lurkynge in thy den
Line 4416
O newe Scariot newe Genylon
ffalse dissynulour / o greek synon
That broghtest Troye / al outrely to sorwe
O Chauntecleer / acursed be that morwe
Line 4420
That thou in-to that yerd / flaugh fro the bemes
Thou were / ful wel ywarned by thy dremes
That thilke day / was perilous to thee
But what þat god forwoot moot nedes bee
Line 4424
After the opinion / of certein clerkis
Witnesse on hym / that any parfit clerk is
That in scole / is greet altercacion
In this mateere / and greet disputison
Line 4428
And hath been / of an hundred thousand men
But I ne kan nat bulte it to the bren
As kan the hooly doctour Augustyn
Or Boece / or the Bisshope Bradwardyn
Line 4432
Wheither / that goddes / worthy forwityng
Streyneth me / nedefully to doon a thyng
Nedely / clepe I / symple necessitee
Or elles / if free choys be graunted me
Line 4436
