[6-text p 295]
To do that same thyng. or do it noght
Though god forwoot it er þat it was wroght
Or if his wityng. streyneth neuer a deel [folio 187b]
But by necessitee condicioneel
Line 4440
I wil nat han to do / of swich mateere
My tale is of a Cok. as ye may heere
That took his conseil / of his wyf with sorwe
To walken in the yerd / vpon that morwe
Line 4444
That he hadde met that dreem / þat I of tolde
Wommennes conseils / been ful ofte colde
Wommannes conseil / broghte vs first to wo
And made Adam / out of Paradys to go
Line 4448
Ther as he was ful myrie / and wel at ese
But for I noot to whom it myght displese
If I / conseil of wommen wolde blame
Passe ouer / for I seye it in my game
Line 4452
Rede Auctours / where they trete / of swich mateere
And what they seyn of wommen / ye may heere
Thise been the Cokkes wordes / and nat myne
I kan noon harm / of no womman diuyne
Line 4456
Faire in the soond / to bathe hire myrily
Lith Pertelote / and alle hire sustres by
Agayn the sonne / and Chauntecleer so free
Soong murier / than the Mermayde in the see
Line 4460
ffor Phisiologus / seith sikerly
How þat they syngen / wel and myrily
¶ And so bifel / that as he cast his eye
Among the wortes / on a Boterflye
Line 4464
He was war of this fox / þat lay ful lowe
No-thyng ne liste hym thanne for to crowe
But cride anon cok / cok / and vp he sterte
As man / that was affrayed in his herte
Line 4468
ffor natureelly / a beest desireth flee
ffro his contrarie /. if he may it see
Though he neuer erst. hadde seyn it with his eye
¶ This Chauntecleer / whan he gan hym espye
Line 4472
