[and next folwith his tale of Ianuare and May. [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14.]]
Whilom ther was dwellyng / in Lumbardye
a worthi knyght / that borne was in Pavie
in which he lived / in grete prosperite
and sexti yere / a wiffles man was he
Line 1248
and folwed ay / his bodyly delite
on women / there as was his appetite
as don these foolis / that ben seculere
and whan he was passed sexti yere
Line 1252
were hit for holynes / or for dotage
I can not sey / but suche a grete corage
had this knyght / to be a wedded man
that day and night / he doth al that he can
Line 1256
to espien where he myghte / wedded be
prayng oure lord / graunte him that he
myghte onys knowe / of that blisful liff
that is bitwixe an housbonde / and his wiff
Line 1260
and for to live / vnder that holy bonde
with which first / god man and woman bonde
noon other liff seide he / is worthe a bene
for wedlok is so esy / and so clene
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that in this world / hit is a paradise
thus seide this olde knyght / that was so wise
and certeynly / as soth as god is kynge
to take a wiff / hit is a glorious thinge
Line 1268
and namely whan a man is olde / and hore
than is a wiff the fructe / of his tresore
than shulde he take a yonge wiff / and a feyre [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 115b]
on which he myghte / engender him an heyre
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