Þere ys no solas vndyr heuene
Of al [Harl. al, alle D.] þat a man may [moun D.] neuene,
Þat shuld a man [man do O, man so meche D.] so mochë glew
As a gode womman þat loueþ trew.
Line 1912
Ne derer ys [ys om. D.] none yn goddys hurde
Þan a chaste womman with louely wrde;
Ensample haue y þerof ful fayre [haue we þare D.]
yn þe lyfe of seynt Makayre. [makayr O, Machare D.]
Line 1916
[The Tale of St. Macaire and the Two Good Married Women. [Narracio, in margin O.] ]
[[Vitas Patrum, p. 656. Libro de los Exemplos, no. 145.—G. Paris.]]
Þere [It D.] was an abbot of great renoun, [A tale]
An holy man yn relygyoun,
he preydë god [om. god D.] vpp-on a day,
And seydë "lorde, as þou weyl may,
Line 1920
Ȝeue [ȝyf O, ȝif D.] me gracë for to wete
who shal with me yn heuene sytte;
Þat wulde y wyte [wete D.] on al manere,
who yn heuene shal be my pere."
Line 1924
A voys spakë [spak O.] to hym ful fayre, [hym þare D.]
"wete [wethe D.] þou wele, for soþe, Makayre,
Þere beþ [Þyr byþ O. It arn to D.] twey wymmen yn a cyte,
Of so moche boneryte [O. gloss 'godenesse,' of ful mechil honoryte D.]
Line 1928
þat alle þe penaunce þat þou mayst do
Ne may nat reche here godenes to."
he toldë hym þe cyte ryȝt, [ryght O, to þat c. ryȝt D.]
And the wommen what þey hyght. [hyght O.]
Line 1932
Makayrë wulde no lenger byde, [a-byde D.]
But to þat cyte gan [wolde (om. But) D.] he ryde;
As sonë as he comë [com O, & . . . cam D.] þere
Line 1935
he askede where swyche [aspyed where þo D.] wymmen were.
