The wright's chaste wife : or "A fable of a wryght that was maryde to a pore wydows dowtre the whiche wydow havyng noo good to geve with her gave as for a precyous Johelle to hym a Rose garlond the whyche she affermyd wold never fade while she kept truly her wedlok." : a merry tale / by Adam of Cobsam from a ms. in the library of the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth, about 1462 A.D. ; copied and edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

THE WRIGHT'S CHASTE WIFE.

[MS. Lambeth 306, leaves 178-187.]

Ałłmyghty god, maker of alle, Saue you my souereyns in towre & halle, [My sovereigns,] And send yoū good grace! [ 3] If ye wyłł a stounde blynne, Of a story I wyłł begynne, [I will tell you a tale] And telle you ałł the cas, [ 6] Meny farleyes þat I haue herde, Ye would haue wondyr how yt ferde; Lystyn, and ye schałł here; [ 9] Of a wryght I wyłł you telle, [of a wright] That some tyme in thys land gan dwelle, [of this land,] And lyued by hys myster. [ 12] Whether that he were yn or owte, [who, at work, was afraid of no earthly man.] Of erthely man hadde he no dowte, To werke hows, harowe, nor plowgh, [ 15] Or other werkes, what so they were, Thous wrought he hem farre and nere, And dyd tham wele I-nough. [ 18] Thys wryght would wedde no wyfe, [At first he would wed no wife,] Butt yn yougeth to lede hys lyfe In myrthe and oþer melody; [ 21] [leaf 178, back] Ouer ałł where he gan wende, [for wherever he went he was welcome;] Ałł they seyd "welcome, frende, Sytt downe, and do gla[d]ly." [ 24]

Tyłł on a tyme he was wyllyng, [but at last he wished] As tyme comyth of alle thyng, (So seyth the profesye,) [ 27] A wyfe for to wedde & haue [to have a spouse to look after his goods.] That myght hys goodes kepe and saue, And for to leue ałł foly. [ 30] Ther dwellyd a wydowe in þat contre [A widow near had a fair daughter] That hadde a doughter feyre & fre; Of her, word sprang wyde, [ 33] For sche was bothe stabyłł & trewe, [true and meek.] Meke of maners, and feyr of hewe; So seyd men in that tyde. [ 36] The wryght seyde, "so god me saue, Such a wyfe would I haue [Her the wright would like to lie by him,] To lye nyghtly by my syde." [ 39] He þought to speke wyth þat may, And rose erly on a daye [and therefore went to her mother] And þyder gan he to ryde. [ 42] The wryght was welcome to þe wyfe, And her saluyd ałł so blyve, And so he dyd her doughter fre: [ 45] For the erand that he for cam̄ [and proposed for the maiden.] Tho he spake, þat good yeman̄; Than to hym seyd sche: [ 48] The wydowe seyd, "by heuen kyng, [The mother says she can only give him as a portion] I may geue wyth her no þing, (And þat forthynketh me;) [ 51] Saue a garlond I wyłł the geue, [a garland] Ye schałł neuer see, whyle ye lyve, None such in thys contre: [ 54] Haue here thys garlond of roses ryche, [of roses] In ałł thys lond ys none yt lyche, For ytt wyłł euer be newe, [ 57] [that will keep its colour] Wete þou wele withowtyn fable, [leaf 179] Ałł the whyle thy wyfe ys stable [while his wife is true,] The chaplett wolle hold hewe; [ 60]

And yf thy wyfe vse putry, [but change when she is faithless.] Or tolle eny man to lye her by, Than wolle yt change hewe, [ 63] And by the garlond þou may see, Fekyłł or fals yf þat sche be, Or ellys yf sche be trewe." [ 66] Of thys chaplett hym was fułł fayne, [The wright is delighted with his garland and wife,] And of hys wyfe, was nott to layne; He weddyd her fułł sone, [ 69] [marries her and takes her home;] And ladde her home wyth solempnite, And hyld her brydałł dayes thre. Whan they home come, [ 72] Thys wryght in hys hart cast, [and then begins to think that when he is out at work] If that he walkyd est or west As he was wonte to done, [ 75] "My wyfe þat ys so bryght of ble, [men will try to corrupt his wife.] Men wolle desyre her fro me, And þat hastly and sone;" [ 78] Butt sone he hym byþought [So he plans a crafty room and tower,] That a chambyr schuld be wrought Bothe of lyme and stone, [ 81] Wyth wallys strong as eny stele, And dorres sotylly made and wele, He owte framyd yt sone; [ 84] The chambyr he lett make fast, [and builds it soon with plaster of Paris,] Wyth plaster of parys þat wyłł last, Such ous know I neuer none; [ 87] Ther ys [ne] kyng ne emperoure, [which no one could ever get out of if he once got into it,] And he were lockyn in þat towre, That cowde gete owte of þat wonne. [ 90] Nowe hath he done as he þought, And in the myddes of the flore wrought A wondyr strange gyle, [ 93] [for there was a trapdoor in the middle,] A trapdoure rounde abowte That no man myght come yn nor owte; [leaf 179, back] It was made wyth a wyle, [ 96]

That who-so touchyd yt eny thyng, [and if any one only touched it, down he'd go into a pit.] In to þe pytt he schuld flyng Wythyn a lytyłł whyle. [ 99] For hys wyfe he made that place, [This was to stop any tricks with his wife.] That no man schuld beseke her of grace, Nor her to begyle. [ 102]

By þat tyme þe lord of the towne [Just then the town Lord] Hadde ordeynyd tymbyr redy bowne, An halle to make of tre. [ 105] After the wryght the lord lett sende, [sends for him to build a Hall,] For þat he schuld wyth hym lende Monythys two or thre. [ 108] [(a job for two or three months,)] The lord seyd, "woult þou haue þi wyfe? I wyłł send after her blyve [and offers to fetch his wife too.] That sche may com to the." [ 111] The wryght hys garlond hadde take wyth hym̄, That was bryght and no þing dymme, Yt wes feyre on to see. [ 114] The lord axyd hym as he satt, [He sees the wright's garland, and asks what it means.] "Felowe, where hadyst þou þis hatte That ys so feyre and newe?" [ 117] The wryght answerd ałł so blyue, And seyd, "syr, I hadde yt wyth my wyfe, ["Sir, it will] And þat dare me neuer rewe; [ 120] Syr, by my garlond I may see [tell me whether my wife is false or true;] Fekyłł or fals yf þat sche be, Or [[MS. of]] yf þat sche be trewe; [ 123] And yf my wyfe loue a paramoure, [and will change its colour if she go wrong."] Than wyłł my garlond vade coloure, And change wyłł yt the hewe." [ 126] The lord þought "by godys myght, That wyłł I wete thys same nyght ["I'll try that," thinks the Lord,] Whether thys tale be trewe." [ 129] To the wryghtys howse anon he went, [and goes to the wright's wife.] He fonde the wyfe ther-in presente

That was so bryght and schene; [ 132] [leaf 180] Sone he hayled her trewly, And so dyd sche the lord curtesly: Sche seyd, "welcome ye be;" [ 135] Thus seyd the wyfe of the hows, "Syr, howe faryth my swete spouse [She asks after her husband,] That hewyth vppon your tre?" [ 138] "Sertes, dame," he seyd, "wele, [but the Lord] And I am come, so haue I hele, To wete the wylle of the; [ 141] My loue ys so vppon the cast [declares his own love for her,] That me thynketh my hert wolle brest, It wolle none otherwyse be; [ 144] Good dame, graunt me thy grace [and prays her to grant him his will.] To pley with the in some preuy place For gold and eke for fee." [ 147] "Good syr, lett be youre fare, [She entreats him to let that be,] And of such wordes speke no mare For hys loue þat dyed on tre; [ 150] Hadde we onys begonne þat gle, My husbond by his garlond myght see; For sorowe he would wexe woode." [ 153] "Certes, dame," he seyd, "naye; [but he presses her,] Loue me, I pray you, in þat ye maye: For godys loue change thy mode, [ 156] Forty marke schałł be youre mede [and offers her 40 marks.] Of syluer and of gold[e] rede, And that schałł do the good." [ 159] "Syr, that deede schałł be done; [On this she con∣sents if he'll put down the money.] Take me that mony here anone." "I swere by the holy rode [ 162] I thought when I cam hydder For to bryng [[or hyng. ? MS.]] yt ałł to-gydder, As I mott broke my heele." [ 165] Ther sche toke xl marke [The 40 marks she takes,] Of syluer and gold styff and sterke:

Sche toke yt feyre and welle; [ 168] Sche seyd, "in to the chambyr wyłł we, [and tells him to go] Ther no man schałł vs see; [leaf 180, back] No lenger wyłł we spare." [ 171] [into the secret chamber.] Vp the steyer they gan [1 MS. gar] hye: [Upstairs he goes,] The stepes were made so queyntly That farther myght he nott fare. [ 174] The lord stumbyllyd as he went in hast, [stumbles,] He fełł doune in to þat chaste [and pops down 40 feet through the wright's trapdoor.] Forty fote and somedele more. [ 177] The lord began to crye; The wyfe seyd to hym in hye, "Syr, what do ye there?" [ 180] "Dame, I can nott seye howe [He prays the] That I am come hydder nowe To thys hows þat ys so newe; [ 183] I am so depe in thys sure flore That I ne can come owte att no dore; Good dame, on me þou rewe!" [ 186] [good dame to have pity on him. "Nay," says she, "not till my hus∣band sees you."] "Nay," sche seyd, "so mut y the, Tyłł myne husbond come and se, I schrewe hym þat yt þought." [ 189] The lord arose and lokyd abowte [The Lord tries to get out, but can't,] If he myght eny where gete owte, Butt yt holpe hym̄ ryght nogħt, [ 192] The wallys were so thycke wythyn̄, That he no where myght owte wynne But helpe to hym̄ were brought; [ 195] And euer the lord made euyłł chere, [and then threatens the wife,] And seyd, "dame, þou schalt by thys dere." Sche seyd that sche ne rougħt; [ 198] Sche seyd "I recke nere [but she doesn't care for that,] Whyle I am here and þou art there, I schrewe herre þat þe doth drede." [ 201] The lord was sone owte of her þought, The wyfe went in to her lofte, [and goes away to her work.]

Sche satte and dyd her dede. [ 204] Than yt fełł on þat oþer daye, [Next day the Lord begs for food.] Of mete and drynke he gan her pray, There of he hadde gret nede. [ 207] He seyd, "dame, for seynt charyte, [leaf 181] Wyth some mete þou comfort me." Sche seyd, "nay, so god me spede, [ 210] ["You'll get none from me] For I swere by swete seynt Iohne, Mete ne drynke ne getyst þou none Butt þou wylt swete or swynke; [ 213] [unless you sweat for it," says she; "spin me some flax."] For I haue both hempe and lyne, And a betyngstocke fułł fyne, And a swyngyłł good and grete; [ 216] If þou wylt worke, tell me sone." "Dame, bryng yt forthe, yt schałł be done, [He says he will:] Fułł gladly would I ete." [ 219] Sche toke the stocke in her honde, [she throws him the tools,] And in to the pytt sche yt sclang Wyth a grete hete: [ 222] Sche brought the lyne and hempe on her backe, [the flax and hemp,] "Syr lord," sche seyd, "haue þou þat, [and says, "Work away."] And lerne for to swete." [ 225] Ther sche toke hym a bonde For to occupy hys honde, And bade hym fast on to bete. [ 228] He leyd yt downe on the [[? MS. this.]] stone, [He does,] And leyd on strockes wełł good wone, [lays on well,] And sparyd nott on to leyne. [ 231] Whan þat he hadde wrought a thraue, Mete and drynke he gan to craue, [and then asks for his food,] And would haue hadde yt fayne; [ 234] "That I hadde somewhat for to ete Now after my gret swete; Me thynketh yt were rygħt, [ 237] For I haue labouryd nyght and daye [for he's toiled night and day.] The for to plese, dame, I saye, And therto putt my myght." [ 240]

The wyfe seyd "so mutt I haue hele, [The wife] And yf þi worke be wrought wele Thou schalt haue to dyne." [ 243] Mete and drynke sche hym bare, [gives him meat and drink] Wyth a thrafe of flex mare [leaf 181, back] Of fułł long boundyn lyne. [ 246] [and more flax,] So feyre the wyfe the lord gan praye That he schuld be werkyng aye, [and keeps him up to his work.] And nought þat he schuld blynne; [ 249] The lord was fayne to werke tho, Butt hys men knewe nott of hys woo Nor of þer lordes pyne. [ 252]

The stuard to þe wryght gan saye, [The Steward asks the wright after his Lord,] "Sawe þou owte of my lord to-daye, Whether that he ys wende?" [ 255] The wryght answerde and seyd "naye; I sawe hym nott syth yesterdaye; I trowe þat he be schent." [ 258] The stuard stode þe wryght by, [then notices the garland,] And of hys garlond hadde ferly What þat yt be-mente. [ 261] The stuard seyd, "so god me saue, [and asks who gave it him.] Of thy garlond wondyr I haue, And who yt hath the sent." [ 264] "Syr," he seyd, "be the same hatte ["Sir, it will tell me whether my wife goes bad."] I can knowe yf my wyfe be badde To me by eny other man̄; [ 267] If my floures ouþer fade or falle, Then doth my wyfe me wrong wyth-alle, As many a woman can̄. [ 270] The stuard þought "by godes mygħt, ["I'll prove that this very night," says the steward,] That schałł I preue thys same nygħt Whether þou blys or banne," [ 273] And in to hys chambyr he gan gone, [gets plenty of money, and goes off] And toke tresure fułł good wone,

And forth he spedde hem than̄. [ 276] Butt he ne stynt att no stone Tyłł he vn-to þe wryghtes hows come [to the wright's house,] That ylke same nygħt. [ 279] He mett the wyfe amydde the gate, Abowte þe necke he gan her take, [takes her round the neck, and offers her all] And seyd "my dere wyght, [ 282] Ałł the good þat ys myne [leaf 182] I wyłł the geue to be thyne [he has, to lie by her that night.] To lye by the ałł nyght." [ 285] Sche seyd, "syr, lett be thy fare, [She refuses,] My husbond wolle wete wyth-owtyn̄ mare And I hym dyd that vnrygħt; [ 288] I would nott he myght yt wete For ałł the good that I myght gete, So Ihesus [1 MS. Iħc] mutt me spede [ 291] For, and eny man lay me by, [as her husband would be sure to know of it.] My husbond would yt wete truly, It ys wythowtyn eny drede." [ 294] The stuard seyd "for hym þat ys wrought, [The steward urges her again,] There-of, dame, drede the nogħt Wyth me to do that dede; [ 297] Haue here of me xx marke [and offers her 20 marks.] Of gold and syluer styf and starke, Thys tresoure schałł be thy mede." [ 300] "Syr, and I graunt þat to yoū, [She says, "Then don't tell any one,"] Lett no man wete butt we two nowe." He seyd, "nay, wythowtyn drede." [ 303] The stuard þought, 'sykerly Women beth both queynte & slye.' The mony he gan her bede; [ 306] [takes his money,] He þought wele to haue be spedde, And of his erand he was onredde Or he were fro hem̄ I-gone. [ 309] Vp the sterys sche hym leyde [sends him up the quaint stairs,]

Tyłł he saw the wryghtes bedde: Of tresoure þought he none; [ 312] He went and stumblyd att a stone; [and lets him tumble through the trapdoor.] In to þe seller he fylle sone, Downe to the bare flore. [ 315] The lord seyd "what deuyłł art þoū? ["What the devil are you?" says the Lord.] And þou hadest falle on me nowe, Thowe hadest hurt me fułł sore." [ 318] The stuard stert and staryd abowte [leaf 182, back] If he mygħt ower gete owte [The steward finds he can't get out;] Att hole lesse or mare. [ 321] The lord seyd, "welcome, and sytt be tyme, For þou schalt helpe to dyght thys lyne For ałł thy fers[e] fare." [ 324] The stuard lokyd on the knygħt, He seyd, "syr, for godes myght, [and wonders why his Lord is there.] My lord, what do you here?" [ 327] He seyd "felowe, wyth-owtyn oth, For o erand we come bothe, ["We both came on one errand, man."] The sothe wolle I nott lete." [ 330] Tho cam the wyfe them vn-to, [The wife asks what they're doing;] And seyd, "syres, what do you to, Wyłł ye nott lerne to swete?" [ 333] Than seyd þe lord her vn-to, [the Lord says,] 'Dame, your lyne ys I-doo, ["Your flax is done, and I want my dinner."] Nowe would I fayne ete: [ 336] And I haue made yt ałł I-lyke, Fułł clere, and no þing thycke, Me thynketh yt gret payne." [ 339] The stuard seyd "wyth-owtyn dowte, [The steward says if he ever gets out he'll crack her skull.] And euer I may wynne owte, I wyłł breke her brayne." [ 342] "Felowe, lett be, and sey nott so, [But the wife chaffs him,] For þou schalt worke or euer þou goo, Thy wordes þou torne agayne, [ 345] [says he'll soon be glad to eat his words,] Fayne þou schalt be so to doo, And thy good wylle put þerto;

As a man buxome and bayne [ 348] Thowe schalt rubbe, rele, and spynne, [and unless he rubs and reels, he'll get no meat.] And þou wolt eny mete wynne, That I geue to god a gyfte." [ 351] The stuard seyd, "then haue I wondyr; ["I'll die for hunger first, unhouseled," answers he.] Rather would I dy for hungyr Wyth-owte hosyłł or shryfte." [ 354] The lord seyd, "so haue I hele, Thowe wylt worke, yf þou hungyr welle, [leaf 183] What worke þat the be brought." [ 357] The lord satt and dyd hys werke, [The Lord works away,] The stuard drewe in to the derke, Gret sorowe was in hys þought. [ 360] The lord seyd, "dame, here ys youre lyne, Haue yt in godes blessyng and myne, I hold yt welle I-wrought." [ 363] Mete and drynke sche gaue hym yn̄, [and gets his food and drink.] "The stuard," sche seyd, "wolle he nott spynne, Wyłł he do ryght nogħt?" [ 366] The lord seyd, "by swete sen Ione, Of thys mete schałł he haue none [None of it will he give to the steward,] That ye haue me hydder brought." [ 369] The lord ete and dranke fast, [but eats it all up,] The stuard hungeryd att þe last, For he gaue hym nought. [ 372] The stuard satt ałł in a stody, Hys lord hadde forgote curtesy: Tho [1 [MS. The]] seyd þe stuard, "geue me some." [ 375] The lord seyd, "sorowe haue þe morsełł or sope That schałł come in thy throte! [and won't give him one crumb:] Nott so much as o crome! [ 378] Butt þou wylt helpe to dyght þis lyne, [let him work and earn some for himself.] Much hungyr yt schałł be thyne Though þou make much mone." [ 381] Vp he rose, and went therto, [The steward gives in,] "Better ys me þus to doo Whyle yt must nedys be do." [ 384]

The stuard began fast to knocke, [asks for work; the wife throws it him,] The wyfe þrew hym a swyngelyng stocke, Hys mete þerwyth to myn̄; [ 387] Sche brought a swyngyłł att þe last, "Good syres," sche seyd, "swyngylle on fast; For no þing that ye blynne." [ 390] Sche gaue hym̄ a stocke to sytt vppon̄, And seyd "syres, þis werke must nedys be done, Ałł that that ys here yn̄." [ 393] The stuard toke vp a stycke to saye, [leaf 183, back] "Sey, seye, swyngyłł better yf ye may, [and steward and Lord are both spinning away] Hytt wyłł be the better to spynne." [ 396] Were þe lord neuer so gret, Yet was he fayne to werke for hys mete [to earn their dinner,] Though he were neuer so sadde; [ 399] Butt þe stuard þat was so stowde, Was fayne to swyngelle þe scales owte, Ther-of he was nott glad. [ 402] The lordys meyne þat were att home [while the Lord's people cannot make out what has become of him.] Wyst nott where he was bycome, They were fułł sore adrad. [ 405]

The proctoure of þe parysche chyrche rygħt [Then the Proctor sees the wright] Came and lokyd on þe wryght, He lokyd as he ware madde; [ 408] Fast þe proctoure gan hym frayne, "Where hadest þou þis garlond gayne? [and asks where he got his gar∣land from.] It ys euer lyke newe." [ 411] The wryght gan say "felowe, Wyth my wyfe, yf þou wylt knowe; ["With my wife;] That dare me nott rewe; [ 414] For ałł the whyle my wyfe trew ys, [and while she is true it will never fade,] My garlond wolle hold hewe I-wys, And neuer falle nor fade; [ 417] And yf my wyfe take a paramoure, [but if she's false it will."] Than wolle my garlond vade þe floure, That dare I ley myne hede." [ 420]

The proctoure þought, "in good faye [The proctor thinks he'll test this,] That schałł I wete thys same daye Whether yt may so be." [ 423] To the wryghtes hows he went, [goes to the wright's wife] He grete þe wyfe wyth feyre entente, Sche seyd "syr, welcome be ye." [ 426] "A! dame, my loue ys on you fast [and declares his love for her;] Syth the tyme I sawe you last; I pray you yt may so be [ 429] That ye would graunt me of your grace To play wyth you in some priuy place, [he must have her or die.] Or ellys to deth mutt me." [ 432] [leaf 184] Fast þe proctoure gan to pray, And euer to hym̄ sche seyd "naye, [She says nay,] That wolle I nott doo. [ 435] Hadest þou done þat dede wyth me, [as her husband will know of it by his garland.] My spouse by hys garlond myght see, That schuld torne me to woo." [ 438] The proctoure seyd, "by heuen kyng, [The proctor] If he sey to the any þing He schałł haue sorowe vn-sowte; [ 441] Twenty marke I wolle þe geue, [offers her 20 marks.] It wolle þe helpe welle to lyue, The mony here haue I brought." [ 444] Nowe hath sche the tresure tane, [These she takes;] And vp þe steyre be they gane, [they go upstairs,] (What helpyth yt to lye?) [ 447] The wyfe went the steyre be-syde, The proctoure went a lytyłł to wyde [and the proctor tumbles into the cellar,] He fełł downe by and by. [ 450] Whan he in to þe seller felle, He wente to haue sonke in to helle, [and thinks he is going to hell.] He was in hart fułł sory. [ 453] The stuard lokyd on the knyght, And seyd "proctoure, for godes myght, [The steward asks him to sit down;] Come and sytt vs by." [ 456] The proctoure began to stare,

For he was he wyst neuer whare, [he doesn't know where he is,] Butt wele he knewe þe knyght [ 459] And the stuard þat swyngelyd þe lyne. He seyd "syres, for godes pyne, [but asks what the Lord and steward are after there,] What do ye here thys nygħt?" [ 462] The stuard seyd, "god geue the care, Thowe camyst to loke howe we fare, Nowe helpe þis lyne were dyght." [ 465] He stode styłł in a gret þought, What to answer he wyst noght: "By mary fułł of mygħt," [ 468] The proctoure seyd, "what do ye in þis yne [working the wife's flax;] For to bete thys wyfees lyne? For Ihesus loue, ffułł of myght," [ 471] [leaf 184, back] The proctoure seyd ryght as he þougħt, "For me yt schałł be euyłł wrougħt [he, the proctor, will never do the like,] And I may see arygħt, [ 474] For I lernyd neuer in lond [it's not his trade.] For to haue a swyngełł in hond By day nor be nyght." [ 477] The stuard seyd, "as good as þoū [The steward says, "We're as good as you, and yet] We hold vs that be here nowe, And lett preue yt be sygħt; [ 480] Yet must vs worke for owre mete, [have to work for our food."] Or ellys schałł we none gete, Mete nor drynke to owre honde." [ 483] The lord seyd, "why flyte ye two? [The Lord says, "And you'll have to work ere you go."] I trowe ye wyłł werke or ye goo, Yf yt be as I vndyrstond." [ 486] Abowte he goys twyes or thryes; They ete & drunke in such wyse [They eat and drink, and give the proctor nothing,] That þey geue hym ryght noght. [ 489] The proctoure seyd, "thynke ye no schame, Yheue me some mete, (ye be to blame,) [to his great disgust,] Of that the wyfe ye brougħt." [ 492] The stuard seyd "euyłł spede the soppe If eny morcełł come in thy throte

Butt þou wyth vs hadest wrought." [ 495] The proctoure stode in a stody [till at last] Whether he mygħt worke hem by; And so to torne hys þougħt, [ 498] To the lord he drewe nere, And to hym seyd wyth myld[e] chere, "That mary mott the spede!" [ 501] The proctoure began to knocke, [he too knocks for work,] The good wyfe rawte hym a rocke, For therto hadde sche nede; [ 504] Sche seyd "whan I was mayde att home, Other werke cowde I do none My lyfe ther-wyth to lede." [ 507] Sche gaue hym in hande a rocke hynde, [gets a distaff and some winding to do,] And bade hem fast for to wynde Or ellys to lett be hys dede. [ 510] [leaf 185] "Yes, dame," he seyd, "so haue I hele, I schałł yt worke both feyre & welle As ye haue taute me." [ 513] He wauyd vp a strycke of lyne, And he span wele and fyne [and spins away well.] By-fore the swyngełł tre. [ 516] The lord seyd "þou spynnest to grete, Therfor þou schalt haue no mete, That þou schalt wełł see." [ 519] Thus þey satt and wrought fast [Thus they all sit and work till the wright comes home.] Tyłł þe wekedayes were past; Then the wryght, home came he, [ 522] And as he cam by hys hows syde [As he approaches he hears a noise,] He herd [[?MS. hard]] noyse that was nott ryde Of persons two or thre; [ 525] One of hem knockyd lyne, A-nothyr swyngelyd good and fyne By-fore the swyngyłł tre, [ 528] The thyrde did rele and spynne, Mete and drynke ther-wyth to wynne, Gret nede ther-of hadde he. [ 531]

Thus þe wryght stode herkenyng; Hys wyfe was ware of hys comyng, [his wife comes to meet him,] And ageynst hym went sche. [ 534] "Dame," he seyd, "what ys þis dynne? I here gret noyse here wythynne; [and he asks what all that noise is about.] Tełł me, so god the spede." [ 537] "Syr," sche seyd, "workemen thre ["Why, three workmen have come to help us, dear.] Be come to helpe you and me, Ther-of we haue gret nede; [ 540] Fayne would I wete what they were." [Who are they?"] Butt when he sawe hys lord there, [The wright sees his Lord in the pit,] Hys hert bygan to drede: [ 543] To see hys lord in þat place, He þought yt was a strange cas, And seyd, "so god hym spede, [ 546] [and asks how] What do ye here, my lord and knygħt? [leaf 185, back] Tełł me nowe for godes mygħt Howe cam thys vn-to?" [ 549] [he came there.] The knyght seyd "What ys best rede? Mercy I aske for my mysdede, [The Lord asks mercy: he is very sorry.] My hert ys wondyr wo." [ 552] "So ys myne, verament, ["So am I," says the wright, "to see you among the flax and hemp,"] To se you among thys flex and hempe, Fułł sore yt ruytħ me; [ 555] To se you in such hevynes, Fułł sore myne hert yt doth oppresse, By god in trinite." [ 558] The wryght bade hys wyfe lett hym̄ owte, [and orders his wife to let the Lord out.] "Nay, þen sorowe come on my snowte If they passe hens to-daye [ 561] ["No, bother my snout if I do," says the wife, "before his lady sees what he wanted to do with me."] Tyłł that my lady come and see Howe þey would haue done wyth me, Butt nowe late me saye." [ 564] Anon sche sent after the lady brygħt [So she sends for the dame to fetch her lord home,] For to fett home her lord and knyght, Therto sche seyd nogħt; [ 567] Sche told her what they hadde ment,

And of ther purpos & ther intente [and tells her what he and his companions came there for. The lady] That they would haue wrought. [ 570] Glad was þat lady of that tydyng; When sche wyst her lord was lyuyng, Ther-of sche was fułł fayne: [ 573] Whan sche came vn-to þe steyre abouen̄, Sche lokyd vn-to þe seller downe, [looks down into the cellar, and says, "Good sirs, what are you doing?"] And seyd,—þis ys nott to leyne,— [ 576] "Good syres, what doo you here?" "Dame, we by owre mete fułł dere, ["Earning our meat full dear:] Wyth gret trauayle and peyne; [ 579] I pray you helpe þat we were owte, [help us out, and I'll never come here again."] And I wyłł swere wyth-owtyn dowte Neuer to come here agayne." [ 582] The lady spake the wyfe vn-tylle, [The lady asks the wife why] And seyd "dame, yf yt be youre wylle, [leaf 186] What doo thes meyny here?" [ 585] [the men are there.] The carpentarys wyfe her answerd sykerly, [The wife says they wanted to lie with her, and offered her gold and silver;] "Ałł they would haue leyne me by; Euerych, in ther manere, [ 588] Gold and syluer they me brought, And forsoke yt, and would yt noght, The ryche gyftes so clere. [ 591] Wyllyng þey were to do me schame, I toke ther gyftes wyth-owtyn blame, [she took their gifts, and there they are.] And ther they be ałł thre." [ 594] The lady answerd her anon̄, [The lady says she really wants her lord for herself,] "I haue thynges to do att home Mo than two or thre; [ 597] I wyst my lord neuer do ryght noght Of no þing þat schuld be wrought, Such as fallyth to me." [ 600] The lady lawghed and made good game [and laughs heartily when the three culprits come out.] Whan they came owte ałł in-same From the swyngyłł tre. [ 603] The knyght seyd "felowys in fere, [The Lord says,] I am glad þat we be here,

By godes dere pyte; [ 606] Dame, and ye hadde bene wyth vs, ["Ah, you'd have worked too if you'd been with us,] Ye would haue wrought, by swete Ihesus, As welle as dyd we." [ 609] And when they cam vp abouen̄ They turnyd abowte and lokyd downe, The lord seyd, "so god saue me, [ 612] Yet hadde I neuer such a fytte [I never had such a turn in my life before, I can tell you."] As I haue hadde in þat lowe pytte; So mary so mutt me spede." [ 615] The knyght and thys lady bryght, [Then the Lord and lady go home,] Howe they would home that nygħt, For no thyng they would abyde; [ 618] And so they went home; Thys seyd Adam of Cobsam̄. [The letter between the b and a has had the lower part marked over. But it must mean a long s.] [as ADAM of COBSAM says.] By the weye as they rode [ 621] [leaf 186, back] Throwe a wode in ther playeng, [On their way home] For to here the fowlys syng They hovyd stylle and bode. [ 624] [they halt,] The stuard sware by godes ore, [and the steward and proctor swear they'll never go back for five and forty years.] And so dyd the proctoure much more, That neuer in ther lyfe [ 627] Would they no more come in þat wonne Whan they were onys thens come, Thys forty yere and fyve. [ 630] Of the tresure that they brought, [The lady gives all their money to the wright's wife.] The lady would geue hem ryght noght, Butt gaue yt to the wryghtes wyfe. [ 633] Thus the wryghtes garlond was feyre of hewe, [The garland is fresh as ever.] And hys wyfe bothe good and trewe: There-of was he fułł blythe; [ 636] I take wytnes att gret and smałł, Thus trewe bene good women ałł [Thus true are all good women now alive!] That nowe bene on lyve, [ 639] So come thryste on ther hedys

Whan they mombyłł on ther bedys Ther pater noster ryue. [ 642]

Here ys wretyn a geste of the wryght [Here then is written a tale of the Wright and his Garland.] That hadde a garlond wełł I-dyght, The coloure wyłł neuer fade. [ 645] Now god, þat ys heuyn kyng, [God grant us all his blessing,] Graunt vs ałł hys dere blessyng Owre hertes for to glade; [ 648] And ałł tho that doo her husbondys rygħt, [and may all true faithful wives] Pray we to Ihesu fułł of myght, That feyre mott hem byfalle, [ 651] And that they may come to heuen blys, [come to heaven's bliss,] For thy dere moderys loue ther-of nott to mys, Alle good wyues alle. [ 654] Now alle tho that thys tretys hath hard, [and be such] Ihesu graunt hem, for her reward, As trew louers to be [ 657] [true lovers as the] As was the wryght vn-to hys wyfe [leaf 187] And sche to hym duryng her lyfe. [wright and his wife were. Amen!] Amen, for charyte. [ 660]

Here endyth the wryghtes processe trewe [Here ends our tale of the Garland] Wyth hys garlond feyre of hewe That neuer dyd fade the coloure. [ 663] It was made, by the avyse Of hys wywes moder wytty and wyse, Of flourys most of honoure, [ 666] [which was made of White Roses,] Of roses whyte þat wyłł nott fade, Whych floure ałł ynglond doth glade, [the flowers that gladden all England,] Wyth trewloues medelyd in sygħt; [ 669] Vn-to the whych floure I-wys The loue of god and of the comenys [and receive the love of God, and of the Com∣mons too.] Subdued [May be subdied; the word has been corrected.] bene of rygħt. [ 672]

Explicit.