(534)
¶ Ierom tellith, agayn Iouinian, [¶ De casti|tate cuiusdam temine Vlie numcupate.]
Line 3732
A faire womman, a maidë clept Vlie,
Y-wedded was vnto an agëd man,
A Romayn, smyten with þe pallësie;
But sche in chastite was sette so hye,
Line 3736
That an ensaumple verrayliche was sche
To allë tho þat louëd chastitee.
Line 3738
(535)
¶ Hire housbonde herde onès [ones hade R, herde oned H.] an enemy,
Line 3739
Whiche þat he haddë, spoke [that said and spake R, þat he hadd spoke H.] in his repreef,
That his breth stank, as þat he stode him by;
Wher-of he toke gret heuynesse and greef;
He goth hoom to his wyf, and þis mescheef
Line 3743
fful heuely to hire he gan compleyne,
And þus of hire he gan to aske and freyne:
Line 3745
(536)
¶ "Whi, wyf," quod he, "han ye noght or this tyme
I-warnëd me how þat it wiþ me stood?"
"Sire, it was nought," quod sche, "aspied by me;
I held your breth ay also suete and good
As other mennës ben; I vnderstood [folio 65b]
Line 3750
Non othir, ne yit do in sothfastnesse."
fful fewë men had sche kist, as I gesse.
Line 3752
(537)
¶ She hily was to preyse and to commende,
Line 3753
That naght ne knewe by othir mennès mouthes
Hir makis vice: it [it R, at H.] was al wel, sche wende.
To fyndë many swiche ful vnkouthe is;
Lat vs awayte wel whan þe wynd south is
Line 3757
And north at onès blowynge on þe sky,
And fyndë swiche an hepe þan hardily.
Line 3759
