¶ Here folwen the Wordes of the Worthy Hoost to the ffrankeleyn. [folio 153a]
[Blank of ten lines in the MS.]
Ey goddes mercy / seyde oure Hoost tho
Now swich a wyf / I prey god kepe me fro
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Lo whiche sleightes / and subtiltees
In wommen ben / for ay as bisy as bees
Ben they / vs sely men for to deceyue
And from a sooth / euere wol they weyue
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By this Marchantes tale / it preueth weel
But doutelees / as trewe as any steel
I haue a wyf / thogh þat she poore be
But of hir tonge / a labbyng shrewe is she
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And yit she hath / an heep of vices mo
Ther-of no fors / lat alle swiche thynges go
But wite ye what in conseil be it seyd
Me reweth soore / I am vn to hire teyd
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ffor and I sholde / rekenen euery vice
Which þat she hath / ywis I were to nyce
And cause why / it sholde reported be
And toold to hire / of somme of this meynee
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Of whom? / it nedeth nat for to declare
Syn wommen / konnen oute swich chaffare
And eek my wit/ suffiseth nat ther to
To tellen al / wher-fore my tale is do [[No break in the MS.]]
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