The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

                                
                                     [6-text p 336] 
                                  
                                  By expresse worde I prey you telle me [[Sloane MS 1685]] 
                                
                                  Or where comaundid he virgynyte
                                
                                  I wote as wele as ȝe hit ys no drede
                                
                                  The Apostill whan þat he speketh of Maydenhede
                                  Line 64 
                                
                                  he sayd precept þer-of hade he none
                                
                                  Men May consayle a woman to ben one
                                
                                  But consaylynge ys none comaundement
                                
                                  He putte hit in oure owen Iugement
                                  Line 68 
                                
                                  ffor hade god commaunded Maydenhede
                                
                                  þan hade he dampned weddynge with þe dede
                                
                                  And certes yf þere were no sede y-sowe
                                
                                  Virgynyte þan where-of shuld hit growe
                                  Line 72 
                                
                                  Poule durste not comaunden atte leste [Sloane MS 1685 folio 104a] 
                                
                                  A thynge of whiche his Mayster yaf hym none heste
                                
                                  þe dart ys set vpe for Virgynite
                                  Line 75 
                                
                                  Chase who so may who so renneth best let see] [[Sloane extract ends]] 
                                
                                  But þis word is not take of euery wyght [MS Gg. 4. 27]  [folio 212a] 
                                
                                  But þere as god lust ȝeue it of hise myȝt
                                
                                  I wot wel þat thapostele was a mayde
                                
                                  But natheles thogh þat he wrot & sayde
                                  Line 80 
                                
                                  He wolde þat euery were swych as he
                                
                                  Al nys but cunseyl to virginite
                                
                                  And for to been a wyf he ȝaf me leue
                                
                                  Of indulgence so is it no repreue
                                  Line 84 
                                
                                  To wedde me ȝif myn make deye
                                
                                  With-oute excepcioun of bygamye
                                
                                  Al were it good no woman for to touche
                                
                                  He mente as in his bed as in hyse couche
                                  Line 88 
                                
                                  ffor peril is fer & tow thasemble
                                
                                  ȝe knowe what þis exsaumple may recemble
                                
                                  This is al & sum þat virginyte
                                
                                  More profitith þan weddyng in frelete
                                  Line 92 
                                
                                  ffrelete clepe I ȝif̣ þat he & sche
                                
                                  Wolde leede al here lyf in chastite
                                
                                  I graunte it wel I haue non enuye
                                
                                  Thow maydynhed profere bigamye

                                  Line 96

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Title: The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.
Author: Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.
Canvas: Page 169
Publication: London :: Published for the Chaucer Society by K. Paul, Trench, Trübner,; 1868-1879.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/agz8234.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/agz8234.0001.001/185:4

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Full citation: "The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/agz8234.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 12, 2025.

The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

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