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

                                
                                     [6-text p 337] 
                                  
                                  Hem lykith to be clene body & gost
                                
                                  Of myn estat I nyl not make no bost
                                
                                  ffor wel ȝe wete a lord in hyse houshold
                                
                                  He hath nat euery vessel al of gold
                                  Line 100 
                                
                                  Some ben of tre & don here lord seruyse
                                
                                  God clepith folk to hym in sundery wyse
                                
                                  And eueryche hath of god a propere ȝifte
                                
                                  Summe þis some þat as hym lestyth schyfte
                                  Line 104 
                                
                                  Virginite 1is gret perfeccyoun1 [[1_1 later]] 
                                
                                  And contynens ek with reson
                                
                                  But crist þat of perfeccioun is welle
                                
                                  Bad nat euery wyȝt schulde selle
                                  Line 108 
                                
                                  Al þat he hadde & ȝeue it to þe pore
                                
                                  And in swich wise folwe hym and hese foore
                                
                                  He spak to hem þat wolde leue perfytly
                                
                                  And lordyngys by ȝoure leue þat am nat I
                                  Line 112 
                                
                                  I wele be-stowe þe flour of al myn age
                                
                                  In the artys & in þe freut of maryage
                                
                                  Telle me also to what conclusyoun [folio 212b] 
                                
                                  Were membris made of generacioun
                                  Line 116 
                                
                                  And for what profyt was a wyf I-wrouȝt
                                
                                  Trostyth ryȝt wel þey were nat mad for nouȝt
                                
                                  Glose ho so wele I seye vp & doun
                                
                                  That þey were makyd for purgacyoun
                                  Line 120 
                                
                                  Of vryne boþe & thyngis smale
                                
                                  And ek to knowe a femel from a male
                                
                                  And for non oþer cause sey ȝe no
                                
                                  The experience wit wel it is nat so
                                  Line 124 
                                
                                  So þat ȝe clerkis ben nat with me wrothe
                                
                                  I seye þis þat þey ben makede for boþe
                                
                                  That is to seye for offyse & for ese
                                
                                  Of engendereure þere we not god displese
                                  Line 128 
                                
                                  Whi schuldyn men ellys in here bokis sette
                                
                                  That a man schal ȝilde to his wif hire dette
                                
                                  Now wherewith schulde he make hyse payement
                                
                                  If he ne vsede his instrument

                                  Line 132

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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 170
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/agz8234.0001.001/186:4

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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 13, 2025.

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

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