[6-text p 432]
ffor out of doute this olde poure man
Line 904
Was euere in suspect of hire maryage
ffor euere he demede sythe that it be-gan
That whan the lord fulfyld hadde his corage
Line 907
Hym wolde thynke it were a disparage
To his estat so lowe for to a-lyghte
And woydyn hire / as sone as euere he myghte
Line 910
A-geyn his doughtyr / hastyliche goth he
Line 911
ffor he by noyse of folk / knew hire comyng
And with hire olde coote / as it myghte be
He cowerith hire / ful sorwefully wepynge
Line 914
But on hire body / myghte it not brynge
ffor rude was the cloth / & sche more of age
By dayis fele / than at hire maryage
Line 917
T[h]us with hire fadyr / for a certeyn space [folio 255b]
Line 918
Dwellyth this flour of wyfly pacience
That neythir by hire wordys ne hire face
By-fore the folk ne ek in hire absence
Line 921
Ne schewede sche þat hire was don offence
Ne of hire highe estat no remembraunce
Ne hadde sche as by hyre cuntenaunce
Line 924
No wondyr is / for in hire greete estate
Line 925
Hyre gost was ay in pleyn humylitee
No tendere mouth non herte delicate
No pompe no semblaunt of royaltee
Line 928
But ful of pacient benygnetee
Dyscreet & prideles / ay honurable
And to hire husbonde euere mek & stable
Line 931
Men speke of Iob / & most for his humblesse
Line 932
As clerkis whan hem leste can wel endite
Namely of men / but as in sothfastnesse
Thow Clerkys preysyn wemen but a lyte
Line 935
