[6-text p 441]
O noble wyuys ful of prudence
Let noon humilite ȝoure tunge nayille
Ne lat no klerk haue cause nor dilygence
Line 1185
To wryte of ȝow a story of swych meruaile
As of Grisildis pacient & kynde
Lest Chicheuache / you swolwe in hire entrayle
Line 1188
ffolwith Ecco / that holdyth no sylence
But euere answerith at the countretayle
Beth not bedaffyd for ȝoure Innocence
Line 1191
But scharpely takyth on ȝow the gouernaile
Enpryntith wel this lessoun in ȝoure mynde
ffor comune profyt / sithe it may a-wayle
Line 1194
Ye Archewyuys stondyth at ȝoure defence [folio 259b]
Syn ȝe been stronge as is a greet Camayle
Ne sufferyth nat / þat men ȝow doon offence
Line 1197
And sklendere wyues feble as in batayle
Beeth egre as is a tigre ȝong in ȝouthe
Ay clappith as a melle I ȝow consayle
Line 1200
Ne drede hem nat do hem no reuerence
ffor thow thyn husbond / armede be in mayle
The arwis of thyn crabbede eloquence
Line 1203
Schal perce his brest & ek his auentayle
In Ialusye I reede ek thow hym bynde
And thow schat make hym couche as doth a quayle
Line 1206
If thow be fayr / ther folk been in presence
Schewe thu thyn visage & thyn aparayle
ȝif thow be foul be fre of thyn dispence
Line 1209
To gete the frendys ay do thyn trauayle
Be ay of chir as lyght as lef on lynde
And lat hym care & wepe & wrynge & wayle
Line 1212
Heere hath the clerk of Oxenforthe ended his tale
