[Here be-gynneth þe Prolooge of þe Monke. [Sloane MS 1685 folio 201b]
Whan endid was þis tale of Melybe
And of / Prudence and of hir/ benygnyte
Line 3080
Oure hoste sayd as I am a · feyth-full man
And by þe preciouse corpus madryan
I hade leuere þan a Barelle of ale
þat godeleve my wyf hade hard þis tale
Line 3084
ffor she nys no þenge of suche pacience ·
As was þis Melibeus wyfes prudence
Be godes bones whan I bete my knaues.
Sche bryngeth me þe grete clubbed staves.
Line 3088
And cryethe slee þe dogges euereycheon
And breke bothe backe and bone
And ȝif þat ony neghebour of myne
Wolle not in chirche to my wyf enclyne
Line 3092
Or be so hardy to her/ to trespace
When she cometh home she renneth in my face
And cryeth false coward wreke þi wyfe
By corpus bonus I wylle haue þi knyfe
Line 3096
And þou shalte haue my distafe and go spynne
ffro day to nyȝt riȝt þus she wolle begynne
Alas she seithe þat euere I was shape
To wedde a melke soppe or so grete an ape
Line 3100
þat wolle bene ouere lade with euery wyȝt
þou dorste not stonde by þi wyf a ryȝt
Thys ys my lyfe but ȝif I wolde fyȝt
And oute at þe dore a-none I mote me dyȝt
Line 3104
Or elles I am lost but ȝif þat I
Be lyke a wylde lyonn foule hardy
I wote wele she wylle do me slee som day [Sloane MS 1685 folio 202a]
Line 3107
Some neyȝeboure and þan go my way] [[Sloane extract ends]]
For I am perlious with knyf in honde [Camb. Univ. Lib. MS Gg. 4.27] [folio 351a]
Al be it that I dar nat hire with-stonde
