'Thow semyst froward & pervers, [Stowe folio 184a]
Off thy port, straunge & dyvers.
Thow semyst (as I kan devyse,)
A repman, for thyn vnkouth guyse,
Line 10420
Or A mowhere wyth thy [[the St.]] sythe;
Or, to dyscryvë the now blythe,
I trowe thow art som ffals espye;
But the trouthë nat denye;
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Tel me thy namë; sparë nouht!
And tel me wher thow hast ek souht
The boystous staff vp-on thy bak,
Wher-in I ffyndë ful gret lak;
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ffor yt ys nat accordynge,
But ffroward, pleynly, in semynge,
As fer as I rehersë kan,
To euery wel gouérnyd man.' [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
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Thys cherl, lenyng vpon [[on St.]] hys staff, [folio 161b]
To resoun, thys answere he gaff: [[yaffe St.]]
The Cherl. [[St., 'cherl' in margin, C.]]
Thys cherl, by maner off dysdeyne,
Vn-to resoun thus gan seyne:
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'I trowe,' quod he, 'by lyklynesse [[lyknesse St.]]
Thow art chosë som mayresse,
Or wexe off newe so fortunat
To be som lady off gret estat;
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But, for al thy presumcïoun
I wolde se [[Fayn wolde I se St. [folio 184b] ]] thy commyssïoun,
(ffor al thy port & strangë guise, [[St. transposes these lines.]] )
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Thy ffredam also, & ffraunchyse; [[St. transposes these lines.]]
Lyst affterward thow falle in blame.
Shewe hem to me, & tel thy name;
ffor, by noon other menë weye,
I wyl no thyng vn-to the seye,
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Nor the answerë, trustë [[trust on St.]] me,
To lete hym gon at lyberte.'
[Resoun]
Thannë, [[Than St.]] resoun, nat to hasty,
But by leyser ful prudéntly
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Toward hym castynge hyr look,
