'Quyk flessh I vsë for to selle;
Line 13484
And yet (who vnderstondeth me)
I ha lernyd wel to sle
Mo bestys (in conclusïoun)
Than .iij. [[three St.]] Bocherys in som toun.
Line 13488
But what fflessh euere that I selle,
Mor money at the stalle I telle,—
Double (yiff I shal sey [[I sey the St.]] soth,)—
Than any other bocher doth; [Stowe folio 237b]
Line 13492
ffor wych, my namë t[o] expresse [[texpresse C. St.]]
Thow mayst me calle a 'bocheresse'
Or a bawde, and no thyng lye, [folio 205b]
That selleth fflessh by bauderye.
Line 13496
'I am no ffyssh (who lokë wel)
Thogh I be callyd A 'makerel,'
Wych in ffrauncë ys a name
Off gret [[grete St., gret C.]] sclaundre and diffame;
Line 13500
And I shal lerne thè, parcel
Off my crafft to knowe somdel:
I haue abyde in soth to longe,
Thogh my powerys be wonder stronge.'
Line 13504
Venus: [[St., om. C.]] [[Blank in MS.]]
'Sothly,' quod Venus, 'thow seyst wel;
But ne dred thè neueradel,
ffor, by the wordys that thow hast told,
Wé han ón hym fful good [[goode St.]] hold,
Line 13508
Wych shal tournë to no Iape;
ffor he may nat our handys skape,
Nor, out off our daunger gon.'
The Pilgrim:
And by the throtë thanne anoon
Line 13512
Glotonye held me so ffaste,
To grounde almost that she me caste.
And Venus gan to neyen ner,
And, fful dredful off hyr cher,
Line 13516
Gan ley to hand, me to confounde.
And they han me so sore bounde, [Stowe folio 238a]
Hand and ffoot, and leggys to,
I myghte nat meuë, to nor [[ne St.]] ffro;
Line 13520
That I dar afferme (and seyn,
