With muche menske mote þei mete,
And wel worþe alle wymmen ay!
Al vr Bale þei may beete,
Serteynliche, I dar wel say;
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And hose blameþ hem niht or day,
Wiþ Bale mot heore tonge belle.
I preue hit wel, ho-euer seiþ nay:
Of wimmen comeþ þis worldes welle.
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(2)
But moni vn-witti wiht is woode,
Vn-wysliche wimmen wol dispyse,
Þat ben I-boren of wimmen blode:
I-wis, such wihtes ben vn-wyse,
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ffor þei defoule heor oune foode.
Such grimly goostes may agryse,
wiþ þulke þat dude god on þe Rode:
At dredful dom such schal aryse,
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Be Iugged wiþ þe heiȝe Iustise
To folewe þe false feendes fele,
And rikene wiþ þe vnrihtwyse,
Þat of wymmen comeþ worldes welle.
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(3)
Sum seiþ wimmen haþ be-gilt
Adam, Sampson and Salamon,
And seiþ þat wimmen haþ I-spilt
Mony a wys worþi mon:
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Þus þei greggen wymmens gilt;
Of Monnes riken þei neuer on.
And monnes falshed weore fulfild,
I trowe þer weore twenti aȝeynes on,
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Of Macabeus, Iudas and Ion,
Alisaundre and oþer feole,
Þat with monnes gult was fordon;
But of wimmen comeþ þis worldes wele.
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(4)
And Iudas gentil Ihesu solde
Þat saued alle þat was forlore!
And monnes falsed weore I-tolde,
Men miht rikene moni a score.
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