MY master, &c. When of Christ our king,
Was asked, what is troth or soth∣fastnesse,
He not a worde answerde to that asking,
As who saith, no man is all true, I gesse:
And therefore, though I hight to expresse
The sorow and wo that is in Mariage,
I dare not writen of it no wickednesse,
Lest I my selfe fall eft in soche dotage.
I woll not say how that it is the chaine
Of Sathanas, on which he knaweth ever,
But I dare saine were he out of his paine,
As by his will he would be bounden never:
But thilke doted foole, that eft hath lever
Ichayned be, than out of prison crepe,
God let him never fro his woe discever,
Ne no man hym bewayle, though he wepe.
But yet lest thou doe worse, take a wife,
* Bet is to wedde, than brenne in worse wise,
But thou shalt have sorow on thy flesh thy life,
And ben thy wives thrale, as sain these wise,
And if that holy writ may not suffice,
Experience shall thee teach, so may happe,
* Take the way leuer to be taken in Frise,
Than eft to fall of wedding in the trappe.
This little writte, Prouerbes or figures,
I sende you, take keepe of it I rede,
Vnwise is he, that can no wele endure,
* If thou be siker, put thee not in drede,
The wife of Bathe, I pray you that ye rede
Of this matter that we have on honde,
God graunt you your lyfe freely to lede
In fredome, for foule is to be bonde.
Explicit.