• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

nat lyk a worm , go by the weye Remembre yow , myn owene lord so deere I was youre wyf , thogh I vnworthy weere ÊWher fore , in gerdou of my maydenhede Which þt I broghte , and

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

bothe his lady and his loue His lady certes , and his wyf also The which , þt lawe of loue acordeth to And whan he was , in this prosperitee Hom with his wyf he gooth to his contree

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

wedded be The ioye , the ese , and the prosperitee That is , bitwix an housbonde , and his wyf A yeer and moore , lasted this blisful lyf Til þt the knyght of which I speke of thus

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

stories , as I gesse Koude I now telle , as touchyng this matere Whan habradace was slayn , his wyf so deere Hir seluen slow , and leet hir blood to glyde In habradaces woundes , depe and wyde

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

body vnburyed be ÊLo which a wyf , was Alceste quod she What Omer , of goode Penolopee Al Grece , knoweth of hir chastitee Pardee of Laodomya , is writen thus That whan at Troye , was slayn Protheselaë

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

in sorwe and in distresse Than þt his wyf were of hir trouthe fals The sorwe of Dorigen , he tolde hym als How looth hir was , to ben a wikked wyf And þt she leuere had lost that

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

parysshe , wyf ne was ther noon She passed hem , of Ipres , and of Gaunt Of clooth makynge , she hadde swich an haunt But she was somdel deef and that was scathe A good wyf was ther

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

lady , sith ye may and kan Noght wol I knowe , compaignye of man And noght to been a wyf , and be with childe And for to walken , in the wodes wilde A mayde , and loue

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

an hondred thousand deel Syngen , so wonder myrily and weel Now hadde this Phebus , in his hous a wyf Which þt he louede , moore than his lyf And nyght , and day , dide euere his diligence

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

the werkyng I am a boystous man , right thus seye I Ther nys no difference , trewely Bitwix a wyf , þt is of heigh degree If of hire body , deshoneste she be And a poore wenche ,

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

swete noyse shul ye make But euere crye , agayn tempest and rayn In tokenynge , þt thurgh thee my wyf is slayn And to the Crowe he stirte , and that anon And pulled , hise white fetheres euerichon

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

where me best were to allien But o thyng warne I yow , my freendes deere I wol noon old wyf han , in no manere She shal nat passe , .xx. yeer certeyn Old fissh , and yong flessh

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

, than woot my page For whiche causes , man sholde take a wyf If he ne may nat lyue , chast his lyf Take hym a wyf , with greet deuocioū By cause , of leueful procreacioū Of children

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

To han his wyf allone , trusteth me Ye shul nat plesen hir , fully yeres thre This is to seyn , to doon hir ful plesance A wyf axeth , ful many an obêuance I pray yow , þt

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

heuene aboue Leuere ich hadde , to dyen on a knyf Than thee offende , trewe deere wyf For goddes sake , thenk how I thee chees Noght for no coueitise doutelees But oonly , for the loue I hadde

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

ferther syde Pluto , that is the kyng of Fairye And many a lady , in his compaignye Folwynge his wyf , the queene Proserpyne Whos answer hath doon many a man pyne Whil that she gadrede , floures in

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

swete clerk , his tyme spente After his freendes fyndyng and his rente This Carpenter , hadde wedded newe a wyf Which þt he louede , moore than his lyf Of .xviij. yeer , she was of age Ialous he

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

seye , I nam nat lief to gabbe Sey what thow wolt I shal it neuere telle To child ne wyf by hym that harwed helle Now Iohn quod Nicholas , I wol noght lye I haue yfounde , in

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

and dame Hermengyld his wyf Were payens , and that contree euery where But hermengyld , loued hir right as hir lyf And Custaunce , hath so longe soiourned there In orisons , with many a bitter teere Til Ihū

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

in his hand it hente And baar it softe , vn to his beddes feet Soone after this , the wyf hir routynt leet And gan awake , and wente hir out to pisse And cam agayn , and gan