• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

þat called is seint yue For of vs chapmen so god me saue , The curious busynesse þat we haue Wyf Ï þis man lytel canstow dyuyne What lete vs heere masse gowe dyne Schal fastyng al þis day elenge

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

of old vsage algate His wyf ful redy mette him atte gate A þousend frankes abouen al his costage þat needes moste he wynne in such a viage For wel he knew he stood in such aray And home he

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

þou woldest loke me in þi cheste þou scholdest seie wyf go where þe leste Take youre disporte I wol not leue no tales I knowe ȝow for a good wyf dame Alis We loue no man þat takeþ keepe

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

his wyf was at a Somer game , Wiþoute his wytyng he forsook hire eeke And þanne wolde he vpon his bible seeke That ilke prouerbe of ecclesiaste Wher he comaūndeþ and forbedeþ faste Man schal not suffre his wyf

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

wyf þere was , of beside bathe But she was somdel def , þt was skathe Of cloth makyng , she had swich an haunt That she passed hem , of ypris of gaunt In all the peryssh ,

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

enduren , as other folk , his care Fair was this ȝong wyf , and there wt alle As ony wesyl , hir body gent and smalle A Seynt she wered barred , al of sylke A barmclothe as whyte

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

of the Parissh fast And many a louely loke , on hem he cast And namely , on this Carpenteres wyf To loke on hire , h#299; þought a mery lif She was so propre , and swete , and

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

longe tyme dwelled she/ in that place In holy werkes euere , as was hire grace The Senatours wyf , hire Aunte was But for al that , she knew hire neuere the moore I wyl no lengere tary ,

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

h#299; sewid O destynee , þt may nat ben eschewed Allas that Chauntecler , fley fro the beemes Allas his wyf , ne roughte nat of dreemes And on a friday , fel al this meschaunce O venus , þat

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

, at Seynt Denys That riche was , for which men helde h#299; wys A wyf he hadde , of excellent beaute And compaignable , and reuelous was she Which is a thyng , that causeth more dispence Than worth

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Iohn Shal fastynge al this day , elenge goon What late vs heere a masse , and go we dyne Wyf qd this man , litel canstow deuyne The curious besynesse , that we haue For of vs chapmen ,

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

lord Daun Iohn , was come a gayne And shortly to the poynt , right for to gon This faire wyf a corded , with Daun Iohn That for this hondred frankes , he shulde al nyght Haue hire in

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

þè and seist , an hateful wyf I rekened is , for oon of theise meschaunces Beth there noone othere , resemblaunces That ȝe may likne , ȝoure parables to But if a seely wyf , be on of thoo

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

lest To tempte his wyf , yet ofter if he may O nedelees , was she tempted in assay But wedded men , ne knowe no mesure Whan þt they fynde , a pacient creature Wyf quod this Markys ,

• 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 Hir

• 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 Custance , hath so longe soiourned there In orisons , with many a bitter teere Til

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

comth hoom soone after this Vn to his Castel , of the which I tolde And asketh , where his wyf , and his child is The Constable , gan aboute his herte colde And pleynly , al the manere

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Ierusalem birafte And to oure hye goddes , thanke we Of honour , that oure eldres wt vs lafte His wyf hise lordes , and hise concubynes Ay dronken , whil hir appetites laste Out of thise noble vessels ,

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

of Mele And that a sly , and vsaunt for to stele His name was hoote , deynous Symkyn A wyf he hadde , ycomen of noble kyn The person of the toun , hir fader was With hir he

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Denys That riche was , for which men helde hym wys A wyf he hadde , of excellent beautee And compaignable , and reuelous was she Which is a thyng that causeth more dispence Than worth is , al the