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"Ey! Goddes mercy!" seyde oure Hooste tho, | |
"Now swich a wyf I pray God kepe me fro! | |
Lo, whiche sleightes and subtilitees | |
1210 | In wommen been! for ay as bisy as bees |
Been they, us sely men for to deceyve, | |
And from the soothe evere wol they weyve; | |
By this marchauntes tale it preveth weel. | |
But doutelees, as trewe as any steel | |
1215 | I have a wyf, though that she povre be, |
But of hir tonge, a labbyng shrewe is she, | |
And yet she hath an heep of vices mo; | |
Therof no fors! Lat alle swiche thynges go. | |
But wyte ye what? In conseil be it seyd, | |
1220 | Me reweth soore I am unto hire teyd. |
For, and I sholde rekenen every vice | |
Which that she hath, ywis I were to nyce; | |
And cause why, it sholde reported by | |
And toold to hire of somme of this meynee, - | |
1225 | Of whom, it nedeth nat for to declare, |
Syn wommen konnen outen swich chaffare; | |
And eek my with suffiseth nat therto, | |
To tellen al, wherfore my tale is do." |
Next: The Squire's Introduction (ll. 1-8) | © Librarius All rights reserved. |