| 385 | Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde, |
| Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde, |
| That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse; |
| And al was fals, but that I took witnesse |
| On Janekyn and on my nece also. |
| 390 | O lord! The pyne I dide hem, and the wo |
| Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pyne! |
| For as an hors I koude byte and whyne, |
| I koude pleyne, thogh I were in the gilt, |
| Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt. |
| 395 | Who so that first to mille comth first grynt; |
| I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt. |
| They were ful glad to excuse hem ful blyve |
| Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve. |
| Of wenches wolde I beren hym on honde, |
| 400 | Whan that for syk unnethes myghte he stonde, |
|
| 385 | Masters, like this, as you must understand, |
| Did I my old men charge and censure, and |
| Claim that they said these things in drunkenness; |
| And all was false, but yet I took witness |
| Of Jenkin and of my dear niece also. |
| 390 | O Lord, the pain I gave them and the woe, |
| All guiltless, too, by God's grief exquisite! |
| For like a stallion could I neigh and bite. |
| I could complain, though mine was all the guilt, |
| Or else, full many a time, I'd lost the tilt. |
| 395 | Whoso comes first to mill first gets meal ground; |
| I whimpered first and so did them confound. |
| They were right glad to hasten to excuse |
| Things they had never done, save in my ruse. |
| With wenches would I charge him, by this hand, |
| 400 | When, for some illness, he could hardly stand. |
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