| What sholde I seye, but at the monthes ende |
| This joly clerk Jankyn, that was so hende |
| 635 | Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee, |
| And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee |
| That evere was me yeven therbifoore; |
| But afterward repented me ful soore; |
| He nolde suffre nothyng of my list. |
| 640 | By God, he smoot me ones on the lyst |
| For that I rente out of his book a leef, |
| That of the strook myn ere wax al deef. |
| Stibourne I was as is a leonesse, |
| And of my tonge a verray jangleresse, |
| 645 | And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn, |
| From hous to hous, although he had it sworn, |
| For which he often-tymes wolde preche, |
| And me of olde Romayn geestes teche, |
| How he Symplicius Gallus lefte his wyf, |
| 650 | And hir forsook for terme of al his lyf, |
| Noght but for open-heveded he hir say, |
| Lookynge out at his dore, upon a day. |
|
| What should I say now, save, at the month's end, |
| This jolly, gentle, Jenkin clerk, my friend, |
| 635 | Has married me full ceremoniously, |
| And to him gave I all the land in fee |
| That ever had been given me before; |
| But, later I repented me full sore. |
| He never suffered me to have my way. |
| 640 | By God, he hit me on the ear, one day, |
| Because I tore out of his book a leaf, |
| So that from this my ear is grown quite deaf. |
| Stubborn I was as is a lioness, |
| And with my tongue a very jay, I guess, |
| 645 | And walk I would, as I had done before, |
| From house to house, though I should not, he swore. |
| For which he oftentimes would sit and preach |
| And read old Roman tales to me and teach |
| How one Sulpicius Gallus left his wife |
| 650 | And her forsook for term of all his life |
| Because he saw her with bared head, I say, |
| Looking out from his door, upon a day. |
|
