• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

that it muste ben knowe this it may nat bee And Salomon seyth ne uere in thyn lyf to thȳ wyf , ne thȳ child , ne to thȳ frēd ne ȝeue power ouyr thȳ self , for bettere it

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

schal be boþe mȳ detour myn thral And haue hise trybulacioū withal Vp on hise flesch whil I am his wyf I haue þe power durȳge al myn lyf Vp on hyse proper body noght he Ryght þë thapostele tolde

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

he hadde holde his day þt he hyȝt And redy was his answere as he sayde Ful manye a nobele wyf manye a mayde And manye a wedewe for þt þey ben wyse The queen hire self syttȳge as a

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

dere husbende bñdicite Faryth euery knyȝt with his wyf as ȝe Is þis þe lawe of kyng arthures hous Is euery knyȝt of his þus daūgerous I am ȝoure owene loue ȝoure wyf I am sche þt sauede hath ȝoure

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

I am nought leef to gabbe , Say what þou wolt I schal it neuer telle , To child ne wyf by him þat harwed helle Now Iohñ~ qd nicholas . I wol not lye I haue I founde in

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

and corn Al was out of his mynd his housbondrye What wikked way is he gan gan he crye The wyf cam lepyng in ward wiþ a ren Sche seyde allas ȝour hors goþ to þe fen Wiþ wylde mares

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

ful stille and wolde han caught a sleep Wiþinne a while Iohñ þe clerk vp leep And on this goode wyf leyþ on ful sore So mery a fytt ne hadd sche nat ful ȝore He prikeþ harde and deepe

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

he þat bar lif Sauf on þe greene he saugh sittyng a wyf , A fouler wight þer may no man deuyse Aȝens þe knight þis olde wyf gan ryse And sayder ê knight heer forth lith no way Tel

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

putte the punysshynge chastisynge , the venge- ance of this outrage , in the wil of me , of my wyf or ye wol nat And therfore wol I knowe wite of yow , for ye han entred in to

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Deth may not make non comparisoun Vn to ȝoure loue , whā this Markys say The constaūce , of his wyf he casta doū Hise eyen too , wonderyth that sche may In pacience , suffere al this a ray

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

is þat ȝe causeles and wiþouten skile and resoū han don grete Iniuries and wronges to me and to my wyf dame Prudence and to mȳ doughter also For ȝe han entred in to myn hous by vyolence and han

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

don , I blissed be the name of oure lord To theise forseide thyngis answered Melibe- us vn to his wyf Prudence , Alle thyne wordes qd he ben sothe and þer to profitable , but trewely myn herte is

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

is , that ȝe causeles wt outen skyle resoū , han doon grete Iniuries wronges to me and to my wyf , Pèdence , and to my doughter also , for ȝe han entred in to myn hous by violence

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

is doon blessed be the name of oure lord To thise forseide thynges , answerde Melibeus , vn to his wyf Prudence Alle thy wor- des quod he been sothe , and therwith profitable , but trewely , myn herte

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

wt outen skile resoū han doon grete Iniuries wronges , to me and to my wyf Prudence and to my doghter also , for ye han entred in to myn hous by violence and haue doon swich outrage þt alle

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

and a chidyng wyf ben like aman þat is in dropping hous in many partes þough he eschewe þe dropping ī oon place ; it droppeþ on him in anoþer place So farith it by a chydinge wyf ; But

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

he hastith wel þat wisly can abyde and in wikked haste is no profyt This melibeus answerde vn to his wyf prudens I purpose not quod he to werke by þy coūseil for many causes and resoūs For certes euery

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

be knowe , and this ne may nat be And Salomon seith , Neuere in thy lyf , to thy wyf , ne to thy child , ne to thy freend , ne yif no power ouer thy self ,

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

a stake Thei wol not of hir first purpos slake Ryght so this Markys fully hath purposed To tempte his wyf as he was first disposed He waiteth yif bi word or contynaunce That she to him was chaunged of

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

I wote and wist alway How that bitwix your magnificence And my pouert no wyght can ne may Make comparisoun it is no nay I heeld me neuer digne in no manere To be your wyf ne your chambrere .