• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

in his pley How liketh the my wyf and hir beaute Ryght wel quod she my lord in good feye A fairer saw I neuer mo than she I praye to god yeue yow prosperite And so y hope that

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

fadres day And fortunat was ek in mariage Al put he nat his wyf in gret assay This world is not so stronge it is no nay As it hath ben in olde tymes yore And herkeneth what this auctor

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Wel ny al other cures let he slide And eke he nolde and that was werst of alle Wedde no wyf for aught that may befalle Only that poynt his peple bar so soore That flokmele on a day to

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

trew entente That neuer yit refuseden your heeste And we wol lord yif that ye wol assente Chese yow a wyf in short tyme atte leeste Borne of the gentileste and of the meeste Of al this lond so that

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

this bisi drede And take a wyf for hie goddes sake For if so bifel as god forbede That thurgh your deth your lynage sholde slake And that a straunge Successour shulde take Your heritage .o. wo , were vs

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

syde Ianicola y nother may ne can Lenger the plesaunce of myn hert hide If that thou vouche sauf what so bityde Thi doughter wol I take or that I wende As for my wyf vn to hir lyues ende

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

this a forlong wey or two He priuely hath tolde al his entente Vn to a man and to his wyf him sente A maner Sergeant was this priue man The which he feithful often he founden hadde In thinges

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

his hed He may nat fleen it thogh he sholde be ded. Al be she mayde or wydow or elles wyf. And eke it is not likkely al thi lif To stonden in hir grace no more shal .I. For

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

the hert bere Than rekke I not whan I haue lost my lyf Thaugh that arcite wynne hir to his wyf This is effect and ende of my preyere Yif me my loue thow blisful lady deere . Whan the

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

thow ones on a tyme mysfylle Whan Vulcanus had caught the in his las And found the lyggyng by his wyf allas For thilke sorow that was in thin hert Haue routh as wel vp on my peynes smert I

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

wo allas the peynes stronge That I for yow haue suffered and so longe Allas the deth allas myn Emelye Allas departyng of oure compaignye Allas myn hertes quene allas my wyf Myn hertes lady ender of my lyf .

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

loued as palamon That serueth yow and wol don al his lyf And yif that euer ye shal ben a wyf . For yeet not palamon the gentilman And wyth that word his speche fayl gan For from his feete

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

is wyth duette and honour Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf Whi grucchen here his cosyn and his wyf Of his welfare that loueth hem so wel Kan he hem thank nay god wot neuer a del That

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

O flessh thei ben and o flessh as I gesse Hath but on hert in wele and in distresse A wyf a seynt marie benedicite How myght a man haue any aduersite That hath a wif certes I can not

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

any wif if so were that she hadde Moo good thewes thanne hir vices badde And al this axeth leiser for tenquere For god it wot I haue wepte many a teere Ful priuely syn that I had a wyf

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Or yit for eny good yeman to wedde Now syr and eft syr so bifel the cas That on a day this hende Nicholas Fel wyth this wyf to rage and pleye Whil that hir husbond was at Osneye .

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

and maketh melodye Than fil it thus that to the parysh chirche Cristes owne werkes for to worche This good wyf went on an holy day Hir forhed shone as bryght as eny day So was it wesshen whan that

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

the wyues of the parysh fast And many a louely loke he on hem cast And namly on this carpenteres wyf To loke on hir him thought a mery lyf She was propre and swete and likerous I dar wel

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

me Ful wel accordyng to his git eryng This Carpenter awook and herd hym syng And spak vn to his wyf and seide anon What alison herest thow not absolon That chaunteth thus vnder our boures walle And she answerd

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

bityde On hir he gate a knaue child anon And to a bysshop and his constable eke He took his wyf to kepe whan he is goon To Scotlandward his foomen for to seke Now fair Custance that is so