The Wife of Bath's Tale
Folio 66r
8 of 12 folios
¶ Is this quod she the cause of your vnrest
¶ Ye certeynly quod he no wonder is
¶ Now syr quod she I couth amende al this
1080
Yif that me list or it were dayes thre
So wel ye myght bere yow vnto me
But for ye speken of such gentilesse
As is decendet out of the olde rychesse
That therfore sholden ye be gentilmen
1085
¶ Swich arrogance is not worth an hen
Lo who that is most vertuous al wey
Priuye and pert and most entendeth ay
To do the gentil dedis that he can
Take him for the grettest gentilman
1090
Crist wil we clayme of him our gentilnesse
Noght of our eldres for hir olde rychesse
For thogh thei yeue vs al hir heritage
For which we clayme to be of high parage
Yit may thei noght bequethe for no thyng
1095
To non of vs hir vertous lyuyng
That made hem gentil men y called be
And bad vs folwen hem in such degre
¶ Wel can the wise poete of florence
That hight dant speken of this sentence
1100
¶ Lo in such maner ryme as is dantes tale
Ful selde vp riseth bi his braunches smale
¶ Prowesse of man for god of his prowesse
Wil that of him we claym our gentilnesse
For bi our auncestres mow we nothing clayme
1105
But temporel thing that man may hurt and mayme
¶ Euery wight wot this as wel as I
Yif gentilles were plaunted naturelly
Vnto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne
Pryue and piert thanne wolde thei neuer fyne
1110
To do of gentilesse the fair office
Thei myght do no vileynye or vice
Take fyr and bere it in the derkest hous
Bitwix this and the mount of kaucasous
And lat men shette the deores and go thenne
1115
Yit wol the fyr as fair lye and brenne