The Wife of Bath's Tale
Folio 102r
10 of 11 folios
Pouert is þis al þough it seme elenge
Possessioū þat no wight wil chalenge
Pouert ful often whan a man is lowe
1175
Makith him his god and eek himself to knowe
Pouert a spectacle is as þinkith me
Þurgh which he may his verray frendes se
And þerfor sir syth þat I ȝow nought greue
Of my pouert no more ȝe me repreue
1180
Now sir of elde ȝe repreue me
And certes sir þough noon auctorite
Were in no book ȝe gentils of honour
Sayn þat men schuld an old wight doon fauour
And clepe him fader for ȝour gentilesse
1185
And certes I schal fynden as I gesse
Than drede ȝow nought to ben a cokewold
Now þer þat ȝe sayn I am foul and old
For filthe and elde also mot I the
Ben grete wardeyns vpon chastite /
1190
But natheles sith I knowe ȝour delyt
I schal fulfille ȝoure worldly appetyt
Chese now quod sche oon of þese þinges tweye
To haue me foul and old til þat I deye
And be to ȝow a trewe humble wyf
1195
And neuer ȝow displease in al my lyf
Or elles ȝe wol haue me ȝong and fair
And take ȝour auenture of þe repair
Þat schal be to ȝour hous by cause of me
Or in som oþer place may wel be
1200
Now chese ȝour seluen wheþir þat ȝow likith
This knigħt auysith him and sore sikith
But atte last he sayd in þis manere
My lady and my loue . and my wif so deere
I putte me in ȝour wyse gouernaūce
1205
Chesith ȝour self which may be most plesaūce
And most honour to ȝow and me also
I do no fors þe wheþer of þe tuo
For as ȝow likith it suffisith me
Than haue I gete of ȝow þe maystry qd sche /