The Wife of Bath's Tale
Folio 67r
10 of 12 folios
May vnderstande that Iħus heuene kyng
1155
Ne wold nat chese a vicious lyuyng
Glad pouerte is an honest thing certeyn
This wil senek and other clerkes seyn
Who so that hold him apaide of his pouerte
I holde him riche al had he noght a sherte
1160
He that coueiteth is a pore wight
For he wold han that is not in his myght
But he that nought hath ne coueiteth to haue
Is ryche al thogħ ye holde him but a knaue
Verrey Synne is pouerte proprely
1165
Iuuenal seith of pouerte myrily
The pore man whan he goth bi the wey
By fore theeues he may synge and pley
Pouerte is hateful good and as I gesse
A ful gret brynger out of bisynesse
1170
A gret amender ek of Sapience
To him that taketh it in pacience
Pouerte is this al thogh it seme alenge
¶ Possessioun that no wight may chalenge
Pouerte ful often whan a man is lowe
1175
¶ Maketh his god and eke him self to knowe
Pouerte a spectacle is as thinketh me
Thorgh which he may his verray frendes see
And ther fore syr syn that I noght yow greue
Of my pouerte no more ye me repreue.
1180
¶ Now syr of elde ye repreuen me
And certes syr though non auctorite
Were in book ye gentiles of honour
Seyn that men shold an old wight doon fauour
And clepe him fadyr for your gentilnesse
1185
And auctours shal I fynde as I gesse
¶ Now there ye sey that I am foule and old
Thanne drede yow nought to ben a kokewold
For filth and elde also mot I the
Ben gret wardeyns vpon chastitee
1190
But natheles syn I knowe your delite