Words of the Host
Folio 105v
1 of 1 folios
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To wryte of ȝow / a storie of swicħ meruaille
As of Grisilde / pacient and kynde
Lest Chechiuache / ȝow swelwe / in hire entraille
¶ Folwetħ Ekko / that holdetħ noon silence
But euere answeretħ / at the counter taille
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Betħ nat be daffed / for ȝoure Innocence
But sharply taketħ on ȝow / the gouernaille
Emprentetħ wel / this lesson / in ȝoure mynde
For comune profyt / sithe it may a vaille
¶ Ȝe Archewyues / stondetħ ay at defence
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Syn ȝe ben stronge / as is a gret Camaille
Ne suffretħ nat / that men ȝow do oxxenceoffenceoence
And sklendre wyues / feble as in bataille
Betħ egre / as a Tigre is be ȝonde in Inde
Ay clappetħ as a Mille / I ȝow counsaille
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¶ Ne drede hem nat / dotħ hem no reuerence
For thougħ thyn husbonde / armed be in maille
The arwes of thyn crabbed / eloquence
Shal perse his brest / and eke his auentaille
In ielousye / I rede eke thow hi bynde
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And þu shalt make hī couche / as dotħ a quaille
¶ If thow be fair / there folk ben in presence
Shewe thow thy vysage / and thyn apparaille
If thow be foule / be free of thyn dispence
To gete the frendes / ay do thyn trauaille
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Be ay of chere as ligħt / as lef on lynde
And late hī care / wepe / wrynge / and waille
¶ This worthy Clerk / whan ended was his tale
Oure host seyde / and swor by goddes bones
Me were leuere / than a Barel of ale
My wyf at hom / had herd this legend ones
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This is a gentil tale / for the nones
As to my purpos / wyst ȝe my wylle
But thyng that wol nat be / lat it be stille
¶ Sic desinit fabula Cƚici /