The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 63r
27 of 27 folios
¶ In vertu / and hooly Almus dede
They lyuen alle / and neuere a sonder wende
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Til deeth departed hem / this lyf they lede
And fareth now weel / my tale is at an ende
Now Ihū Crist that of his mygħt may sende
Ioye after wo / gouerne vs in his grace
And kepe vs alle / that been in this place Amen ~
¶ Heere endeth the tale of the man of Lawe ~
¶ The Prologe of the wyues tale of Bathe ~
Experience / though noon Auctoritee
Were in this world / were rigħt ynogħ to me
To speke of wo / that is in mariage
For lordynges / sith I .xij. yeer was of Age
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Ythonked be god / that is eterne on lyue
Housbondes at chirche dore I haue had fyue
For I so ofte / haue ywedded bee
And alle / were worthy men in hir degree
But me was toold certeyn nat longe agoon is
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That sith that Crist ne wente neuere but onis
To weddyng in the Cane of Galilee
By the same ensample / thoughte me
That I ne sholde / wedded be but ones
Herkne eek / which a sharpe word for the nones
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Biside a welle Ihūs god and man
Spak / in repreeue of the Samaritan
¶ Thou hast yhad / fyue housbondes quod he
And that man / the which þt hath now thee
Is nogħt thyn housbonde / thus seyde he certeyn
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What that he mente ther by / I kan nat seyn
But þt I axe / why that the fifthe man
Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan
How manye / myghte she haue in mariage
Yet herde I neuere tellen in myn age
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Vpon this nombre diffiniciou
Men may deuyne / and glosen vp and doun
But wel I woot expres with oute lye
God bad vs / for to wexe and multiplye
That gentil text kan I vnderstonde
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Eek wel I woot he seyde myn housbonde
Sholde lete fader and mooder and take me
But of no nombre / menciou made he