The Wife of Bath's Tale
Folio 227v
11 of 11 folios
Sȳ I may chese & gouerne as me leste
Ȝa sertys wif quod he I helde it for þe beste
Kis me quod sche we be no lengere wrothe
For be myn trouthe I wele be to ȝow bothe
1215
That is to seyne bothe fayr & good
I preye to god I mote sterwe wod
But I to ȝow be al so good & trewe
As euere was wyf sȳ þt þe world was newe
And but I be to morwe as fayr to sene
1220
As eny lady Emperesse or quene
That euere was be twixse þe Est & þe west
Doth with myn lyf & doth ryȝt as ȝow lest
Cast vp þe curtyn & loke how þt it is
And whan þt þe knyght saw verrayly al þis
1225
That sche so fayr was & so ȝyng þerto
For ioye he hente hyre in hise armys too
His herte bathit in a bath of blys
A thousent sythe a rowe he gan hire kys
And sche obeyede hȳ in euery thyng
1230
That myȝte do hȳ plesaūce or lykyng
And þus þey lyue vn to here lyuys ende
In parfyt Ioye & Ihū cist vs synde
Husbondis meke ȝinge & frosche in bedde
And grace to ouer byde hē þt we wedde
1235
And ek I preye Ihū schorte here lyuys
That wele not been gouernyd by here wyuys
And olde & angery nygardys of dispence
God sende hē sone verray pestelence
Here endith the wif of Bathe hyre tale