Epilogue to the Man of Law's Tale
Folio 86v
2 of 2 folios
He schal no gospel preche her ne teche
We leuyn aƚƚ in þe grete god qd he
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He wolde schewen som difficulte
Or springen cokkil in our clene corn
And þerfor ost I warne þe byforn
My ioly body schal a tale telle
¶ Here endith þe man of lawe his tale
Here bygynneth the prologe of the wyf of Bathe
Experiens þougħ noon auctorite
Were in þis world . it were ynougħ for me
To speke of wo þat is in mariage
For lordyngs syns I twelf ȝer was of age
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I thank it god þat is eterne on lyue
Housbondes atte chirch dore I haue had fyue
For I so ofte might haue weddid be
And aƚƚ were worþy men in here degre
But me was taugħt nougħt longe tyme goon is
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That synnes crist went neuer but onys
To weddyng in þe Cane of Galile
That by þe same ensampul taugħt he me
That I ne weddid schulde be but ones
Herken such a scharp word for þe nones
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Biside a welle Iħc god and man
Spak in reproef of þe Samaritan
Thow hast y had fyue housbondes quod he
And þat ilk man which þat now haþ þe
Is nouȝt þin housbond þus he sayd certayn
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What þat he ment þer by I can not sayn
But þat I axe why þe fyfte man
Was nougħt housbond to þe Samaritan
How many might sche haue in mariage
Ȝit herd I neuer tellen in myn age
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Vppon þis noumbre diffinicioun
Men may diuine and glosen vp and doun
But wel I wot wiþouten eny lye
God bad vs for to . wax and multiplie
That gentil tixt . can I wel vnderstonde
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Ek wel I wot he sayd myn housebonde Schulde lete fader & moder