Lenvoye de Chaucer
Folio 191r
2 of 2 folios
¶ Ye Archewyues / stondeth at defense
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Syn ye be strong as is a gret Camaile
Ne suffreth nat þt men yow doon offense
And sklendre wyues / fieble as in bataile
Beth egre / as is a tigre yond in Ynde
Ay clappeth as a Mille / I yow consaile
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¶ Ne dreed hem nat dooth hem no reuerence
For thogh thyn housbond / armed be in maile
The arwes / of thy crabbed eloquence
Shal perce his brest and eek his auentaile
In Ialousie / I rede eek thow hym bynde
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And thow shalt make hym couche / as dooth a Quaile
¶ If thow be fair / ther folk ben in persence
Shewe thow thy visage / and thyn aparaile
If thow be foul / be fre of thy dispence
To gete thee freendes / ay do thy trauaile
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Be ay of cheere / as light as leef on lynde
And lat hym care and wepe / and wrynge & wayle
¶ This worthy Clerk whan ended was his tale
Oure hoost seyde / and swoor by goddes bones
Me were leuere / than a barel ale
My wyf at hom / had herd this legende ones
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This is / a gentil tale for the nones
As to my purpos / wiste ye my wille
But thyng that wol nat be / lat it be stille ~