The Wife of Bath's Tale
Folio 101r
9 of 11 folios
1140
That oute of pouert ros to hihe noblesse
Rodeþ Senec & rede eke Boesse
There schold ȝe seen expersse þat it no drede is
That is gentil þat doþe gentil dedes
And þer fore dere husbonde .I. þus conclude
1145
Al were þat myne Ancestres were so rude
Ȝit maie þat hihe god & so hope .I.
Graunt me grace to leue vertuously
Than am .I. gentil whan þat .I. be ginne
To leuen vertuously & weuen sinne
1150
¶ And þare as ȝe of pouert me repreue
The hihe god on whome þat we beleue
In wilful pouert ches to leue his lif
And certes euery man & maide & wif
Maie vnder stonde ihū heuen kinge
1155
Ne wold nouȝt chese a vicious leueinge
Glad pouert is an honest þinge certeigne
This wil senec an oþere clerkes seine
Who so þat holde him paide of his pouert
.I. holde him riche al had he nouht sert
1160
He þat coueteþ is a pouer wight
For he wold haue þat is nouht in his myht
Bot þat nouht haþe ne coueteþ to haue
Is riche al þouhe men holde him bot a knaue
Verray pouert is sinne propurly
1165
Iuuenal seiþe of pouert merely
The pore man whan he goþ be þe waye
Be for þe þeues he maie singe & pleye
Pouert is hatel good & as .I. gesse
A ful grete bringer oute of besinesse
1170
Agre amender eke of Sapience
To him þat lakkeþ it in pacience
Pouer is þis al þouhe it seme Alinge
Possessione þat no wyht wil chalinge
Pouert ful oft whan ama is lowe
1175
Makeþ his & eke him self to knowe
Pouert in spektacle is as þenkeþ me
Þou\r/he whiche he maie his verray frende se
And þere sen þat .I. ȝowe nouȝt greue
Of my pouert no more me repreue
1180
Nowe sire of elde ȝe preue me
And certes sir þoruhe none auctorite