The Wife of Bath's Tale
Folio 227r
10 of 11 folios
Pouerte is this al thow it seme alenge
Possessioū þt no man wele calenge
1175
Pouerte ful ofte whā a man is lowe
Makyth his god & hȳ self to knowe
Pouerte a spectakele is as thȳkyth me
Thorw whech he may his veray frend I se
And þerfore syre syn þt I ȝow not greue
1180
Of myn pouerte no more ȝe me repreue
Now syre of olde ȝe repreue me
And sertis syre thogh non autoryte
Were in no bok the gentylys of honor
Seyn þt men schuld an old wyȝt don fauour
1185
And clepȳ hȳ fadyr of ȝoure gentilesse
And auctouris schal I fyndyn as I gesse
Now þere ȝe seyn I am foul & old
Thāne drede ȝow not to ben a coukewold
Fylthe & elde alsomote I the
1190
Ben grete wardaynys vp on chastite
But natheles sythe I knowe ȝoure delyt
I schal fulfylle ȝoure wordely apetyt
Chese now quod sche on of þese thȳgis tweye
To haue me foul & old tyl þt I deye
1195
And be to ȝow a trewe vmble wyf
And neuere ȝow displese in al mȳ lyf
Or ellis ȝe wele haue me ȝyng & fayr
And take þe auenture of the repayr
That schal be to ȝoure hous be cause of me
1200
Or in sū oþer place may wel be
Now cheseth ȝoure selue wheþer þt ȝow likyth
This knyȝt a uyseth hȳ & sore sykyth
But at þe laste he seyde in þis manere
Myn lady & myn loue & myn wif so dere
1205
I putte me in ȝoure wise gouernaūce
Cheseth ȝoure self whiche may be most plesaūce
And most honour to ȝow & me also
I do no fors wheþer of the too
For as ȝow lykyth it suffyseth me
1210
Thāne haue I gete þe maysterye qd sche