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37. went. 40. grefe. 41. pay. great. 44. preache.

45. deuoute. 46. nowe. 47. Nowe. 48. stewarde. nowe. it; read is. nowe. 49. eschetoure. nowe. 50. I supply hath his. 51. encrease. 56. eate beane-. 58. lythe. gone. horse. 59. easy. beare. great. 61. meate-. borde-. 65. boke. leude chapelayne. 66. harte. 67. great. 68. nothynge. 69. amonge. dare. 70. sayne. 71. forthe; read force. 72. worthe. pleasen. 73. to-forne-. 74. nothynge. 76. sorye. se. 78. polesye. 79. treaten. wytte.

80. subiecte. reason. 82. worthe. 83. reignatyfe. 85. ayenwarde. 87. lorde. 88. possessoure. 89. forth bring. 90. suretie. 96. cease. 97. profyte. pleasaunce. 99. put. dare. 100. meane. 109. comeden (sic); read comen? 110. howe. 111. bretherne. 113. maken; read maketh. deserte. 114. nowe.

118. tombystere. 123. one. father; read fader. 124. folke. arne. 125. -fathers; read -faders. 126. clerke. 127. corare; read corage. 128. leaueth. 129. forthe. 130. amonge. clerkes (!); read cherles. 131. mote. 132. leaue. 136. bountie. 137. great. 139. maye.

CHAPTER III.

Right with these wordes she stinte of that lamentable

melodye; and I gan with a lyvely herte to praye, if that

it were lyking unto her noble grace, she wolde her deyne to

declare me the mater that firste was begonne, in which she lefte

and stinte to speke beforn she gan to singe.

'O,' quod she, 'this is no newe thing to me, to sene you men

desyren after mater, whiche your-selfe caused to voyde.'

'Ah, good lady,' quod I, 'in whom victorie of strength is proved

above al other thing, after the jugement of Esdram, whos lordship

al lignes: who is, that right as emperour hem commaundeth,

whether thilke ben not women, in whos lyknesse to me ye aperen?

For right as man halt the principaltè of al thing under his beinge,

in the masculyne gender; and no mo genders ben there

but masculyn and femenyne; al the remenaunt ben no gendres but

of grace, in facultee of grammer: right so, in the femenyne, the

women holden the upperest degree of al thinges under thilke

gendre conteyned. Who bringeth forth kinges, whiche that ben

lordes of see and of erthe; and al peoples of women ben born.

They norisshe hem that graffen vynes; they maken men comfort

in their gladde cheres. Her sorowe is deth to mannes herte.

Without women, the being of men were impossible. They conne

with their swetnesse the crewel herte ravisshe, and make it meke,

buxom, and benigne, without violence mevinge. In beautee

of their eyen, or els of other maner fetures, is al mens desyres;

ye, more than in golde, precious stones, either any richesse.

And in this degree, lady, your-selfe many hertes of men have

so bounden, that parfit blisse in womankynde to ben men wenen,

and in nothinge els. Also, lady, the goodnesse, the vertue of

women, by propertè of discrecion, is so wel knowen, by litelnesse

of malice, that desyre to a good asker by no waye conne they

warne. And ye thanne, that wol not passe the kynde werchinge

of your sectes by general discrecion, I wot wel, ye wol so enclyne

to my prayere, that grace of my requeste shal fully ben graunted.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'thus for the more parte fareth al mankynde,

to praye and to crye after womans grace, and fayne many fantasyes

to make hertes enclyne to your desyres. And whan these

sely women, for freeltè of their kynde, beleven your wordes, and

wenen al be gospel the promise of your behestes, than graunt[en]

they to you their hertes, and fulfillen your lustes, wherthrough

their libertè in maystreship that they toforn had is thralled; and

so maked soverayn and to be prayed, that first was servaunt,

and voice of prayer used. Anon as filled is your lust, many of you

be so trewe, that litel hede take ye of suche kyndnesse; but

with traysoun anon ye thinke hem begyle, and let light of that

thing whiche firste ye maked to you wonders dere; so what

thing to women it is to loven any wight er she him wel knowe,

and have him proved in many halfe! For every glittring thing

is nat gold; and under colour of fayre speche many vices may

be hid and conseled. Therfore I rede no wight to trust on you

to rathe; mens chere and her speche right gyleful is ful ofte.

Wherfore without good assay, it is nat worth on many †of you

to truste. Trewly, it is right kyndely to every man that thinketh

women betraye, and shewen outward al goodnesse, til he have

his wil performed. Lo! the bird is begyled with the mery voice

of the foulers whistel. Whan a woman is closed in your nette,

than wol ye causes fynden, and bere unkyndenesse her †on

hande, or falsetè upon her putte, your owne malicious trayson

with suche thinge to excuse. Lo! than han women non other

wreche in vengeaunce, but †blobere and wepe til hem list stint,

and sorily her mishap complayne; and is put in-to wening that

al men ben so untrewe. How often have men chaunged her

loves in a litel whyle, or els, for fayling their wil, in their

places hem set! For fren[d]ship shal be oon, and fame with another

him list for to have, and a thirde for delyt; or els were he lost

bothe in packe and in clothes! Is this fair? Nay, god wot.

I may nat telle, by thousande partes, the wronges in trechery

of suche false people; for make they never so good a bond,

al sette ye at a myte whan your hert tourneth. And they that

wenen for sorowe of you deye, the pitè of your false herte is flowe

out of towne. Alas! therfore, that ever any woman wolde take

any wight in her grace, til she knowe, at the ful, on whom she

might at al assayes truste! Women con no more craft in queynt

knowinge, to

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