The Wright's Chaste Wife Part 1

The Wright's Chaste Wife.

by Adam of Cobsam.

PREFACE.

Good wine needs no bush, and this tale needs no Preface. I shall not tell the story of it--let readers go to the verse itself for that; nor shall I repeat to those who begin it the exhortation of the englisher of _Sir Generides_,

"for G.o.ddes sake, or ye hens wende, Here this tale unto the ende."--(ll. 3769-70.)

If any one having taken it up is absurd enough to lay it down without finis.h.i.+ng it, let him lose the fun, and let all true men pity him.

Though the state of morals disclosed by the story is not altogether satisfactory, yet it is a decided improvement on that existing in Roberd of Brunne's time in 1303, for he had to complain of the lords of his day:

Also do ese lordynges, e[y] trespas moche yn twey ynges; ey rauys a mayden a?ens here wyl, And mennys wyuys ey lede awey ertyl.

A grete vylanye arte he dous ?yf he make therof hys rouse [boste]: e dede ys confusyun, And more ys e dyffamacyun.

The volume containing the poem was shown to me by Mr Stubbs, the Librarian at Lambeth, in order that I might see the version of Sir Gyngelayne, son of Sir Gawain, which Mr Morris is some day, I trust, to edit for the Society in one of his Gawain volumes.[1] Finding the present poem also on the paper leaves, I copied it out the same afternoon, and here it is for a half-hour's amus.e.m.e.nt to any reader who chooses to take it up.

The handwriting of the MS. must be of a date soon after 1460, and this agrees well with the allusion to Edward the Fourth's accession, and the triumph of the White Rose o'er the Red alluded to in the last lines of the poem. The Garlond,

It was made ...

Of flourys most of honoure, Of roses whyte at wyl?l? nott fade, Whych floure al?l? ynglond doth glade....

Vn-to the whych floure I-wys The loue of G.o.d and of the comonys Subdued bene of ryght.

For, that the Commons of England were glad of their Yorkist king, and loved Duke Richard's son, let Holinshed's record prove. He testifies:

"Wherevpon it was againe demanded of the commons, if they would admit and take the said erle as their prince and souereigne lord; which all with one voice cried: Yea, yea....

"Out of the ded stocke sprang a branch more mightie than the stem; this Edward the Fourth, a prince so highlie fauoured of the peple, for his great liberalite, clemencie, vpright dealing, and courage, that aboue all other, he with them stood in grace alone: by reason whereof, men of all ages and degrees to him dailie repaired, some offering themselues and their men to ioepard their liues with him, and other plentiouslie gaue monie to support his charges, and to mainteine his right."

Would that we knew as much of Adam of Cobsam as of our White-Rose king.

He must have been one of the Chaucer breed,[2] but more than this poem tells of him I cannot learn.

_3, St George's Square, N.W., 23 November, 1865._

P.S.--There are other Poems about Edward IV. in the volume, which will be printed separately.[3] One on Women is given at the end of the present text.

PP.S. 1869.--Mr C.H. Pearson, the historian of the Early and Middle Ages of England, has supplied me with the immediate original of this story.

He says:

"The Wright's Chaste Wife is a reproduction of one of the _Gesta Romanorum_, cap. 69, de Cast.i.tate, ed. Keller. The Latin story begins 'Gallus regnavit prudens valde.' The Carpenter gets a s.h.i.+rt with his wife, which is never to want was.h.i.+ng unless one of them is unfaithful. The lovers are three Knights (_milites_), and they are merely kept on bread and water, not made to work; nor is any wife introduced to see her lord's discomfiture. The English version, therefore, is much quainter and fuller of incident than its original. But the 'morality' of the Latin story is rich beyond description. 'The wife is holy Mother Church,' 'the Carpenter is the good Christian,' 'the s.h.i.+rt is our Faith, because, as the apostle says, it is impossible to please G.o.d without faith.' The Wright's work typifies 'the building up the pure heart by the works of mercy.' The three Knights are 'the pride of life, the l.u.s.t of the eyes, and the l.u.s.t of the flesh.' 'These you must shut up in the chamber of penance till you get an eternal reward from the eternal King.' 'Let us therefore pray G.o.d,' &c."

With the Wright's Chaste Wife may also be compared the stories mentioned in the Notes, p. 20, and the Ballad "The Fryer well fitted; or

A Pretty jest that once befel, How a maid put a Fryer to cool in the well"

printed "in the Bagford Collection; in the Roxburghe (ii. 172); the Pepys (iii. 145); the Douce (p. 85); and in _Wit and Mirth, an Antidote to Melancholy_, 8vo. 1682; also, in an altered form, in Pills to purge Melancholy, 1707, i. 340; or 1719, iii. 325"; and the tune of which, with an abstract of the story, is given in Chappell's _Popular Music_, i. 273-5. The Friar makes love to the Maid; she refuses him for fear of h.e.l.l-fire.

Tush, quoth the Friar, thou needst not doubt; If thou wert in h.e.l.l, I could sing thee out.

So she consents if he'll bring her an angel of money. He goes home to fetch it, and she covers the well over with a cloth. When he comes back, and has given her the money, she pretends that her father is coming, tells the Friar to run behind the cloth, and down he flops into the well. She won't help him at first, because if he could sing her out of h.e.l.l, he can clearly sing himself out of the well: but at last she does help him out, keeps his money because he's dirtied the water, and sends him home dripping along the street like a new-washed sheep.

[Footnote 1: The since printing of the Romance in the Percy Folio MS.

Ballads and Romances, (_Lybius Disconius_, ii. 404,) will probably render this unnecessary. (1869.)]

[Footnote 2: Chaucer brings off his Carpenter, though, triumphant, and not with the swived wife and broken arm that he gives his befooled Oxford craftsman in _The Milleres Tale_. (1869.)]

[Footnote 3: In _Political, Religious, and Love Poems_, E.E. Text Soc., 1867.]

THE WRIGHT'S CHASTE WIFE.

[_MS. Lambeth 306, leaves 178-187._]

Al?l?myghty G.o.d, maker of all_e_, My sovereigns, Saue you my sou_er_eyns in towre & hall_e_, And send you good grace! 3 If ye wyl?l? a stounde blynne, I will tell you Of a story I wyl?l? begynne, a tale And telle you al?l? the cas, 6 Meny farleyes at I haue herd_e_, Ye would haue wondyr how yt ferde; Lystyn, and ye schal?l? here; 9 of a wright Of a wryght I wyl?l? you telle, of this land, That some tyme in thys land gan dwelle, And lyued by hys myster. 12 who, at work, was Whether that he were yn or owte, afraid of no Of erthely man hadde he no dowte, earthly man. To werke hows, harowe, nor plowgh, 15 Or other werkes, what so they were, Thous wrought he hem farre and nere, And dyd tham wele I-nough. 18 At first he would Thys wryght would wedde no wyfe, wed no wife, b.u.t.t yn yougeth to lede hys lyfe [leaf 178, back] In myrthe and oer melody; 21 for wherever he Ou_er_ al?l? where he gan wende, went he was Al?l? they seyd "welcome, frende, welcome; Sytt downe, and do gla[d]ly." 24 but at last he Tyl?l? on a tyme he was wyllyng, THE WRIGHT FALLS wished As tyme comyth of all_e_ thyng, IN LOVE, AND (So seyth the p_ro_fesye,) PROPOSES. 27 to have a spouse A wyfe for to wedde & haue to look after his That myght hys goodes kepe and saue, goods. And for to leue al?l? foly. 30 A widow near had a Ther dwellyd a wydowe in at contre fair daughter That hadde a doughter feyre & fre; Of her, word sprang wyde, 33 true and meek. For sche was bothe stabyl?l? & trewe, Meke of maners, and feyr? of hewe; So seyd men in that tyde. 36 The wryght seyde, "so G.o.d me saue, Her the wright Such a wyfe would I haue would like to lie To lye nyghtly by my syde." 39 by him, He ought to speke wyth at may, and therefore went And rose erly on a daye to her mother And yder gan he to ryde. 42 The wryght was welcome to e wyfe, And her saluyd al?l? so blyve, And so he dyd her doughter fre: 45 and proposed for For the erand that he for ca{m~} the maiden. Tho he spake, at good yema{n)}; Than to hym seyd sche: 48 The mother says The wydowe seyd, "by heuen kyng, she can only give I may geue wyth her no ing, him as a portion (And at forthynketh me;) 51 a garland Saue a garlond I wyl?l? the geue, Ye schal?l? neu_er_ see, whyle ye lyve, None such in thys contre: 54 of roses Haue here thys garlond of roses ryche, In al?l? thys lond ys none yt lyche, that will keep its For ytt wyl?l? eu_er_ be newe, 57 colour [leaf 179] Wete ou wele w_i_t_h_owtyn fable, while his wife is Al?l? the whyle thy wyfe ys stable true, The chaplett wolle hold hewe; 60 but change when And yf thy wyfe vse putry, HE RECEIVES A she is faithless. Or tolle eny man to lye her by, ROSE GARLAND Than wolle yt change hewe, WITH HIS WIFE. 63 And by the garlond ou may see, Fekyl?l? or fals yf at sche be, Or ellys yf sche be trewe." 66 The wright is Of thys chaplett hym was ful?l? fayne, delighted with his And of hys wyfe, was nott to layne; garland and wife, He weddyd her ful?l? sone, 69 marries her and And ladde her home wyth solempnite, takes her home; And hyld her brydal?l? dayes thre.

Whan they home come, 72 and then begins to Thys wryght in hys hart cast, think that when he If that he walkyd est or west is out at work As he was wonte to done, 75 men will try to "My wyfe at ys so bryght of ble, corrupt his wife. Men wolle desyre her? fro me, And at hastly and sone;" 78 So he plans a b.u.t.t sone he hym byought crafty room and That a chambyr schuld be wrought tower, Bothe of lyme and stone, 81 Wyth wallys strong as eny stele, And dorres sotylly made and wele, He owte framyd yt sone; 84 and builds it soon The chambyr he lett make fast, with plaster of Wyth plast_er_ of parys _a_t wyl?l? last, Paris, Such ous know I neu_er_ none; 87 which no one could Ther ys [ne] kyng ne emp_er_oure, ever get out of if And he were lockyn in at towre, he once got into That cowde gete owte of at wonne. 90 it, Nowe hath he done as he ought, And in the myddes of the flore wrought for there was a A wondyr strange gyle, 93 trapdoor in the A trapdoure rounde abowte [leaf 179, back] That no man myght come yn nor owte; middle, It was made wyth a wyle, 96 and if any one That who-so touchyd yt eny thyng, THE WRIGHT only touched it, In to e pytt he schuld flyng GOES TO down he'd go into Wythyn a lytyl?l? whyle. WORK, AND 99 a pit. For hys wyfe he made that place, LEAVES HIS This was to stop That no man schuld beseke her of grace, WIFE AT any tricks with Nor her to begyle. HOME. 102 his wife.

Just then the town By at tyme e lord of the towne Lord Hadde ordeynyd tymbyr redy bowne, An halle to make of tre. 105 sends for him to Aft_er_ the wryght the lord lett sende, build a Hall, For at he schuld wyth hym lende (a job for two or Monythys two or thre. 108 three months,) The lord seyd, "woult ou haue i wyfe?

and offers to I wyl?l? send aft_er_ her blyve fetch his wife That sche may com to the." 111 too. The wryght hys garlond hadde take w_y_t_h_ hy{m~}, That was bryght and no ing dymme, Yt wes feyre on to see. 114 He sees the The lord axyd hym as he satt, wright's garland, "Felowe, where hadyst ou is hatte and asks what it That ys so feyre and newe?" 117 means. The wryght answerd al?l? so blyue, "Sir, it will And seyd, "syr, I hadde yt wyth my wyfe, And at dare me neuer? rewe; 120 tell me whether my Syr, by my garlond I may see wife is false or Fekyl?l? or fals yf at sche be, true; Or[1] yf at sche be trewe; 123 and will change And yf my wyfe loue a p_ar_amoure, its colour if she Than wyl?l? my garlond vade coloure, go wrong." And change wyl?l? yt the hewe." 126 The lord ought "by G.o.dys myght, "I'll try that," That wyl?l? I wete thys same nyght thinks the Lord, Whether thys tale be trewe." 129 and goes to the To the wryghtys howse anon he went, wright's wife. He fonde the wyfe ther-in p_re_sente [leaf 180] That was so bryght and schene; THE LORD 132 Sone he hayled her trewly, BRIBES THE And so dyd sche the lord curtesly: WRIGHT'S WIFE Sche seyd, "welcome ye be;" TO LIE WITH 135 Thus seyd the wyfe of the hows, HIM.

She asks after her "Syr, howe faryth my swete spouse husband That hewyth vppon your? tre?" 138 but the Lord "Sertes, dame," he seyd, "wele, And I am come, so haue I hele, To wete the wylle of the; 141 declares his own My loue ys so vppon the cast love for her, That me thynketh my hert wolle brest, It wolle none otherwyse be; 144 and prays her to Good dame, graunt me thy grace grant him his To pley with the in some preuy place will. For gold and eke for fee." 147 She entreats him "Good syr, lett be youre fare, to let that be, And of such wordes speke no mare For hys loue at dyed on tre; 150 Hadde we onys begonne at gle, My husbond by his garlond myght see; For sorowe he would wexe woode." 153 but he presses "Certes, dame," he seyd, "naye; her, Loue me, I pray you, in at ye maye: For G.o.dys loue change thy mode, 156 and offers her 40 Forty marke schal?l? be youre mede marks. Of sylu_er_ and of gold[_e_] rede, And that schal?l? do the good." 159 On this she "Syr, that deede schal?l? be done; consents if he'll Take me that mony here anon_e_."

put down the "I swere by the holy rode 162 money. I thought when I cam hydder?

For to bryng[2] yt al?l? to-gydder?, As I mott broke my heele." 165 The 40 marks she Ther sche toke xl marke takes Of syluer and gold styff and sterke: Sche toke yt feyre and welle; THE 168 and tells him to Sche seyd, "in to the chambyr wyl?l? we, LORD IS go [leaf 180, back] Ther no man schal?l? vs see; DROPPED into the secret No lenger wyl?l? we spare." 171 chamber. Vp the steyer they gan[3] hye: THROUGH Upstairs he goes, The stepes were made so queyntly A TRAPDOOR, That farther myght he nott fare. 174 stumbles, The lord stumbyllyd as he went in hast, and pops down 40 He fel?l? doune in to at chaste feet through the Forty fote and somedele more. 177 wright's trapdoor. The lord began to crye; The wyfe seyd to hym in hye, "Syr, what do ye there?" 180 He prays the "Dame, I can nott seye howe That I am come hydder nowe To thys hows at ys so newe; 183 I am so depe in thys sure flore That I ne can come owte att no dore; good dame to have Good dame, on me ou rewe!" 186 pity on him. "Nay," sche seyd, "so mut y the, "Nay," says she, Tyl?l? myne husbond come and se, "not till my I schrewe hym at yt ought." 189 husband sees you." The lord arose and lokyd abowte The Lord tries to If he myght eny where gete owte, get out, but b.u.t.t yt holpe hy{m~} ryght noght, 192 can't, The wallys were so thycke w_y_t_h_y{n)}, That he no where myght owte wynne But helpe to hy{m~} were brought; 195 and then threatens And eu_er_ the lord made euyl?l? chere, the wife, And seyd, "dame, ou schalt by thys dere."

Sche seyd that sche ne rought; 198 but she doesn't Sche seyd "I recke nere care for that, Whyle I am here and ou art there, I schrewe herre at e doth drede." 201 The lord was sone owte of her ought, and goes away to The wyfe went in to her lofte, her work. Sche satte and dyd her dede. AND HAS 204 Next day the Lord Than yt fel?l? on at oer daye, TO BEAT FLAX begs for food. Of mete and drynke he gan her p_ra_y, TO EARN HIS There of he hadde gret nede. DINNER. 207 [leaf 181] He seyd, "dame, for seynt charyte, Wyth some mete ou comfort me."

"You'll get none Sche seyd, "nay, so G.o.d me spede, 210 from me For I swere by swete seynt Iohn_e_, Mete ne drynke ne getyst ou none unless you sweat b.u.t.t ou wylt swete or swynke; 213 for it," says she; For I haue both hempe and lyne, "spin me some And a betyngstocke ful?l? fyne, flax." And a swyngyl?l? good and grete; 216 If ou wylt worke, tell me sone."

He says he will: "Dame, bryng yt forthe, yt schal?l? be done, Ful?l? gladly would I ete." 219 she throws him the Sche toke the stocke in her honde, tools, And in to the pytt sche yt sclang With a grete hete: 222 the flax and hemp, Sche brought the lyne and hempe on her backe, and says, "Work "Syr lord," sche seyd, "haue ou at, away." And lerne for to swete." 225 Ther sche toke hym a bonde For to occupy hys honde, And bade hym fast on to bete. 228 He does, He leyd yt downe on the[4] stone, lays on well, And leyd on strockes wel?l? good wone, And sparyd nott on to leyne. 231 Whan at he hadde wrought a thraue, and then asks for Mete and drynke he gan to craue, his food, And would haue hadde yt fayne; 234 "That I hadde somewhat for to ete Now aft_er_ my gret swete; Me thynketh yt were ryght, 237 for he's toiled For I haue labouryd nyght and daye night and day. The for to plese, dame, I saye, And therto putt my myght." 240 The wife The wyfe seyd "so mutt I haue hele, THE STEWARD And yf i worke be wrought wele RESOLVES TO Thou schalt haue to dyne." TEMPT THE 243 gives him meat Mete and drynke sche hym bare, WRIGHT'S [leaf 181, back] Wyth a thrafe of flex mare WIFE.

and drink Of ful?l? long boundyn lyne. 246 and more flax, So feyre the wyfe the lord gan praye and keeps him up That he schuld be werkyng aye, to his work. And nought at he schuld blynne; 249 The lord was fayne to werke tho, b.u.t.t hys men knewe nott of hys woo Nor of er lordes pyne. 252

The Steward asks The stuard to e wryght gan saye, the wright after "Sawe ou owte of my lord to-daye, his Lord, Whether that he ys wende?" 255 The wryght answerde and seyd "naye; I sawe hym nott syth yesterdaye; I trowe at he be schent." 258 then notices the The stuard stode e wryght by, garland, And of hys garlond hadde ferly What at yt be-mente. 261 and asks who gave The stuard seyd, "so G.o.d me saue, it him. Of thy garlond wondyr I haue, And who yt hath the sent." 264 "Sir, it will tell "Syr," he seyd, "be the same hatte me whether my wife I can knowe yf my wyfe be badde goes bad." To me by eny other ma{n)}; 267 If my floures ouer fade or falle, Then doth my wyfe me wrong wyth-all_e_, As many a woman ca{n)}." 270 "I'll prove that The stuard ought "by G.o.des myght, this very night," That schal?l? I preue thys same nyght says the steward, Whether ou blys or banne," 273 gets plenty of And in to hys chambyr he gan gone, money, and goes And toke tresure ful?l? good wone, off And forth he spedde hem tha{n)}. AND 276 b.u.t.t he ne stynt att no stone THINKS to the wright's Tyl?l? he vn-to e wryghtes hows come HE HAS house, That ylke same nyght. SUCCEEDED 279 He mett the wyfe amydde the gate, SO WELL.

takes her round Abowte e necke he gan her take, the neck, And seyd "my dere wyght, 282 [leaf 182] Al?l? the good at ys myne and offers her all I wyl?l? the geue to be thyne he has, to lie by To lye by the al?l? nyght." 285 her that night. Sche seyd, "syr, lett be thy fare, She refuses, My husbond wolle wete wyth-owty{n)} mare And I hym dyd that vnryght; 288 I would nott he myght yt wete For al?l? the good that I myght gete, So Ih_esus_[5] mutt me spede 291 as her husband For, and eny man lay me by, would be sure to My husbond would yt wete truly, know of it. It ys wythowtyn eny drede." 294 The steward urges The stuard seyd "for hym at ys wrought, her again, There-of, dame, drede the noght Wyth me to do that dede; 297 and offers her 20 Haue here of me xx marke marks. Of gold and syluer styf and starke, Thys tresoure schal?l? be thy mede." 300 She says, "Then "Syr, and I graunt at to you, don't tell any Lett no man wete b.u.t.t we two nowe."

one," He seyd, "nay, wythowtyn drede." 303 The stuard ought, 'sykerly Women beth both queynte & slye.'

takes his money, The mony he gan her bede; 306 He ought wele to haue be spedde, And of his erand he was onredde Or he were fro he{m~} I-gone. 309 sends him up the Vp the sterys sche hym leyde quaint stairs, Tyl?l? he saw the wryghtes bedde: THE STEWARD IS Of tresoure ought he none; SHOT THROUGH 312 and lets him He went and stumblyd att a stone; THE TRAPDOOR, tumble through In to e seller? he fylle sone, the trapdoor. Downe to the bare flore. 315 "What the devil The lord seyd "what deuyl?l? art ou?

are you?" says And ou hadest falle on me nowe, the Lord. Thowe hadest hurt me ful?l? sore." 318 [leaf 182, back] The stuard stert and staryd abowte The steward finds If he myght ower gete owte he can't get out; Att hole lesse or mare. 321 The lord seyd, "welcome, and sytt be tyme, For ou schalt helpe to dyght thys lyne For al?l? thy fers[e] fare." 324 The stuard lokyd on the knyght, and wonders why He seyd, "syr, for G.o.des myght, his Lord is My lord, what do you here?" 327 there. He seyd "felowe, wyth-owtyn oth, "We both came on For o erand we come bothe, one errand, man." The sothe wolle I nott lete." 330 The wife asks what Tho cam the wyfe them vn-to, they're doing; And seyd, "syres, what do you to, Wyl?l? ye nott lerne to swete?" 333 the Lord says, Than seyd e lord her vn-to, "Your flax is 'Dame, your? lyne ys I-doo, done, and I want Nowe would I fayne ete: 336 my dinner." And I haue made yt al?l? I-lyke, Ful?l? clere, and no ing thycke, Me thynketh yt gret payne." 339 The steward says The stuard seyd "wyth-owtyn dowte, if he ever gets And eu_er_ I may wynne owte, out he'll crack I wyl?l? breke her brayne." 342 her skull. "Felowe, lett be, and sey nott so, But the wife For ou schalt worke or eu_er_ ou goo, chaffs him, Thy wordes ou torne agayne, 345 says he'll soon be Fayne ou schalt be so to doo, glad to eat his And thy good wylle put erto; words, As a man buxome and bayne BUT IS 348 and unless he rubs Thowe schalt rubbe, rele, and spynne, PROUD, AND and reels, he'll And ou wolt eny mete wynne, WILL NOT get no meat. That I geue to G.o.d a gyfte." WORK FOR 351 "I'll die for The stuard seyd, "then haue I wondyr; HIS DINNER.

hunger first, Rather would I dy for hungyr unhouseled," Wyth-owte hosyl?l? or shryfte." 354 answers he. The lord seyd, "so haue I hele, [leaf 183] Thowe wylt worke, yf ou hungyr welle, What worke at the be brought." 357 The Lord works The lord satt and dyd hys werke, away, The stuard drewe in to the derke, Gret sorowe was in hys ought. 360 The lord seyd, "dame, here ys youre lyne, Haue yt in G.o.des blessyng and myne, I hold yt welle I-wrought." 363 and gets his food Mete and drynke sche gaue hym y{n)}, and drink. "The stuard," sche seyd, "wolle he nott spynne, Wyl?l? he do ryght noght?" 366 The lord seyd, "by swete sen Ione, None of it will he Of thys mete schal?l? he haue none give to the That ye haue me hydder brought." 369 steward, The lord ete and dranke fast, but eats it all The stuard hungeryd att e last, up, For he gaue hym nought. 372 The stuard satt al?l? in a stody, Hys lord hadde forgote curtesy: Tho[6] seyd e stuard, "geue me some." 375 and won't give him The lord seyd, "sorowe haue e morsel?l? or sope one crumb: That schal?l? come in thy throte!

Nott so much as o crome! 378 let him work and b.u.t.t ou wylt helpe to dyght is lyne, earn some for Much hungyr yt schal?l? be thyne himself. Though ou make much mone." 381 The steward gives Vp he rose, and went therto, in, "Bett_er_ ys me us to doo Whyle yt must nedys be do." 384 asks for work; the The stuard began fast to knocke, THE STEWARD wife throws it The wyfe rew hym a swyngelyng stocke, IS OBLIGED him, Hys mete erwyth to wy{n)}; TO WORK 387 Sche brought a swyngyl?l? att e last, AFTER ALL.

"Good syres," sche seyd, "swyngyll_e_ on fast; For no ing that ye blynne." 390 Sche gaue hy{m)} a stocke to sytt vppo{n)}, And seyd "syres, is werke must nedys be done, Al?l? that that ys here y{n)}." 393 [leaf 183, back] The stuard toke vp a stycke to saye, and steward and "Sey, seye, swyngyl?l? bett_er_ yf ye may, Lord are both Hytt wyl?l? be the bett_er_ to spynne." 396 spinning away Were e lord neu_er_ so gret, to earn their Yet was he fayne to werke for hys mete dinner, Though he were neu_er_ so sadde; 399 b.u.t.t e stuard at was so stowde, Was fayne to swyngell_e_ e scales owte, Ther-of he was nott glad. 402 while the Lord's The lordys meyne at were att home people cannot make Wyst nott where he was bycome, out what has They were ful?l? sore adrad. 405 become of him.

Then the Proctor The proctoure of e parysche chyrche ryght sees the wright Came and lokyd on e wryght, He lokyd as he ware madde; 408 Fast e proctoure gan hym frayne, and asks where he "Where hadest ou is garlond gayne?

got his garland It ys eu_er_ lyke newe." 411 from. The wryght gan say "felowe, "With my wife; Wyth my wyfe, yf ou wylt knowe; That dare me nott rewe; 414 and while she is For al?l? the whyle my wyfe trew ys, true it will never My garlond wolle hold hewe I-wys, fade, And neu_er_ falle nor fade; 417 but if she's false And yf my wyfe take a p_ar_amoure, it will." Than wolle my garlond vade e floure, That dare I ley myne hede." 420 The proctor thinks The proctoure ought, "in good faye THE PROCTOR he'll test this, That schal?l? I wete thys same daye TEMPTS THE Whether yt may so be." WIFE, AND 423 goes to the To the wryghtes hows he went, IS TRAPDOORED.

wright's wife He grete e wyfe wyth feyre entente, Sche seyd "syr, welcome be ye." 426 and declares his "A! dame, my loue ys on you fast love for her; Syth the tyme I sawe you last; I pray you yt may so be 429 That ye would graunt me of your? grace he must have her To play w_y_t_h_ you in some p_ri_uy place, [leaf 184] Or ellys to deth mutt me." 432 or die. Fast e proctoure gan to pray, She says nay, And eu_er_ to hy{m~} sche seyd "naye, That wolle I nott doo. 435 as her husband Hadest ou done at dede w_y_t_h_ me, will know of it by My spouse by hys garlond myght see, his garland. That schuld torne me to woo." 438 The proctor The proctoure seyd, "by heuen kyng, If he sey to the any ing He schal?l? haue sorowe vn-sowte; 441 offers her 20 Twenty marke I wolle e geue, marks. It wolle e helpe welle to lyue, The mony here haue I brought." 444 These she takes; Nowe hath sche the tresure tane, they go upstairs, And vp e steyre be they gane, (What helpyth yt to lye?) 447 The wyfe went the steyre be-syde, and the proctor The proctoure went a lytyl?l? to wyde tumbles into the He fel?l? downe by and by. 450 cellar, Whan he in to e seller felle, and thinks he is He wente to haue sonke in to h.e.l.le, going to h.e.l.l. He was in hart ful?l? sory. 453 The stuard lokyd on the knyght, The steward asks And seyd "proctoure, for G.o.des myght, him to sit down; Come and sytt vs by." 456 The proctoure began to stare, he doesn't know For he was he wyst neu_er_ whare, THE PROCTOR where he is, b.u.t.t wele he knewe e knyght CAN'T 459 And the stuard at swyngelyd e lyne. MAKE OUT but asks what the He seyd "syres, for G.o.des pyne, WHERE HE Lord and steward What do ye here thys nyght?" HAS GOT 462 are after there, The stuard seyd, "G.o.d geue the care, TO.

Thowe camyst to loke howe we fare, Nowe helpe is lyne were dyght." 465 He stode styl?l? in a gret ought, What to answer he wyst noght: "By mary ful?l? of myght," 468 working the wife's The proctoure seyd, "what do ye in is yn_e_ flax; For to bete thys wyfees lyne?

[leaf 184, back] For Ih_esus_ loue, fful?l? of myght," 471 The proctoure seyd ryght as he ought, he, the proctor, "For me yt schal?l? be euyl?l? wrought will never do the And I may see aryght, 474 like, For I lernyd neu_er_ in lon{d+} it's not his For to haue a swyngel?l? in hond trade. By day nor be nyght." 477 The steward says, The stuard seyd, "as good as ou.

"We're as good as We hold vs that be here nowe, you, and yet And lett preue yt be syght; 480 have to work for Yet must vs worke for owre mete, our food." Or ellys schal?l? we none gete, Mete nor drynke to owre honde." 483 The Lord says, The lord seyd, "why flyte ye two?

"And you'll have I trowe ye wyl?l? werke or ye goo, to work ere you Yf yt be as I vndyrstond." 486 go." Abowte he goys twyes or thryes; They eat and They ete & drunke in such wyse drink, and give That ey geue hym ryght noght. 489 the proctor The proctoure seyd, "thynke ye no schame, nothing, Yheue me some mete, (ye be to blame,) to his great Of that the wyfe ye brought." 492 disgust, The stuard seyd "euyl?l? spede the soppe If eny morcel?l? come in thy throte b.u.t.t ou w_y_t_h_ vs hadest wrought." HE HAS 495 till at last The proctoure stode in a stody TO WIND Whether he myght worke hem by; AND SPIN And so to torne hys ought, FOR HIS 498 To the lord he drewe nere, DINNER.

And to hym seyd w_y_t_h_ myld[_e_] chere, "That mary mott the spede!" 501 he too knocks for The proctoure began to knocke, work, The good wyfe rawte hym a rocke, For therto hadde sche nede; 504 Sche seyd "whan I was mayde att home, Other werke cowde I do none My lyfe ther-wyth to lede." 507 gets a distaff and Sche gaue hym in hande a rocke hynde, some winding to And bade hem fast for to wynde [leaf 185] Or ellys to lett be hys dede. 510 do, "Yes, dame," he seyd, "so haue I hele, I schal?l? yt worke both feyre & welle As ye haue taute me." 513 He wauyd vp a strycke of lyne, and spins away And he span wele and fyne well. By-fore the swyngel?l? tre. 516 The lord seyd "ou spynnest to grete, Therfor ou schalt haue no mete, That ou schalt wel?l? see." 519 Thus they all sit Thus ey satt and wrought fast and work till the Tyl?l? e wekedayes were past; wright comes home. Then the wryght, home came he, 522 As he approaches And as he cam by hys hows syde he hears a noise, He herd[7] noyse that was nott ryde Of p_er_sons two or thre; 525 One of hem knockyd lyne, A-nothyr swyngelyd good and fyne By-fore the swyngyl?l? tre, 528 The thyrde did rele and spynne, Mete and drynke ther-wyth to wynne, Gret nede ther-of hadde he. 531 Thus e wryght stode herkenyng; THE WRIGHT his wife comes to Hys wyfe was ware of hys comyng, COMES HOME meet him, And ageynst hym went sche. AND FINDS 534 "Dame," he seyd, "what ys is dynne? THE THREE and he asks what I here gret noyse here wythynne; CULPRITS.

all that noise is Tel?l? me, so G.o.d the spede." 537 about. "Syr," sche seyd, "workemen thre "Why, three Be come to helpe you and me, workmen have come Ther-of we haue gret nede; 540 to help us, dear. Fayne would I wete what they were."