Ther beon nowe wolfesses moo thane twoo or three
The bookys recorde, wheeche tht yonder bee.
Seothe to this mater of mercy and of grace,
And or thees dotardes parte out of this place,
Vpon theyre compleynt to shape remedye,
Or they beo likly to stande in iupardye. [160]
It is no game with wyves for to pleye,
But for foolis, that gif no force to deye.
Takethe heed of thaunswer of the wyves.
Touching the substance of this hyeghe discorde,
We six wyves : beon ful of oon acorde,
Yif worde and chyding may vs not avaylle
We wol darrein it in chaumpcloos by bataylle,
Iupart oure right laate or ellys raathe.
And for oure partye, the worthy Wyff of Bathe
Cane shewe statutes moo than six of seven
Howe wyves make hir housbandes wynne heven, [170]
Maugre the feonde and al his vyolence.
For theyre vertu of parfyte pacyence
Partenethe not to wyves nowe adayes,
Sauf on theyre housbandes for to make assayes.
Ther pacyence was buryed long agoo,
Gresyldes story recordethe pleinly soo.
It longethe to vs to clappen as a mylle,
No counseyle keepe, but the trouth oute telle.
We beo not borne by hevenly influence
Of oure nature to keepe vs in sylence. [180]
For this is no doute, euery prudent wyff
Hathe redy aunswere in al suche maner stryff,
Thoughe theos dotardes, with theyre dokked berdes
Which strowtethe out as they were made of herdes,
Haue ageyn hus a gret quarell nowe sette.
I trowe the bakoun was neuer of hem fette
Awaye at Dounmowe in the Pryorye.
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