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Of latter date, of wyves hath he red, That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, And lete hir lechour dighte hir al the night Whyl that the corps lay in the floor up-right. And somme han drive nayles in hir brayn Whyl that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn. Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drinke. He spak more harm than herte may bithinke. And ther-with-al, he knew of mo proverbes Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. “Bet is,” quod he, “thyn habitacioun Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun, Than with a womman usinge for to chyde. Bet is,” quod he, “hye in the roof abyde Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; They been so wikked and contrarious; They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.” He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame away, Whan she cast of hir smok;” and forther-mo, “A fair womman, but she be chaast also, Is lyk a gold ring in a sowes nose.” Who wolde wenen, or who wolde suppose The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne? Of latter date, of wyves hath he red, That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, And lete hir lechour dighte hir al the night Whyl that the corps lay in the floor up-right. And somme han drive nayles in hir brayn Whyl that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn. Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drinke. He spak more harm than herte may bithinke. And ther-with-al, he knew of mo proverbes Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. “Bet is,” quod he, “thyn habitacioun Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun, Than with a womman usinge for to chyde. Bet is,” quod he, “hye in the roof abyde Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; They been so wikked and contrarious; They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.” He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame away, Whan she cast of hir smok;” and forther-mo, “A fair womman, but she be chaast also, Is lyk a gold ring in a sowes nose.” Who wolde wenen, or who wolde suppose The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?

Original Text

Modern Text

Of latter date, of wyves hath he red, That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, And lete hir lechour dighte hir al the night Whyl that the corps lay in the floor up-right. And somme han drive nayles in hir brayn Whyl that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn. Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drinke. He spak more harm than herte may bithinke. And ther-with-al, he knew of mo proverbes Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. “Bet is,” quod he, “thyn habitacioun Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun, Than with a womman usinge for to chyde. Bet is,” quod he, “hye in the roof abyde Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; They been so wikked and contrarious; They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.” He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame away, Whan she cast of hir smok;” and forther-mo, “A fair womman, but she be chaast also, Is lyk a gold ring in a sowes nose.” Who wolde wenen, or who wolde suppose The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne? Of latter date, of wyves hath he red, That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, And lete hir lechour dighte hir al the night Whyl that the corps lay in the floor up-right. And somme han drive nayles in hir brayn Whyl that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn. Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drinke. He spak more harm than herte may bithinke. And ther-with-al, he knew of mo proverbes Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. “Bet is,” quod he, “thyn habitacioun Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun, Than with a womman usinge for to chyde. Bet is,” quod he, “hye in the roof abyde Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; They been so wikked and contrarious; They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.” He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame away, Whan she cast of hir smok;” and forther-mo, “A fair womman, but she be chaast also, Is lyk a gold ring in a sowes nose.” Who wolde wenen, or who wolde suppose The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?
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