MY maister Bukton, whan of Criste our kinge | |
| Was axed, what is trouthe or sothfastnesse, | |
| He nat a word answerde to that axinge, | |
| As who saith: ‘no man is al trewe,’ I gesse. | |
| And therfor, thogh I highte to expresse | 5 |
| The sorwe and wo that is in mariage, | |
| I dar not wryte of hit no wikkednesse, | |
| Lest I my-self falle eft in swich dotage. | |
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| I wol nat seyn, how that hit is the cheyne | |
| Of Sathanas, on which he gnaweth ever, | 10 |
| But I dar seyn, were he out of his peyne, | |
| As by his wille, he wolde be bounde never. | |
| But thilke doted fool that eft hath lever | |
| Y-cheyned be than out of prisoun crepe, | |
| God lete him never fro his wo dissever, | 15 |
| Ne no man him bewayle, though he wepe. | |
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| But yit, lest thou do worse, tak a wyf; | |
| Bet is to wedde, than brenne in worse wyse. | |
| But thou shalt have sorwe on thy flesh, thy lyf, | |
| And been thy wyves thral, as seyn these wyse, | 20 |
| And if that holy writ may nat suffyse, | |
| Experience shal thee teche, so may happe, | |
| That thee were lever to be take in Fryse | |
| Than eft to falle of wedding in the trappe. | |
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Envoy.
This litel writ, proverbes, or figure | 25 |
| I sende you, tak kepe of hit, I rede: | |
| Unwys is he that can no wele endure. | |
| If thou be siker, put thee nat in drede. | |
| The Wyf of Bathe I pray you that ye rede | |
| Of this matere that we have on honde. | 30 |
| God graunte you your lyf frely to lede | |
In fredom; for ful hard is to be bonde.
Explicit. | |
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