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E. EPILOGUE.
[T. 10293-10314.
EPILOGUE TO THE MARCHANTES TALE.
'EY! goddes mercy!' seyde our Hoste tho,
2420'Now swich a wyf I pray god kepe me fro!
Lo, whiche sleightes and subtilitees
In wommen been! for ay as bisy as bees
Ben they, us sely men for to deceyve,
And from a sothe ever wol they weyve;
425By this Marchauntes Tale it preveth weel.
But doutelees, as trewe as any steel
I have a wyf, though that she povre be;
(10)But of hir tonge a labbing shrewe is she,
And yet she hath an heep of vyces mo;
2430Ther-of no fors, lat alle swiche thinges go.
But, wite ye what? in conseil be it seyd,
Me reweth sore I am un-to hir teyd.
For, and I sholde rekenen every vyce
Which that she hath, y-wis, I were to nyce,
2435 And cause why; it sholde reported be
And told to hir of somme of this meynee;
Of whom, it nedeth nat for to declare,
(20)Sin wommen connen outen swich chaffare;
And eek my wit suffyseth nat ther-to
2440To tellen al; wherfor my tale is do.'
2420'Now swich a wyf I pray god kepe me fro!
Lo, whiche sleightes and subtilitees
In wommen been! for ay as bisy as bees
Ben they, us sely men for to deceyve,
And from a sothe ever wol they weyve;
425By this Marchauntes Tale it preveth weel.
But doutelees, as trewe as any steel
I have a wyf, though that she povre be;
(10)But of hir tonge a labbing shrewe is she,
And yet she hath an heep of vyces mo;
2430Ther-of no fors, lat alle swiche thinges go.
But, wite ye what? in conseil be it seyd,
Me reweth sore I am un-to hir teyd.
For, and I sholde rekenen every vyce
Which that she hath, y-wis, I were to nyce,
2435 And cause why; it sholde reported be
And told to hir of somme of this meynee;
Of whom, it nedeth nat for to declare,
(20)Sin wommen connen outen swich chaffare;
And eek my wit suffyseth nat ther-to
2440To tellen al; wherfor my tale is do.'
