But now to purpose, as I first began. This worthy Phoebus did all that he can To pleasë her, weening, through such pleasánce, And for his manhood and his governánce, That no man should have put him from her grace; But, God it wot, there may no man embrace As to distrain a thing, which that natúre Hath naturally set in a creatúre. Take any bird, and put it in a cage, And do all thine intent, and thy coráge, To foster it tenderly with meat and drink Of allë dainties that thou canst bethink, And keep it all so cleanly as thou may; Although the cage of gold be never so gay, Yet had this bird, by twenty thousand fold, Lever in a forést, both wild and cold, Go eatë wormës, and such wretchedness. For ever this bird will do his business T’ escape out of his cage when that he may: His liberty the bird desireth aye. Let take a cat, and foster her with milk And tender flesh, and make her couch of silk, And let her see a mouse go by the wall, Anon she weiveth milk, and flesh, and all, And every dainty that is in that house, Such appetite hath she to eat the mouse. Lo, here hath kind her dominatin, And appetite flemeth discretión. A she-wolf hath also a villain’s kind; The lewedestë wolf that she may find, Or least of reputation, will she take In timë when her lust to have a make. All these examples speak I by these men That be untrue, and nothing by womén. For men have ever a lik’rous appetite On lower things to pérform their delight Than on their wivës, be they never so fair, Never so truë, nor so debonair. Flesh is so newëfangled, with mischance, That we can in no thingë have pleasánce That souneth unto virtue any while.
This Phoebus, which that thought upon no guile, Deceived was for all his jollitý; For under him another haddë she, A man of little reputatión, Nought worth to Phoebus in comparison. The more harm is; it happens often so, Of which there cometh muchë harm and woe. And so befell, when Phoebus was absént, His wife anon hath for her leman sent. Her leman! certes that is a knavish speech. Forgive it me, and that I you beseech. The wisë Plato saith, as ye may read, The word must needs accordë with the deed; If men shall tellë properly a thing, The word must cousin be to the workíng. I am a boistous man, right thus I say. There is