| | They lyue but as a brid or as a best | |
| | In liberte and vnder non areest | |
| | There as a weddid man is in astaat | |
| 40 | Liueth his lif blisful and ordinate | |
| | Vnder the yok of mariage I bounde | |
| | Wel may his herte in ioye & blisse habounde | |
| | For who can be so buxum as a wyf | |
| | Who is so trewe who is so tentif | |
| 45 | To kepe hym seek and hool and is his make | |
| | For weel or woo she wol nat hym forsake | |
| | She is nat wery hym to loue and serue | |
| | Though he lye bedrede til he sterue | |
| | And yet some clerkis sayn it is not so | |
| 50 | Of whiche Theophraste is on of tho | |
| | What fors theygh Theophraste doth lye | |
| | Ne take no wyf quod he for husbondrye | |
| | As forto spare in housholde thyn expence | |
| | A trewe seruaunt doth more diligence | |
| 55 | Thy good to kepe than doth thy self wyf | |
| | For she wol clayme half part al her lif | |
| | And yf that thow be seek so god me saue | |
| | Thy verry frendis or a trewe knaue | |
| | Wol kepe the bet than she that waytith ay | |
| 60 | Aftir thy good and hath do meny a day | |
| 65 | But take no kepe of suche vanyte | |
| | Do fy Theophraste and herken me | |
| | A wyf is goddis ʒifte verily | |
| | Al other maner ʒiftis hardely | |
