| | And shapith that he faylith not to spede | |
| | For than he sayde his spirit was at ese | |
| 390 | Than is quod he no thing me may displese | |
| | Saue o thing prickith me my conscience | |
| | The whiche I wol reherce in your presence | |
| | Ye haue herd said ful long sithnis a goo | |
| | Thermay noman haue parfit blissis two | |
| 395 | This is to sey in erthe and eek in heuyn | |
| | For they he kepte hym fro the synnys seuyn | |
| | And eke from eueriche braunche of that tre | |
| | Yet is ther so parfyt prosperite | |
| | And so gret ese and lust in mariage | |
| 400 | That euer I am agast now in myn age | |
| | That I shal lede so mery a lif here | |
| | For sithen very heuen is bought so dere | |
| 405 | With tribulacion and gret penaunce | |
| | How sholde I lyue in suche plesaunce | |
| | As alle weddid men doon with her wyuys | |
| | Come to the blis there crist etern on lyue is | |
| | This is my drede as yet my bretheren twey | |
| 410 | Assoylith me this question y you prey | |
| | Iustinus whiche that hatid his foly | |
| | Answerd anon right in his iapery | |
| | And for he wolde his longe tale abregge | |
| | He wolde non auctorite a legge | |
| 415 | But sayde sir yf ther be non obstakyl | |
| | Othir than this god of his highe mirakyl | |
| | And of his mercy may so for you wirche | |
| | That er ye haue your rightis of holy chirche | |
