| | As take not a greef of that I say | |
| | For myn entent is but forto play | |
| | Now seris than wol y telle you forth my tale | |
| | As euyr I muste drynke wyne or ale | |
| 195 | I shal say soth thyse husbondis that I hadde | |
| | Thre of hem were goode and two were badde | |
| | Vnnethe myghte they holde the statute | |
| | In whiche they were bonden vnto me | |
| 200 | Ye woot weel what I mene parde | |
| | As helpe me god y laughe what thet I thynke | |
| | How petously a nyght y made hem to swynke | |
| | And be my faith I yaf of hem no stoore | |
| | They hadde me yeue her lond and her tresor | |
| 205 | Me nedith not to do hem lenger diligence | |
| | To wynne her loue or do hem reuerence | |
| | They loued me so wel by god aboue | |
| | That I ne tolde no deynte of her loue | |
| | A wyse woman wyl besy hir euyr in one | |
| 210 | To gete her loue there she hath noon | |
| | But sith I hadde hem holly in myn hond | |
| | And aftir they hadde yeue me here lond | |
| | What sholde y take kepe hem forto plese | |
| | But yf it were for my profit or for myn ease | |
| 215 | I held hem so a werke be my fey | |
| | That many a nyght they song wel a wey | |
| | The bacon was fet for hem I trow | |
| | That som man hath in essex at donmow | |
| | I gouerned hem so wel aftir my lawe | |
| 220 | That eche of hem ful blesful was and fawe | |