| | Than wolde he say thus withouten doute | |
| | Who so bildith his hous al of salowis | |
| | And pryke his blynde hors ouer the falowis | |
| 635 | And suffrith his wyf to seke halowis | |
| | He is worthy to be hongid on the galowis | |
| | But al for nought I set nat an hawe | |
| | Of alle his prouerbis ne of al his olde sawe | |
| | Ne I wolde not of hym correctid be | |
| 640 | I hate hym that tellith his vicis vnto me | |
| | And so do mo god woot of vs than I | |
| | This made hym wood with me al vttirly | |
| | I wolde not forbere hym in no caas | |
| | Now wol I say soth be saint Thomas | |
| 645 | Why that I rente out of his book a leef | |
| | For whiche he smot me so that I was deef | |
| | He hadde a book that gladly bothe nyght & day | |
| | For his disport he wolde rede alway | |
| | He clepid it Valery and Theophraste | |
| 650 | Atte whiche book he lough alwey faste | |
| | And eke therwas a clerk som tyme in Rome | |
| | A Cardinal that highte seynt Ierome | |
| | That made a book agayn Ionynyan | |
| | In whiche book therwas eke tortulan | |
| 655 | Crisippus Tortula and helowis | |
| | That was Abbesse not fer fro Paris | |
| | And parabolis of wyse Salamon | |
| | Ouydes art and eke bokis many on | |
| | And alle thyse were bounden in on volume | |
| 660 | And euery day and nyght was his custume | |
