| | neuer shal haue ende amen . |
|
| | Here Endeth Chawcers tale of Mellebe & | |
| | Prudence his wif & sophie his doughter . | |
| | And begynnyth the Monkis Prolog . | |
| | W | Henne endid was the tale of Mellebe | |
| | And of Prudence & of her benignite | |
| | Our ost saide as I am feythful man | |
| | And be the precyous corpus madryan | |
| 5 | I hadde leuyr thanne a barel of ale | |
| | That good leef my wif had herd this tale | |
| | For she is no thing of such pacience | |
| | As was this Mellebees wif Prudence | |
| | Be goddis bonys when I bete my knauys | |
| 10 | She bringith me the grete clobbid stauys | |
| | And cryeth sle the doggis euerichon | |
| | And breke bothe bak and also boon | |
| | And yf that ony neyghbour of myn | |
| | Wol nat in chirche to my wif enclyn | |
| 15 | Or be so hardy to her trespas | |
| | Whan she comyth hom she rampith in my face | |
| | And eryeth fals coward wreke thy wif | |
| | Be corpus dominus I wil haue thy knyf | |
| | And thou shalt haue my distaf & go spynne | |
| 20 | Fro day to nyght she wol thus begynne | |
| | Allas she saith that euyr I was shape | |
| | To wedde a mylksop a coward ape | |
| | That wol be ouerled with euery wight | |
