Than tolde he me, how oon Latumius
Compleyned to his felawe Arrius,
[342: T. 6341-6376.]
That in his gardin growed swich a tree,
On which, he seyde, how that his wyves three 760
Hanged hem-self for herte despitous.
“O leve brother,” quod this Arrius,
“Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree,
And in my gardin planted shal it be!”
757. E. Thanne. E. Hn. how that oon. Cm. Latymyus; _rest_ Latumyus.
758. E. Hn. Hl. vnto; _rest_ to. 764. E. Ln. it shal; Pt. shal he;
_rest_ shal it.
Of latter date, of wyves hath he red, 765
That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed,
And lete hir lechour dighte hir al the night
Whyl that the corps lay in the floor up-right.
And somme han drive nayles in hir brayn
Whyl that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn. 770
Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drinke.
He spak more harm than herte may bithinke.
And ther-with-al, he knew of mo proverbes
Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes.
“Bet is,” quod he, “thyn habitacioun 775
Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun,
Than with a womman usinge for to chyde.
Bet is,” quod he, “hye in the roof abyde
Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous;
They been so wikked and contrarious; 780
They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.”
He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame away,
Whan she cast of hir smok;” and forther-mo,
“A fair womman, but she be chaast also,
Is lyk a gold ring in a sowes nose.” 785
Who wolde wenen, or who wolde suppose
The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?
767. E. lecchour. 768. Cm. Whils; Hl. Whil; _rest_ Whan; _see_ 770.
786. E. leeue; _rest_ wene; _but read_ wenen.
And whan I saugh he wolde never fyne
To reden on this cursed book al night,
Al sodeynly three leves have I plight 790
Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke,
I with my fist so took him on the cheke,
That in our fyr he fil bakward adoun.
And he up-stirte as dooth a wood leoun,
[343: T. 6377-6410.]
And with his fist he smoot me on the heed, 795
That in the floor I lay as I were deed.
And when he saugh how stille that I lay,
He was agast, and wolde han fled his way,
Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde:
“O! hastow slayn me, false theef?” I seyde, 800
“And for my land thus hastow mordred me?
Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee.”