Now had this Phebus in his hous a crowe, 130
[560: T. 17080-17114.]
Which in a cage he fostred many a day,
And taughte it speken, as men teche a Iay.
Whyt was this crowe, as is a snow-whyt swan,
And countrefete the speche of every man (30)
He coude, whan he sholde telle a tale. 135
Ther-with in al this world no nightingale
Ne coude, by an hondred thousand deel,
Singen so wonder merily and weel.
130. E. hadde. 132. Hl. speken; _rest_ speke. 133. E. _om._ is.
138. E. Hn. myrily.
Now had this Phebus in his hous a wyf,
Which that he lovede more than his lyf, 140
And night and day dide ever his diligence
Hir for to plese, and doon hir reverence,
Save only, if the sothe that I shal sayn,
Ialous he was, and wolde have hept hir fayn; (40)
For him were looth by-iaped for to be. 145
And so is every wight in swich degree;
But al in ydel, for it availleth noght.
A good wyf, that is clene of werk and thoght,
Sholde nat been kept in noon await, certayn;
And trewely, the labour is in vayn 150
To kepe a shrewe, for it wol nat be.
This holde I for a verray nycetee,
To spille labour, for to kepe wyves;
Thus writen olde clerkes in hir lyves. (50)
139. E. hadde. 143. E. Cm. _om._ if; Hn. that. that] Hn. if. 147.
E. Cm. in ydel; _rest_ for naught.
But now to purpos, as I first bigan: 155
This worthy Phebus dooth all that he can
To plesen hir, weninge by swich plesaunce,
And for his manhede and his governaunce,
That no man sholde han put him from hir grace.
But god it woot, ther may no man embrace 160
As to destreyne a thing, which that nature
Hath naturelly set in a creature.