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Of talys and trifulles many man tellys; Summe byn trew and sum byn ellis. A man may dryfe forth the day that long tyme dwellis With harpyng and pipyng and other mery spellis, With gle and with gamme. Of a person ye mowe here (In case that hit soth were), And of his brother that was hym dere And lovyd well samme. The ton was his fadirs eyre of hows and of lande, The tother was a person as I undurstande. A riche man wex he and a gode husbande, And knowen for a gode clerke thoro Goddis sande, And wyse was holde. The tother hade littul thoght; Of husbandry cowth he noght, But alle his wyves will he wroght, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A febull husbande was he on as many ar on lyve: Alle his wyves biddyng he did it full ryve. Hit is an olde seid saw, I swere be Seynt Tyve, Hit shalbe at the wyves will if the husbond thryve, Bothe within and withowte. A wyfe that has an yvell tach, Therof the husbond shalle have a smache, But yif he loke well abowte. Of that yong gentilman was a gret disese: Aftur a yere or two his wyfe he myght not pleese; Mycull of his lande lay to the preestis ese. Sche taught hym ever among how the katte did snese, Right at hir owne wille. He that hade bene a lorde Was nouther at bedde ne at borde, Ne durst onys speke a worde When she bade be stille. Litull of husbondry the godeman con thynke, And his wyfe lovyd well gode mete and gode drynke. She wolde nouther therfore swete ne swynke, But when the baly was full, lye down and wynke, And rest hir nedur ende. Soo long this life thei ladde That spende was that thei hadde. The wife hir husbonde badde Belyfe forth to wende, “To the person thi brodur that is so rich a wrech, And pray hym of thi sorow sumdel he wolde slech. Fourty pounde or fyfty loke of hym thou fech. So that thou hit bryng litull will I rech Never for to white.” To his brother forth he went, And mycull money to hym he lent, And also sone hit was spent: Thereof they hade but lyte. Micull money of his brother he fette; For alle that he broght he ferd never the bette. This person wex wery and thought he wolde hym lette: “And he fare long thus he fallis in my dette, And yet he may not the. Betwene hym and his wife, iwysse, A drawght ther is drawen amysse. I will wete, soo have I blisse, How that hit myght be.” Yet on a day afterwarde to the person he yede To borow moné, and he ne myght spede. “Brother,” quod the person, “thou takis litull hede How thou fallis in my dett — therof is all my drede — And yet thou may not the. Perdy, thou was my fadurs eyre Of howse and lande that was so feyre, And ever thou lyves in dispayre. What devell! How may this be?” “I ne wot how it faris, but ever I am behynde. For to liffe manly hit come me be kynde. I shall truly sey what I thynke in my mynde.” The person seyde, “Thou me telle.” “Brother,” he seid, “be Saynt Albon, Hit is a preest men callis Sir John. Sich a felow know I non: Of felawes he berys the bell. “Hym gode and curtesse I fynde evermoo. He harpys and gytryns, and synges wel thertoo; He wrestels and lepis, and castis the ston also.” “Brother,” quod the person, “belife home thou goo, So as I thee say. Yif thou myght with any gynne The vessell owt of the chambur wynne, The same that thei make watur in, And bryng hit me, I thee pray.” “Brother,” he seid blithly, “thi wil shalbe wroght, It is a rownde basyn, I have hit in my thoght.” “As prively as thou may, that hit be hidur brought, Hye thee fast on thi way. Loke thou tary noght, And come agayne anone.” Hamwarde con he ride; Ther no longur wolde he byde. And then his wife began to chyde Because he come so sone. He hent up the basyn and forth can he fare. Till he came to his brother wolde he not spare. The person toke the basyn and to his chaumbur it bare, And a privé experiment sone he wroght thare, And to his brother he seyde ful blithe, “Loke thou where thou the basyn fette, And in that place thou hit sett, And than,” he seid, “withowtyn lette, Come agayne right swythe.” He toke the basyn and forth went. When his wife hym saw hir browes she uphent. “Why hase thi brother so sone thee home sent? Hit myght never be for gode, I know it verament, That thou comes home so swythe.” “Nay,” he seid, “my swetyng, I moste take a litull thyng, And to my brother I mot hit bryng, For sum it shall make blithe.” Into his chaumbur prively went he that tyde And sett downe the basyn be the bedde side; He toke his leve at his wyfe and forth can he ride. She was glad that he went and bade hym not abyde. Hir hert began to glade. She anon right thoo Slew a capon or twoo, And other gode mete thertoo Hastely she made. When alle thyng was redy, she sent aftur Sir John Prively at a posturne yate as stille as any ston. They eten and dronken as thei were wonte to done Till that thaym list to bedde for to gon, Softly and stille. Within a litull while Sir John con wake, And nedis watur he most make. He wist wher he shulde the basyn take Right at his owne wille. He toke the basyn to make watur in. He myght not get his hondis awey all this worde to wyn. His handis fro the basyn myght he not twyn. “Alas,” seid Sir John, “how shall I now begynne? Here is sum wych crafte.” Faste the basyn con he holde, And alle his body tremeld for colde. Lever then a hundred pounde he wolde That hit were fro hym rafte. Right as a chapmon shulde sell his ware The basyn in the chaumbeur betwix his hondis he bare. The wife was agrevyd he stode so long thare And askid why so; hit was a nyce fare So stille ther to stande. “What, woman!” he seid, “In gode fay, Thou must helpe, gif thou may, That this basyn were awey: Hit will not fro my honde.” Upstert the godewyfe — for nothyng wolde she lette — And bothe hir hondis on the basyn she sette. Thus sone were thai bothe fast, and he never the bette. Hit was a myssefelisshippe a man to have imette, Be day or be nyght. They began clepe and crye To a wenche that lay thaim bye, That she shulde come on hye To helpe yif she myght. Upstert the wench er she was halfe waked And ran to hir maistrys all baly-naked. “Alas,” seid hir maistrys, “who hase this sorow maked? Helpe this basyn wer away that oure sorow were slakyd. Here is a sory chaunce.” To the basyn this wench she raste For to helpe hade she caste. Thus were they sone alle thre fast. Hyt was a nyce daunce. Ther thei daunsyd al the nyght till the son con ryse. The clerke rang the daybell as hit was his guise. He knew his maisturs councell and his uprise. He thoght he was to long to sey his sirvyse, His matyns be the morow. Softly and stille thidur he yede. When he come thidur he toke gode hede How that his maystur was in grett drede And brought in gret sorow. Anon as he Sir John can se he began to call. Be that worde thei come down into the hall. “Why goo ye soo?” quod the clerke. “Hit is shame for you alle. Why goo ye so nakyd? Foule mot yow falle. The basyn shalle yow froo.” To the basyn he made a brayde, And bothe his hondis theron he leyde. The furst worde that the clerke seyde: “Alas, what shall I doo?” The carter fro the halle dure erth can he throw, With a shevell in his honde, to make it clene, I trowe. When he saw thaym go rounde upon a row He wende hit hade bene folys of the fayre (he told hit in his saw). He seid he wolde assay, iwysse. Unneth he durst go in for fere. All save the clerke nakyd were. When he saw the wench go there Hym thoght hit went amysse. The wench was his speciall that hoppid on the rowte. “Lette go the basyn er thou shalle have a clowte!” He hit the wench with a shevell above on the towte. The shevyll sticked then fast withowte any dowte, And he hengett on the ende. The carter, with a sory chaunce, Among thaim alle he led the dawnce. In Englonde, Scotland, ne in Fraunce A man shulde non sich fynde. The godeman and the person come in that stounde. Alle that fayre feliship dawnsyng thei founde. The godeman seid to Sir John, “Be cockis swete wounde, Thou shalle lese thine harnesse or a hundred pounde. Truly thou shalle not chese.” Sir John seid, “In gode fay, Helpe this basyn were awey And that moné will I pay Er I this harnes lese.” The person charmyd the basyn that it fell thaim fro; Every man then hastely on thaire wey can goo. The preest went out of contré for shame he hade thoo, And then thai levyd thaire lewtnesse and did no more soo, But wex wyse and ware. Thus the godeman and his wyfe Levyd togedur withowt stryfe. Mary for hir joyes fyfe Shelde us alle fro care. Finitur

false stories; (t-note) are; otherwise spend; lingers tales fun and games parson; will Supposing it were true And [they] loved each other well The one; heir; residence The other; parson grew; manager through; grace considered household management he knew nothing; (see note) wife’s desire; did (t-note) feeble; one; in life quickly old proverb; by; (see note) bad habit touch of It; (t-note) Unless he is wary cause of distress Much; served to pamper the priest (see note); (t-note) [one] neither; nor at table dared once quiet about; man of the house thought food sweat or labor belly; nap bottom gone (spent) Quickly miser part; lessen see that; fetch; (t-note) care repay much just as little fetched got on (fared); better stop If he behaves still he can not prosper The game is being misplayed; (see note) find out, as I hope for happiness Again; went money; succeed prosper By gosh hopelessness What the devil in arrears generously; comes to me by nature; (t-note) (t-note) by; (see note) (see note) Such (see note) plays gittern; in addition; (see note) is a shot-putter quickly trick steal pee secretly Hurry soon did grabbed; out he went slack off made happily Make sure; (t-note) delay quickly raised truly sweetheart must it will make somebody happy time by from rejoice then; (t-note) side entrance (gate) very quietly; (see note) drank they desired necessarily Whenever he wanted world to gain separate Firmly trembled Rather; (t-note) taken peddler; merchandise aggrieved silly behavior faith if you can will not [move] Up jumped; delay stuck; better bizarre group; [for] anyone; met shout; call servingwoman in a hurry before mistress; buck-naked Help [that]; would be lessened painful mischance rushed meant (t-note) custom secrets; getting up [time] too delayed matins in the morning; (see note) (t-note) During; calling May evil befall you grab (t-note) door; (see note) (see note) certainly Scarcely; dared It seemed to him girlfriend; rabble wallop rump hung with bad luck moment fellowship (see note) equipment; (t-note) you have no choice Help [that] Before left; bad behavior prudent Lived (t-note); (see note) The end; (t-note)