5                        10                        15                    20                        25                        30                    35                        40

Loke wel aboute, ye that lovers bee, Let not youre lustes lede you to dotage. Be not anamoured on al thing that ye see: Sampson the fort and Salomon the sage, Deceyved were for al thaire grete courage. Men deeme it right that they see at eye, But ever beware: the blynde eteth many a flie! I meen in women, for all thaire cheres queynt, Trust not to moche; thaire trouthe is but geson. The fairest outward wel can they peynt; Thayre stedfastnesse endureth but a seson. They fayne frendlynes and worchen treson, And sith thay be chaungeable naturally, Beware, therfore: the blynde eteth many a flye. Thogh all this world doo his besy cure To make women stande in stablenesse, It may not be, it is ageyne nature: The world is doo whan thay lak doublenesse. They lagh and love not, this know men expresse; In theyme to trust, it is but fantasie. Therfore, beware: the blynde eteth many a flie. What wight on lyve that trusteth on thaire cheres, Shal have at last his guerdon and his mede. They shave nerer than doth rasour or sheres; Al is not gold that shineth, men take hede! Thaire galle is hid under a sugred wede; It is ful queynte thaire fantasies to aspie. Beware, therfore: the blynde eteth many a flye. Women of kynde have condicions thre: The first is thay be full of deceite; To spynne also is thaire propreté; And women have a wonderful conceite: They wepen oft, and all is but a sleight; And whan hem lust, the teere is in the eye. Therfore, beware: the blynde eteth many a flye. In sothe to sey, thogh al the erthe so wan Were parchemyn smothe, white, and scribable, And the grete see, called occian, Were turned ink, blacker than is sable, Eche stikk a penne, ech man a scrivener able, Nought coude thay write womens trecherie. Beware, therfore: the blynde eteth many a flye!

(see note); (t-note) desires; folly strong; wise; (see note) valor (t-note) eat; fly; (see note); (t-note) attractive looks; (t-note) scarce; (t-note) (t-note) work; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) careful effort; (t-note) (t-note) against; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) delusion; (t-note) (t-note) person; faces; (t-note) reward; compensation; (t-note) razor or scissors; (see note); (t-note) (see note) bile; garment; (see note) clever; lies; detect; (t-note) (t-note) by nature; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) dissemble; (t-note) trick; (see note); (t-note) desire; (t-note) (t-note) ashen; (see note); (t-note) parchment ocean; (t-note) (t-note) scribe; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note)