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This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf Which that he lovede more than his lyf; Of eightetene yeer she was of age. Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage, For she was wilde and yong, and he was old And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold. He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude, That bad man sholde wedde his similitude. Men sholde wedden after hir estaat, For youthe and elde is often at debaat. But sith that he was fallen in the snare, He moste endure, as other folk, his care. This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf Which that he lovede more than his lyf; Of eightetene yeer she was of age. Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage, For she was wilde and yong, and he was old And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold. He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude, That bad man sholde wedde his similitude. Men sholde wedden after hir estaat, For youthe and elde is often at debaat. But sith that he was fallen in the snare, He moste endure, as other folk, his care.
Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al As any wesele hir body gent and smal. A ceynt she werede barred al of silk, A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk Upon hir lendes, ful of many a gore. Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute, Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute. The tapes of hir whyte voluper Were of the same suyte of hir coler; Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye: And sikerly she hadde a likerous yë. Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two, And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo. She was ful more blisful on to see Than is the newe pere-ionette tree; And softer than the wolle is of a wether. And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun. In al this world, to seken up and doun, There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche. Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe. But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittinge on a berne. Ther-to she coude skippe and make game, As any kide or calf folwinge his dame. Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth, Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth. Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt, Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt. A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler, As brood as is the bos of a bocler. Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye; She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde. Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al As any wesele hir body gent and smal. A ceynt she werede barred al of silk, A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk Upon hir lendes, ful of many a gore. Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute, Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute. The tapes of hir whyte voluper Were of the same suyte of hir coler; Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye: And sikerly she hadde a likerous yë. Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two, And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo. She was ful more blisful on to see Than is the newe pere-ionette tree; And softer than the wolle is of a wether. And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun. In al this world, to seken up and doun, There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche. Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe. But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittinge on a berne. Ther-to she coude skippe and make game, As any kide or calf folwinge his dame. Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth, Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth. Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt, Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt. A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler, As brood as is the bos of a bocler. Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye; She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.

Original Text

Modern Text

This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf Which that he lovede more than his lyf; Of eightetene yeer she was of age. Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage, For she was wilde and yong, and he was old And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold. He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude, That bad man sholde wedde his similitude. Men sholde wedden after hir estaat, For youthe and elde is often at debaat. But sith that he was fallen in the snare, He moste endure, as other folk, his care. This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf Which that he lovede more than his lyf; Of eightetene yeer she was of age. Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage, For she was wilde and yong, and he was old And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold. He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude, That bad man sholde wedde his similitude. Men sholde wedden after hir estaat, For youthe and elde is often at debaat. But sith that he was fallen in the snare, He moste endure, as other folk, his care.
Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al As any wesele hir body gent and smal. A ceynt she werede barred al of silk, A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk Upon hir lendes, ful of many a gore. Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute, Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute. The tapes of hir whyte voluper Were of the same suyte of hir coler; Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye: And sikerly she hadde a likerous yë. Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two, And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo. She was ful more blisful on to see Than is the newe pere-ionette tree; And softer than the wolle is of a wether. And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun. In al this world, to seken up and doun, There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche. Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe. But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittinge on a berne. Ther-to she coude skippe and make game, As any kide or calf folwinge his dame. Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth, Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth. Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt, Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt. A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler, As brood as is the bos of a bocler. Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye; She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde. Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al As any wesele hir body gent and smal. A ceynt she werede barred al of silk, A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk Upon hir lendes, ful of many a gore. Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute, Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute. The tapes of hir whyte voluper Were of the same suyte of hir coler; Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye: And sikerly she hadde a likerous yë. Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two, And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo. She was ful more blisful on to see Than is the newe pere-ionette tree; And softer than the wolle is of a wether. And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun. In al this world, to seken up and doun, There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche. Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe. But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittinge on a berne. Ther-to she coude skippe and make game, As any kide or calf folwinge his dame. Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth, Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth. Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt, Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt. A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler, As brood as is the bos of a bocler. Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye; She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.