No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Tale Prologue to the Wife of Bath’s Tale Page 10

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Original Text	Modern Text
Thou seist, that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, They been assayed at diverse stoundes; Bacins, lavours, er that men hem bye, Spones and stoles, and al swich housbondrye, And so been pottes, clothes, and array; But folk of wyves maken noon assay Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe! And than, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.	Thou seist, that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, They been assayed at diverse stoundes; Bacins, lavours, er that men hem bye, Spones and stoles, and al swich housbondrye, And so been pottes, clothes, and array; But folk of wyves maken noon assay Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe! And than, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.
Thou seist also, that it displeseth me But-if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, And but thou poure alwey upon my face, And clepe me “faire dame” in every place; And but thou make a feste on thilke day That I was born, and make me fresh and gay, And but thou do to my norice honour, And to my chamberere with-inne my bour, And to my fadres folk and his allyes;— Thus seistow, olde barel ful of lyes!	Thou seist also, that it displeseth me But-if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, And but thou poure alwey upon my face, And clepe me “faire dame” in every place; And but thou make a feste on thilke day That I was born, and make me fresh and gay, And but thou do to my norice honour, And to my chamberere with-inne my bour, And to my fadres folk and his allyes;— Thus seistow, olde barel ful of lyes!
And yet of our apprentice Ianekyn, For his crisp heer, shyninge as gold so fyn, And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun; I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed to-morwe.	And yet of our apprentice Ianekyn, For his crisp heer, shyninge as gold so fyn, And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun; I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed to-morwe.

Original Text	Modern Text
Thou seist, that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, They been assayed at diverse stoundes; Bacins, lavours, er that men hem bye, Spones and stoles, and al swich housbondrye, And so been pottes, clothes, and array; But folk of wyves maken noon assay Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe! And than, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.	Thou seist, that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, They been assayed at diverse stoundes; Bacins, lavours, er that men hem bye, Spones and stoles, and al swich housbondrye, And so been pottes, clothes, and array; But folk of wyves maken noon assay Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe! And than, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.
Thou seist also, that it displeseth me But-if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, And but thou poure alwey upon my face, And clepe me “faire dame” in every place; And but thou make a feste on thilke day That I was born, and make me fresh and gay, And but thou do to my norice honour, And to my chamberere with-inne my bour, And to my fadres folk and his allyes;— Thus seistow, olde barel ful of lyes!	Thou seist also, that it displeseth me But-if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, And but thou poure alwey upon my face, And clepe me “faire dame” in every place; And but thou make a feste on thilke day That I was born, and make me fresh and gay, And but thou do to my norice honour, And to my chamberere with-inne my bour, And to my fadres folk and his allyes;— Thus seistow, olde barel ful of lyes!
And yet of our apprentice Ianekyn, For his crisp heer, shyninge as gold so fyn, And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun; I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed to-morwe.	And yet of our apprentice Ianekyn, For his crisp heer, shyninge as gold so fyn, And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun; I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed to-morwe.