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THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN.
And I acorde wel that hit[A 1] be so;
But natheles, this wot[A 2] I wel also,
That ther nis[A 3] noon that dwelleth[A 3] in this contree[A 3], 5
That either hath in helle or heven[A 4] y-be,
†Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
†But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
†For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But goddes[A 5] forbode, but men shulde[A 5] leve 10
†Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
†Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
For that he seigh[A 6] it nat of yore ago.
God wot, a thing is never[A 7] the lesse so
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
†Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in minde,
But natheles, this wot[A 2] I wel also,
That ther nis[A 3] noon that dwelleth[A 3] in this contree[A 3], 5
That either hath in helle or heven[A 4] y-be,
†Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
†But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
†For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But goddes[A 5] forbode, but men shulde[A 5] leve 10
†Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
†Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
For that he seigh[A 6] it nat of yore ago.
God wot, a thing is never[A 7] the lesse so
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
†Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in minde,
And I acorde wel that hit is so;
But natheles, yit wot I wel also,
That ther nis[B 1] noon dwelling in this contree, 5
That either hath in heven or[B 2] helle y-be,
†Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
†But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
†For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But god forbede but men should leve 10
†Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
†Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
But-if him-self hit seeth, or elles dooth;
For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth,
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
†Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in minde.
But natheles, yit wot I wel also,
That ther nis[B 1] noon dwelling in this contree, 5
That either hath in heven or[B 2] helle y-be,
†Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
†But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
†For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But god forbede but men should leve 10
†Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
†Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
But-if him-self hit seeth, or elles dooth;
For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth,
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
†Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in minde.
[A 8]
[A 9]
[A 10]
[A 11]
[A 12]
A.
- ↑ it.
- ↑ wit (over erasure); read wot.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 ne is; dwellyth; cuntre.
- ↑ heuene.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 goddis; schulde.
- ↑ say (better seigh).
- ↑ neuere.
- ↑ 21. trowyn; aprouede storyis.
- ↑ 27. onjte; thanne; bokys.
- ↑ 28. There; othyr a-say (see l. 9); be (for by).
- ↑ 29. thow; myn.
- ↑ 30. 34. bokys.
- ↑ 33. onethe.
B.
