'Text B' occupies the _lower_ part of the following pages. It follows the Fairfax MS. mainly, which is denoted by 'F.' In many places, the inferior spellings of this MS. are relegated to the footnotes, amended spellings being given in the text. Various readings are given from Tn. (Tanner MS. 346); T. (Trinity MS., R. 3. 19); A. (Arch. Seld. B. 24 in the Bodleian Library); Th. (Thynne's Edition, 1532); B. (Bodley MS. 638); P. (Pepys MS. 2006); and sometimes from C. (already mentioned) or Add. (Addit. 9832). Lines which occur _in one text only_ are marked (in either text) by a prefixed asterisk. Lines marked with a dagger (+) stand _just the same in both texts_. The blank space after A 60 (p. 70) shews that there is nothing in Text A corresponding to B 69-72. Where the corresponding matter is transposed to another place, one or other text has a portion printed in smaller type. THE PROLOGE OF .IX. GOODE WIMMEN. A thousand sythes have I herd men telle, +That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle; And I acorde wel that hit be so; But natheles, this wot I wel also, That ther nis noon that dwelleth in this contree, 5 That either hath in helle or heven 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 forbode, but men shulde leve 10 +Wel more thing then men han seen with yë! +Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë For that he seigh it nat of yore ago. God wot, a thing is never 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 to the doctrine of these olde wyse, +Yeven credence, in every skilful wyse, 20 And trowen on these olde aproved stories +Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories, +Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges, +Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges. +And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25 +Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye. Wel oghte us than on olde bokes leve, Ther-as ther is non other assay by preve. And, as for me, though that my wit be lyte, +On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30 +And in myn herte have hem in reverence; And to hem yeve swich lust and swich credence, That ther is wel unethe game noon That from my bokes make me to goon, But hit be other up-on the haly-day, 35 Or elles in the Ioly tyme of May; Whan that I here the smale foules singe, +And that the floures ginne for to springe, Farwel my studie, as lasting that sesoun! Now have I therto this condicioun 40 +That, of alle the floures in the mede,