Betrayen men not citees grete, and kinges? 85 What wight is that can shape remedye Ageynes thise falsly purpósed thinges? Who can the craft such craftes to espye But man, whos wit ay redy is t'aplye To thing that souneth in-to hy falshede? 90 Women, beth ware of mennes sleight, I rede! And furthermore han thise men in usage That, where as they not lykly been to spede, Suche as they been with a double visage They prócuren, for to pursewe hir nede; 95 He prayeth him in his causë to procede, And largely guerdoneth he his travayle; Smal witen wommen how men hem assayle! Another wrecche un-to his felowe seyth: 'Thou fisshest faire! She that thee hath fyred 100 Is fals and inconstaunt, and hath no feyth. She for the rode of folke is so desyred And, as an hors, fro day to day is hyred That, when thou twinnest fro hir companye, Another comth, and blered is thyn eyë! 105 'Now prikke on fastë, and ryd thy journey Whyl thou art there; for she, behind thy bak, So liberal is, she wol no wight with-sey, But smertly of another take a snak; For thus thise wommen faren, al the pak! 110 Who-so hem trusteth, hanged mote he be! Ay they desyren chaunge and noveltee!' Wher-of procedeth this but of envye? For he him-selve her ne winne may, He speketh her repreef and vileinye, 115 As mannes blabbing tonge is wont alway. Thus dyvers men ful often make assay For to distourben folk in sondry wyse, For they may not acheven hir empryse. Ful many a man eek wolde, for no good, 120 (That hath in love his tyme spent and used) Men wiste, his lady his axing withstood, And that he were of her pleynly refused, Or wast and veyn were al that he had mused; Wherfore he can no better remedye 125 But on his lady shapeth him to lye: 'Every womman,' he seyth, 'is light to gete; Can noon sey "nay," if she be wel y-soght. Who-so may leyser han, with her to trete, Of his purpós ne shal he faile noght, 130 But he on madding be so depe y-broght That he shende al with open hoomlinesse; That loven wommen nat, as that I gesse!' To sclaundre wommen thus, what may profyte To gentils namely, that hem armen sholde, 135 And in defence of wommen hem delyte As that the ordre of gentilesse wolde? If that a man list gentil to be holde, He moot flee al that ther-to is contrarie; A sclaundring tonge is his grete adversarie. 140 A foul vice is of tonge to be light; For who-so michel clappeth, gabbeth ofte. The tonge of man so swift is and so wight That, whan it is areysed up-on lofte, Resoun it seweth so slowly and softe, 145 That it him never over-take may: Lord! so thise men ben trusty in assay!