Al-be-it that man fynde oo woman nyce, Inconstant, rechelees, or variable, Deynouse or proud, fulfilled of malyce, 150 Withouten feyth or love, and deceyvable, Sly, queynt, and fals, in al unthrift coupable, Wikked and feers, and ful of crueltee. It foloweth nat that swiche al wommen be. Whan that the high god aungels formed had, 155 Among hem alle whether ther werë noon That founden was malicious and bad? Yis! al men woot that ther was many oon That, for hir pryde, fil from heven anoon. Shul men therfore alle aungels proude name? 160 Nay! he that that susteneth is to blame. Of twelve apostels oon a traitour was; The remënant yit godë were and trewe. Than, if it happe men fyndë, per cas, Oo womman fals, swich good is for t'eschewe, 165 And deme nat that they ben alle untrewe. I see wel mennes owne falsenesse Hem causeth wommen for to trusten lesse. O! every man oghte have an herte tendre Unto womman, and deme her honurable, 170 Whether his shap be outher thikke or slendre, Or be he bad or good; this is no fable. Every man woot, that wit hath resonable, That of a womman he descended is: Than is it shame, of her to speke amis. 175 A wikked tree good fruit may noon forth bring, For swich the fruit is, as that is the tree. Tak hede of whom thou took thy biginning; Lat thy moder be mirour unto thee. Honoure her, if thou wolt honoured be! 180 Dispyse thou her nat, in no manere, Lest that ther-by thy wikkednesse appere! An old provérbë seyd is in English: Men seyn, 'that brid or foul is dishonest, What that he be, and holden ful churlish, 185 That useth to defoule his owne nest.' Men, to sey wel of wommen it is best, And nat for to despyse hem ne deprave, If that they wole hir honour kepe and save. Thise ladies eek compleynen hem on clerkes 190 That they han maad bokës of hir diffame, In which they lakken wommen and hir werkes And speken of hem greet repreef and shame, And causëlees yive hem a wikked name. Thus they despysed been on every syde, 195 And sclaundred, and bilowen on ful wyde. The sory bokes maken mencioun How they betrayden, in especial, Adam, David, Sampsoun, and Salamoun, And many oon mo; who may rehersen al 200 The treson that they havë doon, and shal? The world hir malice may not comprehende; As that thise clerkes seyn, it hath non ende. Ovyde, in his boke called 'Remedye Of Lovë,' greet repreef of wommen wryteth; 205 Wherin, I trowe, he dide greet folye, And every wight that in such cas delyteth. A clerkes custom is, whan he endyteth Of wommen, be it prose, or ryme, or vers, Sey they ben wikke, al knowe he the revers. 210