Another wretch, unto his fellow saith, "Thou fishest fair! She which that thee hath fired Is false, inconstant, and she hath no faith. She for the road of folk is so desired; And, as an horse, from day to day she is hired! That when thou twinnest from her company, Cometh another; and bleared is thine eye! Now prick on faste! and ride thy journey While thou art there! For she, behind thy back, So liberal is, she will nothing withsay, But smartly of another take a smack. And thus faren these women all the pack Whoso them trusteth, hanged mote he be! Ever they desire change and novelty." Whereof proceedeth this, but of envy? For that he himselve her ne winnen may. He speaketh her reprefe and villainy; As manis blabbing tongue is wont alway. Thus divers men full often make assay. For to disturben folk in sundry wise, For they may not acheven their emprise. Many one eke would speaken for no good, That hath in love his time spent and used. Men wist, his Lady his asking withstood; Ere that he were of her, plainly refused. Or waste and vain were all that he had mused: Wherefore he can none other remedy, But on his Lady shapeth him to lie. "Every woman," he saith, "is light to get, Can none say, 'Nay!' if she be well ysought; Whoso may leisure have with her to treat Of his purpose ne shall be failen ought But he on madness be so deep ybrought That he shende all with open homeliness; That loven women not, as that I guess." To slaunder women thus, what may profit To gentles? namely, that them armen should, And in defence of women them delight As that the Order of Gentilesse would? If that a man list gentle to be held He must all flee that thereto is contrary. A slanderous tongue is his great adversary! A foul vice is of tongue to be light. For _whoso mochil clappeth, gabbeth oft_. The Tongue of Man so swift is, and so wight That when it is yraised up on loft, Reason it sueth so slowly and soft, That it him never overtaken may. Lord! so these men been trusty in assay! Albeit that men find one woman nice, Inconstant, recheless, and variable, Deignous and proud, full filled of malice, Withouten faith or love, and deceivable, Sly, quaint, false, in all untrust culpable, Wicked or fierce, or full of cruelty: Yet followeth not that such all women be! When the high God angellis formed had, Among them alle formed were there none That founden were malicious and bad? Yes! all men wot that there were many one That for their pride fell from heaven anon. Should we, forthy, give all angels proud name? Nay, he that that sustaineth, is to blame!