Hou he to Alisandre bad, That forto gladen his corage He schal beholde the visage 4260 Of wommen, whan that thei ben faire. Bot yit he set an essamplaire,[1343] His bodi so to guide and reule, That he ne passe noght the reule, Wherof that he himself beguile. For in the womman is no guile[1344] Of that a man himself bewhapeth; Whan he his oghne wit bejapeth, I can the wommen wel excuse:[1345] Bot what man wole upon hem muse 4270 After the fool impression Of his ymaginacioun, Withinne himself the fyr he bloweth, Wherof the womman nothing knoweth, So mai sche nothing be to wyte. For if a man himself excite To drenche, and wol it noght forbere,[1346] The water schal no blame bere. What mai the gold, thogh men coveite? If that a man wol love streite, 4280 The womman hath him nothing bounde; If he his oghne herte wounde, [Sidenote: =P. iii 236=] Sche mai noght lette the folie; And thogh so felle of compainie That he myht eny thing pourchace, Yit makth a man the ferste chace, The womman fleth and he poursuieth: So that be weie of skile it suieth, The man is cause, hou so befalle, That he fulofte sithe is falle 4290 Wher that he mai noght wel aryse. And natheles ful manye wise Befoled have hemself er this, As nou adaies yit it is Among the men and evere was, The stronge is fieblest in this cas. It sit a man be weie of kinde To love, bot it is noght kinde A man for love his wit to lese: For if the Monthe of Juil schal frese 4300 And that Decembre schal ben hot, The yeer mistorneth, wel I wot. (4500*) To sen a man fro his astat Thurgh his sotie effeminat, And leve that a man schal do, It is as Hose above the Scho, To man which oghte noght ben used. Bot yit the world hath ofte accused Ful grete Princes of this dede, Hou thei for love hemself mislede, 4310 Wherof manhode stod behinde, Of olde ensamples as I finde.[1347]