That is so indiscrete of governance, That jangleth whan that he shuld hold his pees. Lo, which it is for to be reccheles And negligent, and trust on flaterie. But ye that holden this Tale a folie, As of a fox, or of a cok or hen, Taketh the moralitee therof, good men; For Seint Poule sayth, that all that writen is, To our doctrine it is ywriten ywis. Taketh the fruit, and let the chaf be stille. Now, goode God, if that it be thy wille, As sayth my Lord, so make us all good men, And bring us to thy high blisse. _Amen._ Sire Nonnes Preest, our Hoste sayd anon, Yblessed be thy breche and every ston; This was a mery tale of Chaunteclere: But by my trouthe if thou were seculere, Thou woldest ben a tredefoule a right: For if thou have courage as thou hast might Thee were nede of hennes, as I wene, Ye mo than seven times seventene. Se whiche braunes hath this gentil Preest, So gret a necke and swiche a large breest! He loketh as a sparhauk with his eyen: Him nedeth not his colour for to dien With Brasil, ne with grain of Portingale. But, Sire, faire falle you for your tale. And after that he with ful mery chere Sayd to another, as ye shulen here. THE FLOUR AND THE LEFE. THE ARGUMENT. _A gentlewoman out of an arbour in a grove seeth a great company of knights and ladies in a dance upon the green grass; the which being ended, they all kneel down and do honour to the daisie, some to the Flower, and some to the Leaf. Afterward this gentlewoman learneth, by one of these ladies, the meaning hereof, which is this: They which honour the Flower, a thing fading with every blast, are such as look after beauty and worldly pleasure; but they that honour the Leaf, which abideth with the root, notwithstanding the frosts and winter storms, are they which follow virtue and during qualities, without regard of worldly respects._