Geoffrey Chaucer

Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne, Th'assay so hard, so sharp the conquerynge, The dredful joye, alwey that slit so yerne: Al this mene I by love.

What is this world? what asketh men to have? Now with his love, now in his colde grave, Allone, withouten any compaignye.

Gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.

The firste vertu, sone, if thou wolt lere, Is to restreyne and kepe wel thy tonge.

For, God it woot, men may wel often fynde A lordes sone do shame and vileynye; And he that wole han pris of his gentrye, For he was boren of a gentil hous, And hadde hise eldres noble and vertuous, And nel hymselven do no gentil dedis, Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is, He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl;

Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee As wel over hir housbond as hir love, And for to been in maistrie hym above.

That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis.

The smylere with the knyf under the cloke.

Women naturally desire the same six things as I; they want their men to be brave, wise, rich, generous with money, obedient to the wife, and lively in bed.

for well he knew a woman has no beard; hed felt a thing all rough and longish-haired.

and Nicholas right in the arse he got.

he pricked her hard and deep, like one gone mad.

Tell me also to what purpose or end the genitals have been made?

Now, good men, God forgive you your trespass, and keep you from the Sin of avarice! Mine holy pardons will save you, if you do give me gold or silver, or else brooches, spoons or rings

If gold rusts, what then can iron do?

A wife destroys her husband and contrives, As husbands know, the ruin of their lives.

He who is accustomed to this Sin of Gluttony may no Sin withstand. He must be in bondage to all vices, for it is in the Devil's hoard where he hides himself and takes his rest.