Tale

Question 1

For now the grete charitee…

Answer 1

…and prayeres of limitours and other holy freres

Question 2

Be verray force…

Answer 2

…he rafte hir maydenhede

Question 3

What thyng…

Answer 3

…is it that wommen most desiren?

Question 4

A man shal winne us best…

Answer 4

…with flaterye; and with attendance, and with bisinesse

Question 5

For to be free, and do right…

Answer 5

…as us lest, and that no man repreve us of our vyce

Question 6

Where as he saugh upon a daunce…

Answer 6

…go, of ladies faire and twenty

Question 7

Vanisshed was the daunce…

Answer 7

…sane on the grene he saugh sittinge a wyf; a fouler wight ther may no man devyse

Question 8

Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee…

Answer 8

…as wel over hir housbande as hir love, and for to been in maistrie him above

Question 9

In Al the court be was ther wyf…

Answer 9

…ne mayde, ne widwe that contraired what he seyde

Question 10

Thou mak me take unto…

Answer 10

…thy wyf; for wel thou wost that I have kept thy lyf

Question 11

For Goddes love, as chees a newe…

Answer 11

…requeste; tak al my good, and lat my body go

Question 12

For though that I be foul, and old, and pove…

Answer 12

…I nolde for al the metal, ne for ore, that under erthe is grave, or lym above, but if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love

Question 13

That any of my nacioun…

Answer 13

…sholde ever so foule disparaged be!

Question 14

And al day after hidde…

Answer 14

…him as an oule, so wo was him, his wyf looked so foul

Question 15

Whan he was with his wyf…

Answer 15

…a-bedde y-broght; he walweth, and he turneth to and fro

Question 16

His olde wyf lay…

Answer 16

…smylinge evermo

Question 17

Fareth every knight…

Answer 17

…thus with his wyf as ye?

Question 18

Thou art so loothly…

Answer 18

…and so old also

Question 19

And ther to comen…

Answer 19

…of so lowe a kinde

Question 20

But for ye speken of swich gentillesse…

Answer 20

…as is descended out of old richesse, that therefore sholde not ye be gentil man, swich arrogance is nat worth an hen

Question 21

Loke who that is most vertuous alway…

Answer 21

…privee and apert, and most entendeth ay to do the gentil dedes that he kan, and tak him for the grettest gentil man

Question 22

Crist wol we clayme…

Answer 22

…of him our gentillesse, nat of our eldres for hir old richesse

Question 23

For though they yeve us al hir heritage…

Answer 23

…for which we clayme to been of heigh parage, yet may they nat biquethe, for no thyng to noon of us hir vertuous living

Question 24

Dantes tale: ful selde up riseth by his branches smale prowesse…

Answer 24

…of a man, for God, of his goodnesse wol that of hym we clayme our gentillesse

Question 25

If gentillesse were planted naturelly...

Answer 25

...unto a certeyn lineage, down the lyne, privee and apert, than wolde they never fyne to doon of gentillesse the fain offyce; they might do no villeyne or vice

Question 26

Genterye is nat...

Answer 26

...annexed to possessioun

Question 27

And nil him-selven do no gentil dedes...

Answer 27

...he is nat gentil. For he was boren of gentillesse

Question 28

For vileyns sinful dedes...

Answer 28

...make a cherl

Question 29

Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone; than comth...

Answer 29

...our verray gentillesse of grace, it was no-thing biquethe us with our place

Question 30

Thanne am I gentil whan that...

Answer 30

...I beginne to liven vertuously and weyve sinne

Question 31

And ther as ye of povert...

Answer 31

...me repreve

Question 32

In wilful povert chees...

Answer 32

...to live hys lyf

Question 33

Glad povert is...

Answer 33

...an honest thyng

Question 34

Who so that halt him...

Answer 34

...paid of his poverte, I holde him riche, al hadde he nat a sherte

Question 35

He that coveiteth...

Answer 35

...is a povre wight

Question 36

Al was this...

Answer 36

...land fulfild of fayerye

Question 37

But he that noght hath...

Answer 37

...ne coveyteth have, is riche, al though he holde him but a knave

Question 38

Poverte is...

Answer 38

...hateful good

Question 39

al though it seme elenge: posessioun, that...

Answer 39

...ne wight wol challenge

Question 40

Maketh his God...

Answer 40

...and eek him-self to knowe

Question 41

Of elde...

Answer 41

...ye repreve ME

Question 42

Now there ye seye...

Answer 42

...that I am foul and old

Question 43

For filthe and elde, also moot I thee...

Answer 43

...been grete wardeyns upon chastitee

Question 44

To han me foul and old til that I seye and to be...

Answer 44

...to yow trewe humble wyf, and never yow displese in al my lyf

Question 45

Or elles ye wol Han me yong...

Answer 45

...and fair and take your aventure of the repair

Question 46

I put me in your wys governance...

Answer 46

...cheseth yourself, which may be most plesance, and most honour to yow and me also

Question 47

That she so fair...

Answer 47

...was and so young ther-to

Question 48

His herte bathed...

Answer 48

...in a bathe of blisse

Question 49

In parfit...

Answer 49

...joye

Question 50

Eek I preye Jesu shorte...

Answer 50

...hir lyves that wol nat be governed by hir wyves

Question 51

And olde and angry nigardes of dispence...

Answer 51

...God sende hem soone verray pestilence!