Piers Plowman - Maybe You Like It

10.142: But al laughynge he louted and loked upon Studie
10.143: In signe that I sholde bisechen hire of grace.
10.144: And whan I was war of his wille, to his wif gan I loute,
10.145: And seide, " Mercy, madame; youre man shal I worthe
10.146: As longe as I lyve, bothe late and rathe,
10.147: For to werche youre wille the while my lif dureth,
10.148: With that ye kenne me kyndely to knowe what is Dowel.'
10.149: " For thi mekenesse, man,' quod she, "and for thi mylde speche,
10.150: I shal kenne thee to my cosyn that Clergie is hoten.
10.151: He hath wedded a wif withinne thise sixe monthes,
10.152: Is sib to the sevene arts — Scripture is hir name.
10.153: They two, as I hope, after my techyng,
10.154: Shullen wissen thee to Dowel, I dar wel undertake.'
10.155: Thanne was I as fayn as fowel of fair morwe,
10.156: Gladder than the gleman that gold hath to yifte,
10.157: And asked hire the heighe wey where that Clergie dwelte,
10.158: "And tel me som tokene,' quod I, "for tyme is that I wende.'
10.159: "Aske the heighe wey,' quod she,-hennes to Suffre-
10.160: Bothe-wele-and-wo, if that thow wolt lerne;
10.161: And ryd forth by richesse, ac rest thow noght therinne,
10.162: For if thow couplest thee therwith to Clergie comestow nevere.
10.163: "And also the likerouse launde that Lecherie hatte —
10.164: Leve hym on thi left half a large myle or moore,
10.165: Til thow come to a court, Kepe-wel-thi-tunge-
10.166: Fro-lesynges-and-lither-speche-and-likerouse-drynkes.
10.167: Thanne shaltow se Sobretee and Sympletee-of-speche,
10.168: That ech wight be in wille his wit thee to shewe;
10.169: And thus shaltow come to Clergie, that kan manye thynges.
10.170: "Seye hym this signe: I sette hym to scole,
10.171: And that I grete wel his wif, for I wroot hire [the bible],
10.172: And sette hire to Sapience and to the Sauter glosed.
10.173: Logyk I lerned hire, and [al the Lawe after],
10.174: And alle the musons in Musik I made hire to knowe.
10.175: "Plato the poete, I putte hym first to boke;
10.176: Aristotle and othere mo to argue I taughte.
10.177: Grammer for girles I garte first write,
10.178: And bette hem with a baleys but if thei wolde lerne.
10.179: Of alle kynne craftes I contreved tooles —
86