bring in great distress, For we, for our humility, Of Bicorn shall devouréd be.

“We standen plainly in such case, For they to us mistrésses be; We may well sing and say, ‘Alas, That we gave them the sovereigntie! For we ben thrall and they be free. Wherefore Bicorn, this cruel beast, Will us devouren at the least.

“But who that can be sovereign, And his wife teach and chastise, That she dare not a word gainsain Nor disobey in no manner wise, Of such a man I can devise He stands under protectión From Bicornis jurisdictión.”

Then shall there be a woman devoured in the mouth of Chichevache, crying to all wives, and say this verse:—

“O noble wivés, be well ware, Take example now by me; Or else affirmé well I dare Ye shall be dead, ye shall not flee; Be crabbéd, void humilitie, Or Chichevache ne will not fail You for to swallow in his entrail.”

Then shall there be pourtrayed a long-horned beast, slender and lean, with sharp teeth, and on her body nothing but skin and bone.

“Chichevache, this is my name, Hungry, meagre, slender, and lean, To show my body I have great shame, For hunger I feel so great teen; [88c]  On me no fatness will be seen, Because that pasture I find none, Therefore I am but skin and bone.

“For my feedíng in existénce Is of women that be meek, And like Grisield in patiénce Or more their bounty for to eke; But I full long may go and seek Ere I can find a good repast, A morrow to break with my fast.

“I trow there be a dear year Of patient women now-a-days. Who grieveth them with word or cheer Let him beware of such assays; For it is more than thirty Mays That I have sought from lond to lond, But yet one Grisield ne’er I fond.

“I found but one in all my live, And she was dead ago full yore; For more pastúre I will not strive Nor seeké for my food no more. Ne for vitail me to restore; Women ben woxen [88a] so prudént They will no more be patient.”

Then shall be pourtrayed, after Chichevache, an old man with a baton on his back, menacing the beast for devouring of his wife.

“My wife, alas, devouréd is, Most patiént and most pesíble! She never said to me amiss, Whom now hath slain this beast horrible! And for it is an impossible To find again e’er such a wife I will live solé all my life.”

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