The wife The wyfe seyd "so mutt I haue hele, THE STEWARD
And yf þi worke be wrought wele RESOLVES TO
Thou schalt haue to dyne." TEMPT THE 243
gives him meat Mete and drynke sche hym bare, WRIGHT'S
[leaf 181, back] Wyth a thrafe of flex mare WIFE.
and drink Of fulÌ´lÌ´ long boundyn lyne. 246
and more flax, So feyre the wyfe the lord gan praye
and keeps him up That he schuld be werkyng aye,
to his work. And nought þat he schuld blynne; 249
The lord was fayne to werke tho,
Butt hys men knewe nott of hys woo
Nor of þer lordes pyne. 252

The Steward asks The stuard to þe wryght gan saye,
the wright after "Sawe þou owte of my lord to-daye,
his Lord, Whether that he ys wende?" 255
The wryght answerde and seyd "naye;
I sawe hym nott syth yesterdaye;
I trowe þat he be schent." 258
then notices the The stuard stode þe wryght by,
garland, And of hys garlond hadde ferly
What þat yt be-mente. 261
and asks who gave The stuard seyd, "so god me saue,
it him. Of thy garlond wondyr I haue,
And who yt hath the sent." 264
"Sir, it will tell "Syr," he seyd, "be the same hatte
me whether my wife I can knowe yf my wyfe be badde
goes bad." To me by eny other ma{n)}; 267
If my floures ouþer fade or falle,
Then doth my wyfe me wrong wyth-all_e_,