it will." Than wolle my garlond vade þe floure,
That dare I ley myne hede." 420
The proctor thinks The proctoure þought, "in good faye THE PROCTOR
he'll test this, That schalÌ´lÌ´ I wete thys same daye TEMPTS THE
Whether yt may so be." WIFE, AND 423
goes to the To the wryghtes hows he went, IS TRAPDOORED.
wright's wife He grete þe wyfe wyth feyre entente,
Sche seyd "syr, welcome be ye." 426
and declares his "A! dame, my loue ys on you fast
love for her; Syth the tyme I sawe you last;
I pray you yt may so be 429
That ye would graunt me of your̛ grace
he must have her To play w_y_t_h_ you in some p_ri_uy place,
[leaf 184] Or ellys to deth mutt me." 432
or die. Fast þe proctoure gan to pray,
She says nay, And eu_er_ to hy{m~} sche seyd "naye,
That wolle I nott doo. 435
as her husband Hadest þou done þat dede w_y_t_h_ me,
will know of it by My spouse by hys garlond myght see,
his garland. That schuld torne me to woo." 438
The proctor The proctoure seyd, "by heuen kyng,
If he sey to the any þing
He schalÌ´lÌ´ haue sorowe vn-sowte; 441
offers her 20 Twenty marke I wolle þe geue,
marks. It wolle þe helpe welle to lyue,
The mony here haue I brought." 444
These she takes; Nowe hath sche the tresure tane,
they go upstairs, And vp þe steyre be they gane,
(What helpyth yt to lye?) 447
The wyfe went the steyre be-syde,