Page:Disciplina Clericalis (English translation) from the fifteenth century Worcester Cathedral Manuscript F. 172.djvu/75

   that it is yowr maner and Saracyns lawe nat as to take a wif but of the yift of a lawful man. Wiltow have hir of hym and of his yift as that thow hast nonother friend in this cuntrey? Whiche whan he seeth me shal trowe to be his and shal doubte. Than if that he turne hom as to see whether it be I, I shal meete and abide hym in the chamber; [he] shal arbiter hymsilf to [be] dis- ceived, than he turneth ageyn to the. And I eftsoones shal come bifore hym, and so shal he yeve me to the to be seen of al theym that standen aboute; and so was it don."

Ther were ii manchauntis in Rome of the whiche that oon had a wif, a chast and a faire womman. Forsoth that other no trustifeith had in no womman. Whan and wherfor sumtyme whan and other wern disceived of wymmens lightnes he joied ; he forsoth of the trust and feith of his wif ageynsaide that other, of the whiche thei put in plegge al their possessioun: this that he shuld corrupt hir withyn xv daies, he forwhi as with this condicioun stidefastly kept: that the husbond shuld nat warne or tel his wif of this covenaunt. She therfor busied with al maner of lightnes as with nothyng lad nor huyred, bi hir footemayde or seruaunt with yiftes corrupt she was disceived. Forsoth she had a Ryng that is to of hir first husbondes yift above al possessiouns most diere. She had also a vernacle in signe and of an hand and an half from the kne vnto the Right hipe. And whan so bi the footemaide or seruaunt prively had taken he that knowen Ryng, and with the knowlache that I have saide, told and rehersed to his felaw as signes and tokenes of most certayne advowtrye, he bitake with cursid suspeccioun exiled hymsilf of his possessioun and vsid of exile. This