THE REEVES TALE（第2页）

forwhenwemaynotdo，thenwillwespeak，

yetinourashescolddoesfirereek.**ske

fourgledes*havewe，whichishalldevise**，*coals**describe

vaun，andlying，anger，covetise*.*covetousness

thesefouresparksbelongenuntoeld.

ouroldelimbeswellmaybeunweld*，*unwieldy

butwillshallneverfai露s，thatissooth.

andyethaveialwayacoltestooth，

asmanyayearasitispassedandgone

sincethatmytapoflifebegantorun;

forsickerly*，wheniwasborn，anon*certainly

deathdrewthetapoflife，andletitgon:

andeversincehathsothetapy-run，

tillthatalstallemptyisthetun.

thestreaflifenowdroppethonthechimb.

thesillytonguewellmayringandchime

ofwretchedness，thatpassedisfullyore*:*long

witholdefolk，savedotage，isnore.

whenthatourhosthadheardthisserning，

hegantospeakaslordlyasaking，

andsaid;"towhatauntethallthiswit?

what?shallwespeakalldayofholywrit?

thedevilmadeareevefortopreach，

asofasouter*ashipman，oraleach**.*cobbler

sayforththytale，andtarrynotthetime:**surgeon

lohereisdeptford，andtishalfpastprime:

logreenwich，wheremanyashrewisin.

itwerehightimethytaletobegin."