Primum igitur paterisne me pauculis rogacionibus.

First woltow suffre me to touche and assaye the estat of thy

thought by a fewe demaundes, so that I may understonde what

be the manere of thy curacioun?'

'Axe me,' quod I, 'at thy wille, what thou wolt, and I shal

5

answere.'

Tho seide she thus: 'Whether wenestow,' quod she, 'that

this world be governed by foolish happes and fortunous, or

elles that ther be in it any governement of resoun?'