If thou be foul and ugly on to see,

25

They wol afferme that thou art vicious,

The peple of langage is so dispitous;

Suffre hem spekë, and trust right wel this,

A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis.

And if it fallë that thou take a wyf,

30

[Than] they wol falsly say, in hir entent,

That thou art lykly ever to live in stryf,