A  TONGB  man  called  Melibeus,  mighty  and  riche,  begate
upon  his  wif,  that  called  was  Prudence,  a  doughter  which
that  called  was  Sophie.^

Upon  a  day  befell,  that  he  for  his  disport  is  went  into
the  feldes  him  to  playe.  His  wif  and  eke  his  doughter
hath  he  laft  within  his  hous,  of  which  the  dores  weren  fast
yshette.  Foure  of  his  olde  foos  han  it  espied,  and  setten
ladders  to  the  walles  of  his  hous,  and  by  the  wiadowes  ben
entred,  and  beten  his  wif,  and  wounded  his  doughter  with
^ve  mortal  woundes,  in  five  sondry  places ;  this  is  to  say,
in  hire  feet,  in  hire  hondes,  in  hire  eres,  in  hire  nose,  and
in  hire  mouth ;  and  leften  hire  for  dede,  and  wenten  away.
Whan  Melibeus  retomed  was  into  his  hous,  and  sey  al
this  meschief,  he,  like  a  mad  man,  rending  his  clothes  gan
to  wepe  and  crie.
Prudence  his  wif,  as  fer  forth  as  she  dorste,  besought  him
of  his  weping  for  to  stint :  but  not  f orthy^  he  gan  to  crie  and
wepen  ever  lenger  the  more.
This  noble  wif  Prudence  remembred  hire  upon  the  sen-
tence of  Ovide,  in  his  book  that  cleped  is  the  Eemedie  of

1  /.  e.t  wisdom.  The  reader  will  doubtless  ob^erre  (as  Thomas  and
T>'T\vhitt  have  noticed)  that  the  earlier  pages  of  this  tale  appear  to  be
written  in  a  species  of  blank  verse.  *^  Therefore.
378  THE  CANTERBURY  TALES.
