Collected English Verse — Robert Mannyng of Brunne. b. 1288, d. 1338

11   Praise of Women

1288-1338

NO thyng is to man so dere
As wommanys love in gode manere.
A gode womman is mannys blys,
There here love right and stedfast is.
There is no solas under hevene,
Of alle that a man may nevene,¹
That shuld a man do so moche glew²
As a gode womman that loveth trew.
Ne derer is none in Goddys hurde³
Than a chaste womman with lovely worde.