From The Wife of Bath's Prologue

453    My fourthe housbonde was a revelour;
454    This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour;
455    And I was yong and ful of ragerye,
456    Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye.
457    How koude I daunce to an harpe smale,
458    And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale,
459    Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn!
460    Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn,
461    That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf,
462    For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf,
463    He sholde nat han daunted me from drynke!
464    And after wyn on venus moste I thynke,
465    For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl,
466    A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl.
467    In wommen vinolent is no defence, --
468    This knowen lecchours by experience.
469    But, lord crist! whan that it remembreth me
470    Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee,
471    It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote.
472    Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote
473    That I have had my world as in my tyme.
474    But age, allas! that al wole envenyme,
475    Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith.
476    Lat go, farewel! the devel go therwith!
477    The flour is goon, ther is namoore to telle;
478    The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle;
479    But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde.
480    Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde.