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And zif a man aske hem, what paradys thei menen; thei seyn, to paradys, that is a place of delytes, where men schulle fynde alle maner of frutes, in alle cesouns, and ryveres rennynge of mylk and hony, and of wyn, and of swete watre; and that thei schulle have faire houses and noble, every man aftre his dissert, made of precyous stones, and of gold, and of sylver; and that every man schalle have 80 wyfes, alle maydenes; and he schalle have ado every day with hem, and zit he schalle fynden hem alle weys maydenes.

And the emperour hathe his table allone be him self, that is of gold, and of precious stones, or of cristalle, bordured with gold, and fulle of precious stones or of amatystes or of lignum aloes, that comethe out of paradys, or of ivory, bounden or bordured with gold. And everyche of his wyfes hathe also hire table be hire self.

This Heroude was over moche cursed and cruelle: for first he leet sle his wif, that he lovede righte welle; and for the passynge love, that he hadde to hire, whan he saughe hire ded, he felle in a rage, and oute of his wytt, a gret while; and sithen he cam azen to his wytt: and aftre he leet sle his two sones, that he hadde of that wyf: and aftre that, he leet sle another of his wyfes, and a sone, that he hadde with hire: and aftre that, he leet sle his owne modre: and he wolde have slayn his brother also, but he dyede sodeynly.

And the kyng of that contrey hath als many wyfes as he wole; for he makethe serche alle the contree, to geten him the fairest maydens that may ben founde, and makethe hem to ben broughte before him; and he takethe on o nyght, and another another nyght, and so forthe contynuelle sewyng; so that he hath a 1000 wyfes or mo.

And thei seyn, that thei beleeven in God, that formede the world, and that made Adam and Eve, and alle other thinges. And thei wedden there no wyfes: for all the wommen there ben commoun, and thei forsake no man. And thei seyn, thei synnen, zif thei refusen ony man: and so God commannded to Adam and Eve, and to alle that comen of him, whan he seyde, Crescite et multiplicamini, et replete terram.

Thei scholden ben symple, meke and trewe, and fulle of almes dede, as Jhesu was, in whom thei trowe: but thei ben alle the contrarie, and evere enclyned to the evylle, and to don evylle. And thei ben so coveytous, that for a lytylle sylyer, thei sellen here doughtres, here sustres and here owne wyfes, to putten hem to leccherie.

And whan it is ony derthe, the knyghtes ben right pore, and thanne thei sellen both here hors and here harneys. And the Soudan hath 4 wyfes, on Cristene and 3 Sarazines: of the whiche, on dwellethe at Jerusalem, and another at Damasce, and another at Ascalon. And whan hem lyst, thei remewen to other cytees. And whan the Soudan wille, he may go visite hem.

And the sege of the thridde wif is also more lowe, be a degree, than the seconde wif. For he hathe alweys 3 wifes with him, where that evere he be. And aftre his wyfes, on the same syde, sytten the ladyes of his lynage, zit lowere, aftre that thei ben of estate.

And zif ony of here wyfes mys beren hem azenst hire husbonde, he may caste hire out of his house; and departe from him, and take another: but he schalle departe with hire his godes. Also whan men speken to hem, of the Fadre and of the Sone and of the Holy Gost, thei seyn, that thei ben 3 persones; but not o God. For here Alkaron spekethe not of the Trynyte.

To give them light Daye spent in print his wealth, But GOD with gayne returned his wealth agayne, And gave to him as he gave to the poore. Two wyfes he had partakers of his payne: Each wyfe twelve babes, and each of them one more, Als was the last increaser of his store; Who, mourning long for being left alone, Sett up this tombe, herself turned to a stone.’