freelte

freelte

Middle English

Noun

freelte (plural freletese)

1. Alternative form of frelete
   • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Wife of Bath's Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], OCLC 230972125; lines 97-100; (This reading only found in Royal MS 17 D XV; others read frelete--see Walter W Skeat (editor), Geoffrey Chaucer, "Index, Freletee" in The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer; Oxford, Volume 6.)

     This al and som he heeld virgynytee / More profit than weddyng in freeltee / Freeltee clepe I, but if that he and she / wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee

     In sum: he held virginity / Nearer to perfection than marriage for frailty. And I say that frailty's all, unless he and she / Live their lives entire in chastity