The Clerk's Tale
Folio 92r
5 of 35 folios
Deliuere vs out of al this bisi drede
135
And take a wyf for hie goddes sake
For if so bifel as god forbede
That thurgh your deth your lynage sholde slake
And that a straunge Successour shulde take
Your heritage .o. wo / were vs alyue
140
Wherfore we pay yow hastyly to wyue
Hir meke praier and hir pitous chere
Made the Marquys hert han pitee
Ye wol quod he myn owne peple dere
To that y neuer er thoght streyne me
145
I me reioyced of my libertee
That selden tyme is founde in mariage
Ther I was fre y most ben in seruage
But nathalees y se your trew entente
And trust vpon your wit and haue don ay
150
Wherfore of my fre wille I wol assente
To wedde me as sone as euyr I may
But ther as ye han profered me to day
To chese me a wife y . yow relese
That choyse and pray you that profre cese .
155
For god it wot that children often ben
Vnlik hir worthi eldres hem bifore
Bounte comth al of god nat of the stren
Of which thei ben engendred and y bore
I trust in goddes bounte / and therfore
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My mariage and myn estat and reste
I him bitake / he may do as him leste
Lat me allone in chesyng of my wif
That charge vp on my bak I wol endure
But I yow prey and charge vpon your lyf
165
That what wif that I take ye me assure
To worshep hir whil that hir lif may dure
In word in werk booth here and euery where
As she an Emperours doughter were .