The Shipman's Tale
Folio 158v
3 of 11 folios
And thus I lete hem ete and drynke and pleye
This Marchaunt and this monk a day or tweye
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The thrid day this Marchaunt vp riseth
And on his nedes sadly him auyseth
And vp in to his countyng hous goth he
To reken with him self as wel may be
Of thilke yeer how that with him it stood
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And how that he dispended had his good
And yif that he encresed were or non
His bookes and his bagges many on
He leith biforn him on his countyng bord
For riche was his tresour and his hord
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For which ful fast his counter dore he shette
And eke he nolde no man sholde him lette
Of his acountes for the meene tyme
And thus he sat til it was passed pime
¶ Dan Ioħn was risen in the morwe also
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And in the gardyn walked to and fro
And hath his thinges seide ful curteysly
¶ This good wif cam walkyng piuely
In to the gardeyn there he walketh softe
And him salueth as she hath doon ful ofte
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A mayden child cam in hir compaignye
Which as hir luste she may gouerne and gye
For yet vnder the yerd was the mayde
O dere cosyn myn dan Ioħn she seide
What eileth yow so rathe to arise
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¶ Nece quod he hit aught ynogh suffise
Fyue houres for to slepe in on nyght
But it were for an old palled wight
As ben thise wedded men that ly and dare
As in a forme sitteth a wery hare
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Were al forcaught with houndes grete and smale
But dere nece whi be ye so pale
I trow certes that our good man
Hath yow laboured sithen nyght bigan
That yow were nede to resten hastily
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And with that word he logh ful myrily .
And of his owne thought he wex al reed .