The Shipman's Tale
Folio 160v
7 of 11 folios
And dryue forth the world as it may be
And kepen our estate in piuyte
Til we be deed or elles that we pleye
On pilgrymage or gon out of the weye
235
And therfore haue I gret necessite
Vpon this queynt world to auyse me
For euermore we most stond in drede
Of hap and fortune in our chapmanhede
¶ To Flaundres wol I go to morwe at day
240
And com agayn as sone as I may
For which my dere wif I the beseke
As be to euery wight buxom and meke
And for to kepe our hous be curious
And honestly gouerne ye wel our hous
245
Thow hast ynogh in euery maner wise
That to a thrifty housbond may suffise
Yow lakketh non array ne no vitaille
Of siluer in your purs ye may nat faille
And with that word his counter dore he shet
250
And doun he goth no lenger wold he let
But hastily a messe was ther seid
And spedily the tables were y leid
And to the dyner fast thei hem sped
And richely this marchant this monk fed
255
¶ And after dyner dan Ioħn soberly
This marchant took on part and piuely
And seide him thus Cosyn it standeth so
That wel I se to Brugges wol ye go
God and seint Austyn yow spede and gyde
260
I pray yow Cosyn wisely that ye ride
Gouerneth yow also of your diete
Al temprely and namely in this hete
Bitwix vs two nedeth no straunge fare
Fare wel cosyn god shild yow fro care
265
Yif eny thing ther be by day or bi nyght
If it be in my power and my myght
That ye me wil commaunde in eny wise
It shal be don ryght as ye wol deuyse