The Clerk's Tale
Folio 137r
16 of 31 folios
615
Nat onlich he but al þe coūtre <3a>merye3a>
Was for þis child and god þey þank and <3b>herye3b>
¶ Whan it was tuo ȝeer old and fro þe <1a>breste1a>
Departed of his norice on a <2a>day2a>
This marquys caughte ȝit anoþer <1b>leste1b>
620
To tempte his wijf ȝit ofter if he <2b>may2b>
O nedeles was sche tempted in <2c>assay2c>
But wedded men knowen no <3a>mesure3a>
Whan þat þay fynde a pacient <3b>creature3b>
¶ Wijf quod þis marquys ȝe han herd of <1a>þis1a>
625
My poeple sekerly bereþ heuy of oure <2a>mariage2a>
And namely siþþe my sone boren <1b>is1b>
Now is it wers þan euer in al oure <2b>age2b>
The murmur sleþ myn herte and my <2c>corage2c>
For to myn eeres comeþ þe voys so <3a>smerte3a>
630
That it wel neih destroyed haþ myn <3b>herte3b>
¶ Now sey þey þus whan walter is <1a>agon1a>
Þanne schal þe blood of Ianicle <2a>succede2a>
And ben oure lord for oþer haue we <1b>non1b>
Suche wordes seiþ my poeple it is no <2b>drede2b>
635
Wel ougħt I of such murmur taken <2c>heede2c>
For certeinly I drede such <3a>sentence3a>
Þough þey nought pleyne speke in mȳ <3b>audience3b>
¶ I wolde lyue in pees if þat I <1a>mighte1a>
Wherfore I am disposed <2a>outerly2a>
640
As I his suster seruede be <1b>nighte1b>
Right so þenke I to serue him <2b>priuely2b>
Þus warne I ȝou for ȝe nouȝt <2c>sodeinly2c>
Out of ȝour self for no wo schulde <3a>outraye3a>
Beþ pacient and þerfore I ȝou <3b>praye3b>
645
¶ I haue quod sche sayd þus and euer <1a>schal1a>
I wille no þing ne nyl no þing <2a>certayne2a>
But as ȝou liste nouȝt greueþ me <1b>al1b>
Þough þat my doughter and my sone be <2b>slayne2b>
At ȝour comaundemēt þis is to <2c>sayne2c>
650
I haue nouȝt had no part of children <3a>tweyne3a>