The Shipman's Tale
Folio 206v
8 of 13 folios
Ful leef me were þis counseil to hyde
160
But out it mot it may no lenger abyde
Myn housbond is to me þe worste man
Þat euer was siþenes þe world bygan
But siþenes I am a wyf it sit nouȝt me
To telle no wigħt of oure pryuyte
165
Neyþer a bedde ne in non oþer place
God schilde I scholde telle it for his gace
A wyf ne schal nat seyn of hire housband
But aƚƚ honour as I can vnderstande
Saue vnto ȝou þus moche telle I schal
170
As help me god he nys nouȝt worþ at al
In no degre þe value of a flye
But ȝit me greueþ most his nyggardye
And wel ȝe woot þat wōmen naturelly
Desyren þinges seuen as wel as I
175
Þey wolden þat here housbandes scholde be
Hardy and wys riche and þer to fre
And buxum to his wyf and freissch a bedde
But by þat ilke lord þat for vs bledde /
For his honour my selue to arraye
180
A sonday next I moste paye
An hundred Frankes or elles am I lorn
Ȝet were me leuer þat I were vnborn
Þenne me were don a sclaunder or vilenye
And if myn housbande eeke migħt aspye
185
I nere but lost and þerfore I ȝou preye
Lene me þis sōme and elles mot I deye
Daun Ioħn I say lene me þese hundred frankes
Parde I wol not fayle þe my þankes
If þat ȝou luste to do þat I ȝou pray
190
For \at/ a certein day I wole ȝou pay
And do to ȝou what plesaunce and seruise
That I may do rigħt as ȝou lust deuyse /
And but I do god take on me vengaunce
As foule as hadde genyloū of Faunce