The Shipman's Tale
Folio 207v
6 of 13 folios
And dryue forþ þe world as it may be
And kepen oure estate in priuite
Til we be deed or elles þat we pleye
A pylgrymage or gon out of þe weye /
235
And þerfore haue I gret necessite
Vpon þis queynte worlde to auyse me
For euermore we mote stande in drede
Of happe and fortune in oure chapmanhede
To Flaundres wol I go to morne at day
240
And come aȝein as sone as euer I may
For which my deere wyff I þe beseke
As be to euery wigħt buxom and meke
And for to kepe oure good be curious
And honestly gouerne wel oure hous
245
Þou hast ynougħ in euery maner wyse
That to a thrifty housbonde may suffise
The lakkeþ non array ne no vitayle
Of siluer in þi purs þou mayst nouȝt fayle
And wiþ þat word his countour dore he schette
250
And doun he goþ no lenger nolde he lette
And hastyly a masse was þer sayde
And speedly þe tables were layde /
And to þe dyner faste þey hem spedde
And richely þis monk þe Chapman fedde
255
And after dyner daun Iohñ soburly
This Chapman took a part al pryuyly
He seyde him þus cosyn it standeþ so
Þat wel I see to Bruges wolle ȝe go
God and seint austyn spede ȝou and gyde
260
I pray ȝou Cosyn wysly þat ȝe ryde
Gouerneþ ȝou also of ȝoure dyete
And temperally and namely in þis hete
Bytwixe vs tuo needeþ no straunge fare
Fare wel cosyn god schilde ȝou fro care /
265
If eny þing þer be by day or by nigħt
If it ligge in my power and my migħt