The Shipman's Tale
Folio 209r
3 of 13 folios
But for to wite and se of his welfare
340
And for to tellen him of his chaffare
As frendes don when þey ben mette in feere
Daun Ioħn him makeþ feste and mery cheere
And he him tolde aȝein ful specially
How he hadde brought ful wel and gaciously
345
Þanked be god al hool his marchaundise
Saue þat he moste in aƚƚ maner wyse
Maken a cheuysance as for his beste
And þenne he schulde be in ioye and reste
Daun Ioħn answerde certes I am fayn
350
Þat ȝe in hele be come home aȝayn
And if þat I were riche as haue I blisse
Of twenty þousand scheldes scholde ȝe nouȝt misse
For ȝe so kyndely þis oþer day
Lente me gold as I can and may
355
I þanke ȝou by god and by seint Iame
But naþeles I took vnto oure dame
Ȝoure wyf at home þe same gold aȝain
Vpon ȝoure benche sche wot it wel certain
By certein toknes þat I can hire telle /
360
Now by ȝoure leue I may no lenger dwelle
Oure abbot wol out of þis toun anon
And in his companye mot I gon
Gret wel oure dame myn owen nece swete
And fare wel dere cosyn til we mete
365
This marchaunt wiþ þat was ful war and wys
Creaunsed haþ and eek payed in Parys
To certein lumbardes redy in here hand
Þis sōme of gold and gat of hem þe band
And home he goþ mery as popyngay
370
For wel he knew he stood in such aray
Þat needes moste he wynne in such a viage
A þousend frankes abouen al his costage
His wyf ful redy mette him atte gate
As sche was wont of old vsage algate