The Clerk's Tale
Folio 250v
14 of 30 folios
Seth now quod sche & doth myn lordis heste
But on thyng wele I preye ȝow of ȝoure grace
570
That but myn lord forbad ȝowat þe leste
Berieth this lite bodi in sū place
That bestis ne nō oþere briddis it to race
But he no word wolde to þt purpos seye
But tok the child & wente vp on hise weye
575
This sergeant cam vn to his lord a geyn
And of grysildis wordis & hire chere
He told hym word in schort pleyn
And hȳ persentyth wt his doughtyr dere
Sūwhat this lord hadde routhe in this manere
580
But natheles his purpos held he stylle
As lordys doon whan þey welen han here wille
And bad this sergeaunt þt he piuyly
Schulde this chyld softe wȳde & wrappe
With alle cyrcūstauncis tenderely
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And carye it in a cofere or in a lappe
But vp peyne of his hed of for to swappe
That no man schulde knowe of his entente
Ne whens he cā ne wheþer þt he wente
But at boloyne he to his sustyr deere
590
That thilke tyme of pavyk was cuntesse
He schulde it take & schewe hire this matyere
By sekynge hire to don hyre bysynesse
This child to fostere in al gentillesse
And whos chyld þt it was he bad hire hyde
595
From euery wyght for ought þt may be tyde
This sergeaunt goth & hath ful fyld this thyng
But to the markis now rotorne we
For now goth he ful faste ymaginyng
Ȝif by his wyxis cheer he myghte se
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Or by hire word aperteyne that sche
Were chaūgede but he neuere hire coude fynde
But euere in on I lyke sadde & kynde