The Clerk's Tale
Folio 255r
22 of 30 folios
Wherfore in guerdoū of myn maydȳhede
Whiche that I brouȝte & not ageyn I bere
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As vouche ȝe saf / to ȝeue me to mȳ meede
But swich a smok as I was wone to were
That I therwith may wrye þõ wombe of hire
That was ȝoure wyf / & here I take myn leue
Of ȝow myn owene / lest that I ȝow greue
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The smok quod he that thow hast on thȳ bak
Lete it be stylle & bere it forth wt the
But wel onethe thilke word he spak
But wente his wey for reuthe & for pite
By forn hyre folk / hyre seluyn strepyth sche
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And in hire smok with hed & feet al bare
Toward hire faderys hous / forth is sche fare
The folk hyre folwȳ / wepȳge in hire weye
And fortune ay they curssyn as they goon
But sche frō wepȳge kepte hire eyen dreye
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Ne in this tyme word ne spak sche noon
Hyre fadyr þt of this tydyng herde a non
Curseth the day / & tyme that nature
Schop hȳ to been a lyuys creature
For out of doute this olde poure man
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Was euere in suspect of hire maryage
For euere he demede sythe that it be gan
That whan the lord fulfyld hadde his corage
Hym wolde thȳke it were a disparage
To his estat so lowe for to a lyghte
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And woydyn hire / as sone as euere he myghte
A geyn his doughtyr / hastyliche goth he
For he by noyse of folk / knew hire comyng
And with hire olde coote / as it myghte be
He cowerith hire / ful sorwefully wepynge
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But on hire body / myghte it not brynge
For rude was the cloth / & sche more of age
By dayis fele / than at hire maryage