The Merchant's Tale
Folio 264r
7 of 30 folios
And god it wot thow I onworthy bee
250
I haue stondyn in ful gret de gree
A boutyn lordis of ful high estaat
Ȝeet hadde I neuere with non of hē debaat
I neuere hem contraryed trewely
I woot weel that myn lord can moore þā I
255
What that he seyth I holde it ferme & stable
I sey the same or ellys thyng semblable
A ful gret fol is ony conseyllour
That seruyth ony lord of hey onour
That dar persume or ellys thȳkyn it
260
That his conseyl schulde passe his lordis wit
Nay lordis been none folys be myn fay
Ȝee han ȝoure self schewid heere to day
So high sentence so holyly & so wel
That I consente & conferme euery deel
265
Ȝoure wordis alle & ȝoure opynyoū
By god there nys no man in al this toū
Ne in al ytayil that coude bet a sayd
Cryst hoold hȳ of this consayl wol weel a payed
And trewely it is an hygh corage
270
Of ony man that schapyn is in age
To takyn a ȝong wyf by myn fader ken
Ȝoure herte hangith on a Ioly pyn
Doth now in this matyr ryȝt as ȝowlyst
For finally I holde it for the best
275
Iustinus þt ay stylle sat & herde
Ryȝt in this wyse / to placebo answerde
Now brothir myn be pacient I preye
Syn ȝe han seyd & herknyth what I seye
Senek a mong hise othere wordis wyse
280
Syn that a man hȳ ouȝte \rygh/ weel tavise
To whō he ȝeuyth his lond or his catel
And syn I ouȝte a vise me ryȝt wel
To whō I ȝeue mȳ good a wey fro me
Weel more I ouȝte avisede be
285
To whō I ȝeue myn body for alwey
I warne ȝow weel it is no childys pley