The Merchant's Tale
Folio 264v
8 of 30 folios
To take a wif with oute a vysement
Meen muste enquyre this is myn assent
Wher sche be wys & so bere or dronkelewe
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Or proud or othere weyis a schrewe
A chidystere or wastoru of thyn good
Or ryche or pore or ellis mannyssch wood
Al be it so that no man fyndyn schal
Noon in this world that trottyth hool in al
295
Ne man ne beste whiche as men coude deuyse
But nathe lees it oghte I nough suffise
W ony wyf ȝif so were that sche hadde
Moo thewys goode / than \her/ vicis badde
And al this askyth leyser for tenqueere
300
For god it wot I haue wept manye a tere
Ful piuyly syn that I hadde a wyf
Preyso ho so wole a weddede manys lyf
Certeyn I fynde it but cost & care
And obseruancis of alle blyssis bare
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And ȝit god wot myne neighe bouris a boute
And namely of women manye a route
Seyn that I haue the moste stedefast wyf
And ek the mekeste on that beryth lyf
But I wot best where wrȳgeth me mȳ scho
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Ye mowe for me ryght as ȝow leste do
A viseth ȝow ȝe been a man of age
How that ȝe enteryn / in to a maryage
And namely with a ȝyng wif & a fayr
By hȳ that maade watyr erthe & eyr
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The ȝyngeste man that is in al this route
Is bisy I nogh to bryngyn it a boute
To han his wif a lone trostyth me
Ȝe schul not plese hire fully ȝerys thre
This is to seyne to don hire ful plesaūce
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A wyf axeth ful manye an obseruaūce
I preye ȝow that ȝe ben nat euele a payed
Weel quod this Ianuarye hast þu sayd
Straw for thyne Senek & for thȳ prouerbis
I counte nat a paner ful of erbys