The Merchant's Tale
Folio 273r
25 of 30 folios
And thow that I be Ialous wite me noght
Ȝe been so deepe enpryntid in myn thought
935
That whā that I considere ȝoure beute
And therwithal the onlikely elde of me
I may not certis thow I schulde deye
Forbeere to been out of ȝoure cūpaynye
For verray loue this is with outyn doute
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Now kys me wif & lat vs rome a boute
This frosche may whan sche these wordys herde
Benyngnely to Ianuarye answerde
But fyrst & forward sche be gan to wepe
I haue quod sche a soule for to kepe
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As wel as ȝe & also my honour
And of myn wyfhod theilke tendir flor
Whiche that I haue assurede in ȝore hond
Whan that the prest to ȝow the body bond
Wherfore I wele answere in this manere
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By the leue of ȝow myn lord so deere
I preye to god that neuere dauwe þõ day
That I ne sterve as foule as woman may
Ȝif euere I do on to myn kyn that schame
Oþer ellys I enpeyre so myn name
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That I be fals / & if I do that lak
Do strepe me & putte me in a sak
And in the nexte ryuer do me drenche
I am a gentil woman & no wenche
Whi speke ȝe thus but men been euere vntrewe
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And women haue repref of ȝow ay newe
Ȝe can noon othir cuntenaūs I leue
But speke to vs of onthrift & repreue
And with that word sche saw where Damyan
Sat in the busch & coghe sche be gan
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And with hire fyngir signis made sche
That Damyan schulde clymbe vp on a tre
That chargede was with freut & vp he wēte
For verrayly he knew al hire entente
And euery signe that sche coude make
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Wel bet than Ianuarye hire owene make