The Shipman's Tale
Folio 194v
2 of 12 folios
The sely housbond algat moste pay
He most vs cloþe in ful good array
Al for his oughne worschip richely
In which array we daunce iolily
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And if þat he may not may parauenture
Or elles wil not such dispens endure
But þynkeþ it is wasted and I lost
Than moot anoþer paye for oure cost
Or lene vs golde and þat is perilous
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The worþy marchaūt huld a noble hous /
For which he hadde alday gret repair
For his largesce and for his wyf was fair
What wonder is but herkneþ to my tale
Amonges al þese gestes gret and smale
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Ther was a monk a fair man and a bold
I trowe þritty wynter he was old
That euer in oon was drawyng to þat place /
This ȝonge monk þat was so fair of face
Aqueynted was so with þe goode man
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Siþ þat her firste knowleche bygan
That in his hous as familier was he /
As it possibil is a frend to be
And for as mochil as þis goode man
And eek þis monk of which þat I bygan
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Were boþe tuo I born in oon village /
The monk him claymeth as for cosynage
And he aȝein he saith nat oones nay
But was as glad þer of as foul of day
For to his hert it was a gret plesaunce /
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Thus ben þay knyt wiþ eterne alliaunce
And ilk of hem gan oþer to assure /
Of broþerhed whil þat her lif may dure
Fre was daun Iohñ and manly of despence /
As in þat hous and ful of diligence
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To do plesaunce and also gret costage
He nougħt forȝat to ȝeue þe leste page
In al þat hous but after her degre
He ȝaf þe lord and siþþen þe meyne /