The Shipman's Tale
Folio 199r
11 of 12 folios
Vpon ȝour bench . sche wot it wel certeyn
By certein toknes þat I can hir telle
360
Now by ȝour leue I may no lenger duelle
Oure abbot wol out of toun anoon
And in his compaignye moot I goon
Grete wel oure dame my nece swete
And far wel dere cosyn til þat we meete
365
This marchaūd which þat was boþe war and wys /
Creaunced haþ and payed eek in parys /
To certeyn lombardes redy in her hond
This sōme of gold and took of hem his bond
And hom he goþ a mery as popin iay
370
For wel he knew he stood in such array
That needes most he wynne in such viage
A thousand frankes aboue al his costage
His wyf redy mette him at þe gate
As sche was wont of old vsage algate
375
And al þat nigħt in mirþe þay ben sette
For he was riche and clerly out of dette
Whan it was day þis marchaund gan embrace
His wyf al newe and kist hir on hir face
And vp he goth and maked it ful tougħ
380
No more quod sche by god ȝe haue ynougħ
And wantounly with him sche lay and playde
Tille atte laste þus þis marchaund sayde
By god quod he I am a litel wroþ
With ȝow my wyf al þough it be me loth
385
And wite ȝe why by god as þat I gesse /
Ȝe han I maad a maner straungenesse /
Bitwixe me and my cosyn dan Ioħn
Ȝe schold haue warned me er I had goon
That he ȝow had an hundred frankes payd
390
By redy tokne and huld him euel appayd
For þat I to him spak of cheuysaunce
Me semed so as by his countenaūce
But naþeles by god of heuen king
I þoughe nougħt to axe him no þing
395
I pray þe wif do no more so