The Merchant's Tale
Folio 149v
24 of 30 folios
xxat art the creature / that I best loue
For by that lord / that sit in heuene aboue
Leuere ich hadde / to dyen on a knyf
920
Than thee offende / trewe deere wyf
For goddes sake / thenk how I thee chees
Noght for no coueitise doutelees
But oonly / for the loue I hadde to thee
And thogh þt I be old / and may nat see
925
Beth to me trewe / and I wol telle yow why
Thre thynges certes / shal ye wynne ther by
¶ First loue of Crist and to your self honour
And al myn heritage / toun and tour
I yeue it yow / maketh chartres as ye leste
930
This shal be doon to morwe / er sonne reste
So wisly / god my soule / brynge in blisse
I pray yow first in couenant ye me kisse
And thogh þt I be Ialous / wyt me noght
Ye been so depe / empernted in my thoght
935
That whan þt I / considere your beautee
And ther with al / the vnlikly elde of me
I may noght certes / thogh I sholde dye
Forbere / to been out of your compaignye
For verray loue / this is with outen doute
940
Now kys me wyf and lat vs rome aboute
¶ This fresshe May / whan she thise wordes herde
Benygnely / to Ianuarie answerde
But first and forward / she bigan to wepe
I haue quod she / a soule for to kepe
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As wel as ye / and also myn honour
And of my wifhod / thilke tendre flour
Which þt I haue / assured in your hond
Whan þt the preest to yow my body bond
Wher fore / I wol answere in this manere
950
By the leue of yow / my lord so deere
I pray to god / þt neuere dawe the day
That I ne sterue / as foule as womman may
If euere I do / vn to my kyn that shame
Or ellis / I empeyre so my name
955
That I be fals / and if I do that lakke
Do strepe me / and put me in a sakke