The Clerk's Tale
Folio 124v
7 of 28 folios
850
It were my wreched cloþes noþinge faire
The whiche to me were nowe ful hard to finde
O goode god howe gentil & howe kinde
Ȝe semed be ȝoure speche & be ȝoure visage
The daie þat maked was oure mariage
855
¶ Bott soþe is seide algate .I. finde it trewe
For in effecte it proued is on me
Loue is nouht olde as whan þat it is newe
Bot certes lorde for none aduersite
To deien in þe caas it schal nouht be
860
Þat euer in worde or werke .I. schal repent
Þat .I. ȝowe ȝafe myne herte in hole entent
¶ Lorde ȝe wote þat in my faders place
Ȝe dide me stripe out of my poure wede
And richely me cladden of ȝoure grace
865
To ȝowe brouht .I. not elles out of drede
Bot feiþe & nakednes & maidenhede
And here aȝeine ȝoure cloþinge .I. restore
And eke ȝowre weddinge ringe for euer more
¶ Þe remenant of ȝoure Iewels redi be
870
Wiþþe in ȝoure chambre dar .I. sauely seine
Naked oute of my faders house qd sche
.I. cam & naked .y. mote aȝeine
Al ȝoure plesance wold .I. folowe feine
Bot ȝit .I. hope it be nouht ȝoure entent
875
Þat smokles oute of ȝoure paleys .I. went
¶ Ȝe couþe nouht do so dishonest a þinge
Þat þilke wombe in whiche ȝoure childern leye
Scholde be for þe peple in my walkinge
Be seene al bare whe for .I. ȝowe perye
880
Late me nouht like a werme go be þe waie
Remembre ȝowe myn owen lorde so dere
.I. was ȝowre wif þouhe .I. vn worþe were
¶ Wherefore in guerdon of myn maidenhede
Whiche þat .I. brouht & not awaie .I. bere
885
As vowcheþ saue to ȝeue to my mede
Bot suche a smok as .I. was wonte to were .
Þat .I. þer wiþ maie wrie þe wombe of here
Þat was ȝoure wif . & here take .I. my leue
Of ȝowe myne owen lorde leste .I. ȝowe greue
890
The smokke qd he þat þou haste vpon þi bakke
¶ Lat it stiƚƚ & bere it forþe wiþ þe