The Merchant's Tale
Folio 109v
4 of 29 folios
For sundry scoles maken subtile clerkes
Womman of many scoles half a clerk is
185
But certeynly yonge thing men may gye
Ryght as men may warme wex wyth handes plye
Wherfore I sey yow pleynly in a clause
I wole noon olde wif han ryght for this cause
For yif so were I hed swich meschaunce
190
That I in hir couche haue no plesaunce
Than shold y lede my lyf in auoutrye
And streight to the deuel whan y dye
Ne children shold I none vpon hir geten
Yet were me leuer houndes me had eten
195
Than that myn heritage sholde falle
In strange hand and thus I telle yow alle
I dote nat y wot the cause whi
Men sholde wedde and ferthermore wote I
Ther speketh many a man of Mariage
200
That wot no more of it than wote my page
For which causes a man sholde take a wif
If he ne may not lyue in chastite his lif
Take him a wif wyth gret deuocioun
Be cause of leueful procreacioun
205
Of children to honour of god aboue
And nat oonly for paramour or for loue
For thei sholde lechery eschue
And yelde hir dette whan that it is due
And for that eche of hem shold helpen other
210
In myschief as suster shal the brother
And lyue in chastite ful holyly
But syrs bi your leue that am not I
For god be thanked I dar make auaunt
I fele my lymes stark and sufficiaunt
215
To do al that aman bilongeth to
I woot my selfe best what I may do
Thogh I be hoor I fare as dooth a tre
That blosmeth er the fruyte I woxen be
And blosmy tre nys neyther drye ne deed
220
I fele me nogh wher hoor but on myn heed