The Merchant's Tale
Folio 110r
5 of 29 folios
Myn hert also and my lymes ben as grene
As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene
And syn that ye han herd al myn entente
I prey yow to my counseil ye wol assente
225
¶ Diuerse men diuersyly him tolde
Of mariage many ensamples olde
Some blamed it some preysed it certeyn
But atte last shortly for to seyn
Alday falleth altercacioun
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Bitwix frendes in dispitacioun
Ther fil a stryf bitwix his britheren two
Of which that oon was cleped Placebo
Iustinus sothley cleped was that other
¶ Placebo seyde .o. Ianuarie brother
235
Ful litel nede had ye my lorde so dere
Counseil to axe of any that is here
But that ye ben so ful of Sapiens
That yow ne liketh for your high prudens
To weyuen fro the word of Salamon
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This word seyde he vnto vs euerychone
Werk al thing bi counseil this seyde he
And thanne shalt thow nat repente the
But thogħ that salamon spak swich a word
Myn owne dere brother and my lord
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So wisly god my soule brynge to reste
I holde your owne counseil is the best
For brother myn of me take this motif
I haue now ben a court man al my lif
And god it woot thogh I vnworthi be
250
I haue stonden in ful gret degre
Abouten lordes in ful gret estate
Yit hadde I neuer wyth non of hem debate
I neuer contraryed hem truly
I wot wel that my lord can more than I.
255
What that he seith I holde it ferme and stable
I sey the same or elles thing semblable
A ful gret fool is any counseillour
That serueth any lord of high honour
That dar persume or think ones it
260
That his counseil sholde passe his lordes wit .