The Shipman's Tale
Folio 159v
5 of 11 folios
To haue the more cause of aqueyntaunce
Of yow which I haue loued specially
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This swere I now on my professioun
Telleth your greef lest that he come adoun
And hasteth yow and goth your wey anon
My dere loue quod she .o. dan Ioħn
Ful leef me were this counseil for to hide
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But out it mote it may no lenger abide
Mi husbond is to me the worst man
That euer was sithe the world bigan
But sith I am a wif it sit nat to me
To telle no wight of our priuyte
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Neither in bed ne in non othir place
God shilde I shold telle it for his gace
A wif ne shal nat sey of hir husband
But al honour as I can vnderstand
Saue vn to yow thus moche telle I shal
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As helpe me god he is noght worth at al
In no degre the value of a flie
But yit me greueth most his nygardye
And wel ye wot that wommen naturelly
Desiren al six thinges as wel as I
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Thei wold han hir husbondes shold be
Hardy and wys riche and fre
Buxom to his wif and fressh a bedde
But bi that lord that for vs blood bledde
For his honour my self to array
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On sonday next I most pay
An hundreth frankes or elles am I lorn
Yit were me leuer that I were vnborn
Than me were doon a sclaundre or a vilenye
And yif myn husbond ek myght espie
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I nere but lost and therfore I yow preye
Lene me this somme or elles most y deye
Dan Ioħn I sey lene me this hundreth frankes
Pardee I wil nat faylle yow my thankes
If that yow liste to do that I yow pay
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For at a certayn day I wol yow pay
And do yow what plesaunce and seruyse