The Shipman's Tale
Folio 162r
10 of 11 folios
And he him told ageyn ful specially
How he had bought right wel and gaciously
345
Thankid be god his marchandise
Saue that he most in al maner wise
Maken a cheuy sance as for his best
And thanne he shold be in ioy and ek in rest
¶ Dan Ioħn answerd certes I am feyn
350
That ye in hele ben come hoom ayeyn
And yif that I were riche so haue I blisse
Of twenty thousand sheldes shold ye nat mysse
For ye so kyndely this othir day
Lent me gold and as I can and may
355
I thanke yow bi god and bi seynt Iame
But nathales I took it vnto our dame
Your wif at home the same gold ayeyn
Vpon your benche she wot it wel certeyn
Bi certeyn tokenes that I koude hir telle
360
Now bi your leue I may no lenger dwelle
Our Abbot wol out of this toun anon
And in his compaigny most I gon
Grete wel our dame my nece swete
And fare wel dere Cosyn til we mete
365
¶ This Marchant which that was war and wis
Creaunsed hath and payd ek in parys
To certeyn lumbardes redy in hir hond
This some of gold and took of hem his bond
And hoom he goth as mery as a popyngeay
370
For wel he knew he stood in swich array
That nedes most he wynne in swich a viage
A thousand frankes aboue al his costage
¶ His wif ful redy met him atte gate
As she was wont of olde vsage algate
375
And al that nyght in myrthe thei ben set
For he was riche and clerely out of det
Whan it was day this Marchant gan embrace
His wif al new and kissed hir on hir face
And vp he goth and maketh it ful togh
380
No more quod she bi god ye haue ynogħ