The Clerk's Tale
Folio 130r
2 of 31 folios
Ne coude nought vs self deuysen <1b>how1b>
We mighte lyue in more <2b>felicite2b>
110
Saue o þing lord if it ȝour wille <2c>be2c>
That for to be a wedded man ȝou <3a>leste3a>
Þen were youre peple in souereyn hertes <3b>reste3b>
Boweþ ȝoure nekke vnder þat blisful <1a>ȝok1a>
Of souerainte and nought of <2a>seruise2a>
115
Which þat men clepe spousaile or <1b>wedlok1b>
And þenkeþ lord amonges ȝoure þoughtes <2b>wise2b>
For þough we slepe or wake or renne or <3a>ryde3a>
Ay fleeþ þe tyme and wol noman <3b>abyde3b>
120
And þougħ ȝoure greene þoughtes floure as <1a>ȝit1a>
In crepeþ age alway as stille as <2a>stoon2a>
And deth manaceþ euery age and <1b>smyt1b>
In ech astat for þer askapeþ <2b>noon2b>
And also certein as we knowe <2c>echoon2c>
125
Þat we schuƚƚ deye as vncertein we <3a>aƚƚ3a>
Ben of þat day þat deþ schal on vs <3b>faƚƚ3b>
¶ Accepteþ þanne of vs þe trewe <1a>entent1a>
Þat neuere ȝit ne refused ȝour <2a>heste2a>
And we lord if þat ȝe wile <1b>assent1b>
130
To chese ȝou a wijf in schort tyme atte <2b>leste2b>
Borne of þe gentilest and of þe <2c>meste2c>
Of aƚƚ þis lond so þat it oughte <3a>seme3a>
Honor to god and ȝou as we can <3b>deme3b>
¶ Delyuer vs out of al þis busy <1a>dede1a>
135
And tak a wijf for hihe goddes <2a>sake2a>
For if it so bifelle as god <1b>forbede1b>
Þat þorugħ ȝoure deþ ȝour lynage schulde <2b>slake2b> /
And þat a straunge successour schulde take <2c>;2c>
Ȝoure heritage . o wo were vs on <3a>lyue3a>
140
Wherfore we pray ȝow hastily to <3b>wyue3b>
¶ Here meke preyer and here pitous <1a>cherte1a>
Made þe marquys herte haue <2a>pite2a>
To þat I neuer erst þouȝte streyne <2b>me2b>
145
I me reioysed of my <2c>liberte2c>