The Clerk's Tale
Folio 130v
3 of 31 folios
That selden tyme is founden <3a>mariage3a>
Ther I was free I moste be in <3b>seruage3b>
¶ But naþeles I se ȝour trewe <1a>entente1a>
And truste vpon ȝour witte and haue don <2a>ay2a>
150
Wherfore with al my fre wiƚƚ I wil <1b>assente1b>
To wedde me as sone as sone as euer I <2b>may2b>
But þer as ȝe han profred me to <2c>day2c>
To chese me a wijf I ȝou <3a>relesse3a>
Þat choys and pray ȝou of ȝoure profre <3b>cesse3b>
155
¶ For I wot þat children often <1a>ben1a>
Vnlike here eldres hem <2a>byfore2a>
Bounte comþ al of god not of þe <1b>stren1b>
Of which þei beþ engendred and y <2b>bore2b>
I truste in goddes bounte and <2c>þerfore2c>
160
My mariage and mȳ astat and <3a>reste3a>
I him bitake he may do as him <3b>leste3b>
¶ Lat me alone in chesyng of my <1a>wijf1a>
That charge vpon my bak I wil <1b>endure1b>
But I ȝou pay and charge vpon ȝour <2a>lijf2a>
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Þat what wijf I take I þe <2b>assure2b>
To worschipe hire whil þat hire lijf may <2c>dure2c>
In word in werk boþe heere and <3a>euerywhere3a>
As sche an Emperoures doughter <3b>were3b>
¶ And forþermore þis schal ȝe swere þat <1a>ȝe1a>
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Aȝein my choys schulle neuer grucche ne <2a>stryue2a>
For siþþe I schal forgo my <1b>liberte1b>
At ȝoure request as euer mote I <2b>þriue2b>
And but ȝe wol assente in such <3a>manere3a>
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I pay ȝou speke nomore of þis <3b>matiere3b>
¶ Wiþ hertly wil þey sweren and <1a>assenten1a>
To al þis þing þer seyde no wight <2a>nay2a>
Beseking him of grace or þat þei <1b>wenten1b>
Þat he wolde graunten hem a certein <2b>day2b>
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Of his spousaile as sone as euer he <2c>may2c>
For ȝet alway þe poeple somwhat <3a>dredde3a>
Lest þat þis marquys no wijf wolde <3b>wedde3b> he gaunted