The Shipman's Tale
Folio 205v
10 of 13 folios
Of his acountes for þe mene tyme
And þus he sitte til it was passed pime
Daun Ioħn was rysen in þe morne also
90
And in þe gardyn walkeþ to and fro
And haþ his þinges sayde deuoutely
Þis goode wyf cam walkynge pryuely
In to þe gardyn þer he walkeþ softe
And him salueth as sche haþ don ofte
95
Amayden childe came in hire companye
Which at hire luste may gouerne and gye
For ȝit vnder þe ȝerde was þe mayde
O deere Cosyn myn daun Ioħn sche sayde /
What eyleþ ȝou so raþe to aryse
100
Nece quod he it aughte ynougħ suffise
Fyue houres for to slepen on a nygħt
But it were for an olde palled knigħt
As ben þese wedded men þat lye and dare
As in a forme sitte alway an hare
105
Were al forstraugħt wiþ houndes grete and smale
But deere neece why be ȝe so pale /
I trowe certes þat oure goode man
Haþ ȝou laboured seþenes þe nigħt bygan
Þat ȝou were neede to resten hastily
110
And wiþ þat word he lough ful meryly
And of his owne þougħt he wax al reed
This fayre wyf gan to schake hire heed
And sayde þus ȝe god wot al quod sche
Nay cosyn myn it stant nouȝt so wiþ me /
115
For by þat god þat ȝaff me soule and lyf
In aƚƚ þe rewme of Fraunce is þer no wyf
That lasse lust haþ to þat sory pley
For I may synge allas and welawey
Þat I was born but to no wigħt quod sche
120
Dar I nouȝt telle how it stant wiþ me /
Wherfore I þenke out of þis lond to wende
Or elles of myself to make an ende /