The Merchant's Tale
Folio 106r
1 of 27 folios
Wepyng and waylyng / care and other sorwe
I knowe I now / on Euen and on morwe
Quod the Marchaunt / and so don othere moo
That wedded ben / I trowe that it be so
5
Ful wel I wot / it faretħ so by me
I haue a wyf / the werste that may be
For thougħ the fend / to hire I coupled were
She wolde hī ouer macche / I dar wel swere
What shulde I ȝow reherce / in special
10
Hire heye malice / she is a shrewe witħ al
There is a long / and a large difference
Be twix Grisildis / grete pacience
And of my wyf / the passyng cruelte
Were I vnbounden / also mot I the
15
I wolde neuere eft / comen in the snare
We wedded men / lyue in sorwe and care
Assay who so wyl / and he shal fynde
That I seye sotħ / be Seynt Thomas of Inde
As for the more part / I seye nat alle
20
God shilde that it shulde / so byfalle
A goode sire hoost / I haue I wedded be
Theise Monthes two / and more nat parde
And ȝet I trowe / that he that al his lyue
Wyflees hatħ ben / thougħ that men wold hī ryue
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Vn to the hert / ne coude in no manere
Tellen so meche sorwe / as I now here
Coude tellen / of my wyues cursidnes
Now qd oure Host / Marchaunt so god ȝow blis
Syn ȝe so mechil knowen / of that art
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Ful hertily I pray ȝow / telle vs part
Gladly qd he / but of myn owen sore
For sory hert / I telle may nomore
¶ Incipit Fabula Mercatoris
WHilom there was dwellyng / in lumbardie
A worthy knygħt / that born was of Pauye
In whicħ he leued / in gret prosperite
And Sexty ȝere / a wyfles man was he
5
And folwed ay / his bodily delyt
On wommen / there as was his appetit
As don theise fooles / that ben seculere
And whan that he was passed / sexty ȝerea . Xë