The Clerk's Tale
Folio 244v
2 of 30 folios
But na the les I se ȝoure trewe entent
And truste vp on ȝoure wit & han don ay
150
Werfore of myn fre wil I wele assente
To wedde me as sone as euere I may
But þere as ȝe han proferede me to day
To chese me a wyf I ȝow relese
That choys & prey ȝow of þt profere sese
155
For god it wot þt childeryn oftyn been
Vnlyk here worthy elderys hē be fore
Bounte comyth xx of god / nat of þe treen
Of whiche þey been engenderede & I bore
I truste in goddis boūte & þerfore
160
Myn maryage & myn estat & resste
I hȳ be take / he may don as hȳ leste
Let me a lone In chesȳge of myn wyf
That charge vp on myn bak I wele endure
But I ȝow preye & charge vp on ȝoure lyf
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What wyf þt I take I ȝow ensure
To worschepe hire whil þt hyre lyf may dure
In word & werk bothe here & ellis where
As sche an emperourys douȝtir were
And ferþere more þis schal ȝe swere þt ȝe
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A geyn myn choys schul neyþer groche ne striue
For sythe I schal for gon myn lyberte
At ȝoure request as euere mote i thryue
There as myn herte is set þere wele I wyue
And but ȝe wele asente in swych manere
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I prey ȝow spekyth no mor of þis mateere
With hertely wil þey swore & a sentyn
To al þis thyng þere sey no wigh nay
Be sekynge hȳ of grace er þt þey wente
That he wolde graūtȳ hē a serteyn day
180
Of his spōsayle as sone as euere he may
For ȝit alwey þe puple sūwhat dredde
Lest þt þe markes no wyf wolde wedde