The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 196r
1 of 29 folios
In Surry whilom dwellede a cmpaignye
Of chapmen riche & þerto sadde & trewe
That wide where sentyn here spicerye
Clothis of gold & satynys ryche of hewe
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Here chaffare was so thrifty & so newe
That euery wight hath deynte to chaffare
With hē & ek to sellen hē here ware
Now filit that þe maysteris of þt sort
Han shapyn hē to rome for to wende
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Were it for chapmanhod or for disport
Non oþer message wolde he dedyr sende
But comȳ hē self to rome þis is thende
And in swich place as thoghte hē thawauntage
For hire entent þey take hire herbergage
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Soiournyd han þese marchaūtis in þt toun
A serteyn tyme as fel to here plesaūce
But so be fel þt thexselent renoū
Of themperourys dogħter dame Custaūce
Reportid was with euery circūstance
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Vn to thys surryne marchautys ī swich wise
Frō day to day as I schal ȝow deuyse
This was the comune voys of euery man
Oure emperoure of rome god hȳ se
A doughtir hath þt syn þe world be gan
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To rekene as wel here goodnes as here beute
Was neuere swich a noþer as is sche
I preye to god in honor here sustene
And wolde sche were of al Europe þõ quene
In here is high beute wt oute pryde
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Ȝouthe with oute grenehede or \folye/
To alle here werkys vertu is here gyde
Humblesse hath slayn in here al tyrānye
Sche is myror of alle curteysye
Here herte is verray chambyr of holynesse
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Hire hand mynystre of fredom for almesse