The Shipman's Tale
Folio 315r
3 of 8 folios
145
Thāne wolde I telle a legende of myn lyf
What I haue suffered sithe that I was a wyf
With myn husbonde al be he youre cosyn
Nay quod this monk by god & seynt martyn
He nys no moore Cosyn vpon to me
150
Than is the lef that hangyth on the tre
I clepe hȳ so by seynt denys of fraūce
To han the moore cause of acqueyntaūce
Of ȝow whiche I haue louyd specyally
A bouyn alle wemen sikyrly
155
This swere I ȝow on myn parfeccioū
Tellyth ȝoure gref lest that he come a doū
And hastyth ȝow & goth a wey a non
Myn deere loue quod sche o myn daū Ioħn
Ful leef were me this conseyl for to hyde
160
But out it mot it may no moore a byde
¶ Myn husbonde is to me the worste man
That euere was sithe the world be gan
But sithe I am a wyf it sit nat me
To telle no wigh of oure pryuyte
165
Neythir a bedde ne in non othyr place
God schilde I schulde it telle for his grace
A wyf ne schal nat seyn of hyre housbonde
But al honour as I can vndyrstonde
Saue on to ȝow thus tellyn I schal
170
As helpe me god he nys nat worth an al
In no degre the valeu of a flye
But ȝit me greuyth most his negarderye
And weel ȝe wot that wemen naturelly
Desyryn thȳgis \gaye/ as wel as I
175
They wolde that here husbondys schulde bee
Hardy . & ryche & wys & therto free
And buxsom vnto his wyf & frosch a bedde
But by that ilke lord that for vs bledde
For his honor mynself for to araye
180
A sunday next I mot nedys paye
An hūderede frankis or ellys am I lorn
Ȝit weere me leuere that I weere on born