The Shipman's Tale
Folio 315v
4 of 8 folios
Than me were don a slaundere or velanye
And ȝif myn husbonde ek myghte it espye
185
I nere but lost & therefore I ȝow preye
Lene me this sūme or ellys mote I deye
Daun Ion I seye lene me these hunderede frankys
Parde I wele nat fayle yow myn thankys
If that yow lyste to don that I ȝow praye
190
For at a certeyn day I wele ȝow paye
And don to ȝow that plesaunce & seruyse
That I may don ryght as ȝow leste deuyse
And but I do god take on me vengeaūce
As foul as hadde Genyloū of fraunce
195
¶ This gemtil Monk answerde in this manere
Now trewely myn owene lady dere
I haue quod he on ȝow so greet routhe
That I ȝow swere & plyȝte ȝow myn trouthe
That whan youre husbonde is to flaūderys fare
200
I wele delyuere yow out of this care
For I wele brynge ȝow an hunderede frankys
And with that word he caughte hire by the flankys
And hire enbrasith harde & kyste hire ofte
Goth now ȝoure wey quod he al stylle & softe
205
And lat vs dyne as sone as euere he may
For by myn Chylendere it is pryme of day
Goth now & beth as trewe as I schal be
Now ellys god forbeede sire quod sche
And forth sche goth as Ioly as a pye
210
And bad the Cokys that they schulde hē hye
So that men myghte dyne and that a non
Vp to this husbonde is this wyf a gon
And knokkyth at his countor boldely
Who there quod he / petyr it am I
215
Quod sche what sere how longe wele ȝe faste
How long tyme wele ȝe / rekene & caste
Youre sūmys & youre bokys & ȝoure thyngis
The deuyl haue part of alle sweche rekenyngis
Ye haue I now perde of godys sonde
220
Come doū to day & lat ȝoure baggis stonde