The Shipman's Tale
Folio 316r
5 of 8 folios
Ne be ȝe nat aschamyd that daū Ioħn
Schal fastynge al this day alenge goon
What lat vs heere a masse & go we dyne
Wyf quod this man lytyl canst thow deuyne
225
The Curyouse besynesse that we haue
For of vs Chapmen al so god me saue
And by that lord that clepid is seynt Yue
Skarsely a mongis twelve ten schul thryue
Contynewelly lastynge vn to oure age
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We may wel make cher & good visage
And dryue forth the world as it may be
And kepyn oure estat in pryuytee
Tyl we been ded or ellis that we pleye
A pylgrymage or goon out of the weye
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And therefore haue I greet necessite
Vp on this queynte world tauyse me
For euere mo we mote stonde in drede
Of hap & fortune in oure Chapmanhede
To flaūderis wele I go to morwe at day
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And come a geyn as sone as euere I may
For which myn deere wyf I the beseke
As beth to euery whit buxsom & meke
And for to keepe oure good been curyous
And honestely gouerne weel oure hous
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Thow hast I nough in euery maner wyse
That to a thryfty houshold may suffyse
The lakkyth non aray ne non vitayle
Of syluyr in thyn purs schalt thow non fayle
And with that word his countour dore he schette
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And doun he goth no lengere wolde he lette
And hastily a masse was theere seyd
And spedyly the tabelys weere I leyd
And to the dyner faste hē spedde
And rychely this Monk the Chapman fedde
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At aftyr dyner daun Ioħn sobyrly
This Chapman tok apart & pryuyly
He seyde hym thus / Cosyn it standyth so
That wel I se to Bruggis wele Iego