The Shipman's Tale
Folio 316v
6 of 8 folios
God & seynt Augustyn speede ȝow & gyde
260
I preye ȝow cosyn wysely that ȝe ryde
Gouernyth ȝow also of ȝoure dyete
Attemprely & namely in this heete
By twixe vs two nedyth no straūge fare
Fare weel cosyn god schylde ȝow frō care
265
And ȝif that ony by day or by nyght
If it lye in myn power & myn myght
That ȝe me \wele/ comaūde in ony wyse
It schal be don ryght as ȝe wele deuyse
Or that ȝe go // othyng // If it may be
270
I wolde preye ȝow for to lene me
An hunderede frankys for a wyke or tweye
For serteyn bestes that I muste beye
To store with a place & that is oures
God helpe me so I wolde it were ȝourys
275
I schal not fayle surely of myn day
Nat for a thousent frankys a myleway
But lat this thyng been secre I ȝow prey
For ȝit to nygh these bestis mot I beye
And fare now weel myn owene cosyn deere
280
Graunt mercy of ȝoure cost & of ȝoure goodely chere
This noble Marchaunt gentely a non
Answerede & seyde o cosyn myn daun Ioħn
Now sekyrly this is a smal requeste
Myn gold is ȝourys whan that it ȝow leste
285
And not only myn gold but myn chafare
Taake what ȝow lyste god schilde that ȝe spare
But o thyng is ȝe knowe it wel I now
Of chapmen that here monye is here plogħ
We may encrece whil we han a name
290
But goldeles for to been it is a schame
Payeth it a geyn whan it lyth in ȝoure ese
Aftyr myn myth ful fayn I wolde ȝow plese
These hunderede frankys he fette forth a noon
And pryuyly he tok hē to daū Iohñ
295
No whyt of al this world wyste of this lone
Sauynge this marchaunt & daun Ioħn a lone