The Clerk's Tale
Folio 118r
4 of 32 folios
105
And ȝe my lord to doon right as ȝow lest
For certes lord so wel vs likith ȝow
And al ȝour werk and euer han doon þat we
Ne couþen not deuysen how
We mighte lyue more in felicite
110
Saue oon þing lord if þat ȝour wille be
That for to be a weddid man ȝow list
Than were ȝour peple in souereign hertes rest
Bowith ȝour neck . vndir þat blisful ȝok
Of souereignete . nought of seruise
115
Which þat men clepe spousail or wedlok
And thenkith lord among ȝour þoughtes wise /
How þat our dayes passe in sondry wyse
For þough we slepe or wake or rome aboute
Ay fleth þe tyme it wil no man abyde
120
And though ȝour grene ȝouþe floure as ȝit
In crepith age alway as stille as stoon
And deth manasith euery age and smyt
In ech estat for þer ascapith noon
And as certeyn as as we knowe euerychon
125
That we schuln deye as vncerteyn we alle
Ben of þat day þat deþ schal on vs falle
Acceptith thanne of vs þe trewe entent
That neuer ȝit refusid ȝoure hest
And we wil lord if þat ȝe wil assent
130
Chese ȝow a wyf in schort tyme atte lest
Born of þe gentilest and þe heigħest
Of al þis lond so þat it oughte seme
Honour to god . and ȝow as we can deme
Deliuer vs out of al þis busy drede
135
And tak a wyf fo hihe goddes sake /
For if it so bifel as god forbede
That þurgh ȝour deþ ȝour lynage schuld aslake
And þat a straunge successour schuld take
Ȝour heritage .O. wo were vs on lyue
140
Wherfor we pray ȝow hastily to wyue
Her meeke prayer . and her pitous chere
Made þe marquys for to han pite