The Clerk's Tale
Folio 118v
5 of 32 folios
Ȝe wolde quod he . myn owne poeple deere
To þat I neuer erst þought constreigne me .
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I me reioysid of my liberte
That selden tyme is founde in mariage
Ther I was fre I mot ben in seruage
But natheles I se of ȝow þe trewe entent
And trust vpon ȝour witt and haue doon ay
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Wherfor of my fre wil I wil assent
To wedde me as soon as euer I may
But þer as ȝe haue profred me to day
To chese me a wyf I wol relese
That choys and pray ȝow of þat profre cesse /
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For god it woot þat childer ofte been
Vnlik her worthy eldris hem bifore
Bounte comeþ al of god nougħt of þe streen
Of which thay ben engendrid and I bore
I trust in goddis bounte and þerfore /
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My mariage and myn estat and rest
I him bytake . he may doon as him lest
Let me alloon in chesyng of my wif
That charge vpon my bak I wil endure
But I ȝow pray and charge vpon ȝour lyf
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That wyf þat I take ȝe me assure /
To worschip / whil . þat hir lif may endure
In word and werk . boþe heer and euery where /
As sche an Emperoures doughter were
And forthermor þus schul ȝe swer þat ȝe
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Aȝeins my chois schuln neuer grucche ne stryue
For sins I schal forgo my liberte
At ȝour request as euer mot I þriue
Ther as myn hert is set þer wil I wyue
And but ȝe wil assent in such manere
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I pray spek no more of þis matiere
With hertly wil . þay sworen and assentyn
To al þis þing þer sayde no wight nay
Bysechyng him of grace er þat þay wentyn
That he wol graunten hem a certeyn day
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Of his spousail as soone as euer he may For ȝit alway