The Shipman's Tale
Folio 196r
5 of 12 folios
125
And sayd allas my nece god forbede
That ȝe for eny sorw or eny drede /
Fordo ȝour self but telleþ me ȝour greef
Parauenture I may in ȝoure mescheef /
Councel or help and þerfor telleþ me
130
Al ȝour annoy for it schal be secre
For on my portos I make an oth
That neuer in my lif for lief ne loþ
Schal I of no counseil ȝou bywray
The same aȝein quod sche to ȝow I say
135
By god and by þis portos wil I swere
Though men me wolde al in peces tere
Ne schal I neuer for to go to helle /
Bywreye word of þing þat ȝe me telle
Not for no cosynage ne alliaunce
140
But verrayly for loue and affiaunce
Thus ben þay sworn and her vpon I kist
And ilk of hem told oþer what hem list
Cosyn quod sche if þat I had a space /
As I haue noon and namly in þis place
145
Then wold I telle a legend of my lyf
What I haue suffred siþ I was a wyf
Wiþ myn housbond þough he be ȝour cosyn
Nay quod þis monk by god and seint martyn
He is no more cosyn vnto me
150
Than is þis leef þat hongeþ on þe tre
I cleped him so by seint Denis of Fraūnce
To haue þe more cause of acqueyntaūce
Of ȝow which I haue loued specially
Abouen alle wōmen sikerly
155
This swere I ȝow on my professiou~
Tellith ȝoure greef lest þat he come a doun
And hasteth ȝow and goþ ȝour way anoon
My deere loue quod sche . O dan Ioħn
Ful leef me were þis counseil to hyde
160
But out it moot it may no more abyde
Myn housbond is to me þe worste man
That euer was siþþe þe world bigan