The Shipman's Tale
Folio 197v
8 of 12 folios
And honestly gouerne wel our hous
245
Thou hast ynough in euery maner wise
That to a thrifty housbond may suffise
The lakkeþ noon array ne no vitaile
Of siluer in þy purs þou mayst not faile
And with þat word his countor dore he schitte
250
And doun he goþ no lenger wold he lette
But hastily a masse was þer sayd
And spedily þe tables were I layd
And to þe dyner faste þay hem spedde /
And rychely þis Chapman þe monk fedde /
255
And after dyner daun Iohñ sobrely
This chapman took on part and priuely /
Sayd him þus . cosyn it stondeth so
That wel I se to brigges wol ȝe go /
God and seint austyn spede ȝou and gyde /
260
I pray ȝow cosyn wisly þat ȝe ryde
Gouerneth ȝow also of ȝour diete
Al temperelly and namely in þis hete
Bitwix vs tuo nedeth no straunge fare
Far wel cosyn . god schilde ȝou fro care
265
If eny þing þer be by day or nigħt
If it lay in my power and my migħt
That ȝe wil me comaunde in eny wise
It schal be doon right as ȝe wol deuyse /
O thing er þat ȝe goon if it might be /
270
I wolde pray ȝow for to leue me
An hundred frankes for a wyke or tweye
For certeyn bestis þat I moste beye /
To store with a place þat is oures
God help me so I wolde it were ȝoures
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I schal not faile seurly of my day
Nougħt for a þousand frankes a myle way
But let þis þing be secre I ȝow pray
For for þe bestis þis nigħt most I pay
And fare now wel myn owne cosyn deere
280
Graūt mercy of ȝour cost and of ȝour cheere
This noble marchaūt gentilly anoon