The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 113v
2 of 31 folios
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xxrke / what is the sentence of the wise
Bet is to dyen / than haue Indigence
Thy selue neghebor / wol thee despise
If thow be pouere / fare wel thy reuerence
Yet of the wise man / tak this sentence
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Alle the dayes / of pouere men been wikke
Be war ther fore / er thow come to that prikke
¶ If thou be pouere / thy brother hateth thee
And alle thy freendes / fleen from thee allas
O riche Marchauntz / ful of wele been ye
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O noble / o prudent folk /. as in this cas
Youre bagges / been noght filled wt ambes as
But with sys cynk. that renneth for youre chaunce
At Cristemasse / murye may ye daunce
¶ Ye seken lond and see / for youre wynnynges
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As wise folk ye knowen al thestat
Of regnes / ye been fadres of tidynges
And tales / bothe of pees and of debat
I were right now / of tales desolat
Nere þt a Marchaunt goon is many a yere
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Me taughte a tale / which þt ye shal heere
¶ In Surrye whilom / dwelte a compaignye
Of chapmen riche / and ther to sadde and trewe
That wyde where / senten hir Spicerye
Clothes of gold / and Satyns riche of hewe
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Hir cheffare / was so thrifty and so newe
That euery wight hath deyntee to cheffare
With hem / and eek to sellen hem hir ware
¶ Now fil it / that the maistres of that sort
Han shapen hem / to Rome for to wende
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Were it for chaphod / or for desport
Noon oother message / wolde they thider sende
But coomen hem self to Rome / this is the ende
And in swich place / as thoughte hem auauntage
For hir entente / they take hir herbergage