The Shipman's Tale
Folio 209r
11 of 11 folios
I myghte hym axe / a thyng þt he hath payed
400
¶ This wyf / was nat afered ne afrayed
But boldely she seyde / and that anon
Marie I diffye / the false Monk daun Ioħn
I kepe nat of his toknes / neuer a del
He took me certeyn gold / this woot I wel
405
What yuel thedam / on his Monkes snowte
For god it woot I wende with outen dowte
That he hadde yeue it me / by cause of yow
To doon ther with / myn honour / and my prow
For cosynage / and eek for bele cheere
410
That he hath had / ful ofte tymes heere
¶ But sith I se / it stant in this disioynt
I wole answere yow / shortly to the poynt
Ye han mo slakker dettours / than am I
For I wol paye yow / wel and redily
415
Fro day to day / and if so be I fayle
I am youre wyf / score it vp on my tayle
And I shal paye / as soone as euere I may
For by my trouthe / I haue on myn array
And nat in wast bistowed euery del
420
And for I haue / bistowed it so wel
For youre honour for goddes sake I seye
As be nat wrooth / but lat vs laughe & pleye
Ye shal / my ioly body han to wedde
By god / I wol noght paye yow but abedde
425
Forgyue it me / myn owene spouse deere
Turn hiderward / and maketh bettre cheere
¶ This Marchant saugh / ther was no remedye
And for to chide / it nere but folye
Syn that the thyng may nat amended be
430
Now wyf he seyde / and I foryeue it thee
But by thy lyf ne be namoore so large
Keepe bet thy good / this yeue I thee in charge
Thus endeth my tale / and god vs sende
Taillynge ynough / vn to oure lyues ende
¶ Here endeth / the Shipmannes tale ~