The Clerk's Tale
Folio 115r
26 of 28 folios
To Emel warde ferar & venise
Whiche of longe þinge were to deuise
And treuly as to my Iuggement
Me þenkeþ þat a þinge impertinent
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Saue þat he wil coneyn his matier
Bot þis is tale whiche þat ȝe maie hier
Ther is riht att þe west side of Itaile
Doune att þe rote of vesulus þe colde
A lusti pleine aboundaunt of vitaile
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Where mony a toure & toune þu maiste beholde
Þat founden were in time of faders olde
And mony anoþer delitable siht
And Saluces þe noble contre hiht
A markes whilome lorde was of þat lande
And obeissan aie redy to his hande
Were al his lieges boþe lesse & more
Þus in delite he leueþ & haþ done ȝore
Be loued & drad þorwhe fauoure of fortune
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Boþe of his lordes & of his comune
Þere wiþ he was as to speke of Lignage
The gentillest bore of lombardye
A faire person & stronge & ȝonge of age
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Discrete ynouhe his Contre forto Gye
Saue in sūme þinges he was to blame
And Waltier was þis ȝonge lordes name .
.I. blame him þus þat he considerd nouht
In time comynge what myht him be tide
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Botte on his luste persent was al his þouht
Wel nyhe al oþere Cures lete he slide
And eke he nolde þat was þe werst of aƚƚ
Wedde no wife for owhte þat maie befaƚƚ
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Onely þat poynte his peple bar so sore
Þat flokingmele on a day to him þei went
And of him þat wisest was of lore
Or elles þat þe lorde beste wolde assent
Þat sholde tellen him what his peple ment
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Or elles couþe schew wele suche matier
He to þe Markys seide as ȝe schal here
O noble Markes ȝoure humanite
Assuriþe vs & whisse vs hardines
As oft as time is of necessite