The Clerk's Tale
Folio 115v
25 of 28 folios
95
That we to ȝowe male teƚƚ oure heuinesse
Accep lorde now of ȝoure gentilnesse
Þat we wiþ petous hert to ȝowe pleine
And late ȝoure eres nouht my voice disdeyne
¶ Al haue .I. nouht to done in þis matiere
100
Mor þan anoþere man haþe in þis place
Ȝitte as for as muche as ȝe my lorde so dere
Haue alweie schewde me fauore & grace
.I. dar þe better ax of ȝowe a space
Off Audience to schewen oure request
105
And ȝe my lorde to do riht as ȝowe liest
¶ For certes lorde so wele lykeþ vs ȝowe
And al ȝowre werkes & euer haþe þat we
Ne couþe nouht oure seluen deuisen howe
We myht leue in more felice
110
Saue o þinge lorde if ȝowre wil be
Þat for to be a wedded man ȝowe list
Þan were ȝoure peple in Souereigne hertes rest
¶ Bouþe ȝoure nek vnder þat blisfuƚƚ ȝokes
Off Souereignete nouht of seruise
115
Wiche þat men clepe spowsal or wedlok
And þinkeþ lord amonges ȝoure þouhte\s/ wise
For þouhe we slepe or wake or roinne or ride
Ay flieþ þe time & wil no man abide
120
And þouh ȝoure grene ȝouþe floure as ȝite
¶ In crepeþ Age al wei as stiƚƚ as stone
And deþe manasseþ euery age & smyteþ
In eche astate for þer askapeþ none
And also certeigne as we knowe ichone
125
Þat we schal deie As vncerteigne we aƚƚ
Biene of þat daie þat deþ schal on vs faƚƚ
¶ Accepte þan of vs þe trewe entente
Þat neuer ȝit refuysed ȝoure hest
And we lorde ȝif þat ȝe wil asente
130
Chese ȝowe a wif in schort time att þe lest
Borne of þe gentelest & of þe mest
Of al þis londe so þat it ouht seme
Honor to god & ȝowe as we can deme
¶ Deliuer vs of al þis besy dede
135
And takeþ a wif for hihe goddes sake
For if it so befel as god for bede
Þat þoure deþe ȝoure lignage scholde slake