The Clerk's Tale
Folio 116r
24 of 28 folios
And þat a stronge successoure scholde take
Ȝoure Heritage woo were vs on lyve
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Wherefor we praie ȝowe hastely to wiue
¶ Here meke preiere & here pitouse chiere
Maaked þe Markes hert haue pite
To þat .y. nerste euer þouht to steyne me
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.I. me reIoysed of my lybertie
Þat selden time is founden mariage
Þere .I. was fre .I. most be in seruage
¶ Bot naþeles .I. see ȝoure trewe entente
And truste vpon ȝoure witte & haue done aye
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Wher for wiþ aƚƚ my fre wil .I. wil assente
To wedde me als sone as eue .I. maie
Bot þere as ȝe haue proferd me to daie
To chese me a wif .I. ȝowe relese
Þat choise & pay ȝoue of ȝoure profure cese
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¶ For .I. wote þat childern often bien
Vnlyke here elders hem before
Bounte comeþ al of god nouht of þe strene
Of whiche þei bue engenderd & . ybore
.I. truste in godese bounte & þere fore
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Myn mariage & myne astate & reste
.I. him be take he maie do as him leste
¶ Lete me alone in cheseinge of my wif
Þat charge vpon my bak .I. wil endure
Bot .I. ȝowe preie & charge vpon ȝowre lif
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Þat what wife .I. take ȝe me assure
To worschip hire while þat hire life maie endure
In worde & werke boþe here & euery where
As sche an Emperoure douhter weere
¶ And ferþer more þis schal ȝe swere þat ȝe
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Aȝeine my choice schal neuer gruche ne strive
For seþ .I. schal for go my liberte
Att ȝoure request as euer mot .I. þryve
Þ er as my hert is set þt er wil I wiue
And bot ȝe wil assente in suche manere
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.I. praie ȝowe spekeþ nomore of þis matiere
¶ Wiþ hertly wil þei swore & assenten
To al þis þinge þer seide no whiht naye
Besekeinge him of grace or þat þei wenten
Þat he wold graunten hem a certeigne daie
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Of his spowsel as sone as euere he maie
For ȝit alweie þe peple sum what drede