The Merchant's Tale
Folio 129v
3 of 26 folios
A trew seruant doþe more diligence
55
Thine goode to kepe þan þine owen wif
For sche wil claime half parte in al hire lif
And ȝif þat þou beseke so god me saue
Thyne verrey frendes or a trew knaue
Wil kepe þe bett þan sche þat weiteþ aie
60
After þi goode & haueþ do mony daie
To þis entente & an .C. siþes wors
Writeþ þis man þer god his soule cors
65
Bot take no kepe of al suche vanite
Defye Theofrast & herkeneþ me
¶ A wif is goddes ȝift verraily
Al oþer maner ȝiftes hardely
As laudes rentes pasture or comune
Oþer eyþer ȝiftes þat bien mebles of fortune
Þat passen as a schadowe on a wal
Bot drede nouht if pleinly speke I. schal
A wif wil last & in þine house endure
Wel langer þan þe list endure
75
Mariage is a ful grete sacrament
He whiche haþ no wif .I. holde him schent
He leueþ helples & is al desolate
.I. speke of folke in seculere a state
And herken whi .I. seie nouht þis for nouht
80
Þe wōman is for mānes helpe I wrouht
Þe hihe god whan he had Adam maked
And sauhe him a lone bly nakeded
God of his grete goodnesse seide he þan
Latt vs nowe make an helpe to þis man
85
.I. like to him selfe & þat he maade Eue
Here maie ȝe see & here be preue
Þat wif is mannes help & comforte
His paradise terestre & his disporte
So buxum & so vertuus is sche
90
Þei moste nedes leue in vnite
O flesche & o blode as .I. gesse
Ne haþe bot onherte in wele & in destresse
A wif a seinte mare benedicite
Howe myhte a man haue any aduersite
95
Þat haþ a wif certes .I. can nouht seye
The blisse þat is be tuex hem tueye
Þere maie no tunge tel or hert þinke .