The Merchant's Tale
Folio 130r
4 of 26 folios
If he be pouere Sche helpeþ him to swynke
Sche kepeþ his gode & wasteþ neuer a dele
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And al þat hir husbond lust hir lykeþ wele
Sche seiþ nouht ones naie whan he seiþe ȝe
Doþ þis saiþe he Alredy sire seiþ sche
O blisful order o wedlok percious
Þou ert so mery & eke so vertuous
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And so cōmended & apropued eke
Þat euery mon þat holdeþ him worþe aleke
Vpon his bare knees ouht al his lif
Thonken his god þat him haþ sente a wif
Oþire praie god him for to sende
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A wif to last vnto his lyues ende
For þan his lif is sett in sekurnesse
He may nouhte be deceiued as .I. gesse
So þat he worche after his wyues rede
Þan maie he boldely bere vp his hede
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Þei bnen so trewe & so wise
For wiche if þou wilt worchen as þe wise
Do al waie so as þe wōman wil þe reede
Lo howe þat Iacob as þes clerkes rede
Be goode Counsel of his moder Rebek
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Bande þe kidde scynne aboute his nek
For whiche his faders benison he wan
Lo Iuditħ as þe storie eke tel can
Be wise Counsel sche goddes peple kept
And slowhe him Olofernus while he slept
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Lo howe Abigaile be gode counsel howe þat sche
Saued hir husbond nabal whan þat he
Schold haue be sleyne & loke after also
Be goode counsel deliuerd out of wo
The peple of god & made hem mardoche
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Of Assure enchaunced for to be
Theer nes no þinge gre superlatiff
As seiþ Senec aboue an humble wif
Suffurþ þi wiues tonge as Caton bitte
Sche schal cōmande & þou schalt suffur it
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And ȝute sche wiƚƚ obeie of Curtesye
A wif is keper of þin husbondrie
Wele maie þe seke man be waile & wepe
Þere as þer nes no wif þe house to kepe
.I. warne þe if wisely þou wilt worche