The Merchant's Tale
Folio 131r
6 of 26 folios
Þat wiþe him schold .I. neuere leue in rest
For sondre scoles makeþ soubstile clerkes
Wēmen of mony a scole halue a clerke is
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Bot certeynly a ȝonge þinge maie me guye
Riht as men maie warme wex wiþ hondes to plie
Wherefor .I. seie ȝowe pleinly in clause
.I. wil none olde wif haue for þis cause
For if so weer if .I. hadde so meschaunce
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That .I. in hire couþe haue plesance
Than scholde .I. lede my lyf in adultrie
And so strike to þe deuel whan .I. deie
Ne chil scholde .I. none vpon hir geten
Ȝit were me leuer houndes had me eten
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Þat þat my heritage schold fal
In straunge hande & þus .I. tel ȝowe al
.I. doute nouht .I. wote þe cause whye
Men schold wedde & forþer more wote .I.
Ther spekeþ mony men of Mariage
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That wote nomore of it þan wote my page
For whiche cause men schold tak a wif
If he maie nouht chast be be his lif
Tak him a wif wiþ grete deuocioū
Be cause of leueful procreacioū
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Of Childer to þe honor of god aboue
& not onely for paramor & for loue
And for þei scholde lychery eschewe
And ȝelde her dettes whiles þat it is newe
Or for þat ilke man schold help oþer
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In Meschef as a suster schal do a broþer
And leue in Chastite ful heuenly
Bot sires be ȝoure leue þat am nouht .I.
For god be þonke it .I. dar make a vaunt
.I. fele my lymes stark & sufficeant
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To done al þat a man be longeþ to do
.I. wote my seluen best what .I. may do
Thouhe .I. be hore as doþe a treie
Þat blossomeþ ar þat þe fruyte .y ware bue
A blosseme tre is neiþer drie ne dede
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.I. feel me nowhwhere hore bot on myn hede
Myne herte & my lymes bnen as grene
As laurer þat þorwħ . þe ȝere is seene
And seþen ȝe haue herd al myne entent