The Shipman's Tale
Folio 185r
10 of 12 folios
Bot for wite & see of his welfare
340
And for to tellen him of his chaffare
As frendes done whan þei be mette in fere
Dan Ioħn . him Makeþ fest & mery chiere
And him tolde aȝeine ful specially
Howe he hadde bouht ful wele & graciously
345
Thonked he god al hole his Marchandise
Saue þat he must in al maner wise
Maken a cheuesans as for his best
And þan he scholde be in Ioye & rest
Dan . Anseward certes .I. am feyne
350
Þat ȝe in hele be cōme home aȝeine
And if þat .I. were riche as haue .I. blisse
Off .xx.M. scheldes schold ȝe nouht mysse
For . ȝe so kindely þis oþere daie
Lent me gold & as .I. kan & maie
355
.I. þonke ȝowe begod & be seint Iame
Bot . naþeles .I. toke vn to owre dame
Ȝoure wif att home þe same golde aȝeine
Vpon ȝoure benche sche woote . it wele certeine
Be certeyne tokenes þat .I. cañ hir teƚƚ
360
Nowe be ȝoure leue .I. maie no longer dueƚƚ
Oure Abbote wiƚƚ oute of þis toune anone
And on his company most .I. gone
Grete wele oure dame myne owen nece swete
And fare wele dere cosine til we mete
365
This Marchant wiþ þat was ful war & wise
Creanced haþe & eke paide in parisshe
To certeyne lombardes rede in hire hande
The sūme of golde & gatte of hem þe bande
And home he goþe mery as a papemoye
370
For wele he knewe he stode in suche araie
Þat nedes most he winne in suche a viage
A .M. frankes aboue al his costage
It wif ful rede mett him att þe gate
As sche was wonte of olde vsage algate
375
And al þat nyht in merþe þei be sette
For he was riche & clerely oute of dette
Whane it was daye þis Marchant gan embrace
His wife al newe & kist hir on hir face
And vpe he goþe & makeþe it wonder touhe
380
No more qd sche be god ȝe haue y nowhe .