The Shipman's Tale
Folio 185v
11 of 12 folios
And wantonly aȝeine wiþ him sche pleide
Til att þe last þis Marchant seide
Be god qd he .I. am a litel wroþe
Wiþ ȝowe my wif al þouhe it be me loþe
385
And wote ȝe whye be god as þat .I. gesse
For ȝe haue maade a maner strangenesse
Be twex me & my Cosyne Dan Iohñ
Ȝe scholde haue warned me ar .I. hadde gone
That he had ȝowe an .C. frankes payede
390
Be rede token & he him helde yuel paide
For þat .I. to him spake of cheuesaunce
Me semed soo as be his countenaūce
Bot naþeles be god heuen kinge
.I. þouht nouht to axe of him no þinge
395
.I. praie þe wif ne do no more soo
Til me alweie ar þat .I. fro þe goo
If any dettor haþe in myne absence
.Y payde þe lest þoruhe þi necligence
.I. myht him axe a þinge þat he haþe paide
400
This wif was nouht aferde ne affraide
Bot boldely sche seide & þat a none
Mary .ydify þat fals monke dan Ione
.I. kepe nouht of his tokenes neuer a dele
He toke me certeine golde þis wote .I. wele
405
Þat ivel þedom on his monkes snowte
For god it wote .I. wende wiþ outen doute
Þat he it had yȝeue it me because of ȝowe
To do þere wiþe myn honur & my prowe
For Cosinage eke & for bele chere
410
Þat he haþ hadde ful often time here
Bot seþen .I. see .I. stonde in suche disioynte
.I. wil answere ȝoue to þe poynte
Ȝe haue mo slakker dettores þan am .I.
For .I. wil paie ȝowe wele & redelye
415
Fro daye to day & if so be . þat .I. faile
.I. am ȝoure wif score it on my taile
And .I. schal paie as sone as euery maie
For be my trouþe .I. haue on myne araye
And nouht on waste be stouede euerydele
420
And for .I. haue bestowed it so wele
To ȝoure honour for goddes sake .I. saie
As be nouht wroþe bot lat vs hauhe & pleye .