The Shipman's Tale
Folio 158r
2 of 11 folios
The monk him claymeth as for Cosynage
And he ayen seith nat ones nay
But was as glad ther of as foule of day
For to his hert it was a gret plesaunce
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Thus ben thei knyt bi eterne alliaunce
And eche of hem gan other to assure
Of brother hed whils that hir lyues may dure
¶ Fre was dan Ioħn and namely of despence
As in that hous and ful of diligence
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To do plesaunce and also gret costage
He noght forgate to yeuen the lest page
In al that hous but after hir degre
He yaue the lord and sithens his meynee
Whan that he cam som Maner honest thing
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For which thei were as glad of his comyng
As foule is fayn whan sonne vp riseth
No more of this as now for it suffiseth
¶ But so bifil this Marchant vpon a day
Shope him to make redy his aray
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Toward the toun of brugges for to fare
To bien there a porcioun of ware
For which he hath to parys sent anon
A messanger and preide hath dan Ioħn
That he sholde com to seint denys and pley
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With him and with his wife a day or twey
Er he to brigges wente in al wise
¶ This noble monk of which I yow deuyse
Hath of his abbot as him lust licence
Bi cause he was a man of hie prudence
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And ek an officere out for to ride
To se hir graunges and hir bernes wide
And vnto seint denys he comth anon
Who was so welcom as my lord dan Ioħn
Our dere cosyn ful of curtesie
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With him brought he a Iubbe of maluesie
And ek an othir ful of fyn vernage
And volatil as ay was his vsage