The Merchant's Tale
Folio 147r
25 of 29 folios
In staunge hande and þus I telle ȝou aƚƚ
I dowte nought I wot þe cause why
Men schulde wedde and forþermore wot I
Þer spekeþ many men of mariage
200
Þat wot nomore of hit þen wot my page
For whiche causes men schulde take a wyf
If he may not chaste be by his lijf
Tak him a wijf wiþ gret deuocioun
By cause of leofful pro creacioū
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Of children to þe honor of god aboue
And nougħt only for paramor and for loue
And for þei schulden leccherie eschue
And ȝelde here dette whil þat it is newe
Or for þat ilke man schulde helpe oþer
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In meschief as a soster schal do a broþer
And lyue in chastite ful heuenly
But sires by ȝour leue þat am not I
For be þanked I dar make auaunt
I feele my lemes starke and suffisaunt
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To don al þat a man bilongeþ to do
I wot my seluen best what I may do
Þougħ I be hoor and fare as doþ a tree
Þat blosmeth er þat fruyt y waxe be
A blossemed tree nys neyþer druye ne deed
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I feele me no wher hoor but on myn heed
Myn herte and mȳ lymes ben as greene
As laurere þat þurgħ þe ȝer is seene
And seþenes ȝe han herd al myn entent
I pray ȝou to my wille þat ȝe assent
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Dyuerse men dyuersely him tolde
Of mariages many ensamples olde
Some blamed it some preysed it certein
But atte laste schortly for to seyn
As alday falleþ altercacioū
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Bitwixe frendes in disputacioū
Þer fel a stryf betwixe his breþeren tuo