The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 50v
2 of 27 folios
¶ Ye seken lond and see / for yowre wynnynges
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As wise folk ye knowen al thestaat
Of regnes / ye been fadres of tidynges
And tales / bothe of pees / and of debaat
I were right now / of tales desolaat
Nere that a Marchant goon is many a yeere
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Me taughte a tale / which that ye shal heere
¶ Heere bigynneth the man of lawe his tale
IN Surrye whilom dwelte a compaignye
Of chapmen riche / and therto sadde and trewe
That wyde where / senten hir spicerye
Clothes of gold / and Satyns riche of hewe
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Hir chaffare / was so thrifty and so newe
That euery wigħt / hath deyntee to chaffare
With hem / and eek / to sellen hem hir ware
Now fil it that the maistres / of that sort
Han shapen hem / to Rome for to wende
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Were it for chapmanhode / or for disport
Noon oother message / wolde they thider sende
But comen hem self to Rome / this is the ende
And in swich place / as thoughte hem auantage
For hir entente / they take hir herbergage
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¶ Soiourned han thise Marchantz / in that toun
A certein tyme / as fil to hire plesance
And so bifel / that thexcellent renoun
Of the Emperours doghter / Dame Custance
Reported was / with euery circumstance
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Vn to thise Surryen Marchantz / in swich a wyse
Fro day to day / as I shal yow deuyse
¶ This was / the cōmune voys of euery man
Oure Emperour of Rome / god hym see
A doghter hath / that syn the world bigan
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To rekene as wel / hir goodnesse as beautee
Nas neuere swich another as is shee
I prey to god / in honour hir susteene
And wolde she were / of al Europe the queene