The Merchant's Tale
Folio 134v
4 of 32 folios
Thanken his god þat him haþ sent a wif
Or pray to god oon him for to sende
110
To be with him vnto his lyues ende /
For þan his lyf is set in sikernesse /
He may not be deceyued as I gesse /
So þat he worche after his wyfes red
Þan may he boldely bere vp his heed
115
Thay ben so trewe and also so wyse
For whiche if þou wolt do as þe wyse
Do alway so as þe wōman wol þe rede
Lo how þat Iacob as þe clerkes rede
By good counseil of his moder Rebecke
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Band þe kydes skyn about his sones nekke
For which his fader benesoū he wan
Lo Iudith as þe story telle can
By wys counseil sche goddes poeple kept
And slougħ him oliphernus whil he slept
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Lo abygaille by good coūseil how sche
Sauyd hir housbond Nacab whan þat he /
Schold han ben slayn and loke after also
By good counseil delyuered out of wo ;
Þe poeple of god . and made him mandoche
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Of assure enhaunsed for to be
Ther nys no þing / in gre superlatif
As seith Senec aboue an humble wyf
Suffre þy wyues tonge as Catoun byt
Sche schal comaunde and þou schalt suffre it
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And ȝit sche wil obeye of curtesye
A wif is keper of þin housbondrye
Wel may þe sike man wayle and wepe
Ther as þer is no wyf þe hous to kepe
I warne þe if wisly þou wilt wirche
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Loue wel þy wyf as crist doth his chirche
If þou louest þiself þou louest þy wyf /
No man hatith his fleissch but in his lif /
He fostrith it and þerfore warne I þe
Cherissh þy wif . or þou schalt neuer the
145
Housbond & wif what men iape or pleye Of wordly