Our dames peni is vnbisett; What an ernest & a game, þer of we ben bope to blame ! < An eld man þer in sat, 80 His wordes wele vnderzat, & in his hert he pouzt anon, þat sum þing þer was misgon. þe eld man was wise of lore & pouzt forto wite more. 85 As pai dronken win & ale,

He gan reherse better her tale.
» Marchaunde«, seyd þe old man,
>>par charite,

Telle þat ich aske now þe: What wald þi wiif an ybougt? 257c. 90 Say me sope & gabbe nouzt,

95

&

y schal selle pe worp a pani, zif þat þou wilt bigge ani!«< Sayd pe marchaunde: »Sikerliche, Here schal rise a fair beuerege ! «< Quap pe marchaunde: »Bi godes boke,

Mi wiif a pani me bitoke,

To bigge per wip a paniworp witt & in min hert fast it knitt;

Sche swore, al so god hir spede, 100 Sche wald quite me mi mede! << >>Marchaunde«, quap pe old man, >>bi þi liif,

Hastow ani leman bot þi wiif?« þe marchaunde answerd him aloude, For of his leman he was proude: 105 »ze«, he seyd, »so mot y priue, On, þat is worp swiche fiue ! << »O!« quap pe old man & louz, >>þat ich ouer-trowed wele anouz; Bot rigt for soþe nist ich it nouzt, 110 Er þi seluen it hadde out ybrouzt. Bot now ich wot, hou it is, Y schal selle to pe ywis

A peniworp of wisdome,

þat schal bere wittnesse of pi grome,

115 Wele better pan þi pani be,

Laing schip.

Laing hold.

142 held]

To don so peldman him badde & so bifore hap him radde. He dede on him a pouer wede, 160 To his lemannes in he zede;

At þe gate he knocked anon, His leman bad hir maiden gon, To wite, who was atte zate & knocked so per ate. 165 þe marchaunde bete so hard & fast, þat in he come atte last. On iuel dep mot sche dye:

His leman loked out wip hir eize;
For sche seize him so iuel dizt,

170 In to hir chaumber hye stirt an hizt & schette pe dore wip pe pinne,

For he no schuld nougt com per inne. >Maiden«<, quap þe marchaund anon, »To mi leman pou most gon; 175 Prayer, gif hir wille be,

pat sche com & speke wip me
For al pe loue, þat hap ybe 258a.
Bitvix mi leman & me ! <<

þe maiden in to chaumber ranne, 180 To hir leuedi sche seyd þanne: >> Madame, pi leman gent & fre Is comen hom fro bizond þe se & stont in halle iuel dizt,

& þat me rewep, bi god almigt! 185 & praiep þe, hastow art hende,

Com speke wip him, er þan he wende.<<

Cristes curs com on her mold: Sche answerd as a schrewe schold: »Go pou,« sche seyd, »to him wel stille

190 & bidde him telle pe his wille,
& say to him, wip outen mis,
þat icham iuel at ese ywis,
þat y ne may, þei he were mi broper,
Speke wip him, no wip no noper! <<
195 þe maiden in to halle trade

& teld so pe leuedi badde:
>Sir, mi leuedi seyt, wip outen les,
þat sche is so iuel at ese,

& bad, pou schust me pi wille sayn.<
>>Sweteing, to pi leuedi wende ozain! 200
Say hir, mi gode is al agon,
& y no haue spending non,
For y no hadde neuer er nede;
Ichaue ydon a sorweful dede
In a cuntek & a striif,
For reft a gentil men his liif!
Say hir, ichaue a man yslawe,
Y no dar abide no londes lawe!
Pray mi leman, zif sche mizt,
Herberwe me pis ich nizt

In a chaumber priue & derne,
Oper ich must fle now al so zerne! <
po þat his leman þis wordes herd,
Wel schrewelich sche answerd :
»zif he haue lorn his catelle,
þat he schuld wip bie & selle,
Dapet, who per fore wepe!
Of him no more y no kepe.
Say, y me self schal, bot he fle,
Swipe gon in to be cite

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& do þe kinges bailifes come, 258b. & hastiliche he schal be nome & in a strong prisoun be cast & be anhonged atte last! <<

Forp went þat maiden smal & teld him pis wordes alle: >>Fle, zif þou wilt þi liif haue, For pi leman nil pe nouzt saue! Mi leuedi hap her op ysworn Bi him þat was in Bedelem born, þat sche nil do pe no socour, Noiper in soler no in bour, No ben yfounde wip swiche tresoun, For to sustene pe kinges feloun! «

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He went him forp in to his halle
In a pouer atire wip alle.

245 His gode wiif stode & him biheld
& in hir armes sche him feld.
For sche seize him cloped so pinne,
Sche ladde him pe chaumber wiþ inne,
& wip gode hert sone anon
250 A newe robe sche dede him on

& seyd: »Sir, welcome ze be!
Hou haue ze farn bizond se?«

þe marchaunde to his wif spak : >>Dame, in foule storm our schippe brak;

255 þer was mi gode al binome; pus pouer icham to be come; Helpe me, dame, zif þat þou wilt: A gentil man ichaue yspilt; Y dar no londes lawe abide; 260 Y pray þe, dame, patow me hide

In a chaumber priue & derne, Or ich mot fle now al so gerne! << >>Nay,« sche said, »mi leman hende, zete schaltow nouzt fro me wende !« 265 Sche wepe wel sore anon rizt 258 c. & comfort him wip al hir migt: › þei pou haue lorn pis warldes wele, þerfore murn pou nougt to fele, No noping wepe pou to sore: 270 He, þat sent þat, may sende more.

Sir, zete ichaue sexti pounde Of Zours & mine of pans rounde, And ar þis day a fourtennizt þe siluer schal be wide ydigt, 275 & y me self, wip outen duelling,

Fare y wil to be king, Biforn him & ek his quen Falle opon mi bare knen, & y no schal neuer ses, 280 Til ichaue pirchaced pi pes; & when ichaue pi pes ymaked, þei we ben bope modernaked,

Y & mi maiden schal swete & swinke

& win pe clopes, mete & drink,

Wip brewing, bakeing & oper 285 chaffare;

þer fore, sir, þarf þe nouzt care. Ar to day seuen zer & god to fore We schul be richer pan we were ore! <<

Þe marchaunde seize & vnderstode, His wiues conseil was trewe & gode, 290 & for pe solas, þat hye him made, He pouzt hir hert for to glade : >>No ping, dame, wex pine hert cheld,

295

It nis nouzt so as y pe teld!
Bi him, þat þis warld wan,
zete no slouz y neuer man;
Nis nouzt mi catel al agon,
Zete ichaue wel gode won
Ybrouzt in to hauen hole & sounde,
þat is better þan a pousand pounde. 300
Nap noman part þer in now,

Bot god of heuen & ich & tow!<<
Of þis kepe y no more zedde,
Bot clept & kist & zede to bedde.
þe marchaunde aros, po it was day, 305
& dede on him a robe of say;
A gode palfray he bistrode

& to his lemannes in he rode.
His leman out at a windowe
biheld

258 d.

310

& seize him com ouer pe feld,
& bi pe prikeing sche him knewe;
Sche dede on hir a robe newe
& digt her richeliche wip alle
& com ozain him in to pe halle.
Sone pe marchaunde was doun yligt, 315
To him sche strit anon rizt,

& bi pe swere sche hap him nome
& seyd: »Swete leman, wel come ! «
Er þan euer þe marchaunde wist,
Tvies or pries sche him kist.
>>þei we be kist,« sche seyd anon,
»zete no be we nouzt al at on;
Icham wrop wip pe, & wele y may :
What nede was it, me to asay?

320

No wostow wele in pine entent, 325 Icham to pi comandment?

Bodi & chatel, al is pine,

Has noman elles part þer inne ! « pus sche stroked his here & made it touz

330 & conraid fauuel wele ynouz. >>No! quap pe marchaunde, »bi seyn Jon!

zete no be we nouzt al at on. Yt was me told bizonde pe se, Alle pe gode, þat y brougt to be, 335 Anoper marchaunde pou hast yzoue, & hast fro me turned pi loue ! «

>> Leman, «hye seyd, »now schaltow se, þat swiche wordes les be,

& so schal pi grome als, 340 þat swiche tales ben fals.

þis teld þe pin old crate:
Sche spekep me qued arliche & late.
þis was a lesing of dame crate, pi wiif,
Jesus Crist so schort hir liif !

345 For were pe crate leyd in mold,
þan wist ich wele, þat y schold
Of pe euer han mi wille,
Arliche & late, loude & stille !<<
Sche sprad a caneuas on þe flore,
350 þat was bope gret & store,

& brougt forp her riche pinges, Broches of god & riche ringes, Sextene schetes milk white, 259 a. VIII chalouns & V couerlite, 355 Oper juwels mani on teld, Masers riche, coupes of gold: >>Now mizt tow leue & wite & se Dame old crate, þi wiif, oper me ! « Þe marchaunde al pis gode biheld 360 & in þe caneuas to gider it feld & dede it in a wide sak & slonge at his gromes bak :

& lete pis gode duelle here stille, No mizt pou it feche at þi wille! « þe marchaunde ozain to hir sayd, 375 Of hir falshed gan hir abrayd:

>>Y was ytauzt, me be to asaye, No schaltow neuer eft me bitraye, Ne after me, bi godes ore, No þarf þe loke neuer more!« He lepe on hors at wordes fewe & priked fro þat fals schrewe. He rode him hom to his house & cleped forp his leue spouse & laid pe sak on þe flore, þat was michel riche & store: >> Lo, dame !<< he seyd, »bi mi chaffare Ichaue ybrougt þi peniworp ware, Bot pe pink it wele bisett, Go, biware anoþer bett!<< Þe gode wiif seize al þat riche ping & ponked Jesu, heuen kinge, þat he hap pe gode hom brougt, & he hap turned his pouzt, To liue wip hir in godes lay. Blipe & glad sche was pat day. Ynouz pai hadde of warldes wele, To gider pai liued Zeres fele. þai ferd miri, & so mot we. Amen, amen, par charite!

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