The+Shipman's+Tale

The Shipman's Tale
Daun John was rysen in the morwe also, And in the gardyn walketh to and fro, And hath his thynges seyd ful curteisly. This goode wyf came walkynge pryvely Into the gardyn, there he walketh softe, And hym saleweth, as she hath doon ofte. A mayde child cam in hire compaignye, Which as hir list she may governe and gye, For yet under the yerde was the mayde. "O deere cosyn myn, daun John," she sayde, "What eyleth yow so rathe for to ryse?"

"Nay," quod this monk, "by God and seint Martyn, He is na moore cosyn unto me Than is this leef that hangeth on the tree! I clepe hym so, by Seint Denys of Fraunce, To have the moore cause of aqueyntaunce Of yow, which I have loved specially Above alle wommen, sikerly. This swere I yow on my professioun. Telleth youre grief, lest that he come adoun; And hasteth yow, and gooth youre wey anon."

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Daun John answerde, "Certes, i am fayn That ye in heele ar comen hom agayn. And if that were riche, as have I blisse, Of twenty thousand sheeld sholde ye nat mysse, For ye so kyndely this oother day Lente me gold; and as I kan and may, I thanke yow, by God and by Seint Jame! But natheless, I took unto oure dame, Youre wyf, at hom, the same gold ageyn Upon youre bench; she woot wel, certeyn, By certeun tokenes that I kan hire telle. Now, by youre leve, I may no longer dwelle; Oure abbot wole out of this toun anon, And in his compaignye moot I goon. Grete wel oure dame, myn owene nece sweete, And fare wel, deere cosyn, til we meete!"

This marchant, which that was ful war and wys, Creanced hat, and payd eek in Parys To certeyn Lumbardes, redy in hir hold, The somme of gold, and gat of hem his bond.

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"By God," quod he, "I am a litel wrooth With yow my wyf, although it be me looth. And woot ye why? by God, as that I gesse That ye han maad a manere straungenesse Bitwixen me and my cosyn daun John. Ye sholde han warned me, er I had gon, That he yow hadde an hundred frankes payed By redy token; and heeld hym yvele apayed For that I to hym spak of chevyssaunce; Me semed so, as by his countenaunce. But nathelees, by God, oure hevene kyng, I thoughte nat to axen hym no thyng. I prey thee, wyf, ne do namoore so; Telle me alwey, er that I fro thee go, If any dettour hath in myn absence Ypayed thee, lest thurgh thy necligence I myghte hym axe a thing that he hath payed." This wyf was nat afered nor affrayed, But boldely she seyde, and that anon: "Marie, I deffie the false monk, daun John!" media type="file" key="Shipman 3.mp3"

In al the hous ther nas so litel a knave, Ne no wight elles, that he nas ful fyn That my lord daun John was come agayn. And shortly to the point right for to gon This faire wyf acorded with daun John That for thise hundred frankes he sholde al nyght Have hire in his arms bolt upright; And this acord parfourned was in dede. In myrthe al nyght a bisy lyf they lede Til it was day, that daun John went his way, And bad the meynee "Farewel, have good day!" For noon of hem, ne no wight in the toun, Hath of daun John right no suspecioun. And forth he rydeth hoom to his abbeye, Or where hym list; namoore of hym I seye. This marchant, when that ended was the faire, To Seint - Denys he gan for to repaire, And with his wyf he maketh feeste and cheere, And telleth hire that chaffare is so deere That nedes moste he make a cheyssaunce; For he was bounden in a reconyssaaunce To paye twenty thousand sheeld anon. media type="file" key="Shipman 4.mp3"

Citations: http://www.librarius.com/cantales/shipman.htm (Middle English translation) [|www.flickr.com] (Pictures) [|http://ekaiserinsurance.files.wordpress.com] (Pictures)