The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 498]

[Here begynnyth þe prologge of þe Marchaunt

[Sloane MS 1685 folio 86b]

IN faythe sqyere þou haste þe wele quyt And gentely I preyse wele þi wytte Quod þe Marchaunte considerynge þis ȝouthe So felyngely thouȝthe spekist sir I the allouthe Line 676 As to my dome þere ys none þat ys here Of eloquence þat shalle be þi pere [And if þou lif god [ȝ]if þe goode chaunce And in vertu send þe perseueraunce] Line 680 ffor of þi speche I haue grete deynte I haue a . sone and by þe trinite I hade leuere þan twenty pounde worth of londe þouȝe hit riȝt nowe were fallen in myne honde Line 684 ye are a man of suche discrecion As þat ye ben fy vpon possession But yf a man by vertuous with alle I haue my sone snybbyd and ȝit I shalle Line 688 ffor he to vertu listith not entende But for to pley at dyes and to dispende And lese alle þat he hathe ys hys vsage And he hade leuere talke with a page Line 692 þan to commune with eny gentille wiȝt Where he myȝt lerne gentilnesse ariȝt Strawe for youre gentilnesse quod our Oste What Marchaunt Sir parde wele þou woste Line 696 þat eche of you mot tellen atte leste A tale or twoo or breken hys by-heste þat knowe I wele quod þe Marchaunt certayne I prey you not hauethe me in disdeyne Line 700

[6-text p 499] Line 700 Thouȝe to þis man yf I speke a worde or two Telle on þi tale with out wordes moo Gladly Sir Oste quod he I wolle obey [Sloane MS 1685 folio 87a] Vnto youre wille nowe herkeneth what I seye Line 704 I wolle not contrarye you in no wyse As fer as my wyttes woll suffice I prey to god þat hit mot plesen you þan wote I wele þat hit ys gode ynowe Line 708

Here endithe þe prologge of þe Marchaunt]

Notes

• [Hatton MS 1]
• [Sloane 1685]