But only for manas and for drede.
1For dredë Pers made hym hyt do,
And dede hym plyghte his trouthe þer-to.
Whan hys clerk had made hys othe,
Line 5773
Pers dede on hym a foulë clothe;
Vnto a cherchë boþe þey ȝede
For to fulfylle hys wyl yn dede.1 [1_1 Harl. omits these six lines that O. has.]
Line 5776
whan þat þey to þe cherchë com,
"Lorde, þoght þe clerk, now whom
Myȝt y fynde, þys ychë sele, [man]
To whom y myȝt sellë Pers wele!"
Line 5780
Þe clerk loked euery where,
And at þe last, he knew where;
A rychë man, [man was.] þat er had be
Specyal knowlych euer betwe, [knowelache hem betwe.]
Line 5784
But þurgh myschauncë at a kas
Alle hys gode y-lorë was;
'Ȝole,' þus þat man hyghte,
And knew þe clerk wel be [by.] syghte.
Line 5788
Þey spak of oldë a-queyntaunce, [folio 39a]
And ȝolë tolde hym of hys chaunce.
"Ȝe," seyde þe clerk, "y rede þou [þe.] bye
A man to do þy marchaundye,
Line 5792
Þat þou mayst holdë yn seruage
To restore weyl þyn [þy.] dammage."
Þan seyde ȝole, "on swych chaffare
wulde y feyn my syluer ware."
Line 5796
Þe clerkë seyd, "lo, one here,
A trew man an a dubonure, [& a debonurere.]
Þat wyl seruë þe to pay,
Peyneblë, al þat he may.
Line 5800
'Pers,' shalt þou calle hys name;
For hym shalt þou haue mochë frame.
he ys a man ful gracyous,
Gode to wynne vn-to þyn hous,
Line 5804
And God shal ȝyue þe hys blessyng,
