(602)
¶ He to a marchaunt goose, of his notise,
Line 4208
Wich þat his trusty frende had be ful ȝore,
Besechyng hym, þat he wold hym cheuyse
Of ten thousand ['x. Ml.' H, ten thousand R.] pounde, ne lenger ne more
Than dayës thre, and he wolde it restore
Line 4212
At his day; þis was done; þe summe he hent,
And to his ownë house þer-with he went.
Line 4214
(603)
¶ And on the mornë, prayde he to soupere [folio 74a]
Line 4215
His sonnës both & his doughtres also.
Þei to him cam, with-owten any daungere:
How þat þei ferden, lat I passe and goo;
Thei ferden wel, with-outen wordës moo;
Line 4219
To his konyng, he grete disport hem made,
He did his myght to chere hem, & to glade.
Line 4221
(604)
¶ Aftir souper, whan þei hir tymë sye,
Line 4222
Þei toke her leue, & home þei wolde al-gate;
And he answerd, and seyde hem sekirly,
"This nyȝt ye shul nat passe out of the gate;
Your house is fer, and it is dyrke and late;
Line 4226
Neuen it nat, for it shal nat be-tyde;"
And so al nyȝt he made hem to abyde.
Line 4228
(605)
¶ The fadir logëd hem, of sly purpóse,
Line 4229
In a chambre next to his ioynyng; [ioynyng R, ionyng H.]
ffor by-twix hem nas þer but a parclose
Of bordë, nauȝt but of homly [bord . . . homely R.] makyng;
Þurgh out þe which, at many a chynnyng,
Line 4233
In echë chambre þei myghten [myghten R, myght H.] beholde,
And see what othir dyden, if þat þei wolde.
Line 4235
