[6-text p 169]
Aqueynted was so / with the goode man
Sith that / hir firste knoweliche bigan
Line 1220
That in his hous / as famulier was he
As it possible / any freend to be
¶ And for as muchel / as this goode man
And eek this Monk of which þat I bigan
Line 1224
Were bothe two / yborn in o village
The Monk / hym claymeth / as for cosynage
And he agayn / he seith nat ones nay
But was as glad ther-of / as fowel of day
Line 1228
ffor to his herte / it was a greet plesance
Thus been they knyt with eterne alliance
And ech of hem / gan oother for tassure
Of bretherhede / whil þat hir lyf may dure
Line 1232
¶ ffree was Daun Iohn and namely of dispence [folio 148a]
As in that hous / and ful of diligence
To doon plesance / and also greet costage
He noght forgat to yeue the leeste page
Line 1236
In al the hous / but after hir degree
He yaf the lord / and sitthe al his meynee
Whan that he cam / som manere honest thyng
ffor which / they were as glad of his comyng
Line 1240
As fowel is fayn / whan þat the sonne vp riseth
Na moore of this as now / for it suffiseth
But so bifel / this Marchant on a day
Shoop hym / to make redy his array
Line 1244
Toward / the toun of Brugges for to fare
To byen there / a porcion of ware
ffor which / he hath to Parys sent anon
A Messager / and preyed hath daun Iohn
Line 1248
That he sholde come / to Seint Denys to pleye
With hym and with his wyf / a day or tweye
Er he to Brugges wente / in alle wise
¶ This noble Monk of which I yow deuyse
Line 1252
Hath of his Abbot as hym list licence
By cause / he was a man / of heigh prudence
