[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 [[Hatton MS 1]]
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
