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

[6-text p 168]

GROUP B. (β. FRAGMENT III.)

§ 4. THE SHIPMAN'S TALE.

[& begynnethe þe tale [Sloane MS 1685 folio 192a]

                                    
                                      A Marchaunt whilom dwellyd at seynt denys
                                    
                                      þat riche was for which men helde hym wys
                                    
                                      A wyfe he hade of excellent beaute
                                    
                                      And compenable and reuerent was she
                                    
                                      Whiche ys a thynge þat causeth more dispense
                                    
                                      þan worthe ys alle þe chere and reuerence
                                      Line 1196 
                                    
                                      þat men hem done at festees and at daunces
                                    
                                      Suche salutacions and contenaunces
                                    
                                      Passeth as doth þe shadowe vpon a walle
                                    
                                      But woo ys hym þat payen mot for alle
                                      Line 1200 
                                    
                                      þe cely husbonde algate he mot paie
                                    
                                      he mote vs clothe and vs arraie
                                    
                                      Alle for his owne worship rychely
                                    
                                      In whiche arraie we dauncen Iolilye
                                      Line 1204 
                                    
                                      And yf þat he may not parauenture
                                    
                                      Or elles luste none suche espense to endure
                                    
                                      But thynkith þat it is waste and y-loste
                                    
                                      þan mote a-noþere paien for oure coste
                                      Line 1208 
                                    
                                      Or lene vs golde & þat ys perilous
                                    
                                      This noble Marchaunt hylde a noble house
                                    
                                      ffor wwhiche he hade alday grete repaire
                                    
                                      ffor hys largesse and for hys wyf was faire
                                      Line 1212 
                                    
                                      þat wonder ys but herkeneth to my tale
                                    
                                      Amonges alle hys gestes grete & smale
                                    
                                      þere was a monke a faire man & a bolde
                                    
                                      I trowe .xx. wynter he was olde
                                      Line 1216 
                                    
                                      þat euere in on was drawynge to þat place
                                    
                                      þis yonge Monke þat was so faire of face

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About this Item

Title: The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.
Author: Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.
Canvas: Page 386
Publication: London :: Published for the Chaucer Society by K. Paul, Trench, Trübner,; 1868-1879.

Technical Details

Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/agz8234.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/agz8234.0001.001/404

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Cite this Item

Full citation: "The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/agz8234.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 26, 2025.