The causë pleynly for to telle,
He muste haue redy payëment. [Stowe folio 309b]
Thys marchaunt (to my Iugëment,
Line 17776
Who-so off resoun lookë wel)
The tymë selleth neueradel;
'But that marchaunt (with-outë wher,)
That abydeth al a yer,
Line 17780
Off hym the cas stant other wyse,
As I shal to the devyse:
By Oldë [[Old C., St.]] tymë (lyst my tale,)
Chapmen that made off woodë [[of wood mad St.]] sale,
They made her sale (who taketh hede)
Line 17785
By A mesour off lengthe and brede;
And to the byggere they wolde seyn:
'Yiff thow wylt my woddë beyn,
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At O word, (so god me saue!)
At swych a prys thow shalt yt haue, [folio 252b]
So that my payement be leyd doun
With-outen mor dylacïon.
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And yiff thow byde a yerys day
Off my payment by dillay, [[delay St.]]
I shal the telle by short avys,
I wyl yt sette at hiher prys;
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ffor yiff that I A yer abyde,
My wodë shal on euery syde
Wexe and encresse (I the ensure),
And multeplyen off nature.'
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'And yiff the marchaunt, in bargeynyng,
Telle hym thus in hys sellyng,
To-forn, or that the wode be bouht,
The tyme in soth he selleth nouht,
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Nouther weyeth yt in ballaunce;
But yiff the wode (par cas or chaunce)
Wer yhewe, or feld a-doun
Tó-for ther convencïon,
Line 17808
Wych affterward (wo kan espye)
May nat encresse nor multeplye;
Yiff he sette the sale vp sore,
As thus to sellyn yt for more,
Line 17812
By cause off bydyng off A yer,—
