The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

THE SHIPMAN'S TALE. 143
Hav6 her in his armis bolt upright; As she was wont of old usage algate;2
And this accord performed was in deed. And all that night in mirthe they beset; l
In mirth all night a busy life they lead, For he was rich, and clearly out of debt.
Till it was day, that Dan John went his way, When it was day, the merchant gan embrace
And bade the meinie " Farewell; have good His wife all new, and kiss'd her in her fac;j,
day." And up he went, and maked it full toad.
For none of them, nor no wight in the town, "No more," quoth she, "by _od e have
Had of Dan John right no suspiciofin; enough;"
And forth he rode home to his abbay, And wantonly again with him she play'd,
Or where him list; no more of him I say. Till at the last this merchant to her said.
The merchant, when that ended was the fair, "By God," quoth he, " I am a little wroth
To Saint Denis he gan for to repair, With you my wife, although it be me loth;
And with his wife he made feast and cheer, And w-o why? by God, as that I guess,
And tolde her that chaffare 2 was so dear, That yA have made a manner strangeness 14
That needes must he make a chevisance;3 Betwixte me and my cousin, Dan John.
For he was bound in a recognisance efshould have warned me, ere I had gone,
To paye twenty thousand shields 4 anon. That he yo had a hundred frankes paid
For which this merchant is to Paris gone, By readyToken; he held him evil apaid 1
To borrow of certain friendes that he had For that I to him spake of chevisance,16
A certain francs, and some with him he lad.5 (Me seemed so as by his countenance);
And when that he was come into the town, But natheless, by God of heaven king,
For great chert8 6 and great affectioin I thoughtB not to ask of him no thing.
UJnto Dan John he wente first to play; I pray. ~ee wife, do t.u no more so.
Not for to borrow of him no money, Tell me alway, ere that I from tgego,
But for to weet 7 and see of his welfare, If any debtor hath in mine absence
And for to tellB him of his chaffare, Y-payed thee, lest through th negligence
As friendis do, when they be met in fere.s I might him ask a thing that he hath paid."
Dan John him made feast and merry cheer; This wife was not afeared nor afraid,
And he him told again full specially, But boldely she said, and that anon;
How he had well y-bought and graciously " Mary! I defy that false monk Dan John,
(Thanked be God) all whole his merchandise; I keep 17 not of his tokens never a deal:
Save that he must, in alld manner wise, He took me certain gold, I wot it well. ^
Maken a chevisance, as for his best; What? evil thedom 1 on his monki's snout!
And then he shouldi be in joy and rest. For, God it wot, I ween'd withoute doubt
Dan John answered, " Certes, I am fain 9 That he had given it me, because of you,
That y.in health be comi home again: To do therewith mine honour and my prow,20
And if that I were rich, as have I bliss, For cousinage, and eke for belld cheer
Of twenty thousand shields should y not miss, That he hath had full oftentime here.
For yeso kindely the other day But since I see I stand in such disjoint,21
Lente me gold, and as I can and may I will answer yoq; shortly to the point.
I thankBeyu, by God and by Saint Jame. Y~ have more slacki debtors than am I;
But natheess I took unto our Dame, For I will pay you well and readily,
Your wife at home, the same gold again, From day to day, and if so be I fail,
Upon your bench; she wot it well, certain, I am your wife, score it upon my tail,
B3y certain tokens that I can her tell. And I shall pay as soon as ever I may.
Now, by your leave, I may no longer dwell; For, by my troth, I have on mine array,
Our abbot will out of this town anon, And not in waste, bestow'd it every deal.
And in his company I muste gon. And, for I have bestowed it so well,
Greet well our Dame, mine owen niece sweet, For your honour, for Goddi's sake I say,
And farewell, deare cousin, till we meet." As be not wroth, but let us laugh and play.
This merchant, which that was full ware and Yce shall my jolly body have to wed;22
wise, By God, I will not pay eg but in bed;
Creanced hath, and paid eke in Paris Forgive it me, mine owen spouse dear;
To certain Lombards ready in their bond Turn hitherward, and makB better cheer."
The sum of gold, and got of them his bond, The merchant saw none other remedy;
And home he went, merry as a popinjay. And for to chide, it were but a folly,
For well he knew he stood in such array Since that the thing might not amended be.
That needis must he win in that voyage 0 "Now, wife," he said, "and I forgive it
A thousand francs, above all his costage. l te;
His wife full ready met him at the gate, But y thy lifi be no more so large;23
I Servants. 2 Merchandise. 12 Always. 13 Spent.
3 Raise money by means of a borrowing agreement; 14 A kind of estrangement, coolness.
from French, "achever," to finish; the general mean- 15 Was displeased. 16 Borrowing.
ing of the word is a bargain, an agreement. 17 Care. 18 Whit.
4 Crowns; French, " cu." 5 Took. 19 Thriving, success; from the verb "the " thrive,
6 Love. 7 Know. 8 Company. 9 Glad. 20 Profit, advantage. 21 Danger, awkward position,
10 By his journey to Bruges. il Expenses. 22 In pledge. 23 Liberal, lavish.