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=The Prologe of the Marchantes Tale.=
‘Weping and wayling, care, and other sorwe
I know y-nogh, on even and a-morwe,’
Quod the Marchaunt, ‘and so don othere mo 1215
That wedded been, I trowe that it be so.
For, wel I woot, it fareth so with me.
I have a wyf, the worste that may be;
For thogh the feend to hir y-coupled were,
She wolde him overmacche, I dar wel swere. 1220
What sholde I yow reherce in special
Hir hye malice? she is a shrewe at al. (10)
Ther is a long and large difference
Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
And of my wyf the passing crueltee. 1225
Were I unbounden, al-so moot I thee!
I wolde never eft comen in the snare.
We wedded men live in sorwe and care;
Assaye who-so wol, and he shal finde
I seye sooth, by seint Thomas of Inde, 1230
As for the more part, I sey nat alle.
God shilde that it sholde so bifalle! (20)
A! good sir hoost! I have y-wedded be
Thise monthes two, and more nat, pardee;
And yet, I trowe, he that all his lyve 1235
Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve
Un-to the herte, ne coude in no manere
Tellen so muchel sorwe, as I now here
Coude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!’
‘Now,’ quod our hoost, ‘Marchaunt, so god yow blesse, 1240
Sin ye so muchel knowen of that art,
Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.’ (30)
‘Gladly,’ quod he, ‘but of myn owene sore,
For sory herte, I telle may na-more.’
[427: T. 9121-9147.]
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