la? ” quoth he. “Peter! it am I,” Quoth she; “What, Sir, how longë all will ye fast? How longë time will ye reckon and cast Your summës, and your bookës, and your things? The devil have part of all such reckonings! Ye have enough, pardie, of Goddë’s sond. Come down to-day, and let your baggës stond. Ne be ye not ashamed, that Dan John Shall fasting all this day elengë gon? What? let us hear a mass, and go we dine.” “Wife,” quoth this man, “little canst thou divine The curious businessë that we have; For of us chapmen, all so God me save, And by that lord that cleped is Saint Ive, Scarcely amongës twenty, ten shall thrive Continually, lasting unto our age. We may well makë cheer and good viságe, And drivë forth the world as it may be, And keepen our estate in privity, Till we be dead, or ellës that we play A pilgrimage, or go out of the way. And therefore have I great necessity Upon this quaint world to advisë me. For evermorë must we stand in dread Of hap and fortune in our chapmanhead. To Flanders will I go to-morrow at day, And come again as soon as e’er I may: For which, my dearë wife, I thee beseek As be to every wight buxom and meek, And for to keep our good be curious, And honestly governë well our house. Thou hast enough, in every manner wise, That to a thrifty household may suffice. Thee lacketh none array, nor no vitail; Of silver in thy purse thou shalt not fail.”
And with that word his contour door he shet, And down he went; no longer would he let; And hastily a mass was therë said, And speedily the tables werë laid, And to the dinner fastë they them sped, And richëly this monk the chapman fed. And after dinner Dan John soberly This chapman took apart, and privily He said him thus: “Cousin, it standeth so, That, well I see, to Bruges ye will go; God and Saint Austin speedë you and guide. I pray you, cousin, wisely that ye ride: Governë you also of your diét Attemperly, and namely in this heat. Betwixt us two needeth no strangë fare; Farewell, cousín, God shieldë you from care. If any thing there be, by day or night, If it lie in my power and my might, That ye me will command in any wise, It shall be done, right as ye will devise. But one thing ere ye go, if it may be; I wouldë pray you for to lend to me A