University of Virginia Library

At Constantynnoble in þat Cite
Dwelled a Marchaunt of herte fre,
Sumtyme was riche, ful of lewte,
And after fel in pouerte;
And, as þe Bokes telles vs,
He was i-clept Teodorus.
He louede god and vre ladi,
And serued þat Mayden speciali.
And in þat Cite, soþliche,
A Ieuh þer dwelled, was wonder Riche;
In his lay he hedde good name,
He was I-clepet Abrahame.
Theodorus he louede wele,
Gret lykyng hedde wiþ him to dele.
Theodorus hedde þouht and care,
ffor he nedde not wiþ to chaffare;
He caste him þerfore to borwe.
To þe Ieuh he wente a-Morwe;
Þer he told him his Mischeef
And preiede hym of sum Releef,
Of his Gold him for to lene,
And þus to hym he gon hym mene.
Þe Ieuh onswerde wiþ gret honour:
“Loke hou þou maiht make me seur
Me to paye at certeyn day,
And þe to helpe I schal assay.”
Theodorus seide: “icham be-hynde,
ffor me þer wol no Mon hym bynde;
He þat sum-tyme was my fere
Me passeþ bi wiþ-outen chere.
But ȝif þou dorstest be so hardi
To take vr ladi seinte Mari
ffor my Borw, be Mi ffay,
I schulde þe pay wel at þi day.”
Þe Ieuh seide: “my goode feere,
I graunte þe, sire, þi preyere,
ffor I haue herd ofte-siþe
Þat ladi is Corteis and Bliþe,
Men seiþ heo wol hem neuer fayle
Þat in hire seruise wol trauayle.
Þerfore go we in to ȝour chirche,
And þer þis forward we wol worche;
Þer is an ymage of hire iliche,
A-Rayed wel wiþ Iuweles Riche:
Tac þou hire me þer bi þe hond!
Of þe kep i non oþur bond.”