| | At Cristemasse mery mowe ye daunce | |
| | Ye sekyn lond and se for your wynnyngis | |
| 30 | And as wyse folk ye knowe al the state | |
| | Of reygnes that been fadir of tidingis | |
| | And talis bothe of pees and of debaat | |
| | I were right now of a tale desolaat | |
| | Ne were that a Marchant gon is many a yere | |
| 35 | Me taughte a tale whiche ye mowe here | |
| | I | N Surry whylom duellyd a companye | |
| | Of Chapmen riche therto sad & trewe | |
| | That wyde where senten their spicerye | |
| | Clothis of gold & satyn riche of hewe | |
| 40 | Her chaffare was so trusty and so newe | |
| | That euery wight hath deynte of her chaffare | |
| | And eke with hem to selle here ware | |
| | Now fyl it that the maistris of the sort | |
| | Haue shapen hem to Rome forto wende | |
| 45 | Were it for chapman hood or for disport | |
| | Non othir message wold they thyder sende | |
| | But cam hem self to Rome this is the ende | |
| | And in suche place as thoughte hem auantage | |
| | For her entent they takyn her herbygage | |
| 50 | Soiourned haue thyse marchantis in that toun | |
| | A certeyn tyme as fyl for her plesaunce | |
| | But so be fyl that the excellent renoun | |
| | Of the Emperours doughter dame Constance | |
| | Reported was with euery circumstaunce | |
| 55 | Vnto thyse marchantis in suche wyse | |
| | Fro day to day as y shal you deuyse | |