The Merchant's Tale
Folio 158r
3 of 29 folios
And right anon seyde he þus to his queene
My wijf quod he þat may no wight seye nay
Þe experiens proueþ it euery day
995
Þe tresoun which þat wōman doþ to man
Ten hundred þousand tellen I can /
Notable of ȝour vntrouþe and brytilnes
O Salamon richest of aƚƚ richesse
Fulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie
1000
Ful worþy ben þyne wordes to memorie
To euery wigħt þat witt and resoū can
Þus preiseþ he ȝit þe bounte of man
Among a þousand men ȝit fond I ou
But of aƚƚ wōmen fond he neuer noon
1005
Þus seiþ þe king þat knoweþ ȝoure wickednes /
And Iħc filius Cyrak as I ges /
Ne spekeþ of ȝou but seeldyn reuerens
A wilde fuyre a corumpte pestilens
So falle vpon ȝour bodyes ȝit to nygħt
1010
Ne se ȝe nougħt þis honurable knigħt
By cause allas þat he is blynd and old
His owne man schal make him kokewold
Lo wher he sitte þe lecchour in þe tree
Now wol I gaunte of myn mageste
1015
Vnto þis olde blynde worþy knigħt
Þat he schal han aȝein his eyȝen sight
Whan þat his wijf wolde don him vylenye
Þan schal he knowe al hire harlottrie
Boþe in repreef of hire and oþer mo
1020
Ȝe schal quod Proserpyn and wol ȝe so
Now by my moodres syres soule I swere
Þat I schal ȝeuyn hire suffisaunt answere
And aƚƚ wōmen after for ȝour sake /
Þat þougħ þey ben in eny gilt y take
1025
Wiþ face bold þei schollen hemself excuse
And bere hem doun þat wolden hem accuse /
For lakke of answere non of hem scholde deyen