The Merchant's Tale
Folio 272v
24 of 30 folios
895
The turteƚƚ voys is herd myn douwe sweete
The wyntir is goon with hise reynys sweete
Come forth with thȳne eyne colūbyn
Hou fayrere been thȳne brestis thā is wyn
The gardyn is enclosede al a boute
900
Com forth mȳ leue spouse out of doute
Thow hast me woūded in myn herte o wyf
No spot of the ne knowe I al myn lyf
Come forth & lat vs takyn oure disport
I cheese the for myn wif & myn confort
905
Sweche olde lowede wordys vsede he
On Damyan a signe made sche
That he schulde go bi forn wt his Cliket
Damyan hath thāne openid the weket
And in he sterte & that in swich manere
910
That no wyght myghte it wetȳ nothir I here
And stylle he sit vndyr a busch a noon
This Ianuarie as blynd as is a ston
With Mayus in his hand no wyȝt mo
In to his frosche gardyn is go
915
And clapte to the weket sodeynly
Now wyf he seyde heere nys but thow & .I.
That art the creatour that I best loue
For by that lord that sit in heuene a boue
Leuere I hadde to deyin on a knyf
920
Than ȝow offendȳ trewe deere wyf
For godys sake thynk how I the chees
Nought for no coueytyse douteles
But only for the loue I hadde to the
And thow that I be old & may not se
925
Beth to me trewe & I telle ȝow whi
Thre thyngis certis schul ȝe wȳne þer by
Fyrst loue of cist & to ȝoure self honour
And al myn eritage toun & tour
I ȝeue it ȝow makyth charteris as ȝow leste
930
This schal been don to morwe er sunne reste
So wysely mȳ soule good brynge to blysse
I prey ȝow fyrst in couenant ȝe me kysse