The Merchant's Tale
Folio 273v
26 of 30 folios
For in a lettere sche hadde told hȳ al
Of this matire how he werchin schal
And thus I leete hym sitte vp on the pyrye
And Ianuarye & May romynge merie
975
Bryȝt was the day & blev the fyrmament
Phebus hath of gold hise stremys doū sent
To gladyn euery flour with his gladnesse
He was that tyme in gemynys as I gesse
But lytyl frō his declynacioū /
980
Of Cancer Iouis exaltacioū
And so byfel that bryȝte morwe tyde
That in that gardyn in the ferthere syde
Pluto that is kyng of fayrye
And manye a lady in his cūpainygnye
985
Folwynge his wyf the queen Proserpyne
Eche aftyr othir right as ony lyue
Whil that sche gaderede flourys in the mede
In Claudian ȝe may the storijs rede
How in his gr\e/sely carte he hire sette
990
This kyng of fayrye thāne a doū hȳ sette
Vp on a bench of turuys frosche & greene
And ryght a non thus seyde he to his queene
Myn wyf quod he there may no man sey nay
Texperience so preuyth euery day
995
The tresoū / which that wemen doon to man
Ten hunderede thousent tellyn I can
Notable of ȝoure ontrouthe & brotilnesse
O Salamon wys & rycheste of rychesfe
Ful fyld of sapience & of wordely glorye
1000
Ful worthi been thȳne wordis to memorie
To euery witht that wit & resoū can
Thus preyseþ he ȝit the bounte of man
A mongis a thousent men ȝit fond I oon
But of wemen alle fond I noon
1005
Thus seyde þõ kyng þt knowith ȝore wikkedenesse
And Iħc filyus Syrac as I gesse
Ne spekyth of ȝou but selde reuerence
A wylde fyr & corupt pestulence