The Merchant's Tale
Folio 274r
27 of 30 folios
So falle vp on ȝoure bodyis ȝit to nyght
1010
Ne se ȝe nat this honurable knyght
By cause allas that he is blynd & old
His owene man schal make hym Cokewold
Lo heere he sit the lecchor in the tree
Now wele I graūtyn of myn mageste
1015
On to this olde blynde worthi knyght
That he schal han a ȝyn hic eyen sight
Whan that his wyf wolde don hȳ vilenye
Thāne schal he knowe al hire harloterye
Bothe in repref of hire & of othere mo
1020
Ȝe shal / quod Proserpyne wol ȝe so
Now by myn moderys syris soule I swere
That I schal ȝeue hire sufficiaū answere
And alle women aftyr for hire sake
That thow they ben in ony gilt I take
1025
With face bold they schuln hē self excuse
And bere hē doū that wolde hem accuse
For lak of answere non of hē schal deye
Al hadde men seyn a thyng with bothe hise eyen
Ȝit schul we wemen visage it hardely
1030
And weepe & swere & chyde subtyly
So þt ȝe men schul been as lewede as gees
What rekkith me of ȝoure autoriteis
I wot wel that this Iew this Salamon
Fond of vs wemen folis many on
1035
But thow he ne fond no good woman
Ȝit hath ther foūdyn manye a nothir man
Wemen ful trewe ful goode & verteuous
Witnesse that dwelle in crystis hous
With martyrdō they preuyn here cōstance
1040
The romayn geestis ek makyn remembraūce
Of manye a verray trewe wyf also
But sire benat wroth / al be it so
Thow that that he seye he fond no good woman
I prey ȝow takyth the sentense of the man
1045
He mente thus that in souereyn bountee
Nis noon but god that sit in trynitee