The Merchant's Tale
Folio 137r
9 of 32 folios
Mo goode thewes þan hir vices badde
And al þis askith leyser to enquere
300
For god woot I . haue weped many a tere
Ful priuely syns I haue had a wyf
Prayse who so wil a weddid mannes lif
Certes I fynd in it but cost and care
And obseruaunce of alle blisses bare
305
And ȝit god woot myn neighebours aboute
And namely of wōmen many a route
Sayn þat I haue þe moste stedefast wyf /
And eek þe meekest oon þat berith lyf
But I woot best wher wryngith me my scho
310
Ȝe may for me rigħt as ȝow liste do
Auysith ȝow ȝe ben a man of age
How þat ȝe entren in to mariage
And namly with a ȝong wif and a fair
By him þat made water eorþe and air
315
The ȝongest man þat is in al þis route
Is busy ynough to bring it wel aboute
To haue his wif alloone trustith me
Ȝe schul not please hir fully ȝeres þre
This is to say to doon hir ful plesaunce
320
A wyf axith ful many an obseruaunce
I pray ȝow þat ȝe be not euel apayd
Wel quod þis Ianuary and hastow sayd
Straw for þy senec and for þy prouerbis
I coueyte nougħt a panyer ful of herbes
325
Of scole termes wiser men þan þow /
As I haue sayd assenten her right now
Vnto my purpos . placebo what say ȝe
I say it is a cursed man quod he /
That lettith matrimoigne sicurly
330
And with þat word þay rysen up sodeinly
And ben assented fully þat he scholde
Be weddid whan him lust . and wher he wolde
The fantasy . and þe curious busynesse
Fro day to day . gan in þe soule impresse
335
Of Ianuary aboute his mariage