The Merchant's Tale
Folio 144v
24 of 32 folios
For al þat euer he couþe poure or prien
Ȝet was he blent as god wot so ben moo
870
That weneth wisly þat it be nougħt so
Passe ouer is an ease I say no more
This freissche may þat I spak of so ȝore
In warm wex hath emprynted þe cliket
That Ianuary bar of þe smale wiket
875
With which in to his gardyn ofte he went
And damyan þat knew al his entent
The cliket counterfeted priuely
Ther nys no more to say but hastily
Som wonder by þis cliket schal betyde
880
Which ȝe schal heeren if ȝe wol abyde
¶ O noble Ouyde wel soth saistow god woot
What sleight is it þough it be long & hoot
That he nyl fynd it out in som manere
By Piramus and Thesbe may men leere
885
Though þay were kept ful longe streyt ouer al
Thay ben accorded rownyng þurgh a wal
Ther no wight couþe han found out swich a sleigħt
But now to purpos er þat dayes eygħt
Were passid . er þe moneth of Iuyl bifille
890
That Ianuary haþ caught so gret a wille
Thorugh eggyng of his wyf him for to pleye
In his gardyn and no wight but we tweye
That in a morwe vnto þis may saith he /
Rys vp my wif . my loue . my lady fre /
895
The turtlis vois is herd my douue swete
The wynter is goon . with his raynes wete
Com forth now with . þin eyȝen columbine
How fairer ben þy brestes þan is þe wyne
The gardyn is enclosed al aboute
900
Com forth my swete spouse out of doute
Thow hast me wounded in myn hert . o . wyf
No spot of þe knew I in al my lif /
Com forth and let vs . take oure desport /
I ches þe for my wyf and my comfort
905
Such olde lewed wordes vsed he /