The Merchant's Tale
Folio 145r
25 of 32 folios
On damyan a signe made sche
That he schuld go . biforn with his cliket
This damyan þan haþ opened þe wiket
And in he stert and þat in such manere /
910
That no wight . it mighte see nor heere
And stille he seet vnder a bussch anoon
This Ianuary is blynd as is a stoon
With Mayus in his hond and no wight mo
In to his freische gardyn is ago
915
And clappid to þe wiket sodeinly
Now wyf quod he her nys but ȝe and I
Þat art þe creature þat I best loue
For by þat lord þat sit in heuen aboue
Leuer ich had to dyen on a knyf
920
Than þe offende deere trewe wyf
For goddes sake þenk how I þe chees
Nougħt for no coueytise douteles
But oonly for þe loue I had to þe
And þough þat I be old and may not se
925
Beeth trewe to me and I wol telle ȝow why
Thre þinges certes schul ȝe wynne þer by
First loue of crist and to ȝour self honour
And al myn heritage toun and tour
I ȝiue it ȝow makith chartres as ȝow leste
930
This schal ben doon to morw er sonne reste
So wisly god my soule bringe in blisse
I pray ȝow first in couenaūt ȝe me kisse
And þough þat I be ialous wyt me nougħt
Ȝe ben so deep emprinted in my þougħt
935
Þat whan þat I considre ȝour beaute
And þer wiþ al þe vnlikly eelde of me
I may nought certes þough I schulde dye
Forbere to ben out of ȝour companye
For verray loue þis is wiþouten doute
940
Now kisse me wyf and let vs Rome aboute
This freissche may whan sche his worde herde
Benignely to Ianuary answerde /
But first and forward sche bigan to wepe