The Merchant's Tale
Folio 146r
27 of 32 folios
That in þat Gardyn in þe ferþer syde /
Pluto þat is kyng of fayerye
And many a lady in his compaignie
985
Folwyng his wif þe queene preserpine
Ech after oþer as right as a lyne
Whil þat sche gadred floures in þe mede
In claudian ȝe may þe story rede
How in his grisly carte he hir sette
990
This king of fayry þan a doun him sette
Vpon a bench of turues freissh and greene
And right anoon þus sayd he to his queene
¶ My wyf quod he þer may no wight say nay
Thexperiens so preueth euery day
995
The tresoun which þat wōman doth to man
Ten hundrid þousand . tellen I can
Notable of ȝour vntrouth and brutelnesse
O . Salamon wys and richest of richesse /
Fulfild of Sapiens . and of worldly glorie /
1000
Ful worþy ben þy wordes to memorie
To euery wight þat wit and resoū can
Thus praysith he ȝit þe bounte of man
Among a þousand men ȝit fond I oon
But of wōmen alle fond I noon
1005
Thus saith þe king þat knoweth ȝour wikkednesse
And Iħc filius Sirac as I gesse /
Ne spekith of ȝow but selde reuerence
A . wilde fuyr and corrupt pestilence
So falle vpon ȝour bodies ȝit to nigħt
1010
Ne se ȝe not þis honurable knigħt
By cause allas þat he is blynd and old
His owne man schal make him cokewold
Loo wher he sitt . þe lecchour in þe tre
Now wol I graunten of my maieste
1015
Vnto þis olde blinde worþy knight
Þat he schal haue aȝein his eyȝen sigħt
Whan þat his wyf wol do him vilonye
Than schal he knowe al her harlotrye
Boþe in reproef of hir and oþer mo