Epilogue to the Merchant's Tale
Folio 122r
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Come doun my lef and yif I haue myssayde
God helpe me so as I am euel apayde
But by my fadres soule y wende haue seyn
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How that this damyan had bi the layn
And that thi smok had leyn vpon thi brest
¶ Ye syr quod she ye may wene as yow lest
But syr a man that waketh out of his sleep
He may nat sodeynly wel take keepe
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Vpon a thing to se it parfitly
Til that he be adawed verrayly
¶ Ryght so a man that longe blynde hath ybe
Ne may nat sodeynly so wel y se
/a First whan his sight slaked be a while
Ther may ful many a sight yow bigile
Beth war I prey yow for bi heuene kyng
A man may ful lyghtly seen a thing
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And it is al a nother thanne it semeth
He that mys conseyueth he mys demeth
And wyth that word she leep doun fro the tre
¶ This Ianuarye who is glad but he
He kysseth hir and clippeth hir ful ofte
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And on hir wombe he stroketh hir ful softe
And to his paleys hoom hath he hir ladde
Now good men I pay yow to be gladde
Thus endeth here my tale of Ianuarye
God blesse vs and his modre seint marye
Here endeth the Marchantz tale
By goddes mercy seide our hoost tho
Now swich a wyf I prey god kepe me fro
Lo which sleightes and subtilitees
In wommen ben for as bisi as bees
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Ben thei vs sely men for to deceyue
And from a soth euer wol thei weyue
Bi this Marchantz tale it proueth wel
But doutelees as trew as any stele
I haue a wif thogh that she pore be
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But of hir tonge a labbyng shrew is she .