The Merchant's Tale
Folio 117v
20 of 29 folios
He bar alwey of siluer a cliket
Wyth which whan that him lest he it vnshet
And whan he wolde pay his wif hir det
805
In somer sesoun thider wolde he go
And May his wif and no wyght but thei two
And thinges which were nat doon abedde
He in the gardeyn parformed hem and spedde
And in this wise many a mery day
810
Lyued this Ianuarye and ek fressh may
But worldly ioy may nat alwey dure
To Ianuarye ne to no creature
O. sodeyn hap .o. thou fortune vnstable
Like to the scorpioun so deceyuable
815
That flatrest wyth thin heed whan thow wolt stynge
Thi tayl is deth thurgh thin envenymynge
O bretil ioy o. swete venym queynte
O monstre so sotillich kanst peynte
Thi yeftes vnder hew of stedfastnesse
820
That thow desceyuest bothe more and lesse
Whi hastow Ianuarye thus deceyued
That haddest for thi ful frende him receyued
Now thow hast rafte him bothe his eyen
For sorwe of which desireth he to dyen
825
Allas this noble Ianuarie free
Amyd his lust and his prosperite
Is woxen blynde and that al sodeynly
He wepith and he wailleth ful pitously
And therwith al the fir of Ialousye
830
Lest that his wif sholde falle in som foly
So brent his hert that he wold fayn
That som man bothe him and hir had slayn
For neither after his deth ne in his lif
Ne wolde he that she were loue ne wif
835
But euer lyue as widow in clothes blake
Sool as the turtil that lost hath hir make
But atte last after a month or twey
His sorwe gan aswage sooth to sey
And whan he wist it myght noon other be
840
He paciently took his aduersite