The Merchant's Tale
Folio 274v
28 of 30 folios
Ey for verray god that is but on
What make ȝe so meche of salamon
What thow he made a temple godys hous
1050
What thow he weere ryche & gloryous
So maade he ek a temple of false goddis
How myȝte he don a thyng that moore forbodȳ is
Parde as fayre as ȝe his name enplaystre
He was a lechour & an ydolastere
1055
And in his elde he verray god for sok
And ȝif god ne hadde as seyth the bood
I sparede for his faderis sake he schulde
Haue lost his regne rathere thā he wolde
I sette ryght noght al~~ al the vilanye
1060
That ȝe of wemen wryte a Botyrflye
I am a woman nedis muste I speke
Or ellis swelle tyl myn herte breke
For sithyn he seyde we been Iangleressis
As euerre mote I brouke mȳne tressis
1065
I schal nat spare for nō curteysye
To speke hȳ harm that wolde hȳ vilanye
Dame quod this pluto be no lengere wroth
I ȝeue it vp but sithe I swor myn oth
That I wolde graūten hym his syghte a geyn
1070
Mȳ word schal stonde I werne ȝow certeyn
I am a kyng it sit me not to lye
And I quod sche a quen of fayrye
Hire answere schal sche hā I vndyr take
Lat vs no moore wordis hereof make
1075
For sothe I wele no lengere ȝow contrarye
Now lat vs turne agayn to Ianuarye
That in the gardyn with his fayre May
Syngith ful muriere than the popyniay
Ȝow loue I best & schal & othir noon
1080
So longe a boute the aleyis is he goon
Til he was comyn a geyn thilke pirie
Where as this Damyan sittyth ful merye
An hye a mong the frossche leuys grene
This frosche may that is so bryȝt & schene