The Merchant's Tale
Folio 139r
22 of 26 folios
An piue signes wist he what sche ment
And sche knewe of þe syne of his entent
O Ianuare what myht þe availe
Þouhe þou myht see as fer as schippes saile
865
For also good is ablynde deceyued be
As to be deceiued whan a man may se
Lo Argus whiche þat hadd . an .C. yene
For aƚƚ þat euere he couþe poure oþir pine
Ȝit was he blent & god wote so be me moo
870
That wenene wisly þat it is nouht soo
Passeouer is an ese & seie nomore
This fresche maie of whiche .I. spak of ȝore
In warme wax haþe emprintid þis cliket
Þat Ianuare bare of þat smale wiket
875
Be whiche in to his gardine oft he went
And Damyan þat knewe hire entent
The cleket couterfetid piuely
There is nomore to seie bot hastely
Some wonder be his cleket scha be tide
880
Whiche ȝe sche schollen here if ȝe wollen abide
O noble Ouide soþe seist þou god woote
What sleyht is it þouhe it be longe & hote
That he nil finde it oute in sōme manere
By Pyramus & thesbe maie men lere .
885
Thouhe þei were kepped ful longe steite ouer al
Thei biene acorded rowneinge þoruhe a wal
There is no whight couþe han founde oute suche a sleihte
Bot nowe to purpos ar þat daies eyhte
Were passe or þe Moneþ of Iuyl befyƚƚ
890
Þat Ianuar haþ cauht so grete a wiƚƚ
Thoruhe engine of his wife him for to pleie
In his Gardine & no whiht bot þei tweie
That in a mor vn to his may seide he
Rise vp my wife my loue my lady fre
895
The turtlys voice is herde my doufe swete
The winter is gone wiþ al Reynes wete
Com forþe nowe wiþ þin eyȝen Columbyne
Howe feirer bnen þi b\r/estes þant is wyne
The gardine es enclosed al aboute
900
Com forþe my white spouse oute of doute
Þou hast me wounded in myn hert o wif
No spotte in þe was in al my lif