The Merchant's Tale, ll. 33-1206 (The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer)

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Merchant's Tale

Heere bigynneth the Marchantes Tale

	Whilom ther was dwellynge in Lumbardye
	A worthy knyght, that born was of Pavye,
35	In which he lyved in greet prosperitee;
	And sixty yeer a wyflees man was hee,
	And folwed ay his bodily delyt
	On wommen, ther as was his appetyt,
	As doon thise fooles that been seculeer.
40	And whan that he was passed sixty yeer,
	Were it for hoolynesse or for dotage,
	I kan nat seye, but swich a greet corage
	Hadde this knyght to been a wedded man
	That day and nyght he dooth al that he kan
45	T'espien where he myghte wedded be,
	Preyinge oure lord to graunten him that he
	Mighte ones knowe of thilke blisful lyf
	That is bitwixe an housbonde and his wyf,
	And for to lyve under that hooly boond
50	With which that first God man and womman bond.
	"Noon oother lyf," seyde he, "is worth a bene;
	For wedlok is so esy and so clene,
	That in this world it is paradys."
	Thus seyde this olde knyght, that was so wys.

55	And certeinly, as sooth as God is kyng,
	To take a wyf it is a glorious thyng,
	And namely whan a man is oold and hoor;
	Thanne is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor.
	Thanne sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir,
60	On which he myghte engendren hym and heir,
	And lede his lyf in joye and in solas,
	Where as thise bacheleris synge allas,
	Whan that they funden any adversitee
	In love, which nys but childyssh vanytee.
65	And trewely it sit wel to be so,
	That bacheleris have often peyne and wo;
	On brotel ground they buylde, and brotelnesse
	They fynde, whan they wene sikernesse.
	They lyve but as a bryd or as a beest,
70	In libertee, and under noon arreest,
	Ther as a wedded man in his estaat
	Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,
	Under this yok of mariage ybounde.
	Wel may his herte in joy and blisse habounde,
75	For who kan be so buxom as a wyf?
	Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
	To kepe hym, syk and hool, as is his make?
	For wele or wo she wole hym nat forsake;
	She nys nat wery hym to love and serve,
80	Thogh that he lye bedrede, til he sterve.
	And yet somme clerkes seyn it nys nat so,
	Of whiche he Theofraste is oon of tho.
	What force though Theofraste liste lye?
	"Ne take no wyf," quod he, "for housbondrye,
85	As for to spare in houshold thy dispence.
	A trewe servant dooth moore diligence
	Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf,
	For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf.
	And if that thou be syk, so God me save,
90	Thy verray freendes, or a trewe knave,
	Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
	After thy good and hath doon many a day.
	And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hoold,
	Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold."
95	This sentence, and an hundred thynges worse,
	Writeth this man, ther God his bones corse!
	But take no kep of al swich vanytee;
	Deffie Theofraste, and herke me.

	A wyf is Goddes yifte verraily;
100	Alle othere manere yiftes hardily,
	As londes, rentes, pasture, or commune,
	Or moebles, alle been yiftes of fortune,
	That passen as a shadwe upon a wal.
	But drede nat, if pleynly speke I shal,
105	A wyf wol laste, and thyn hous endure,
	Wel lenger than thee list, paraventure.
	Mariage is a ful greet sacrement.
	He which that hath no wyf, I holde hym shent;
	He lyveth helplees and al desolat, --
110	I speke of folk in seculer estaat.
	And herke why, I sey nat this for noght,
	That womman is for mannes helpe ywroght.
	The hye God, whan he hadde Adam maked,
	And saugh him al allone, bely-naked,
115	God of his grete goodnesse syde than,
	"Lat us now make an helpe unto this man
	Lyk to hymself"; and thanne he made him Eve.
	Heere may ye se, and heerby may ye preve,
	That wyf is mannes helpe and his confort,
120	His paradys terrestre, and his disport.
	So buxom and so vertuous is she,
	They moste nedes lyve in unitee.
	O flessh they been, and o fleesh, as I gesse,
	Hath but oon herte, in wele and in distresse.
125	A wyf! a, Seinte Marie, benedicite!
	How myghte man han any adversitee
	That hath a wyf? certes, I kan nat seye.
	The blisse which that is bitwixe hem tweye
	Ther may no tonge telle, or herte thynke.
130	If he be povre, she helpeth hym to swynke;
	She kepeth his good, and wasteth never a deel;
	Al that hire housbonde lust, hire liketh weel;
	She seith nat ones "nay", whan he seith "ye".
	"Do this," seith he; "Al redy, sire," seith she.
135	O blisful ordre of wedlok precious,
	Thou art so murye, and eek so vertuous,
	And so commended and appreved eek
	That every man that halt hym worth a leek,
	Upon his bare knees oughte al his lyf
140	Thanken his God that hym hath sent a wyf,
	Or elles preye to God hym for to sende
	A wyf, to laste unto his lyves ende.
	For thanne his lyf is set in sikernesse;
	He may nat be deceyved, as I gesse,
145	So that he werke after his wyves reed.
	Thanne may he boldely beren up his heed,
	They been so trewe, and therwithal so wyse;
	For which, if thou wolt werken as the wyse,
	Do alwey so as wommen wol thee rede.

150	Lo, how that Jacob, as thise clerkes rede,
	By good conseil of his mooder Rebekke,
	Boond the kydes skyn aboute his nekke,
	For which his fadres benyson he wan.
	Lo, Judith, as the storie eek telle kan,
155	By wys conseil she Goddes peple kepte,
	And slow hym Olofernus, whil he slepte.
	Lo Abigayl, by good conseil, how she
	Saved hir housbonde Nabal, whan that he
	Sholde han be slayn; and looke, Ester also
160	By good conseil delyvered out of wo
	The peple of God, and made hym Mardochee
	Of Assuere enhaunced for to be.
	Ther nys no thyng in gree superlatyf,
	As seith Senek, above and humble wyf.
165	Suffre thy wyves tonge, as Catoun bit;
	She shal comande, and thou shalt suffren it,
	And yet she wole obeye of curteisye.
	A wyf is kepere of thyn housbondrye;
	Wel may the sike man biwaille and wepe,
170	Ther as ther nys no wyf the hous to kepe.
	I warne thee, if wisely thou wolt wirche,
	Love wel thy wyf, as Crist loved his chirche.
	If thou lovest thyself, thou lovest thy wyf;
	No man hateth his flessh, but in his lyf
175	He fostreth it, and therfore bidde I thee,
	Cherisse thy wyf, or thou shalt nevere thee.
	Housbonde and wyf, what so men jape or pleye,
	Of worldly folk holden the siker weye;
	They been so knyt ther may noon harm bityde,
180	And namely upon the wyves syde.
	For which this Januarie, of whom I tolde,
	Considered hath, inwith his dayes olde,
	The lusty lyf, the vertuous quyete,
	That is in mariage hony-sweete;
185	And for his freendes on a day he sente,
	To tellen hem th'effect of his entente.

	With face sad his tale he hath hem toold.
	He seyde, "Freendes, I am hoor and oold,
	And almost, God woot, on my pittes brynke;
190	Upon my soule somwhat moste I thynke.
	I have my body folily despended;
	Blessed be God that it shal been amended!
	For I wol be, certeyn, a wedded man,
	And that anoon in al the haste I kan.
195	Unto som mayde fair and tendre of age,
	I prey yow, shapeth for my mariage
	Al sodeynly, for I wol nat abyde;
	And I wol fonde t'espien, on my syde,
	To whom I may be wedded hastily.
200	But forasmuche as ye been mo than I,
	Ye shullen rather swich a thyng espyen
	Than I, and where me best were to allyen.
	"But o thyng warne I yow, my freendes deere,
	I wol moon oold wyf han in no manere.
205	She shal nat passe twenty yeer, certayn;
	Oold fissh and yong flessh wolde I have ful fayn.
	Bet is," quod he, "a pyk than a pykerel,
	And bet than old boef is the tendre veel.
	I wol no womman thritty yeer of age;
210	It is but bene-straw and greet forage.
	And eek thise olde wydwes, God it woot,
	They konne so muchel craft on Wades boot,
	So muchel broken harm, whan that hem leste,
	That with hem sholde I nevere lyve in reste.
215	For sondry scoles maken sotile clerkis;
	Womman of manye scoles half a clerk is.
	But certeynly, a yong thyng may men gye,
	Right as men may warm wex with handes plye.
	Wherfore I sey yow pleynly, in a clause,
220	I wol noon oold wyf han right for this cause.
	For if so were I hadde swich myschaunce,
	That I in hire ne koude han no plesaunce,
	Thanne sholde I lede my lyf in avoutrye,
	And go streight to the devel, whan I dye.
225	Ne children sholde I none upon hire geten;
	Yet were me levere houndes hand me eten,
	Than that myn heritage sholde falle
	In straunge hand, and this I telle yow alle.
	I dote nat, I woot the cause why
230	Men sholde wedde, and forthermoore woot I,
	Ther speketh many a man of mariage
	That woot namoore of it than woot my page,
	For whiche causes man sholde take a wyf.
	If he ne may nat lyven chaast his lyf,
235	Take hym a wyf with greet devocioun,
	By cause of leveful procreacioun
	Of children, to th'onour of God above,
	And nat oonly for paramour or love;
	And for they sholde leccherye eschue,
240	And yelde hir dette whan that it is due;
	Or for that ech of hem sholde helpen oother
	In meschief, as a suster shal the brother;
	And lyve in chastitee ful holily.
	But sires, by youre leve, that am nat I.
245	For, God be thanked! I dar make avaunt,
	I feele my lymes stark and suffisaunt
	To do al that a man bilongeth to;
	I woot myselven best what I may do.
	Though I be hoor, I fare as dooth a tree
250	That blosmeth er that fruyt ywoxen bee;
	And blosmy tree nys neither drye ne deed.
	I feele me nowhere hoor but on myn heed;
	Myn herte and alle my lymes been as grene
	As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene.
255	And syn that ye han herd al myn entente,
	I prey yow to my wyl ye wole assente.

	Diverse men diversely hym tolde
	Of mariage manye ensamples olde.
	Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn;
260	But atte laste, shortly for to seyn,
	As al day falleth altercacioun
	Bitwixen freendes in disputisoun,
	Ther fil a stryf bitwixe his bretheren two,
	Of whiche that oon was cleped Placebo,
265	Justinus soothly called was that oother.
	Placebo seyde, "O Januarie, brother,
	Ful litel nede hadde ye, my lord so deere,
	Conseil to axe of any that is heere,
	But that ye been so ful of sapience
270	That yow ne liketh, for youre heighe prudence,
	To weyven fro the word of Salomon.
	This word seyde he unto us everychon:
	Wirk alle thyng by conseil," - thus seyde he,
	"And thanne shaltow nat repente thee." -
275	But though that Salomon spak swich a word,
	Myn owene deere brother and my lord,
	So wysly God my soule brynge at reste,
	I holde youre owene conseil is the beste.
	For, brother myn, of me taak this motyf,
280	I have now been a court-man al my lyf,
	And God it woot, though I unworthy be,
	I have stonden in ful greet degree
	Abouten lordes of ful heigh estaat;
	Yet hadde I nevere with noon of hem debaat.
285	I nevere hem contraried, trewely;
	I woot wel that my lord kan moore than I.
	With that he seith, I holde it ferme and stable;
	I seye the same, or elles thyng semblable.
	A ful greet fool is any conseillour
290	That serveth any lord of heigh honour,
	That dar presume, or elles thanken it,
	That his conseil sholde passe his lordes wit.
	Nay, lordes been no fooles, by my fay!
	Ye han youreselven shewed heer to-day
295	So heigh sentence, so holily and weel,
	That I consente and conferme everydeel
	Youre wordes alle and youre opinioun.
	By God, ther nys no man in al this toun,
	Ne in Ytaille, that koude bet han sayd!
300	Crist halt hym of this conseil ful wel apayd.
	And trewely, it is an heigh corage
	Of any man that stapen is in age
	To take a yong wyf; by my fader kyn,
	Youre herte hangeth on a joly pyn!
305	Dooth now in this matiere right as yow leste,
	For finally I holde it for the beste."

	Justinus, that ay stille sat and herde,
	Right in this wise he to Placebo answerde:
	"Now, brother myn, be pacient, I preye,
310	Syn ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye.
	Senek, amonges othere wordes wyse,
	Seith that a man oghte hym right wel avyse
	To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel.
	And syn I oghte avyse me right wel
315	To whom I yeve my good awey from me,
	Wel muchel moore I oghte avysed be
	To whom I yeve my body for alwey.
	I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley
	To take a wyf withouten avysement.
320	Men moste enquere, this is myn assent,
	Wher she be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe,
	Or proud, or elles ootherweys a shrewe,
	A chidestere, or wastour of thy good,
	Or riche, or poore, or elles mannyssh wood.
325	Al be it so that no man fynden shal
	Noon in this world that trotteth hool in al,
	Ne man, ne beest, swich as men koude devyse;
	But nathelees it oghte ynough suffise
	With any wyf, if so were that she hadde
330	Mo goode thewes than hire vices badde;
	And al this axeth leyser for t'enquere.
	For, God it woot, I have wept many a teere
	Ful pryvely, syn I have had a wyf.
	Preyse whoso wole a wedded mannes lyf,
335	Certein I fynde in it but cost and care
	And observances, of alle blisses bare.
	And yet, God woot, my neighebores aboute,
	And namely of wommen many a route,
	Seyn that I have the mooste stedefast wyf,
340	And eek the mekeste oon that bereth lyf;
	But I woot best where wryngeth me my sho.
	Ye mowe, for me, right as yow liketh do;
	Avyseth yow - ye been a man of age -
	How that ye entren into mariage,
345	And namely with a yong wyf and a fair.
	By hym that made water, erthe, and air,
	The yongeste man that is in al this route
	Is bisy ynough to bryngen it aboute
	To han his wyf allone. Trusteth me,
350	Ye shul nat plesen hire fully yeres thre, -
	This is to seyn, to doon hire ful plesaunce.
	A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce.
	I prey yow that ye be nat yvele apayd."
	"Wel," quod this Januarie, "and hastow ysayd?
355	Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes!
	I counte nat a panyer ful of herbes
	Of scole-termes. Wyser men than thow,
	As thou hast herd, assenteden right now
	To my purpos. Placebo, what sey ye?"
360	"I seye it is a cursed man," quod he,
	"That letteth matrimoigne, sikerly."
	And with that word they rysen sodeynly,
	And been assented fully that he sholde
	Be wedded whanne hym liste, and where he wolde.
365	Heigh fantasye and curious bisynesse
	Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
	Of Januarie aboute his mariage.
	Many fair shap and many a fair visage
	Ther passeth thurgh his herte nyght by nyght,
370	As whoso tooke a mirour, polisshed bryght,
	And sette it in a commune market-place,
	Thanne sholde he se ful many a figure pace
	By his mirour; and in the same wyse
	Gan Januarie inwith his thoght devyse
375	Of maydens whiche that dwelten hym bisyde.
	He wiste nat wher that he myghte abyde.
	For if that oon have beaute in hir face,
	Another stant so in the peples grace
	For hire sadnesse and hire benyngnytee
380	That of the peple grettest voys hath she;
	And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
	But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game,
	He atte laste apoynted hym on oon,
	And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
385	And chees hire of his owene auctoritee;
	For love is blynd alday, and may nat see.
	And whan that he was in his bed ybroght,
	He purtreyed in his herte and in his thoght
	Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
390	Hir myddel smal, hire armes longe and sklendre,
	Hir wise governaunce, hir gentillesse,
	Hir wommanly berynge, and hire sadnesse.
	And whan that he on hire was condescended,
	Hym thoughte his choys myghte nat ben amended.
395	For whan that he hymself concluded hadde,
	Hym thoughte ech oother mannes wit so badde
	That inpossible it were to repplye
	Agayn his choys, this was his fantasye.
	His freendes sente he to, at his instaunce,
400	And preyed hem to doon hym that plesaunce,
	That hastily they wolden to hym come;
	He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some.
	Nedeth namoore for hym to go ne ryde;
	He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
405	Placebo cam, and eek his freendes soone,
	And alderfirst he bad hem alle a boone,
	That noon of hem none argumentes make
	Agayn the purpos which that he hath take,
	Which purpos was plesant to God, seyde he,
410	And verray ground of his prosperitee.

	He seyde ther was a mayden in the toun,
	Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun,
	Al were it so she were of smal degree;
	Suffiseth hym hir yowthe and hir beautee.
415	Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf,
	To lede in ese and hoolynesse his lyf;
	And thanked God that he myghte han hire al,
	That no wight his blisse parten shal.
	And preyed hem to laboure in this nede,
420	And shapen that he faille nat to spede;
	For thanne, he seyde, his spirit was at ese.
	"Thanne is," quod he, "no thyng may me displese,
	Save o thyng priketh in my conscience,
	The which I wol reherce in youre presence.
425	I have," quod he, "herd seyd, ful yoore ago,
	Ther may no man han parfite blisses two, -
	This is to seye, in erthe and eek in hevene.
	For though he kepe hym fro the synnes sevene,
	And eek from every branche of thilke tree,
430	Yet is ther so parfit felicitee
	And so greet ese and lust in mariage,
	That evere I am agast now in myn age
	That I shal lede now so myrie a lyf,
	So delicat, withouten wo and stryf,
435	That I shal have myn hevene in erthe heere.
	For sith that verray hevene is boght so deere
	With tribulation and greet penaunce,
	How sholde I thanne, that lyve in swich plesaunce
	As alle wedded men doon with hire wyvys,
440	Come to the blisse ther rist eterne on lyve ys?
	This is my drede, and ye, my bretheren tweye,
	Assoilleth me this question, I preye."
	Justinus, which that hated his folye,
	Answerde anon right in his japerye;
445	And for he wolde his longe tale abregge,
	He wolde noon auctoritee allegge,
	But seyde, "Sire, so ther be noon obstacle
	Oother than this, God of his hygh myracle
	And of his mercy may so for yow wirche
450	That, er ye have youre right of hooly chirche,
	Ye may repente of wedded mannes lyf,
	In which ye seyn ther is no wo ne stryf.
	And elles, God forbede but he sente
	A wedded man hym grace to repente
455	Wel ofte rather than a sengle man!
	And therfore, sire - the beste reed I kan -
	Dispeire yow noght, but have in youre memorie,
	Paraunter she may be youre purgatorie!
	She may be Goddes meene and Goddes whippe;
460	Thanne shal youre soule up to hevene skippe
	Swifter than dooth and arwe out of bowe.
	I hope to God, herafter shul ye knowe
	That ther nys no so greet felicitee
	In mariage, ne nevere mo shal bee,
465	That yow shal lette of youre savacion,
	So that ye sue, as skile is an reson,
	The lustes of youre wyf attemprely,
	And that ye plese hire nat to amorously,
	And that ye kepe yow eek from oother synne.
470	My tale is doon, for my wit is thynne.
	Beth nat agast herof, my brother deere,
	But lat us waden out of this mateere.
	The Wyf of Bathe, if ye han understonde,
	Of mariage, which we have on honde,
475	Declared hath ful wel in litel space.
	Fareth now wel, God have yow in his grace."

	And with this word this Justyn and his brother
	Han take hir leve, and ech of hem of oother.
	For whan they saughe that it moste nedes be,
480	They wroghten so, by sly and wys tretee,
	That she, this mayden, which that Mayus highte,
	As hastily as evere that she myghte,
	Shal wedded be unto this Januarie.
	I trowe it were to longe yow to tarie,
485	If I yow tolde of every scrit and bond
	By which that she was feffed in his lond,
	Or for to herknen of hir riche array.
	But finally ycomen is the day
	That to the chirche bothe be they went
490	For to receyve the hooly sacrement.
	Forth comth the preest, with stole aboute his nakke,
	And bad hire be lyk Sarra and Rebekke
	In wysdom and in trouthe of mariage;
	And seyde his orisons, as is usage,
495	And croucheth hem, and bad God sholde hem blesse,
	And made al siker ynogh with hoolynesse.
	Thus been they wedded with solempnitee,
	And at the feeste sitteth he and she
	With othere worthy folk upon the deys.
500	Al ful of joye and blisse is the paleys,
	And ful of instrumentz and of vitaille,
	The mooste deyntevous of al Ytaille.
	Biforn hem stoode instrumentz of swich soun
	That Orpheus, ne of Thebes Amphioun,
505	Ne maden nevere swich a melodye.
	At every cours thanne cam loud mynstralcye,
	That nevere tromped Joab for to heer,
	Nor he Theodomas, yet half so cleere,
	At Thebes, whan the citee was in doute.
510	Bacus the wyn hem shynketh al aboute,
	And Venus laugheth upon every wight,
	For Januarie was bicome hir knyght,
	And wolde bothe assayen his corage
	In libertee, and eek in mariage;
515	And with hire fyrbrond in hire hand aboute
	Daunceth biforn the bryde and al the route.
	And certeinly, I dar right wel seyn this,
	Ymeneus, that God of weddyng is,
	Saugh nevere his lyf so myrie a wedded man.
520	Hoold thou thy pees, thou poete Marcian,
	That writest us that ilke weddyng murie
	Of hire Philologie and hym Mercurie,
	And of the songes that the Muses songe!
	To smal is bothe thy penen, and eek thy tonge,
525	For to descryven of this mariage.
	Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stoupyng age,
	Ther is swich myrthe that it may nat be writen.
	Assayeth it youreself, thanne may ye witen
	If that I lye or noon in this matiere.

530	Mayus, that sit with so benyngne a chiere,
	Hire to biholde it semed fayerye.
	Queene Ester looked nevere with swich an ye
	On Assuer, so meke a look hath she.
	I may yow nat devyse al hir beautee.
535	But thus muche of hire beautee telle I may,
	That she was lyk the brighte morwe of May,
	Fulfild of alle beautee and plesaunce.
	This Januarie is ravysshed in a traunce
	At every tyme he looked on hir face;
540	But in his herte he gan hire to manace
	That he that nyght in armes wolde hire streyne
	Harder than evere Parys dide Eleyne.
	But nathelees yet hadde he greet pitee
	That thilke nyght offenden hire moste he,
545	And thoughte, "Allas! O tendre creature,
	Now wolde God ye myghte wel endure
	Al my corage, it is so sharp and keene!
	I am agast ye shul it nat sustene.
	But God forbede that I dide al my myght!
550	Now wolde God that it were woxen nyght,
	And that the nyght wolde lasten everemo.
	I wolde that al this peple were ago."
	And finally he dooth al his labour,
	As he best myghte, savynge his honour,
555	To haste hem fro the mete in subtil wyse.
	The tyme cam that resoun was to ryse;
	And after that men daunce and drynken faste,
	And spices al aboute the hous they caste,
	And ful of joye and blisse is every man, -
560	Al but a squyer, highte Damyan,
	Which carf biforn the knyght ful many a day.
	He was so ravysshed on his lady May
	That for the verray peyne he was ny wood.
	Almoost he swelte and swowned ther he stood,
565	So soore hath Venus hurt hym with hire brond,
	As that she bar it daunsynge in hire hond;
	And to his bed he wente hym hastily.
	Namoore of hym as at this tyme speke I,
	But there I lete hym wepe ynogh and pleyne,
570	Til fresshe May wol rewen on his peyne.
	O perilous fyr, that in the bedstraw bredeth!
	O famulier foo, that his servyce bedeth!
	O servant traytour, false hoomly hewe,
	Lyk to the naddre in bosom sly untrewe,
575	God shilde us alle from youre aqueyntaunce!
	O Januarie, dronken in plesaunce
	In mariage, se how thy Damyan,
	Thyn owene squier and thy borne man,
	Entendeth for to do thee vileynye.
580	God graunte thee thyn hoomly fo t'espye!
	For in this world nys worse pestilence
	Than hoomly foo al day in thy presence.

	Parfourned hath the sonne his ark diurne;
	No lenger may the body of hym sojurne
585	On th'orisonte, as in that latitude.
	Night with his mantel, that is derk and rude,
	Gan oversprede the hemysperie aboute;
	For which departed is this lusty route
	Fro Januarie, with thank on every syde.
590	Hoom to hir houses lustily they ryde,
	Where as they doon hir thynges as hem leste,
	And whan they sye hir tyme, goon to reste.
	Soone after than, this hastif Januarie
	Wolde go to bedde, he wolde no lenger tarye.
595	He drynketh ypocras, clarree, and vernage
	Of spices hoote, t'encreessen his corage;
	And many a letuarie hath he ful fyn,
	Swiche as the cursed monk, daun Constantyn,
	Hath writen in his book De Coitu;
600	To eten hem alle he nas no thyng eschu.
	And to his privee freendes thus seyde he:
	"For Goddes love, as soone as it may be,
	Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse."
	And they han doon right as he wol devyse.
605	Men drynken, and the travers drawe anon.
	The bryde was broght abedde as stille as stoon;
	And whan the bed was with the preest yblessed,
	Out of the chambre hath every wight hym dressed;
	And Januarie hath faste in armes take
610	His fresshe May, his paradys, his make.
	He lulleth hire, he kisseth hire ful ofte;
	With thikke brustles of his berd unsofte,
	Lyk to the skyn of houndfyssh, sharp as brere -
	For he was shave al newe in his manere -
615	He rubbeth hire aboute hir tendre face,
	And seyde thus, "Allas! I moot trespace
	To yow, my spouse, and yow greetly offende,
	Er tyme come that I wil doun descende.
	But nathelees, considereth this," quod he,
620	"Ther nys no werkman, whatsoevere he be,
	That may bothe werke wel and hastily;
	This wol be doon at leyser parfitly.
	It is no fors how longe that we pleye;
	In trewe wedlok coupled be we tweye;
625	And blessed be the yok that we been inne,
	For in oure actes we mowe do no synne.
	A man may do no synne with his wyf,
	Ne hurte hymselven with his owene knyf;
	For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe."
630	Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe;
	And thanne he taketh a sop in fyn clarree,
	And upright in his bed thanne sitteth he,
	And after that he sang ful loude and cleere,
	And kiste his wyf, and made wantown cheere
635	He was al coltissh, ful of ragerye,
	And ful of jargon as a flekked pye.
	The slakke skyn aboute his nekke shaketh,
	Whil that he sang, so chaunteth he and craketh.
	But God woot what that may thoughte in hir herte,
640	Whan she hym saugh up sittynge in his sherte,
	In his nyght-cappe, and with his nekke lene;
	She preyseth nat his pleyyng worth a bene.
	Thanne seide he thus, "My reste wol I take;
	Now day is come, I may no lenger wake."
645	And doun he leyde his heed, and sleep til pryme.
	And afterward, whan that he saugh his tyme,
	Up ryseth Januarie; but fresshe May
	Heeld hire chambre unto the fourthe day,
	As usage is of wyves for the beste.
650	For every labour somtyme moot han reste,
	Or elles longe may he nat endure;
	This is to seyn, no lyves creature,
	Be it of fyssh, or bryd, or beest, or man.

	Now wol I speke of woful Damyan,
655	That langwissheth for love, as ye shul heere;
	Therfore I speke to hym in this manere:
	I seye, "O sely Damyan, allas!
	Andswere to my demaunde, as in this cas.
	How shaltow to thy lady, fresshe May,
660	Telle thy wo? She wole alwey seye nay.
	Eek if thou speke, she wol thy wo biwreye.
	God be thyn helpe! I kan no bettre seye."
	This sike Damyan in Venus fyr
	So brenneth that he dyeth for desyr,
665	For which he putte his lyf in aventure.
	No lenger myghte he in this wise endure,
	But prively a penner gan he borwe,
	And in a lettre wroot he al his sorwe,
	In manere of a compleynt or a lay,
670	Unto his faire, fresshe lady may;
	And in a purs of sylk, heng on his sherte
	He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte.
	The moone, that at noon was thilke day
	That Januarie hath wedded fresshe May
675	In two of Tawr, was into Cancre glyden;
	So longe hath Mayus in hir chambre abyden,
	As custume is unto thise nobles alle.
	A bryde shal nat eten in the halle
	Til dayes foure, or thre dayes atte leeste,
680	Ypassed been; thanne lat hire go to feeste.
	The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon,
	Whan that the heighe masse was ydoon,
	In halle sit this Januarie and May,
	As fressh as is the brighte someres day.
685	And so bifel how that this goode man
	Remembred hym upon this Damyan,
	And seyde, "Seynte Marie! how may this be,
	That Damyan entendeth nat to me?
	Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?"
690	His squieres, whiche that stooden ther bisyde,
	Excused hym by cause of his siknesse,
	Which letted hym to doon his bisynesse;
	Noon oother cause myghte make hym tarye.
	"That me forthynketh," quod this Januarie,
695	"He is a gentil squier, by my trouthe!
	If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe.
	He is as wys, discreet, and as secree
	As any man I woot of his degree,
	And therto manly, and eek servysable.
700	And for to been a thrifty man right able.
	But after mete, as soone as evere I may,
	I wol myself visite hym, and eek May,
	To doon hym al the confort that I kan."
	And for that word hym blessed every man,
705	That of his bountee and his gentillesse
	He wolde so conforten in siknesse
	His squier, for it was a gentil dede.
	"Dame," quod this Januarie, "taak good hede,
	At after-mete ye with youre wommen alle,
710	Whan ye han been in chambre out of this halle,
	That alle ye go se this Damyan.
	Dooth hym disport - he is a gentil man;
	And telleth hym that I wol hym visite,
	Have I no thyng but rested me a lite;
715	And spede yow faste, for I wole abyde
	Til that ye slepe faste by my syde."
	And with that word he gan to hym to calle
	A squier, that was marchal of his halle,
	And tolde hym certeyn thynges, what he wolde.
720	This fresshe May hath streight hir wey yholde,
	With alle hir wommen, unto Damyan.
	Doun by his beddes syde sit she than,
	Confortynge hym as goodly as she may.
	This Damyan, whan that his tyme he say,
725	In secree wise his purs and eek his bille,
	In which that he ywriten hadde his wille,
	Hath put into hire hand, withouten moore,
	Save that he siketh wonder depe and soore
	And softely to hire right thus seyde he:
730	"Mercy! and that ye nat discovere me,
	For I am deed if that this thyng be kyd."
	This purs hath she inwith hir bosom hyd,
	And wente hire wey; ye gete namoore of me.
	But unto Januarie ycomen is she,
735	That on his beddes syde sit ful softe.
	He taketh hire, and kisseth hire ful ofte,
	And leyde hym doun to slepe, and that anon.
	She feyned hire as that she moste gon
	Ther as ye woot that every wight moot neede;
740	And whan she of this bille hath taken heede,
	She rente it al to cloutes atte laste,
	And in the pryvee softely it caste.
	Who studieth now but faire fresshe May?
	Adoun by olde Januarie she lay,
745	That sleep til that the coughe hath hym awaked.
	Anon he preyde hire strepen hire al naked;
	He wolde of hire, he seyde, han som plesaunce,
	And seyde hir clothes dide hym encombraunce,
	And she obeyeth, be hire lief or looth.
750	But lest that precious folk be with me wrooth,
	How that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle;
	Or wheither hire thoughte it paradys or helle.
	But heere I lete hem werken in hir wyse
	Til evensong rong, and that they moste aryse.

755	Were it by destynee or aventure,
	Were it by influence or by nature,
	Or constellacion, that in swich estaat
	The hevene stood, that tyme fortunaat
	Was for to putte a bille of Venus werkes -
760	For alle thyng hath tyme, as seyn thise clerkes -
	To any womman, for to gete hire love,
	I kan nat seye; but grete God above,
	That knoweth that noon act is causeless,
	He deme of al, for I wole hole my pees.
765	But sooth is this, how that this fresshe May
	Hath take swich impression that day
	Of pitee of this sike Damyan,
	That from hire herte she ne dryve kan
	The remembrance for to doon hym ese.
770	"Certeyn," thoghte she, "whom that this thyng displese,
	I rekke noght, for heere I hym assure
	To love hym best of any creature,
	Though he namoore hadde than his sherte."
	Lo, pitee renneth soone in gentil herte!
775	Heere may ye se how excellent franchise
	In wommen is, whan they hem narwe avyse.
	Som tyrant is, as ther be many oon,
	That hath an herte as hard as any stoon,
	Which wolde han lat hym sterven in the place
780	Wel rather than han graunted hym hire grace;
	And hem rejoysen in hire crueel pryde,
	And rekke nat to been an homycide.

	This gentil May, fulfilled of pitee,
	Right of hire hand a lettre made she,
785	In which she graunteth hym hire verray grace.
	Ther lakketh noght, oonly but day and place,
	Wher that she myghte unto his lust suffise;
	For it shal be right as he wole devyse.
	And whan she saugh hir tyme, upon a day,
790	To visite this Damyan gooth May,
	And sotilly this lettre doun she threste
	Under his pilwe, rede it if hym leste.
	She taketh hym by the hand, and harde hym twiste
	So secrely that no wight of it wiste,
795	And bad hym been al hool, and forth she wente
	To Januarie, whan that he for hire sente.
	Up riseth Damyan the nexte morwe;
	Al passed was his siknesse and his sorwe.
	He kembeth hym, he preyneth hym and pyketh,
800	He dooth al that his lady lust and lyketh;
	And eek to Januarie he gooth as lowe
	As evere dide a dogge for the bowe.
	He is so plesant unto every man
	(For craft is al, whoso that do it kan)
805	That every wight is fayn to speke hym good;
	And fully in his lady grace he stood.
	Thus lete I Damyan aboute his nede,
	And in my tale forth I wol procede.
	Somme clerkes holden that felicitee
810	Stant in delit, and therfore certeyn he,
	This noble Januarie, with al his myght,
	In honest wyse, as longeth to a knyght,
	Shoop hym to lyve ful deliciously.
	His housynge, his array, as honestly
815	To his degree was maked as a kynges.
	Amonges othere of his honeste thynges,
	He made a gardyn, walled al with stoon;
	So fair a gardyn woot I nowher noon.
	For, out of doute, I verraily suppose
820	That he that wroot the romance of the rose
	Ne koude of it the beautee wel devyse;
	Ne Priapus ne myghte nat suffise,
	Though he be God of gardyns, for to telle
	The beautee of the gardyn and the welle,
825	That stood under a laurer alwey grene.
	Ful ofte tyme he Pluto and his queene,
	Proserpina, and al hire fayerye,
	Disporten hem and maken melodye
	Aboute that welle, and daunced, as men tolde.

830	This noble knyght, this Januarie the olde,
	Swich deyntee hath in it to walke and pleye,
	That he wol no wight suffren bere the keye
	Save he hymself; for of the smale wyket
	He baar alwey of silver a clyket,
835	With which, whan that hym leste, he it unshette.
	And whan he wolde paye his wyf hir dette
	In somer seson, thider wolde he go,
	And May his wyf, and no wight but they two;
	And thynges whiche that were nat doon abedde,
840	He in the gardyn parfourned hem and spedde.
	And in this wyse, many a murye day,
	Lyved this Januarie and fresshe May.
	But worldly joye may nat alwey dure
	To Januarie, ne to creature.
845	O sodeyn hap! O thou fortune unstable!
	Lyk to the scorpion so deceyvable,
	That flaterest with thyn heed whan thou wolt stynge;
	Thy tayl is deeth, thurgh thyn envenymynge.
	O brotil joye! o sweete venym queynte!
850	O monstre, that so subtilly kanst peynte
	Thy yiftes under hewe of stidefastnesse,
	That thou deceyvest bothe moore and lesse!
	Why hastow Januarie thus deceyved,
	That haddest hym for thy fulle freend receyved?
855	And now thou hast biraft hym bothe his ye,
	For sorwe of which desireth he to dyen.
	Allas! this noble Januarie free,
	Amydde his lust and his prosperitee,
	Is woxen blynd, and that al sodeynly,
860	He wepeth and he wayleth pitously;
	And therwithal the fyr of jalousie,
	Lest that his wyf sholde falle in som folye,
	So brente his herte that he wolde fayn
	That som man bothe hire and hym had slayn.
865	For neither after his deeth, nor in his lyf,
	Ne wolde he that she were love ne wyf,
	But evere lyve as wydwe in clothes blake,
	Soul as the turtle that lost hath hire make,
	But atte laste, after a month or tweye
870	His sorwe gan aswage, sooth to seye;
	For whan he wiste it may noon oother be,
	He paciently took his adversitee,
	Save, out of doute, he may nat forgoon
	That he nas jalous everemoore in oon;
875	Which jalousye it was so outrageous,
	That neither in halle, n'yn noon oother hous,
	Ne in noon oother place, neverthemo,
	He nolde suffre hire for to ryde or go,
	But if that he had hond on hire alway;
880	For which ful ofte wepeth fresshe May,
	That loveth Damyan so benyngnely
	That she moot outher dyen sodeynly,
	Or elles she moot han hym as hir leste.
	She wayteth whan hir herte wolde breste.
885	Upon that oother syde Damyan
	Bicomen is the sorwefulleste man
	That evere was; for neither nyght ne day
	Ne myghte he speke a word to fresshe May,
	As to his purpos, of no swich mateere,
890	But if that Januarie moste it heere,
	That hadde an hand upon hire everemo.
	But nathelees, by writyng to and fro,
	And privee signes, wiste he what she mente,
	And she knew eek the fyn of his entente.
895	O Januarie, what myghte it thee availle,
	Thogh thou myghte se as fer as shippes saille?
	For as good is blynd deceyved be
	As to be deceyved whan a man may se.
	Lo, Argus, which that hadde an hondred yen,
900	For al that evere he koude poure or pryen,
	Yet was he blent, and, God woot, so been mo,
	That wenen wisly that it be nat so.
	Passe over is an ese, I sey namoore.
	This fresshe May, that I spak of so yoore,
905	In warm wex hath emprented the clyket
	That Januarie bar of the smale wyket,
	By which into his gardyn ofte he wente;
	And Damyan, that knew al hire entente,
	The cliket countrefeted pryvely.
910	Ther nys namoore to seye, but hastily
	Som wonder by this clyket shal bityde,
	Which ye shul heeren, if ye wole abyde.

	O noble Ovyde, ful sooth seystou, God woot,
	What sleighte is it, thogh it be long and hoot,
915	That Love nyl fynde it out in som manere?
	By Piramus and Tesbee may men leere;
	Thogh they were kept ful longe streite overal,
	They been accorded, rownynge thurgh a wal,
	Ther no wight koude han founde out swich a sleighte.
920	But now to purpos: er that dayes eighte
	Were passed, er the month of Juyn, bifil
	That Januarie hath caught so greet a wil,
	Thurgh eggyng of his wyf, hym for to pleye
	In his gardyn, and no wight but they tweye,
925	That in a morwe unto his May seith he:
	"Rys up, my wyf, my love, my lady free!
	The turtles voys is herd, my dowve sweete;
	The wynter is goon with alle his reynes weete.
	Com forth now, with thyne eyen columbyn!
930	How fairer been thy brestes than is wyn!
	The gardyn is enclosed al aboute;
	Com forth, my white spouse! Out of doute
	Thou hast me wounded in myn herte, o wyf!
	No spot of thee ne knew I al my lyf.
935	Com forth, and lat us taken oure disport;
	I chees thee for my wyf and my confort."
	Swiche olde lewed wordes used he.
	On Damyan a signe made she,
	That he sholde go biforn with his cliket.
940	This Damyan thanne hath opened the wyket,
	And in he stirte, and that in swich manere
	That no wight myghte it se neither yheere,
	And stille he sit under a bussh anon.
	This Januarie, as blynd as is a stoon,
945	With Mayus in his hand, and no wight mo,
	Into his fresshe gardyn is ago,
	And clapte to the wyket sodeynly.
	"Now wyf," quod he, "heere nys but thou and I,
	That art the creature that I best love.
950	For by that lord that sit in hevene above,
	Levere ich hadde to dyen on a knyf,
	Than thee offende, trewe deere wyf!
	For Goddes sake, thenk how I thee chees,
	Noght for no coveitise, doutelees,
955	But oonly for the love I had to thee.
	And though that I be oold, and may nat see,
	Beth to me trewe, and I wol telle yow why.
	Thre thynges, certes, shal ye wynne therby:
	First, love of Crist, and to youreself honour,
960	And al myn heritage, toun and tour;
	I yeve it yow, maketh chartres as yow leste;
	This shal be doon to-morwe er sonne reste,
	So wisly God my soule brynge in blisse.
	I prey yow first, in covenant ye me kisse;
965	And though that I be jalous, wyte me noght.
	Ye been so depe enprented in my thoght
	That, whan that I considere youre beautee,
	And therwithal the unlikly elde of me,
	I may nat, certes, though I sholde dye,
970	Forbere to been out of youre compaignye
	For verray love; this is withouten doute.
	Now kys me, wyf, and lat us rome aboute."

	This fresshe May, whan she thise wordes herde,
	Benyngnely to Januarie answerde,
975	But first and forward she bigan to wepe.
	"I have," quod she, "a soule for to kepe
	As wel as ye, and also myn honour,
	And of my wyfhod thilke tendre flour,
	Which that I have assured in youre hond,
980	Whan that the preest to yow my body bond;
	Wherfore I wole answere in this manere,
	By the leve of yow, my lord so deere:
	I prey to God that nevere dawe the day
	That I ne sterve, as foule as womman may,
985	If evere I do unto my kyn that shame,
	Or elles I empeyre so my name,
	That I be fals; and if I do that lak,
	Do strepe me and put me in a sak,
	And in the nexte ryver do me drenche.
990	I am a gentil womman and no wenche.
	Why speke ye thus? But men been evere untrewe,
	And wommen have repreve of yow ay newe.
	Ye han noon oother contenance, I leeve,
	But speke to us of untrust and repreeve."
995	And with that word she saugh wher Damyan
	Sat in the bussh, and coughen she bigan,
	And with hir fynger signes made she
	That Damyan sholde clymbe upon a tree,
	That charged was with fruyt, and up he wente.
1000	For verraily he knew al hire entente,
	And every signe that she koude make,
	Wel bet than Januarie, hir owene make;
	For in a lettre she hadde toold hym al
	Of this matere, how he werchen shal.
1005	And thus I lete hym sitte upon the pyrie,
	And Januarie and may romynge ful myrie.
	Bright was the day, and blew the firmament;
	Phebus hath of gold his stremes doun ysent,
	To gladen every flour with his warmnesse.
1010	He was that tyme in Geminis, as I gesse,
	But litel fro his declynacion
	Of Cancer, Jovis exaltacion.
	And so bifel, that brighte morwe-tyde,
	That in that gardyn, in the ferther syde,
1015	Pluto, that is kyng of Fayerye,
	And many a lady in his compaignye,
	Folwynge his wyf, the queene Proserpyna,
	Which that he ravysshed out of Ethna
	Whil that she gadered floures in the mede -
1020	In Claudyan ye may the stories rede,
	How in his grisely carte he hire fette -
	This kyng of fairye thanne adoun hym sette
	Upon a bench of turves, fressh and grene,
	And right anon thus seyde he to his queene:
1025	"My wyf," quod he, "ther may no wight seye nay;
	Th'experience so preveth every day
	The tresons whiche that wommen doon to man.
	Ten hondred thousand (tales) tellen I kan
	Notable of youre untrouthe and brotilnesse.
1030	O Salomon, wys, and richest of richesse,
	Fulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie,
	Ful worthy been thy wordes to memorie
	To every wight that wit and reson kan.
	Thus preiseth he yet the bountee of man:
1035	'Amonges a thousand men yet foond I oon,
	But of wommen alle foond I noon.' -

	Thus seith the kyng that knoweth youre wikkednesse.
	And Jhesus, filius Syrak, as I gesse,
	Ne speketh of yow but seelde reverence.
1040	A wylde fyr and corrupt pestilence
	So falle upon youre bodyes yet to-nyght!
	Ne se ye nat this honurable knyght,
	By cause, allas that he is blynd and old,
	His owene man shal make hym cokewold.
1045	Lo, where he sit, the lechour, in the tree!
	Now wol I graunten, of my magestee,
	Unto this olde, blynde, worthy knyght
	That he shal have ayen his eyen syght,
	Whan that his wyf wold doon hym vileynye.
1050	Thanne shal he knowen al hire harlotrye,
	Bothe in repreve of hire and othere mo."
	Ye shal?" quod Proserpyne, "wol ye so?
	Now by my moodres sires soule I swere
	That I shal yeven hire suffisant answere,
1055	And alle wommen after, for hir sake;
	That, though they be in any gilt ytake,
	With face boold they shulle hemself excuse,
	And bere hem doun that wolden hem accuse.
	For lak of answere noon of hem shal dyen.
1060	Al hadde man seyn a thyng with bothe his yen,
	Yit shul we wommen visage it hardily,
	And wepe, and swere, and chyde subtilly,
	So that ye man shul been as lewed as gees.
	What rekketh me of youre auctoritees?
1065	I woot wel that this Jew, this Salomon,
	Foond of us wommen fooles many oon.
	But though that he ne foond no good womman,
	Yet hath ther founde many another man
	Wommen ful trewe, ful goode, and vertuous.
1070	Witnesse on hem that dwelle in cristes hous;
	With martirdom they preved hire constance.
	The Romayn geestes eek make remembrance
	Of many a verray, trewe wyf also.
	But, sire, ne be nat wrooth, al be it so,
1075	Though that he seyde he foond no good womman,
	I prey yow take the sentence of the man;
	He mente thus, that in sovereyn bontee
	Nis noon but god, but neither he ne she.

	Ey! for verray god, that nys but oon,
1080	What make ye so muche of Salomon?
	What though he made a temple, goddes hous?
	What though he were riche and glorious?
	So made he eek a temple of false goddis.
	How myghte he do a thyng that moore forbode is?
1085	Pardee, as faire as ye his name emplastre,
	He was a lecchour and an ydolastre,
	And in his elde he verray God forsook;
	And if this God ne hadde, as seith the book,
	Yspared hem for his fadres sake, he sholde
1090	Have lost his regne rather than he wolde.
	I sette right noght, of al the vileynye
	That ye of wommen write, a boterflye!
	I am a womman, nedes moot I speke,
	Of elles swelle til myn herte breke.
1095	For sithen he seyde that we been jangleresses,
	As evere hool I moote brouke my tresses,
	I shal nat spare, for no curteisye,
	To speke hym harm that wolde us vileynye."
	"Dame," quod this Pluto, "be no lenger wrooth;
1100	I yeve it up! But sith I swoor myn ooth
	That I wolde graunten hym his sighte ageyn,
	My word shal stonde, I warne yow certeyn.
	I am a kyng, it sit me noght to lye."
	"And I," quod she, "a queene of Fayerye!
1105	Hir answere shal she have, I undertake.
	Lat us namoore wordes heerof make;
	For sothe, I wol no lenger yow contrarie.
	Now lat us turne agayn to Januarie,
	That in the gardyn with his faire May
1110	Syngeth ful murier than the papejay,
	"Yow love I best, and shal, and oother noon."
	So longe aboute the aleyes is he goon,
	Til he was come agaynes thilke pyrie
	Where as this Damyan sitteth ful myrie
1115	An heigh among the fresshe leves grene.
	This fresshe May, that is so bright and sheene,
	Gan for to syke, and seyde, "Allas, my syde!
	Now sire," quod she, "for aught that may bityde,
	I moste han of the peres that I see,
1120	Or I moot dye, so soore longeth me
	To eten of the smale peres grene.
	Help, for hir love that is of hevene queene!
	I telle yow wel, a womman in my plit
	May han to fruyt so greet an appetit
1125	That she may dyen, but she of it have."

	"Allas," quod he, "that I ne had heer a knave
	That koude clymbe! Allas, Allas," quod he,
	For I am blynd!" "Ye, sire, no fors," quod she;
	But wolde ye vouche sauf, for Goddes sake,
1130	The pyrie inwith youre armes for to take,
	For wel I woot that ye mystruste me,
	Thanne sholde I clymbe wel ynogh," quod she,
	"So I my foot myghte sette ypon youre bak."
	"Certes," quod he, "theron shal be no lak,
1135	Mighte I yow helpen with myn herte blood."
	He stoupeth doun, and on his bak she stood,
	And caughte hire by a twiste, and up she gooth -
	Ladyes, I prey yow that ye be nat wrooth;
	I kan nat glose, I am a rude man -
1140	And sodeynly anon this Damyan
	Gan pullen up the smok, and in he throng.
	And whan that Pluto saugh this grete wrong,
	To Januarie he gaf agayn his sighte,
	And made hym se as wel as evere he myghte.
1145	And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn,
	Ne was ther nevere man of thyng so fayn,
	But on his wyf his thoght was everemo.
	Up to the tree he caste his eyen two,
	And saugh that Damyan his wyf had dressed
1150	In swich manere it may nat been expressed,
	But if I wolde speke uncurteisly;
	And up he yaf a roryng and a cry,
	As dooth the mooder whan the child shal dye:
	"Out! Help! Allas! Harrow!" he gan to crye,
1155	"O stronge lady stoore, what dostow?"
	And she answerde, "Sire, what eyleth yow?
	Have pacience and resoun in youre mynde!
	I have yow holpe on bothe youre eyen blynde.
	Up peril of my soule, I shal nat lyen,
1160	As me was taught, to heele with youre eyen,
	Was no thyng bet, to make yow to see,
	Than strugle with a man upon a tree.
	God woot, I dide it in ful good entente".
	"Strugle?" quod he, "ye algate in it wente!
1165	God yeve yow bothe on shames deth to dyen!
	He swyved thee, I saugh it with myne yen,
	And elles be I hanged by the hals!"

	"Thanne is," quod she, "my medicyne fals;
	For certeinly, if that ye myghte se.
1170	Ye wolde nat seyn thise wordes unto me.
	Ye han som glymsyng, and no parfit sighte."
	"I se," quod he, "as wel as evere I myghte,
	Thonked be god! with bothe myne eyen two,
	And by my trouthe, me thoughte he dide thee so."
1175	"Ye maze, maze, goode sire," quod she;
	"This thank have I for I have maad yow see.
	Allas," quod she, "that evere I was so kynde!"
	"Now, dame," quod he, "lat al passe out of mynde.
	Com doun, my lief, and if I have myssayd,
1180	God helpe me so, as I am yvele apayd.
	But, by my fader soule, I wende han seyn
	How that this Damyan hadde by thee leyn,
	And that thy smok hadde leyn upon his brest."
	"Ye sire," quod she, "ye may wene as yow lest.
1185	But, sire, a man that waketh out of his sleep,
	He may nat sodeynly wel taken keep
	Upon a thyng, ne seen it parfitly,
	Til that he be adawed verraily.
	Right so a man that longe hath blynd ybe,
1190	Ne may nat sodeynly so wel yse,
	First whan his sighte is newe come ageyn,
	As he that hath a day or two yseyn.
	Til that youre sighte ysatled be a while,
	Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigile.
1195	Beth war, I prey yow; for, by hevene kyng,
	Ful many a man weneth to seen a thyng,
	And it is al another than it semeth.
	He that mysconceyveth, he mysdemeth."
	And with that word she leep doun fro the tree,
1200	This Januarie, who is glad but he?
	He kisseth hire, and clippeth hire ful ofte,
	And on hire wombe he stroketh hire ful softe,
	And to his palays hoom he hath hire lad.
	Now, goode men, I pray yow to be glad.
1205	Thus endeth heere my tale of Januarie;
	God blesse us, and his mooder Seinte Marie!