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and Sentiments.
413
Quod fche, "Geve (it) I schal the telle,
Mercerye I have to selle;
In boystes (boxes) foote (sweet) oynementis,
Therewith to don allegementis (to give relief)
To ffolkes whiche be not glade,
But discorded and mallade,
And hurte with perturbacyouns
Off many trybulacyouns.
I have knyves, phylletys, callys,
At ffeestes to hang upon wallys;
Kombes mo than nyne or ten,
Bothe ffor horse and eke ffor men ;
Merours also, large and brode,
And for the syght wonder gode;
Off hem I have fful greet plenté,
For ffolke that haven volunté
Byholde hemsilffe therynne.”
Mercerye I have to selle;
In boystes (boxes) foote (sweet) oynementis,
Therewith to don allegementis (to give relief)
To ffolkes whiche be not glade,
But discorded and mallade,
And hurte with perturbacyouns
Off many trybulacyouns.
I have knyves, phylletys, callys,
At ffeestes to hang upon wallys;
Kombes mo than nyne or ten,
Bothe ffor horse and eke ffor men ;
Merours also, large and brode,
And for the syght wonder gode;
Off hem I have fful greet plenté,
For ffolke that haven volunté
Byholde hemsilffe therynne.”
Our cut represents the interior of the house of the lady mercer, with the various articles enumerated in the text; the boxes of ointment, the horse-combs, the men's combs, and the mirrors. She first offers the pilgrim a mirror, made so as to flatter people, by representing them handsomer than they really were, which the pilgrim refuses:—
"Madame," quod I, "yoz not difpleese,
This myroure schal do me noon eese;
Wherso that I leefe or wynne,
I wole nevere looke thereinne."
But ryght anoon myne happe it was
To loken in another glasse,
In the whiche withouten wene (without doubt)
I sarve mysylff ffoule and unclcene,
And to byholde ryght hydous,
Abhomynabel, and vecyous.
That merour and that glas
Scheryd (showed) to me what I was.
This myroure schal do me noon eese;
Wherso that I leefe or wynne,
I wole nevere looke thereinne."
But ryght anoon myne happe it was
To loken in another glasse,
In the whiche withouten wene (without doubt)
I sarve mysylff ffoule and unclcene,
And to byholde ryght hydous,
Abhomynabel, and vecyous.
That merour and that glas
Scheryd (showed) to me what I was.
In the celebrated "Romance of the Rose," one of the heroines, Belacueil, is introduced, adorning her head with a fillet, and with this head-dress contemplating herself in a mirror:—
Belacueil souvent se remire,
Dedans son miroer se mire,
Savoir s'il eft si bien seans.
Dedans son miroer se mire,
Savoir s'il eft si bien seans.
There
