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T. 9466-9503.]
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
437
That of the peple grettest voys hath she.
And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
(350)But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game,
1595He atte laste apoynted him on oon,
And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
And chees hir of his owene auctoritee;
For love is blind al day, and may nat see.
And whan that he was in his bed y-broght,
1600He purtreyed, in his herte and in his thoght,
Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
Hir myddel smal, hir armes longe and sclendre,
Hir wyse governaunce, hir gentillesse,
(360)Hir wommanly beringe and hir sadnesse.
1605And whan that he on hir was condescended,
Him thoughte his chois mighte nat ben amended.
For whan that he him-self concluded hadde,
Him thoughte ech other mannes wit so badde,
That inpossible it were to replye
1610Agayn his chois, this was his fantasye.
His freendes sente he to at his instaunce,
And preyed hem to doon him that plesaunce,
That hastily they wolden to him come;
(370)He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some.
1615Nedeth na-more for him to go ne ryde,
He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
Placebo cam, and eek his freendes sone,
And alderfirst he bad hem alle a bone,
That noon of hem none argumentes make
1620Agayn the purpos which that he hath take;
'Which purpos was plesant to god,' seyde he,
'And verray ground of his prosperitee.'
He seyde, ther was a mayden in the toun,
(380)Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun,
1625Al were it so she were of smal degree;
Suffyseth him hir youthe and hir beautee.
Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf,
To lede in ese and holinesse his lyf.
And thanked god, that he mighte han hire al,
And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
(350)But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game,
1595He atte laste apoynted him on oon,
And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
And chees hir of his owene auctoritee;
For love is blind al day, and may nat see.
And whan that he was in his bed y-broght,
1600He purtreyed, in his herte and in his thoght,
Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
Hir myddel smal, hir armes longe and sclendre,
Hir wyse governaunce, hir gentillesse,
(360)Hir wommanly beringe and hir sadnesse.
1605And whan that he on hir was condescended,
Him thoughte his chois mighte nat ben amended.
For whan that he him-self concluded hadde,
Him thoughte ech other mannes wit so badde,
That inpossible it were to replye
1610Agayn his chois, this was his fantasye.
His freendes sente he to at his instaunce,
And preyed hem to doon him that plesaunce,
That hastily they wolden to him come;
(370)He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some.
1615Nedeth na-more for him to go ne ryde,
He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
Placebo cam, and eek his freendes sone,
And alderfirst he bad hem alle a bone,
That noon of hem none argumentes make
1620Agayn the purpos which that he hath take;
'Which purpos was plesant to god,' seyde he,
'And verray ground of his prosperitee.'
He seyde, ther was a mayden in the toun,
(380)Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun,
1625Al were it so she were of smal degree;
Suffyseth him hir youthe and hir beautee.
Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf,
To lede in ese and holinesse his lyf.
And thanked god, that he mighte han hire al,
