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T. 9684-9719.]
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
443
1810Swiche as the cursed monk dan Constantyn
Hath writen in his book de Coitu;
To eten hem alle, he nas no-thing eschu.
And to his privee freendes thus seyde he:
(570)'For goddes love, as sone as it may be,
1815Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse.'
And they han doon right as he wol devyse.
Men drinken, and the travers drawe anon;
The bryde was broght a-bedde as stille as stoon;
And whan the bed was with the preest y-blessed,
1820Out of the chambre hath every wight him dressed.
And Ianuarie hath faste in armes take
His fresshe May, his paradys, his make.
He lulleth hir, he kisseth hir ful ofte
(580)With thikke bristles of his berd unsofte,
1825Lyk to the skin of houndfish, sharp as brere,
For he was shave al newe in his manere.
He rubbeth hir aboute hir tendre face,
And seyde thus, 'allas! I moot trespace
To yow, my spouse, and yow gretly offende,
1830Er tyme come that I wil doun descende.
But nathelees, considereth this,' quod he,
'Ther nis no werkman, what-so-ever he be,
That may bothe werke wel and hastily;
(590)This wol be doon at leyser parfitly.
1835It is no fors how longe that we pleye;
In trewe wedlok wedded be we tweye;
And blessed be the yok that we been inne,
For in our actes we mowe do no sinne.
A man may do no sinne with his wyf,
1840Ne hurte him-selven with his owene knyf;
For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe.'
Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe;
And than he taketh a sop in fyn clarree,
(600)And upright in his bed than sitteth he,
1845And after that he sang ful loude and clere,
Hath writen in his book de Coitu;
To eten hem alle, he nas no-thing eschu.
And to his privee freendes thus seyde he:
(570)'For goddes love, as sone as it may be,
1815Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse.'
And they han doon right as he wol devyse.
Men drinken, and the travers drawe anon;
The bryde was broght a-bedde as stille as stoon;
And whan the bed was with the preest y-blessed,
1820Out of the chambre hath every wight him dressed.
And Ianuarie hath faste in armes take
His fresshe May, his paradys, his make.
He lulleth hir, he kisseth hir ful ofte
(580)With thikke bristles of his berd unsofte,
1825Lyk to the skin of houndfish, sharp as brere,
For he was shave al newe in his manere.
He rubbeth hir aboute hir tendre face,
And seyde thus, 'allas! I moot trespace
To yow, my spouse, and yow gretly offende,
1830Er tyme come that I wil doun descende.
But nathelees, considereth this,' quod he,
'Ther nis no werkman, what-so-ever he be,
That may bothe werke wel and hastily;
(590)This wol be doon at leyser parfitly.
1835It is no fors how longe that we pleye;
In trewe wedlok wedded be we tweye;
And blessed be the yok that we been inne,
For in our actes we mowe do no sinne.
A man may do no sinne with his wyf,
1840Ne hurte him-selven with his owene knyf;
For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe.'
Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe;
And than he taketh a sop in fyn clarree,
(600)And upright in his bed than sitteth he,
1845And after that he sang ful loude and clere,
