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458
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
[T. 10222-10257.
He stoupeth doun, and on his bak she stood,
And caughte hir by a twiste, and up she gooth.
Ladies, I prey yow that ye be nat wrooth; 2350
I can nat glose, I am a rude man.
And sodeynly anon this Damian
Gan pullen up the smok, and in he throng.
And whan that Pluto saugh this grete wrong, (1110)
To Ianuarie he gaf agayn his sighte, 2355
And made him see, as wel as ever he mighte.
And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn,
Ne was ther never man of thing so fayn.
But on his wyf his thoght was evermo;
Up to the tree he caste his eyen two, 2360
And saugh that Damian his wyf had dressed
In swich manere, it may nat ben expressed
But if I wolde speke uncurteisly:
And up he yaf a roring and a cry (1120)
As doth the moder whan the child shal dye: 2365
'Out! help! allas! harrow!' he gan to crye,
'O stronge lady store, what dostow?'
And she answerde, 'sir, what eyleth yow?
Have pacience, and reson in your minde,
I have yow holpe on bothe your eyen blinde. 2370
Up peril of my soule, I shal nat lyen,
As me was taught, to hele with your yën,
Was no-thing bet to make yow to see
Than strugle with a man up-on a tree. (1130)
God woot, I dide it in ful good entente.' 2375
'Strugle!' quod he, 'ye, algate in it wente!
God yeve yow bothe on shames deeth to dyen!
He swyved thee, I saugh it with myne yën,
And elles be I hanged by the hals!'
'Thanne is,' quod she, 'my medicyne al fals; 2380
For certeinly, if that ye mighte see,
Ye wolde nat seyn thise wordes un-to me;
Ye han som glimsing and no parfit sighte.'
And caughte hir by a twiste, and up she gooth.
Ladies, I prey yow that ye be nat wrooth; 2350
I can nat glose, I am a rude man.
And sodeynly anon this Damian
Gan pullen up the smok, and in he throng.
And whan that Pluto saugh this grete wrong, (1110)
To Ianuarie he gaf agayn his sighte, 2355
And made him see, as wel as ever he mighte.
And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn,
Ne was ther never man of thing so fayn.
But on his wyf his thoght was evermo;
Up to the tree he caste his eyen two, 2360
And saugh that Damian his wyf had dressed
In swich manere, it may nat ben expressed
But if I wolde speke uncurteisly:
And up he yaf a roring and a cry (1120)
As doth the moder whan the child shal dye: 2365
'Out! help! allas! harrow!' he gan to crye,
'O stronge lady store, what dostow?'
And she answerde, 'sir, what eyleth yow?
Have pacience, and reson in your minde,
I have yow holpe on bothe your eyen blinde. 2370
Up peril of my soule, I shal nat lyen,
As me was taught, to hele with your yën,
Was no-thing bet to make yow to see
Than strugle with a man up-on a tree. (1130)
God woot, I dide it in ful good entente.' 2375
'Strugle!' quod he, 'ye, algate in it wente!
God yeve yow bothe on shames deeth to dyen!
He swyved thee, I saugh it with myne yën,
And elles be I hanged by the hals!'
'Thanne is,' quod she, 'my medicyne al fals; 2380
For certeinly, if that ye mighte see,
Ye wolde nat seyn thise wordes un-to me;
Ye han som glimsing and no parfit sighte.'
