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T. 10258-10292.]
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
459
'I see,' quod he, 'as wel as ever I mighte, (1140)
Thonked be god! with bothe myne eyen two, 2385
And by my trouthe, me thoughte he dide thee so.'
'Ye maze, maze, gode sire,' quod she,
'This thank have I for I have maad yow see;
Allas!' quod she, 'that ever I was so kinde!'
'Now, dame,' quod he, 'lat al passe out of minde. 2390
Com doun, my lief, and if I have missayd,
God help me so, as I am yvel apayd.
But, by my fader soule, I wende han seyn,
How that this Damian had by thee leyn, (1150)
And that thy smok had leyn up-on his brest.' 2395
'Ye, sire,' quod she, 'ye may wene as yow lest;
But, sire, a man that waketh out of his sleep,
He may nat sodeynly wel taken keep
Up-on a thing, ne seen it parfitly,
Til that he be adawed verraily; 2400
Right so a man, that longe hath blind y-be,
Ne may nat sodeynly so wel y-see,
First whan his sighte is newe come ageyn,
As he that hath a day or two y-seyn. (1160)
Til that your sighte y-satled be a whyle, 2405
Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigyle.
Beth war, I prey yow; for, by hevene king,
Ful many a man weneth to seen a thing,
And it is al another than it semeth.
He that misconceyveth, he misdemeth.' 2410
And with that word she leep doun fro the tree.
This Ianuarie, who is glad but he?
He kisseth hir, and clippeth hir ful ofte,
And on hir wombe he stroketh hir ful softe, (1170)
And to his palays hoom he hath hir lad. 2415
Now, gode men, I pray yow to be glad.
Thus endeth heer my tale of Ianuarie;
God blesse us and his moder Seinte Marie!
Thonked be god! with bothe myne eyen two, 2385
And by my trouthe, me thoughte he dide thee so.'
'Ye maze, maze, gode sire,' quod she,
'This thank have I for I have maad yow see;
Allas!' quod she, 'that ever I was so kinde!'
'Now, dame,' quod he, 'lat al passe out of minde. 2390
Com doun, my lief, and if I have missayd,
God help me so, as I am yvel apayd.
But, by my fader soule, I wende han seyn,
How that this Damian had by thee leyn, (1150)
And that thy smok had leyn up-on his brest.' 2395
'Ye, sire,' quod she, 'ye may wene as yow lest;
But, sire, a man that waketh out of his sleep,
He may nat sodeynly wel taken keep
Up-on a thing, ne seen it parfitly,
Til that he be adawed verraily; 2400
Right so a man, that longe hath blind y-be,
Ne may nat sodeynly so wel y-see,
First whan his sighte is newe come ageyn,
As he that hath a day or two y-seyn. (1160)
Til that your sighte y-satled be a whyle, 2405
Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigyle.
Beth war, I prey yow; for, by hevene king,
Ful many a man weneth to seen a thing,
And it is al another than it semeth.
He that misconceyveth, he misdemeth.' 2410
And with that word she leep doun fro the tree.
This Ianuarie, who is glad but he?
He kisseth hir, and clippeth hir ful ofte,
And on hir wombe he stroketh hir ful softe, (1170)
And to his palays hoom he hath hir lad. 2415
Now, gode men, I pray yow to be glad.
Thus endeth heer my tale of Ianuarie;
God blesse us and his moder Seinte Marie!
Here is ended the Marchantes Tale of Ianuarie.
