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436
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
[T. 9431-9465.
And namely with a yong wyf and a fair.
By him that made water, erthe, and air,
The yongest man that is in al this route
1560Is bisy y-nogh to bringen it aboute
To han his wyf allone, trusteth me.
Ye shul nat plese hir fully yeres three,
This is to seyn, to doon hir ful plesaunce.
(320)A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce.
1565I prey yow that ye be nat yvel apayd.'
'Wel,' quod this Ianuarie, 'and hastow sayd?
Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes,
I counte nat a panier ful of herbes
Of scole-termes; wyser men than thow,
1570As thou hast herd, assenteden right now
To my purpos; Placebo, what sey ye?'
'I seye, it is a cursed man,' quod he,
'That letteth matrimoine, sikerly.'
(330)And with that word they rysen sodeynly,
1575And been assented fully, that he sholde
Be wedded whanne him list and wher he wolde.
Heigh fantasye and curious bisinesse
Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
Of Ianuarie aboute his mariage.
1580Many fair shap, and many a fair visage
Ther passeth thurgh his herte, night by night.
As who-so toke a mirour polished bright,
And sette it in a commune market-place,
(340)Than sholde he see many a figure pace
1585By his mirour; and, in the same wyse,
Gan Ianuarie inwith his thoght devyse
Of maydens, whiche that dwelten him bisyde.
He wiste nat wher that he mighte abyde.
For if that oon have beaute in hir face,
1590Another stant so in the peples grace
For hir sadnesse, and hir benignitee,
By him that made water, erthe, and air,
The yongest man that is in al this route
1560Is bisy y-nogh to bringen it aboute
To han his wyf allone, trusteth me.
Ye shul nat plese hir fully yeres three,
This is to seyn, to doon hir ful plesaunce.
(320)A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce.
1565I prey yow that ye be nat yvel apayd.'
'Wel,' quod this Ianuarie, 'and hastow sayd?
Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes,
I counte nat a panier ful of herbes
Of scole-termes; wyser men than thow,
1570As thou hast herd, assenteden right now
To my purpos; Placebo, what sey ye?'
'I seye, it is a cursed man,' quod he,
'That letteth matrimoine, sikerly.'
(330)And with that word they rysen sodeynly,
1575And been assented fully, that he sholde
Be wedded whanne him list and wher he wolde.
Heigh fantasye and curious bisinesse
Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
Of Ianuarie aboute his mariage.
1580Many fair shap, and many a fair visage
Ther passeth thurgh his herte, night by night.
As who-so toke a mirour polished bright,
And sette it in a commune market-place,
(340)Than sholde he see many a figure pace
1585By his mirour; and, in the same wyse,
Gan Ianuarie inwith his thoght devyse
Of maydens, whiche that dwelten him bisyde.
He wiste nat wher that he mighte abyde.
For if that oon have beaute in hir face,
1590Another stant so in the peples grace
For hir sadnesse, and hir benignitee,
