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T. 9756-9792.]
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
445
Un-to his faire fresshe lady May.
And in a purs of silk, heng on his sherte,
He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte. (640)
The mone that, at noon, was, thilke day 1885
That Ianuarie hath wedded fresshe May,
In two of Taur, was in-to Cancre gliden;
So longe hath Maius in hir chambre biden,
As custume is un-to thise nobles alle.
A bryde shal nat eten in the halle, 1890
Til dayes foure or three dayes atte leste
Y-passed been; than lat hir go to feste.
The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon,
Whan that the heighe masse was y-doon, (650)
In halle sit this Ianuarie, and May 1895
As fresh as is the brighte someres day.
And so bifel, how that this gode man
Remembred him upon this Damian,
And seyde, 'Seinte Marie! how may this be,
That Damian entendeth nat to me? 1900
Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?'
His squyeres, whiche that stoden ther bisyde,
Excused him by-cause of his siknesse,
Which letted him to doon his bisinesse; (660)
Noon other cause mighte make him tarie. 1905
'That me forthinketh,' quod this Ianuarie,
'He is a gentil squyer, by my trouthe!
If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe;
He is as wys, discreet, and as secree
As any man I woot of his degree; 1910
And ther-to manly and eek servisable,
And for to been a thrifty man right able.
But after mete, as sone as ever I may,
I wol my-self visyte him and eek May, (670)
To doon him al the confort that I can.' 1915
And for that word him blessed every man,
That, of his bountee and his gentillesse,
He wolde so conforten in siknesse
And in a purs of silk, heng on his sherte,
He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte. (640)
The mone that, at noon, was, thilke day 1885
That Ianuarie hath wedded fresshe May,
In two of Taur, was in-to Cancre gliden;
So longe hath Maius in hir chambre biden,
As custume is un-to thise nobles alle.
A bryde shal nat eten in the halle, 1890
Til dayes foure or three dayes atte leste
Y-passed been; than lat hir go to feste.
The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon,
Whan that the heighe masse was y-doon, (650)
In halle sit this Ianuarie, and May 1895
As fresh as is the brighte someres day.
And so bifel, how that this gode man
Remembred him upon this Damian,
And seyde, 'Seinte Marie! how may this be,
That Damian entendeth nat to me? 1900
Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?'
His squyeres, whiche that stoden ther bisyde,
Excused him by-cause of his siknesse,
Which letted him to doon his bisinesse; (660)
Noon other cause mighte make him tarie. 1905
'That me forthinketh,' quod this Ianuarie,
'He is a gentil squyer, by my trouthe!
If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe;
He is as wys, discreet, and as secree
As any man I woot of his degree; 1910
And ther-to manly and eek servisable,
And for to been a thrifty man right able.
But after mete, as sone as ever I may,
I wol my-self visyte him and eek May, (670)
To doon him al the confort that I can.' 1915
And for that word him blessed every man,
That, of his bountee and his gentillesse,
He wolde so conforten in siknesse
