This page needs to be proofread.
T. 9975-10010.]
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
451
As to his purpos, of no swich matere,
But-if that Ianuarie moste it here,
That hadde an hand up-on hir evermo.
But nathelees, by wryting to and fro (860)
And privee signes, wiste he what she mente; 2105
And she knew eek the fyn of his entente.
O Ianuarie, what mighte it thee availle, Auctor.
Thou mightest see as fer as shippes saille?
For also good is blind deceyved be,
As be deceyved whan a man may se. 2110
Lo, Argus, which that hadde an hondred yën,
For al that ever he coude poure or pryen,
Yet was he blent; and, god wot, so ben mo,
That wenen wisly that it be nat so. (870)
Passe over is an ese, I sey na-more. 2115
This fresshe May, that I spak of so yore,
In warme wex hath emprented the cliket,
That Ianuarie bar of the smale wiket,
By which in-to his gardin ofte he wente.
And Damian, that knew al hir entente, 2120
The cliket countrefeted prively;
Ther nis na-more to seye, but hastily
Som wonder by this cliket shal bityde,
Which ye shul heren, if ye wole abyde. (880)
O noble Ovyde, ful sooth seystou, god woot! Auctor.
What sleighte is it, thogh it be long and hoot, 2126
That he nil finde it out in som manere?
By Piramus and Tesbee may men lere;
Thogh they were kept ful longe streite overal,
They been accorded, rouninge thurgh a wal, 2130
Ther no wight coude han founde out swich a sleighte.
But-if that Ianuarie moste it here,
That hadde an hand up-on hir evermo.
But nathelees, by wryting to and fro (860)
And privee signes, wiste he what she mente; 2105
And she knew eek the fyn of his entente.
O Ianuarie, what mighte it thee availle, Auctor.
Thou mightest see as fer as shippes saille?
For also good is blind deceyved be,
As be deceyved whan a man may se. 2110
Lo, Argus, which that hadde an hondred yën,
For al that ever he coude poure or pryen,
Yet was he blent; and, god wot, so ben mo,
That wenen wisly that it be nat so. (870)
Passe over is an ese, I sey na-more. 2115
This fresshe May, that I spak of so yore,
In warme wex hath emprented the cliket,
That Ianuarie bar of the smale wiket,
By which in-to his gardin ofte he wente.
And Damian, that knew al hir entente, 2120
The cliket countrefeted prively;
Ther nis na-more to seye, but hastily
Som wonder by this cliket shal bityde,
Which ye shul heren, if ye wole abyde. (880)
O noble Ovyde, ful sooth seystou, god woot! Auctor.
What sleighte is it, thogh it be long and hoot, 2126
That he nil finde it out in som manere?
By Piramus and Tesbee may men lere;
Thogh they were kept ful longe streite overal,
They been accorded, rouninge thurgh a wal, 2130
Ther no wight coude han founde out swich a sleighte.
But now to purpos; er that dayes eighte
Were passed, er the monthe of Iuil, bifil
That Ianuarie hath caught so greet a wil, (890)
Thurgh egging of his wyf, him for to pleye 2135
In his gardin, and no wight but they tweye,
Were passed, er the monthe of Iuil, bifil
That Ianuarie hath caught so greet a wil, (890)
Thurgh egging of his wyf, him for to pleye 2135
In his gardin, and no wight but they tweye,
