| 1245 | Whilom ther was dwellynge in Lumbardye |
| A worthy knyght, that born was of Pavye, |
| In which he lyved in greet prosperitee; |
| And sixty yeer a wyflees man was hee, |
| And folwed ay his bodily delyt |
| 1250 | On wommen, ther as was his appetyt, |
| As doon thise fooles that been seculeer. |
| And whan that he was passed sixty yeer, |
| Were it for hoolynesse or for dotage |
| I kan nat seye, but swich a greet corage |
| 1255 | Hadde this knyght to been a wedded man |
| That day and nyght he dooth al that he kan |
| T' espien where he myghte wedded be, |
| Preyinge oure Lord to graunten him that he |
| Mighte ones knowe of thilke blisful lyf |
| 1260 | That is bitwixe an housbonde and his wyf, |
| And for to lyve under that hooly boond |
| With which that first God man and womman bond. |
| "Noon oother lyf," seyde he, "is worth a bene, |
| For wedlok is so esy and so clene, |
| 1265 | That in this world it is a paradys." |
| Thus seyde this olde knyght, that was so wys. |
| And certeinly, as sooth as God is kyng, |
| To take a wyf it is a glorious thyng, |
| And namely whan a man is oold and hoor; |
| 1270 | Thanne is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor. |
| Thanne sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir, |
| On which he myghte engendren hym an heir, |
| And lede his lyf in joye and in solas, |
| Where as thise bacheleris synge "allas," |
| 1275 | Whan that they fynden any adversitee |
| In love, which nys but childyssh vanytee. |
| And trewely it sit wel to be so, |
| That bacheleris have often peyne and wo; |
| On brotel ground they buylde, and brotelnesse |
| 1280 | They fynde whan they wene sikernesse. |
| They lyve but as a bryd or as a beest, |
| In libertee and under noon arreest, |
| Ther as a wedded man in his estaat |
| Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat |
| 1285 | Under this yok of mariage ybounde. |
| Wel may his herte in joy and blisse habounde, |
| For who kan be so buxom as a wyf? |
| Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf |
| To kepe hym, syk and hool, as is his make? |
| 1290 | For wele or wo she wole hym nat forsake; |
| She nys nat wery hym to love and serve, |
| Though that he lye bedrede til he sterve. |
| And yet somme clerkes seyn it nys nat so, |
| Of whiche he Theofraste is oon of tho. |
| 1295 | What force though Theofraste liste lye? |
| "Ne take no wyf," quod he, "for housbondrye, |
| As for to spare in houshold thy dispence. |
| A trewe servant dooth moore diligence |
| Thy good to kepe than thyn owene wyf, |
| 1300 | For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf. |
| And if thou be syk, so God me save, |
| Thy verray freendes, or a trewe knave, |
| Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay |
| After thy good and hath doon many a day. |
| 1305 | And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hoold |
| Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold." |
| This sentence, and an hundred thynges worse, |
| Writeth this man, ther God his bones corse! |
| But take no kep of al swich vanytee; |
| 1310 | Deffie Theofraste, and herke me. |
| A wyf is Goddes yifte verraily; |
| Alle othere manere yiftes hardily, |
| As londes, rentes, pasture, or commune, |
| Or moebles -- alle been yiftes of Fortune |
| 1315 | That passen as a shadwe upon a wal. |
| But drede nat, if pleynly speke I shal: |
| A wyf wol laste, and in thyn hous endure, |
| Wel lenger than thee list, paraventure. |
| Mariage is a ful greet sacrement. |
| 1320 | He which that hath no wyf, I holde hym shent; |
| He lyveth helplees and al desolat -- |
| I speke of folk in seculer estaat. |
| And herke why -- I sey nat this for noght -- |
| That womman is for mannes helpe ywroght. |
| 1325 | The hye God, whan he hadde Adam maked, |
| And saugh him al allone, bely-naked, |
| God of his grete goodnesse seyde than, |
| "Lat us now make an helpe unto this man |
| Lyk to hymself"; and thanne he made him Eve. |
| 1330 | Heere may ye se, and heerby may ye preve, |
| That wyf is mannes helpe and his confort, |
| His paradys terrestre, and his disport. |
| So buxom and so vertuous is she, |
| They moste nedes lyve in unitee. |
| 1335 | O flessh they been, and o fleesh, as I gesse, |
| Hath but oon herte, in wele and in distresse. |
| A wyf! a, Seinte Marie, benedicite! |
| How myghte a man han any adversitee |
| That hath a wyf? Certes, I kan nat seye. |
| 1340 | The blisse which that is bitwixe hem tweye |
| Ther may no tonge telle, or herte thynke. |
| If he be povre, she helpeth hym to swynke; |
| She kepeth his good, and wasteth never a deel; |
| Al that hire housbonde lust, hire liketh weel; |
| 1345 | She seith nat ones "nay," whan he seith "ye." |
| "Do this," seith he; "Al redy, sire," seith she. |
| O blisful ordre of wedlok precious, |
| Thou art so murye, and eek so vertuous, |
| And so commended and appreved eek |
| 1350 | That every man that halt hym worth a leek |
| Upon his bare knees oughte al his lyf |
| Thanken his God that hym hath sent a wyf, |
| Or elles preye to God hym for to sende |
| A wyf to laste unto his lyves ende. |
| 1355 | For thanne his lyf is set in sikernesse; |
| He may nat be deceyved, as I gesse, |
| So that he werke after his wyves reed. |
| Thanne may he boldely beren up his heed, |
| They been so trewe and therwithal so wyse; |
| 1360 | For which, if thou wolt werken as the wyse, |
| Do alwey so as wommen wol thee rede. |
| Lo, how that Jacob, as thise clerkes rede, |
| By good conseil of his mooder Rebekke, |
| Boond the kydes skyn aboute his nekke, |
| 1365 | For which his fadres benyson he wan. |
| Lo Judith, as the storie eek telle kan, |
| By wys conseil she Goddes peple kepte, |
| And slow hym Olofernus, whil he slepte. |
| Lo Abigayl, by good conseil how she |
| 1370 | Saved hir housbonde Nabal whan that he |
| Sholde han be slayn; and looke, Ester also |
| By good conseil delyvered out of wo |
| The peple of God, and made hym Mardochee |
| Of Assuere enhaunced for to be. |
| 1375 | Ther nys no thyng in gree superlatyf, |
| As seith Senek, above an humble wyf. |
| Suffre thy wyves tonge, as Catoun bit; |
| She shal comande, and thou shalt suffren it, |
| And yet she wole obeye of curteisye. |
| 1380 | A wyf is kepere of thyn housbondrye; |
| Wel may the sike man biwaille and wepe, |
| Ther as ther nys no wyf the hous to kepe. |
| I warne thee, if wisely thou wolt wirche, |
| Love wel thy wyf, as Crist loved his chirche. |
| 1385 | If thou lovest thyself, thou lovest thy wyf; |
| No man hateth his flessh, but in his lyf |
| He fostreth it, and therfore bidde I thee |
| Cherisse thy wyf, or thou shalt nevere thee. |
| Housbonde and wyf, what so men jape or pleye, |
| 1390 | Of worldly folk holden the siker weye; |
| They been so knyt ther may noon harm bityde, |
| And namely upon the wyves syde. |
| For which this Januarie, of whom I tolde, |
| Considered hath, inwith his dayes olde, |
| 1395 | The lusty lyf, the vertuous quyete, |
| That is in mariage hony-sweete, |
| And for his freendes on a day he sente, |
| To tellen hem th' effect of his entente. |
| With face sad his tale he hath hem toold. |
| 1400 | He seyde, "Freendes, I am hoor and oold, |
| And almoost, God woot, on my pittes brynke; |
| Upon my soule somwhat moste I thynke. |
| I have my body folily despended; |
| Blessed be God that it shal been amended! |
| 1405 | For I wol be, certeyn, a wedded man, |
| And that anoon in al the haste I kan. |
| Unto som mayde fair and tendre of age, |
| I prey yow, shapeth for my mariage |
| Al sodeynly, for I wol nat abyde; |
| 1410 | And I wol fonde t' espien, on my syde, |
| To whom I may be wedded hastily. |
| But forasmuche as ye been mo than I, |
| Ye shullen rather swich a thyng espyen |
| Than I, and where me best were to allyen. |
| 1415 | "But o thyng warne I yow, my freendes deere, |
| I wol noon oold wyf han in no manere. |
| She shal nat passe twenty yeer, certayn; |
| Oold fissh and yong flessh wolde I have fayn. |
| Bet is," quod he, "a pyk than a pykerel, |
| 1420 | And bet than old boef is the tendre veel. |
| I wol no womman thritty yeer of age; |
| It is but bene-straw and greet forage. |
| And eek thise olde wydwes, God it woot, |
| They konne so muchel craft on Wades boot, |
| 1425 | So muchel broken harm, whan that hem leste, |
| That with hem sholde I nevere lyve in reste. |
| For sondry scoles maken sotile clerkis; |
| Womman of manye scoles half a clerk is. |
| But certeynly, a yong thyng may men gye, |
| 1430 | Right as men may warm wex with handes plye. |
| Wherfore I sey yow pleynly, in a clause, |
| I wol noon oold wyf han right for this cause. |
| For if so were I hadde swich myschaunce |
| That I in hire ne koude han no plesaunce, |
| 1435 | Thanne sholde I lede my lyf in avoutrye |
| And go streight to the devel whan I dye. |
| Ne children sholde I none upon hire geten; |
| Yet were me levere houndes had me eten |
| Than that myn heritage sholde falle |
| 1440 | In straunge hand, and this I telle yow alle. |
| I dote nat; I woot the cause why |
| Men sholde wedde, and forthermoore woot I |
| Ther speketh many a man of mariage |
| That woot namoore of it than woot my page |
| 1445 | For whiche causes man sholde take a wyf. |
| If he ne may nat lyven chaast his lyf, |
| Take hym a wyf with greet devocioun, |
| By cause of leveful procreacioun |
| Of children to th' onour of God above, |
| 1450 | And nat oonly for paramour or love; |
| And for they sholde leccherye eschue, |
| And yelde hir dette whan that it is due; |
| Or for that ech of hem sholde helpen oother |
| In meschief, as a suster shal the brother, |
| 1455 | And lyve in chastitee ful holily. |
| But sires, by youre leve, that am nat I. |
| For -- God be thanked! -- I dar make avaunt |
| I feele my lymes stark and suffisaunt |
| To do al that a man bilongeth to; |
| 1460 | I woot myselven best what I may do. |
| Though I be hoor, I fare as dooth a tree |
| That blosmeth er that fruyt ywoxen bee; |
| And blosmy tree nys neither drye ne deed. |
| I feele me nowhere hoor but on myn heed; |
| 1465 | Myn herte and alle my lymes been as grene |
| As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene. |
| And syn that ye han herd al myn entente, |
| I prey yow to my wyl ye wole assente." |
| Diverse men diversely hym tolde |
| 1470 | Of mariage manye ensamples olde. |
| Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn, |
| But atte laste, shortly for to seyn, |
| As al day falleth altercacioun |
| Bitwixen freendes in disputisoun, |
| 1475 | Ther fil a stryf bitwixe his bretheren two, |
| Of whiche that oon was cleped Placebo; |
| Justinus soothly called was that oother. |
| Placebo seyde, "O Januarie, brother, |
| Ful litel nede hadde ye, my lord so deere, |
| 1480 | Conseil to axe of any that is heere, |
| But that ye been so ful of sapience |
| That yow ne liketh, for youre heighe prudence, |
| To weyven fro the word of Salomon. |
| This word seyde he unto us everychon: |
| 1485 | `Wirk alle thyng by conseil,' thus seyde he, |
| `And thanne shaltow nat repente thee.' |
| But though that Salomon spak swich a word, |
| Myn owene deere brother and my lord, |
| So wysly God my soule brynge at reste, |
| 1490 | I holde youre owene conseil is the beste. |
| For, brother myn, of me taak this motyf: |
| I have now been a court-man al my lyf, |
| And God it woot, though I unworthy be, |
| I have stonden in ful greet degree |
| 1495 | Abouten lordes of ful heigh estaat; |
| Yet hadde I nevere with noon of hem debaat. |
| I nevere hem contraried, trewely; |
| I woot wel that my lord kan moore than I. |
| What that he seith, I holde it ferme and stable; |
| 1500 | I seye the same, or elles thyng semblable. |
| A ful greet fool is any conseillour |
| That serveth any lord of heigh honour, |
| That dar presume, or elles thenken it, |
| That his conseil sholde passe his lordes wit. |
| 1505 | Nay, lordes been no fooles, by my fay! |
| Ye han youreselven shewed heer to-day |
| So heigh sentence, so holily and weel, |
| That I consente and conferme everydeel |
| Youre wordes alle and youre opinioun. |
| 1510 | By God, ther nys no man in al this toun, |
| Ne in Ytaille, that koude bet han sayd! |
| Crist halt hym of this conseil ful wel apayd. |
| And trewely, it is an heigh corage |
| Of any man that stapen is in age |
| 1515 | To take a yong wyf; by my fader kyn, |
| Youre herte hangeth on a joly pyn! |
| Dooth now in this matiere right as yow leste, |
| For finally I holde it for the beste." |
| Justinus, that ay stille sat and herde, |
| 1520 | Right in this wise he to Placebo answerde: |
| "Now, brother myn, be pacient, I preye, |
| Syn ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye. |
| Senek, amonges othere wordes wyse, |
| Seith that a man oghte hym right wel avyse |
| 1525 | To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel. |
| And syn I oghte avyse me right wel |
| To whom I yeve my good awey fro me, |
| Wel muchel moore I oghte avysed be |
| To whom I yeve my body for alwey. |
| 1530 | I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley |
| To take a wyf withouten avysement. |
| Men moste enquere -- this is myn assent -- |
| Wher she be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe, |
| Or proud, or elles ootherweys a shrewe, |
| 1535 | A chidestere, or wastour of thy good, |
| Or riche, or poore, or elles mannyssh wood. |
| Al be it so that no man fynden shal |
| Noon in this world that trotteth hool in al, |
| Ne man, ne beest, swich as men koude devyse; |
| 1540 | But nathelees it oghte ynough suffise |
| With any wyf, if so were that she hadde |
| Mo goode thewes than hire vices badde; |
| And al this axeth leyser for t' enquere. |
| For, God it woot, I have wept many a teere |
| 1545 | Ful pryvely, syn I have had a wyf. |
| Preyse whoso wole a wedded mannes lyf, |
| Certein I fynde in it but cost and care |
| And observances, of alle blisses bare. |
| And yet, God woot, my neighebores aboute, |
| 1550 | And namely of wommen many a route, |
| Seyn that I have the mooste stedefast wyf, |
| And eek the mekeste oon that bereth lyf; |
| But I woot best where wryngeth me my sho. |
| Ye mowe, for me, right as yow liketh do; |
| 1555 | Avyseth yow -- ye been a man of age -- |
| How that ye entren into mariage, |
| And namely with a yong wyf and a fair. |
| By hym that made water, erthe, and air, |
| The yongeste man that is in al this route |
| 1560 | Is bisy ynough to bryngen it aboute |
| To han his wyf allone. Trusteth me, |
| Ye shul nat plesen hire fully yeres thre -- |
| This is to seyn, to doon hire ful plesaunce. |
| A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce. |
| 1565 | I prey yow that ye be nat yvele apayd." |
| "Wel," quod this Januarie, "and hastow ysayd? |
| Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes! |
| I counte nat a panyer ful of herbes |
| Of scole-termes. Wyser men than thow, |
| 1570 | As thou hast herd, assenteden right now |
| To my purpos. Placebo, what sey ye?" |
| "I seye it is a cursed man," quod he, |
| "That letteth matrimoigne, sikerly." |
| And with that word they rysen sodeynly, |
| 1575 | And been assented fully that he sholde |
| Be wedded whanne hym liste and where he wolde. |
| Heigh fantasye and curious bisynesse |
| Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse |
| Of Januarie aboute his mariage. |
| 1580 | Many fair shap and many a fair visage |
| Ther passeth thurgh his herte nyght by nyght, |
| As whoso tooke a mirour, polisshed bryght, |
| And sette it in a commune market-place, |
| Thanne sholde he se ful many a figure pace |
| 1585 | By his mirour; and in the same wyse |
| Gan Januarie inwith his thoght devyse |
| Of maydens whiche that dwelten hym bisyde. |
| He wiste nat wher that he myghte abyde. |
| For if that oon have beaute in hir face, |
| 1590 | Another stant so in the peples grace |
| For hire sadnesse and hire benyngnytee |
| That of the peple grettest voys hath she; |
| And somme were riche and hadden badde name. |
| But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game, |
| 1595 | He atte laste apoynted hym on oon, |
| And leet alle othere from his herte goon, |
| And chees hire of his owene auctoritee; |
| For love is blynd alday, and may nat see. |
| And whan that he was in his bed ybroght, |
| 1600 | He purtreyed in his herte and in his thoght |
| Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre, |
| Hir myddel smal, hire armes longe and sklendre, |
| Hir wise governaunce, hir gentillesse, |
| Hir wommanly berynge, and hire sadnesse. |
| 1605 | And whan that he on hire was condescended, |
| Hym thoughte his choys myghte nat ben amended. |
| For whan that he hymself concluded hadde, |
| Hym thoughte ech oother mannes wit so badde |
| That inpossible it were to repplye |
| 1610 | Agayn his choys; this was his fantasye. |
| His freendes sente he to, at his instaunce, |
| And preyed hem to doon hym that plesaunce, |
| That hastily they wolden to hym come; |
| He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some. |
| 1615 | Nedeth namoore for hym to go ne ryde; |
| He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde. |
| Placebo cam, and eek his freendes soone, |
| And alderfirst he bad hem alle a boone, |
| That noon of hem none argumentes make |
| 1620 | Agayn the purpos which that he hath take, |
| Which purpos was plesant to God, seyde he, |
| And verray ground of his prosperitee. |
| He seyde ther was a mayden in the toun, |
| Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun, |
| 1625 | Al were it so she were of smal degree; |
| Suffiseth hym hir yowthe and hir beautee. |
| Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf, |
| To lede in ese and hoolynesse his lyf; |
| And thanked God that he myghte han hire al, |
| 1630 | That no wight his blisse parten shal. |
| And preyed hem to laboure in this nede, |
| And shapen that he faille nat to spede; |
| For thanne, he seyde, his spirit was at ese. |
| "Thanne is," quod he, "no thyng may me displese, |
| 1635 | Save o thyng priketh in my conscience, |
| The which I wol reherce in youre presence. |
| "I have," quod he, "herd seyd, ful yoore ago, |
| Ther may no man han parfite blisses two -- |
| This is to seye, in erthe and eek in hevene. |
| 1640 | For though he kepe hym fro the synnes sevene, |
| And eek from every branche of thilke tree, |
| Yet is ther so parfit felicitee |
| And so greet ese and lust in mariage |
| That evere I am agast now in myn age |
| 1645 | That I shal lede now so myrie a lyf, |
| So delicat, withouten wo and stryf, |
| That I shal have myn hevene in erthe heere. |
| For sith that verray hevene is boght so deere |
| With tribulacion and greet penaunce, |
| 1650 | How sholde I thanne, that lyve in swich plesaunce |
| As alle wedded men doon with hire wyvys, |
| Come to the blisse ther Crist eterne on lyve ys? |
| This is my drede, and ye, my bretheren tweye, |
| Assoilleth me this question, I preye." |
| 1655 | Justinus, which that hated his folye, |
| Answerde anon right in his japerye; |
| And for he wolde his longe tale abregge, |
| He wolde noon auctoritee allegge, |
| But seyde, "Sire, so ther be noon obstacle |
| 1660 | Oother than this, God of his hygh myracle |
| And of his mercy may so for yow wirche |
| That, er ye have youre right of hooly chirche, |
| Ye may repente of wedded mannes lyf, |
| In which ye seyn ther is no wo ne stryf. |
| 1665 | And elles, God forbede but he sente |
| A wedded man hym grace to repente |
| Wel ofte rather than a sengle man! |
| And therfore, sire -- the beste reed I kan -- |
| Dispeire yow noght, but have in youre memorie, |
| 1670 | Paraunter she may be youre purgatorie! |
| She may be Goddes meene and Goddes whippe; |
| Thanne shal youre soule up to hevene skippe |
| Swifter than dooth an arwe out of a bowe. |
| I hope to God, herafter shul ye knowe |
| 1675 | That ther nys no so greet felicitee |
| In mariage, ne nevere mo shal bee, |
| That yow shal lette of youre savacion, |
| So that ye use, as skile is and reson, |
| The lustes of youre wyf attemprely, |
| 1680 | And that ye plese hire nat to amorously, |
| And that ye kepe yow eek from oother synne. |
| My tale is doon, for my wit is thynne. |
| Beth nat agast herof, my brother deere, |
| But lat us waden out of this mateere. |
| 1685 | The Wyf of Bathe, if ye han understonde, |
| Of mariage, which we have on honde, |
| Declared hath ful wel in litel space. |
| Fareth now wel. God have yow in his grace." |
| And with this word this Justyn and his brother |
| 1690 | Han take hir leve, and ech of hem of oother. |
| For whan they saughe that it moste nedes be, |
| They wroghten so, by sly and wys tretee, |
| That she, this mayden which that Mayus highte, |
| As hastily as evere that she myghte |
| 1695 | Shal wedded be unto this Januarie. |
| I trowe it were to longe yow to tarie, |
| If I yow tolde of every scrit and bond |
| By which that she was feffed in his lond, |
| Or for to herknen of hir riche array. |
| 1700 | But finally ycomen is the day |
| That to the chirche bothe be they went |
| For to receyve the hooly sacrement. |
| Forth comth the preest, with stole aboute his nekke, |
| And bad hire be lyk Sarra and Rebekke |
| 1705 | In wysdom and in trouthe of mariage; |
| And seyde his orisons, as is usage, |
| And croucheth hem, and bad God sholde hem blesse, |
| And made al siker ynogh with hoolynesse. |
| Thus been they wedded with solempnitee, |
| 1710 | And at the feeste sitteth he and she |
| With othere worthy folk upon the deys. |
| Al ful of joye and blisse is the paleys, |
| And ful of instrumentz and of vitaille, |
| The mooste deyntevous of al Ytaille. |
| 1715 | Biforn hem stoode instrumentz of swich soun |
| That Orpheus, ne of Thebes Amphioun, |
| Ne maden nevere swich a melodye. |
| At every cours thanne cam loud mynstralcye |
| That nevere tromped Joab for to heere, |
| 1720 | Nor he Theodomas, yet half so cleere |
| At Thebes whan the citee was in doute. |
| Bacus the wyn hem shynketh al aboute, |
| And Venus laugheth upon every wight, |
| For Januarie was bicome hir knyght |
| 1725 | And wolde bothe assayen his corage |
| In libertee, and eek in mariage; |
| And with hire fyrbrond in hire hand aboute |
| Daunceth biforn the bryde and al the route. |
| And certeinly, I dar right wel seyn this, |
| 1730 | Ymeneus, that god of weddyng is, |
| Saugh nevere his lyf so myrie a wedded man. |
| Hoold thou thy pees, thou poete Marcian, |
| That writest us that ilke weddyng murie |
| Of hire Philologie and hym Mercurie, |
| 1735 | And of the songes that the Muses songe! |
| To smal is bothe thy penne, and eek thy tonge, |
| For to descryven of this mariage. |
| Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stoupyng age, |
| Ther is swich myrthe that it may nat be writen. |
| 1740 | Assayeth it youreself; thanne may ye witen |
| If that I lye or noon in this matiere. |
| Mayus, that sit with so benyngne a chiere, |
| Hire to biholde it semed fayerye. |
| Queene Ester looked nevere with swich an ye |
| 1745 | On Assuer, so meke a look hath she. |
| I may yow nat devyse al hir beautee. |
| But thus muche of hire beautee telle I may, |
| That she was lyk the brighte morwe of May, |
| Fulfild of alle beautee and plesaunce. |
| 1750 | This Januarie is ravysshed in a traunce |
| At every tyme he looked on hir face; |
| But in his herte he gan hire to manace |
| That he that nyght in armes wolde hire streyne |
| Harder than evere Parys dide Eleyne. |
| 1755 | But nathelees yet hadde he greet pitee |
| That thilke nyght offenden hire moste he, |
| And thoughte, "Allas! O tendre creature, |
| Now wolde God ye myghte wel endure |
| Al my corage, it is so sharp and keene! |
| 1760 | I am agast ye shul it nat susteene. |
| But God forbede that I dide al my myght! |
| Now wolde God that it were woxen nyght, |
| And that the nyght wolde lasten everemo. |
| I wolde that al this peple were ago." |
| 1765 | And finally he dooth al his labour, |
| As he best myghte, savynge his honour, |
| To haste hem fro the mete in subtil wyse. |
| The tyme cam that resoun was to ryse; |
| And after that men daunce and drynken faste, |
| 1770 | And spices al aboute the hous they caste, |
| And ful of joye and blisse is every man -- |
| Al but a squyer, highte Damyan, |
| Which carf biforn the knyght ful many a day. |
| He was so ravysshed on his lady May |
| 1775 | That for the verray peyne he was ny wood. |
| Almoost he swelte and swowned ther he stood, |
| So soore hath Venus hurt hym with hire brond, |
| As that she bar it daunsynge in hire hond; |
| And to his bed he wente hym hastily. |
| 1780 | Namoore of hym at this tyme speke I, |
| But there I lete hym wepe ynogh and pleyne |
| Til fresshe May wol rewen on his peyne. |
| O perilous fyr, that in the bedstraw bredeth! |
| O famulier foo, that his servyce bedeth! |
| 1785 | O servant traytour, false hoomly hewe, |
| Lyk to the naddre in bosom sly untrewe, |
| God shilde us alle from youre aqueyntaunce! |
| O Januarie, dronken in plesaunce |
| In mariage, se how thy Damyan, |
| 1790 | Thyn owene squier and thy borne man, |
| Entendeth for to do thee vileynye. |
| God graunte thee thyn hoomly fo t' espye! |
| For in this world nys worse pestilence |
| Than hoomly foo al day in thy presence. |
| 1795 | Parfourned hath the sonne his ark diurne; |
| No lenger may the body of hym sojurne |
| On th' orisonte, as in that latitude. |
| Night with his mantel, that is derk and rude, |
| Gan oversprede the hemysperie aboute; |
| 1800 | For which departed is this lusty route |
| Fro Januarie, with thank on every syde. |
| Hoom to hir houses lustily they ryde, |
| Where as they doon hir thynges as hem leste, |
| And whan they sye hir tyme, goon to reste. |
| 1805 | Soone after that, this hastif Januarie |
| Wolde go to bedde; he wolde no lenger tarye. |
| He drynketh ypocras, clarree, and vernage |
| Of spices hoote t' encreessen his corage; |
| And many a letuarie hath he ful fyn, |
| 1810 | Swiche as the cursed monk, daun Constantyn, |
| Hath writen in his book De Coitu; |
| To eten hem alle he nas no thyng eschu. |
| And to his privee freendes thus seyde he: |
| "For Goddes love, as soone as it may be, |
| 1815 | Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse." |
| And they han doon right as he wol devyse. |
| Men drynken and the travers drawe anon. |
| The bryde was broght abedde as stille as stoon; |
| And whan the bed was with the preest yblessed, |
| 1820 | Out of the chambre hath every wight hym dressed, |
| And Januarie hath faste in armes take |
| His fresshe May, his paradys, his make. |
| He lulleth hire; he kisseth hire ful ofte; |
| With thikke brustles of his berd unsofte, |
| 1825 | Lyk to the skyn of houndfyssh, sharp as brere -- |
| For he was shave al newe in his manere -- |
| He rubbeth hire aboute hir tendre face, |
| And seyde thus, "Allas! I moot trespace |
| To yow, my spouse, and yow greetly offende |
| 1830 | Er tyme come that I wil doun descende. |
| But nathelees, considereth this," quod he, |
| "Ther nys no werkman, whatsoevere he be, |
| That may bothe werke wel and hastily; |
| This wol be doon at leyser parfitly. |
| 1835 | It is no fors how longe that we pleye; |
| In trewe wedlok coupled be we tweye, |
| And blessed be the yok that we been inne, |
| For in oure actes we mowe do no synne. |
| A man may do no synne with his wyf, |
| 1840 | Ne hurte hymselven with his owene knyf, |
| For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe." |
| Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe; |
| And thanne he taketh a sop in fyn clarree, |
| And upright in his bed thanne sitteth he, |
| 1845 | And after that he sang ful loude and cleere, |
| And kiste his wyf, and made wantown cheere. |
| He was al coltissh, ful of ragerye, |
| And ful of jargon as a flekked pye. |
| The slakke skyn aboute his nekke shaketh |
| 1850 | Whil that he sang, so chaunteth he and craketh. |
| But God woot what that May thoughte in hir herte, |
| Whan she hym saugh up sittynge in his sherte, |
| In his nyght-cappe, and with his nekke lene; |
| She preyseth nat his pleyyng worth a bene. |
| 1855 | Thanne seide he thus, "My reste wol I take; |
| Now day is come, I may no lenger wake." |
| And doun he leyde his heed and sleep til pryme. |
| And afterward, whan that he saugh his tyme, |
| Up ryseth Januarie; but fresshe May |
| 1860 | Heeld hire chambre unto the fourthe day, |
| As usage is of wyves for the beste. |
| For every labour somtyme moot han reste, |
| Or elles longe may he nat endure; |
| This is to seyn, no lyves creature, |
| 1865 | Be it of fyssh, or bryd, or beest, or man. |
| Now wol I speke of woful Damyan, |
| That langwissheth for love, as ye shul heere; |
| Therfore I speke to hym in this manere: |
| I seye, "O sely Damyan, allas! |
| 1870 | Andswere to my demaunde, as in this cas. |
| How shaltow to thy lady, fresshe May, |
| Telle thy wo? She wole alwey seye nay. |
| Eek if thou speke, she wol thy wo biwreye. |
| God be thyn helpe! I kan no bettre seye." |
| 1875 | This sike Damyan in Venus fyr |
| So brenneth that he dyeth for desyr, |
| For which he putte his lyf in aventure. |
| No lenger myghte he in this wise endure, |
| But prively a penner gan he borwe, |
| 1880 | And in a lettre wroot he al his sorwe, |
| In manere of a compleynt or a lay, |
| Unto his faire, fresshe lady May; |
| And in a purs of sylk heng on his sherte |
| He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte. |
| 1885 | The moone, that at noon was thilke day |
| That Januarie hath wedded fresshe May |
| In two of Tawr, was into Cancre glyden; |
| So longe hath Mayus in hir chambre abyden, |
| As custume is unto thise nobles alle. |
| 1890 | A bryde shal nat eten in the halle |
| Til dayes foure, or thre dayes atte leeste, |
| Ypassed been; thanne lat hire go to feeste. |
| The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon, |
| Whan that the heighe masse was ydoon, |
| 1895 | In halle sit this Januarie and May, |
| As fressh as is the brighte someres day. |
| And so bifel how that this goode man |
| Remembred hym upon this Damyan, |
| And seyde, "Seynte Marie! how may this be, |
| 1900 | That Damyan entendeth nat to me? |
| Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?" |
| His squieres, whiche that stooden ther bisyde, |
| Excused hym by cause of his siknesse, |
| Which letted hym to doon his bisynesse; |
| 1905 | Noon oother cause myghte make hym tarye. |
| "That me forthynketh," quod this Januarie, |
| "He is a gentil squier, by my trouthe! |
| If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe. |
| He is as wys, discreet, and as secree |
| 1910 | As any man I woot of his degree, |
| And therto manly, and eek servysable, |
| And for to been a thrifty man right able. |
| But after mete, as soone as evere I may, |
| I wol myself visite hym, and eek May, |
| 1915 | To doon hym al the confort that I kan." |
| And for that word hym blessed every man, |
| That of his bountee and his gentillesse |
| He wolde so conforten in siknesse |
| His squier, for it was a gentil dede. |
| 1920 | "Dame," quod this Januarie, "taak good hede, |
| At after-mete ye with youre wommen alle, |
| Whan ye han been in chambre out of this halle, |
| That alle ye go se this Damyan. |
| Dooth hym disport -- he is a gentil man; |
| 1925 | And telleth hym that I wol hym visite, |
| Have I no thyng but rested me a lite; |
| And spede yow faste, for I wole abyde |
| Til that ye slepe faste by my syde." |
| And with that word he gan to hym to calle |
| 1930 | A squier, that was marchal of his halle, |
| And tolde hym certeyn thynges, what he wolde. |
| This fresshe May hath streight hir wey yholde |
| With alle hir wommen unto Damyan. |
| Doun by his beddes syde sit she than, |
| 1935 | Confortynge hym as goodly as she may. |
| This Damyan, whan that his tyme he say, |
| In secree wise his purs and eek his bille, |
| In which that he ywriten hadde his wille, |
| Hath put into hire hand, withouten moore, |
| 1940 | Save that he siketh wonder depe and soore, |
| And softely to hire right thus seyde he: |
| "Mercy! And that ye nat discovere me, |
| For I am deed if that this thyng be kyd." |
| This purs hath she inwith hir bosom hyd |
| 1945 | And wente hire wey; ye gete namoore of me. |
| But unto Januarie ycomen is she, |
| That on his beddes syde sit ful softe. |
| He taketh hire, and kisseth hire ful ofte, |
| And leyde hym doun to slepe, and that anon. |
| 1950 | She feyned hire as that she moste gon |
| Ther as ye woot that every wight moot neede; |
| And whan she of this bille hath taken heede, |
| She rente it al to cloutes atte laste, |
| And in the pryvee softely it caste. |
| 1955 | Who studieth now but faire fresshe May? |
| Adoun by olde Januarie she lay, |
| That sleep til that the coughe hath hym awaked. |
| Anon he preyde hire strepen hire al naked; |
| He wolde of hire, he seyde, han som plesaunce; |
| 1960 | He seyde hir clothes dide hym encombraunce, |
| And she obeyeth, be hire lief or looth. |
| But lest that precious folk be with me wrooth, |
| How that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle, |
| Or wheither hire thoughte it paradys or helle. |
| 1965 | But heere I lete hem werken in hir wyse |
| Til evensong rong and that they moste aryse. |
| Were it by destynee or by aventure, |
| Were it by influence or by nature, |
| Or constellacion, that in swich estaat |
| 1970 | The hevene stood that tyme fortunaat |
| Was for to putte a bille of Venus werkes -- |
| For alle thyng hath tyme, as seyn thise clerkes -- |
| To any womman for to gete hire love, |
| I kan nat seye; but grete God above, |
| 1975 | That knoweth that noon act is causelees, |
| He deme of al, for I wole holde my pees. |
| But sooth is this, how that this fresshe May |
| Hath take swich impression that day |
| Of pitee of this sike Damyan |
| 1980 | That from hire herte she ne dryve kan |
| The remembrance for to doon hym ese. |
| "Certeyn," thoghte she, "whom that this thyng displese |
| I rekke noght, for heere I hym assure |
| To love hym best of any creature, |
| 1985 | Though he namoore hadde than his sherte." |
| Lo, pitee renneth soone in gentil herte! |
| Heere may ye se how excellent franchise |
| In wommen is, whan they hem narwe avyse. |
| Som tyrant is, as ther be many oon |
| 1990 | That hath an herte as hard as any stoon, |
| Which wolde han lat hym sterven in the place |
| Wel rather than han graunted hym hire grace, |
| And hem rejoysen in hire crueel pryde, |
| And rekke nat to been an homycide. |
| 1995 | This gentil May, fulfilled of pitee, |
| Right of hire hand a lettre made she, |
| In which she graunteth hym hire verray grace. |
| Ther lakketh noght oonly but day and place |
| Wher that she myghte unto his lust suffise, |
| 2000 | For it shal be right as he wole devyse. |
| And whan she saugh hir tyme, upon a day |
| To visite this Damyan gooth May, |
| And sotilly this lettre doun she threste |
| Under his pilwe; rede it if hym leste. |
| 2005 | She taketh hym by the hand and harde hym twiste |
| So secrely that no wight of it wiste, |
| And bad hym been al hool, and forth she wente |
| To Januarie, whan that he for hire sente. |
| Up riseth Damyan the nexte morwe; |
| 2010 | Al passed was his siknesse and his sorwe. |
| He kembeth hym, he preyneth hym and pyketh, |
| He dooth al that his lady lust and lyketh, |
| And eek to Januarie he gooth as lowe |
| As evere dide a dogge for the bowe. |
| 2015 | He is so plesant unto every man |
| (For craft is al, whoso that do it kan) |
| That every wight is fayn to speke hym good, |
| And fully in his lady grace he stood. |
| Thus lete I Damyan aboute his nede, |
| 2020 | And in my tale forth I wol procede. |
| Somme clerkes holden that felicitee |
| Stant in delit, and therfore certeyn he, |
| This noble Januarie, with al his myght, |
| In honest wyse, as longeth to a knyght, |
| 2025 | Shoop hym to lyve ful deliciously. |
| His housynge, his array, as honestly |
| To his degree was maked as a kynges. |
| Amonges othere of his honeste thynges, |
| He made a gardyn, walled al with stoon; |
| 2030 | So fair a gardyn woot I nowher noon. |
| For, out of doute, I verraily suppose |
| That he that wroot the Romance of the Rose |
| Ne koude of it the beautee wel devyse; |
| Ne Priapus ne myghte nat suffise, |
| 2035 | Though he be god of gardyns, for to telle |
| The beautee of the gardyn and the welle |
| That stood under a laurer alwey grene. |
| Ful ofte tyme he Pluto and his queene, |
| Proserpina, and al hire fayerye, |
| 2040 | Disporten hem and maken melodye |
| Aboute that welle, and daunced, as men tolde. |
| This noble knyght, this Januarie the olde, |
| Swich deyntee hath in it to walke and pleye, |
| That he wol no wight suffren bere the keye |
| 2045 | Save he hymself; for of the smale wyket |
| He baar alwey of silver a clyket, |
| With which, whan that hym leste, he it unshette. |
| And whan he wolde paye his wyf hir dette |
| In somer seson, thider wolde he go, |
| 2050 | And May his wyf, and no wight but they two; |
| And thynges whiche that were nat doon abedde, |
| He in the gardyn parfourned hem and spedde. |
| And in this wyse, many a murye day, |
| Lyved this Januarie and fresshe May. |
| 2055 | But worldly joye may nat alwey dure |
| To Januarie, ne to no creature. |
| O sodeyn hap! O thou Fortune unstable! |
| Lyk to the scorpion so deceyvable, |
| That flaterest with thyn heed whan thou wolt stynge; |
| 2060 | Thy tayl is deeth, thurgh thyn envenymynge. |
| O brotil joye! O sweete venym queynte! |
| O monstre, that so subtilly kanst peynte |
| Thy yiftes under hewe of stidefastnesse, |
| That thou deceyvest bothe moore and lesse! |
| 2065 | Why hastow Januarie thus deceyved, |
| That haddest hym for thy fulle freend receyved? |
| And now thou hast biraft hym bothe his yen, |
| For sorwe of which desireth he to dyen. |
| Allas, this noble Januarie free, |
| 2070 | Amydde his lust and his prosperitee, |
| Is woxen blynd, and that al sodeynly. |
| He wepeth and he wayleth pitously; |
| And therwithal the fyr of jalousie, |
| Lest that his wyf sholde falle in som folye, |
| 2075 | So brente his herte that he wolde fayn |
| That som man bothe hire and hym had slayn. |
| For neither after his deeth nor in his lyf |
| Ne wolde he that she were love ne wyf, |
| But evere lyve as wydwe in clothes blake, |
| 2080 | Soul as the turtle that lost hath hire make. |
| But atte laste, after a month or tweye, |
| His sorwe gan aswage, sooth to seye; |
| For whan he wiste it may noon oother be, |
| He paciently took his adversitee, |
| 2085 | Save, out of doute, he may nat forgoon |
| That he nas jalous everemoore in oon; |
| Which jalousye it was so outrageous |
| That neither in halle, n' yn noon oother hous, |
| Ne in noon oother place, neverthemo, |
| 2090 | He nolde suffre hire for to ryde or go, |
| But if that he had hond on hire alway; |
| For which ful ofte wepeth fresshe May, |
| That loveth Damyan so benyngnely |
| That she moot outher dyen sodeynly |
| 2095 | Or elles she moot han hym as hir leste. |
| She wayteth whan hir herte wolde breste. |
| Upon that oother syde Damyan |
| Bicomen is the sorwefulleste man |
| That evere was, for neither nyght ne day |
| 2100 | Ne myghte he speke a word to fresshe May, |
| As to his purpos, of no swich mateere, |
| But if that Januarie moste it heere, |
| That hadde an hand upon hire everemo. |
| But nathelees, by writyng to and fro |
| 2105 | And privee signes wiste he what she mente, |
| And she knew eek the fyn of his entente. |
| O Januarie, what myghte it thee availle, |
| Thogh thou myghtest se as fer as shippes saille? |
| For as good is blynd deceyved be |
| 2110 | As to be deceyved whan a man may se. |
| Lo, Argus, which that hadde an hondred yen, |
| For al that evere he koude poure or pryen, |
| Yet was he blent, and, God woot, so been mo |
| That wenen wisly that it be nat so. |
| 2115 | Passe over is an ese, I sey namoore. |
| This fresshe May, that I spak of so yoore, |
| In warm wex hath emprented the clyket |
| That Januarie bar of the smale wyket, |
| By which into his gardyn ofte he wente; |
| 2120 | And Damyan, that knew al hire entente, |
| The cliket countrefeted pryvely. |
| Ther nys namoore to seye, but hastily |
| Som wonder by this clyket shal bityde, |
| Which ye shul heeren, if ye wole abyde. |
| 2125 | O noble Ovyde, ful sooth seystou, God woot, |
| What sleighte is it, thogh it be long and hoot, |
| That Love nyl fynde it out in som manere? |
| By Piramus and Tesbee may men leere; |
| Thogh they were kept ful longe streite overal, |
| 2130 | They been accorded, rownynge thurgh a wal, |
| Ther no wight koude han founde out swich a sleighte. |
| But now to purpos: er that dayes eighte |
| Were passed [of] the month of [Juyn], bifil |
| That Januarie hath caught so greet a wil, |
| 2135 | Thurgh eggyng of his wyf, hym for to pleye |
| In his gardyn, and no wight but they tweye, |
| That in a morwe unto his May seith he: |
| "Rys up, my wyf, my love, my lady free! |
| The turtles voys is herd, my dowve sweete; |
| 2140 | The wynter is goon with alle his reynes weete. |
| Com forth now, with thyne eyen columbyn! |
| How fairer been thy brestes than is wyn! |
| The gardyn is enclosed al aboute; |
| Com forth, my white spouse! Out of doute |
| 2145 | Thou hast me wounded in myn herte, O wyf! |
| No spot of thee ne knew I al my lyf. |
| Com forth, and lat us taken oure disport; |
| I chees thee for my wyf and my confort." |
| Swiche olde lewed wordes used he. |
| 2150 | On Damyan a signe made she, |
| That he sholde go biforn with his cliket. |
| This Damyan thanne hath opened the wyket, |
| And in he stirte, and that in swich manere |
| That no wight myghte it se neither yheere, |
| 2155 | And stille he sit under a bussh anon. |
| This Januarie, as blynd as is a stoon, |
| With Mayus in his hand, and no wight mo, |
| Into his fresshe gardyn is ago, |
| And clapte to the wyket sodeynly. |
| 2160 | "Now wyf," quod he, "heere nys but thou and I, |
| That art the creature that I best love. |
| For by that Lord that sit in hevene above, |
| Levere ich hadde to dyen on a knyf |
| Than thee offende, trewe deere wyf! |
| 2165 | For Goddes sake, thenk how I thee chees, |
| Noght for no coveitise, doutelees, |
| But oonly for the love I had to thee. |
| And though that I be oold and may nat see, |
| Beth to me trewe, and I wol telle yow why. |
| 2170 | Thre thynges, certes, shal ye wynne therby: |
| First, love of Crist, and to youreself honour, |
| And al myn heritage, toun and tour; |
| I yeve it yow, maketh chartres as yow leste; |
| This shal be doon to-morwe er sonne reste, |
| 2175 | So wisly God my soule brynge in blisse. |
| I prey yow first, in covenant ye me kisse; |
| And though that I be jalous, wyte me noght. |
| Ye been so depe enprented in my thoght |
| That, whan that I considere youre beautee |
| 2180 | And therwithal the unlikly elde of me, |
| I may nat, certes, though I sholde dye, |
| Forbere to been out of youre compaignye |
| For verray love; this is withouten doute. |
| Now kys me, wyf, and lat us rome aboute." |
| 2185 | This fresshe May, whan she thise wordes herde, |
| Benyngnely to Januarie answerde, |
| But first and forward she bigan to wepe. |
| "I have," quod she, "a soule for to kepe |
| As wel as ye, and also myn honour, |
| 2190 | And of my wyfhod thilke tendre flour, |
| Which that I have assured in youre hond, |
| Whan that the preest to yow my body bond; |
| Wherfore I wole answere in this manere, |
| By the leve of yow, my lord so deere: |
| 2195 | I prey to God that nevere dawe the day |
| That I ne sterve, as foule as womman may, |
| If evere I do unto my kyn that shame, |
| Or elles I empeyre so my name, |
| That I be fals; and if I do that lak, |
| 2200 | Do strepe me and put me in a sak, |
| And in the nexte ryver do me drenche. |
| I am a gentil womman and no wenche. |
| Why speke ye thus? But men been evere untrewe, |
| And wommen have repreve of yow ay newe. |
| 2205 | Ye han noon oother contenance, I leeve, |
| But speke to us of untrust and repreeve." |
| And with that word she saugh wher Damyan |
| Sat in the bussh, and coughen she bigan, |
| And with hir fynger signes made she |
| 2210 | That Damyan sholde clymbe upon a tree |
| That charged was with fruyt, and up he wente. |
| For verraily he knew al hire entente, |
| And every signe that she koude make, |
| Wel bet than Januarie, hir owene make, |
| 2215 | For in a lettre she hadde toold hym al |
| Of this matere, how he werchen shal. |
| And thus I lete hym sitte upon the pyrie, |
| And Januarie and May romynge myrie. |
| Bright was the day, and blew the firmament; |
| 2220 | Phebus hath of gold his stremes doun ysent |
| To gladen every flour with his warmnesse. |
| He was that tyme in Geminis, as I gesse, |
| But litel fro his declynacion |
| Of Cancer, Jovis exaltacion. |
| 2225 | And so bifel, that brighte morwe-tyde |
| That in that gardyn, in the ferther syde, |
| Pluto, that is kyng of Fayerye, |
| And many a lady in his compaignye, |
| Folwynge his wyf, the queene Proserpyna, |
| 2230 | Which that he ravysshed out of [Ethna] |
| Whil that she gadered floures in the mede -- |
| In Claudyan ye may the stories rede, |
| How in his grisely carte he hire fette -- |
| This kyng of Fairye thanne adoun hym sette |
| 2235 | Upon a bench of turves, fressh and grene, |
| And right anon thus seyde he to his queene: |
| "My wyf," quod he, "ther may no wight seye nay; |
| Th' experience so preveth every day |
| The tresons whiche that wommen doon to man. |
| 2240 | Ten hondred thousand [tales] tellen I kan |
| Notable of youre untrouthe and brotilnesse. |
| O Salomon, wys, and richest of richesse, |
| Fulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie, |
| Ful worthy been thy wordes to memorie |
| 2245 | To every wight that wit and reson kan. |
| Thus preiseth he yet the bountee of man: |
| `Amonges a thousand men yet foond I oon, |
| But of wommen alle foond I noon.' |
| "Thus seith the kyng that knoweth youre wikkednesse. |
| 2250 | And Jhesus, filius Syrak, as I gesse, |
| Ne speketh of yow but seelde reverence. |
| A wylde fyr and corrupt pestilence |
| So falle upon youre bodyes yet to-nyght! |
| Ne se ye nat this honurable knyght, |
| 2255 | By cause, allas, that he is blynd and old, |
| His owene man shal make hym cokewold. |
| Lo, where he sit, the lechour, in the tree! |
| Now wol I graunten, of my magestee, |
| Unto this olde, blynde, worthy knyght |
| 2260 | That he shal have ayen his eyen syght, |
| Whan that his wyf wold doon hym vileynye. |
| Thanne shal he knowen al hire harlotrye, |
| Bothe in repreve of hire and othere mo." |
| "Ye shal?" quod Proserpyne, "wol ye so? |
| 2265 | Now by my moodres sires soule I swere |
| That I shal yeven hire suffisant answere, |
| And alle wommen after, for hir sake, |
| That, though they be in any gilt ytake, |
| With face boold they shulle hemself excuse, |
| 2270 | And bere hem doun that wolden hem accuse. |
| For lak of answere noon of hem shal dyen. |
| Al hadde man seyn a thyng with bothe his yen, |
| Yit shul we wommen visage it hardily, |
| And wepe, and swere, and chyde subtilly, |
| 2275 | So that ye men shul been as lewed as gees. |
| "What rekketh me of youre auctoritees? |
| I woot wel that this Jew, this Salomon, |
| Foond of us wommen fooles many oon. |
| But though that he ne foond no good womman, |
| 2280 | Yet hath ther founde many another man |
| Wommen ful trewe, ful goode, and vertuous. |
| Witnesse on hem that dwelle in Cristes hous; |
| With martirdom they preved hire constance. |
| The Romayn geestes eek make remembrance |
| 2285 | Of many a verray, trewe wyf also. |
| But, sire, ne be nat wrooth, al be it so, |
| Though that he seyde he foond no good womman, |
| I prey yow take the sentence of the man; |
| He mente thus, that in sovereyn bontee |
| 2290 | Nis noon but God, but neither he ne she. |
| "Ey! for verray God that nys but oon, |
| What make ye so muche of Salomon? |
| What though he made a temple, Goddes hous? |
| What though he were riche and glorious? |
| 2295 | So made he eek a temple of false goddis. |
| How myghte he do a thyng that moore forbode is? |
| Pardee, as faire as ye his name emplastre, |
| He was a lecchour and an ydolastre, |
| And in his elde he verray God forsook; |
| 2300 | And if God ne hadde, as seith the book, |
| Yspared him for his fadres sake, he sholde |
| Have lost his regne rather than he wolde. |
| I sette right noght, of al the vileynye |
| That ye of wommen write, a boterflye! |
| 2305 | I am a womman, nedes moot I speke, |
| Or elles swelle til myn herte breke. |
| For sithen he seyde that we been jangleresses, |
| As evere hool I moote brouke my tresses, |
| I shal nat spare, for no curteisye, |
| 2310 | To speke hym harm that wolde us vileynye." |
| "Dame," quod this Pluto, "be no lenger wrooth; |
| I yeve it up! But sith I swoor myn ooth |
| That I wolde graunten hym his sighte ageyn, |
| My word shal stonde, I warne yow certeyn. |
| 2315 | I am a kyng; it sit me noght to lye." |
| "And I," quod she, "a queene of Fayerye! |
| Hir answere shal she have, I undertake. |
| Lat us namoore wordes heerof make; |
| For sothe, I wol no lenger yow contrarie." |
| 2320 | Now lat us turne agayn to Januarie, |
| That in the gardyn with his faire May |
| Syngeth ful murier than the papejay, |
| "Yow love I best, and shal, and oother noon." |
| So longe aboute the aleyes is he goon, |
| 2325 | Til he was come agaynes thilke pyrie |
| Where as this Damyan sitteth ful myrie |
| An heigh among the fresshe leves grene. |
| This fresshe May, that is so bright and sheene, |
| Gan for to syke, and seyde, "Allas, my syde! |
| 2330 | Now sire," quod she, "for aught that may bityde, |
| I moste han of the peres that I see, |
| Or I moot dye, so soore longeth me |
| To eten of the smale peres grene. |
| Help, for hir love that is of hevene queene! |
| 2335 | I telle yow wel, a womman in my plit |
| May han to fruyt so greet an appetit |
| That she may dyen but she of it have." |
| "Allas," quod he, "that I ne had heer a knave |
| That koude clymbe! Allas, allas," quod he, |
| 2340 | "For I am blynd!" "Ye, sire, no fors," quod she; |
| "But wolde ye vouche sauf, for Goddes sake, |
| The pyrie inwith youre armes for to take, |
| For wel I woot that ye mystruste me, |
| Thanne sholde I clymbe wel ynogh," quod she, |
| 2345 | "So I my foot myghte sette upon youre bak." |
| "Certes," quod he, "theron shal be no lak, |
| Mighte I yow helpen with myn herte blood." |
| He stoupeth doun, and on his bak she stood, |
| And caughte hire by a twiste, and up she gooth -- |
| 2350 | Ladyes, I prey yow that ye be nat wrooth; |
| I kan nat glose, I am a rude man -- |
| And sodeynly anon this Damyan |
| Gan pullen up the smok, and in he throng. |
| And whan that Pluto saugh this grete wrong, |
| 2355 | To Januarie he gaf agayn his sighte, |
| And made hym se as wel as evere he myghte. |
| And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn, |
| Ne was ther nevere man of thyng so fayn, |
| But on his wyf his thoght was everemo. |
| 2360 | Up to the tree he caste his eyen two, |
| And saugh that Damyan his wyf had dressed |
| In swich manere it may nat been expressed, |
| But if I wolde speke uncurteisly; |
| And up he yaf a roryng and a cry, |
| 2365 | As dooth the mooder whan the child shal dye: |
| "Out! Help! Allas! Harrow!" he gan to crye, |
| "O stronge lady stoore, what dostow?" |
| And she answerde, "Sire, what eyleth yow? |
| Have pacience and resoun in youre mynde. |
| 2370 | I have yow holpe on bothe youre eyen blynde. |
| Up peril of my soule, I shal nat lyen, |
| As me was taught, to heele with youre eyen, |
| Was no thyng bet, to make yow to see, |
| Than strugle with a man upon a tree. |
| 2375 | God woot, I dide it in ful good entente." |
| "Strugle?" quod he, "Ye, algate in it wente! |
| God yeve yow bothe on shames deth to dyen! |
| He swyved thee; I saugh it with myne yen, |
| And elles be I hanged by the hals!" |
| 2380 | "Thanne is," quod she, "my medicyne fals; |
| For certeinly, if that ye myghte se, |
| Ye wolde nat seyn thise wordes unto me. |
| Ye han som glymsyng, and no parfit sighte." |
| "I se," quod he, "as wel as evere I myghte, |
| 2385 | Thonked be God! With bothe myne eyen two, |
| And by my trouthe, me thoughte he dide thee so." |
| "Ye maze, maze, goode sire," quod she; |
| "This thank have I for I have maad yow see. |
| Allas," quod she, "that evere I was so kynde!" |
| 2390 | "Now, dame," quod he, "lat al passe out of mynde. |
| Com doun, my lief, and if I have myssayd, |
| God helpe me so, as I am yvele apayd. |
| But, by my fader soule, I wende han seyn |
| How that this Damyan hadde by thee leyn, |
| 2395 | And that thy smok hadde leyn upon his brest." |
| "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 |
| Upon a thyng, ne seen it parfitly, |
| 2400 | Til that he be adawed verraily. |
| Right so a man that longe hath blynd ybe, |
| Ne may nat sodeynly so wel yse, |
| First whan his sighte is newe come ageyn, |
| As he that hath a day or two yseyn. |
| 2405 | Til that youre sighte ysatled be a while |
| Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigile. |
| Beth war, I prey yow, for by hevene kyng, |
| Ful many a man weneth to seen a thyng, |
| And it is al another than it semeth. |
| 2410 | He that mysconceyveth, he mysdemeth." |
| And with that word she leep doun fro the tree. |
| This Januarie, who is glad but he? |
| He kisseth hire and clippeth hire ful ofte, |
| And on hire wombe he stroketh hire ful softe, |
| 2415 | And to his palays hoom he hath hire lad. |
| Now, goode men, I pray yow to be glad. |
| Thus endeth heere my tale of Januarie; |
| God blesse us, and his mooder Seinte Marie! |