1. END OF THE MERCHANT'S TALE.
[for soth I wol no lenger yow contrarie
now lete vs turne ageyne to Ianuarie
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that in the gardeyne / with his fresshe May
syngeth ful meryere / than the popyngay
¶ yow loue I beste / and shal and other noon
so longe aboute the aleyis / is he goon
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til he was comyn / ageyns the Perye
where as this Damyan / sitteth ful merye
an high amonge the fresshe levis grene
this fresshe May / that is so bright and shene
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gan for to sike / and seide allas my side
now sir quod she / for aught that may bitide
I moste haue of the perys / that I se
or I mot dye / so sore longeth me
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to eten of the smale peris grene
helpe for hir loue / that is of heuen quene
I telle yow wel / a woman in my plighte
may haue to fruyte / so grete an appetite
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that she may dye / but she hit haue
allas quod he / that I nad here a knaue
that coude clymbe / allas allas quod he
that I am blynde / ye sir no fors quod she
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but wolde ye vouchesaff / for godis sake
the pery with-inne youre armes to take
for wel I woot / that ye mystrute me
than shulde I clymbe / wel I-now quod she
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so I my fote myght sette / vppon youre bak
for soth quod he / in me shal be no lak
myght I yow helpen / with myn herte bloode
he stoupith down / and on his bak she stoode
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and caughte hir bi a twiste / and vp she goothe
ladyes I pray yow / be ye not wroothe
I can not glose / I am a rude man [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 130b]
and sodeynly / anoon this Damyan
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