The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 473]

1.

[fforsothe I woll no lengir/ you contrarie. [Harl. 1758 folio 87b] Now late vs turne a-geyne to Ianuarye. Line 2320 That in this gardyn with this faire Maye. Syngeth full merier/ than the Popyniaye. You loue I best/ and schall and other/ non. So longe a-boute the aleis is he gon. Line 2324 Till he was come ageyns thilke pirye. Wher/ as this Damyan sitteth full merye. On high among the fresche leues grene. This fresche May that is so bright and schene. Line 2328 Gan for to sike and seide allas my side. Now sir/ quod sche for ought that may be-tide. I moste haue of the peris that I se. Or I mote dye so sore longeth me. Line 2332 To etyn of the smale peris grene. Help for hir/ loue that is of heuene quene. I tell you well a woman in my plight. May haue to fruyt/ so gret an appetight Line 2336 That sche may dyen but/ sche it haue. Allas quod he that I ne had here a knaue. That couthe clymbe allas allas quod he. ffor I am blynde ye sir/ no fors quod sche. Line 2340 But wolde ye vouche saf/ for goddis sake. The piry in with your/ armes take. ffor well I wot that ye mestruste me. [Harl. 1758 folio 88a] Than schulde I clymbe well y-nowȝ quod sche. Line 2344 So I my foot myght set/ vpon your/ bak. fforsothe seide he in me schall be no lak. Might I you helpe with myn herte blood. He stoupith doun and on his bak sche stood. Line 2348 And caught hir/ bi a twiste and vp sche goth. Ladies I pray you that ye be not wroth. I can not glose I am a rude man. And sodenly a-non this Damyan. Line 2352

[6-text p 474] Line 2352 Gan pullen vp the smok/ and yn he throng/. [

¶ A gret tente he þrest yn and a long.Sche seide it was þe meriest fit.That euyr in hir lyue sche was at yit.Mi lordis tente sche seide serueþ me not þus.He foldith twifolde bi swete Ihesus.He maie not swyue worth a leke.And yet he is/ fulle gentille and fulle meke.This/ is leuyr to me than Euensong.

] [[Harl. 1758]] And whan that Pluto saugh this gret wrong. To Ianuarye he yaf his sight a-gayne. [And made hym seen as wel as euere he myghte And whan he thus had caght his sighte agayn [Harl. 7335 folio 128a] ] Ne was ther/ neuyr/ man of thyng so fayne. But on his wife his thought was euyr/ mo. Vp to the tre he kest his yȝen two. Line 2360 And sigh that Damyan his wife had dressed. In whiche maner/ it may not ben expressed. But if I wolde speke vncurteisly. And vp he yaf a roryng/ and a cry. Line 2364 As doth the modir/ when the childe schall dye. Out help allas harrow he gan crye. [[2 spurious lines after l. 2366.]] [¶ ffor sorow almost he gan to dye. That his/ wif was/ swyued in þe perye.] O strong/ lady stoure what dost thou. And sche answerith sir/ what eileth you. Line 2368 Haue paciens and reson in your/ mynde. I haue you holpen on bothe your/ yȝen blynde. Vp perill of my soule I schall not lyen. As me was taught to hele with your yȝen. Line 2372 Was no thyng/ bet/ for to make you se. Than strougle with a man vp on a tre. God woot I dide it in full good entente. Strogle quod he ye algate yn it wente. [[4 spurious lines after l. 2376.]] [[As] stif/ and rounde as/ ony belle. It was/ no wondir/ þouȝ hir beli swelle. The smok on his/ brest laie to seche. And euer me thought he poynted on þe breche.] Line 2376 God yeue you bothe on schames deth to dien. He swyued the I saugh it with myn yen. And ellis be I hangid bi the hals. Than is quod sche the medicyn fals./ Line 2380 ffor certeynly if that ye myghtyn se. Ye wolde not say tho wordis. vn-to me. Ye han som glymsyng/ and no perfit/ sight. I se quod he as well as euyr/ I myght/. Line 2384 Thanked be god with bothe myn yȝen two. And be my trouthe me thought/ he dide the so. Ye mase mase good sir / quod sche. this thank / haue I for I haue made you se. Line 2388

[6-text p 475] Line 2388 Allas quod sche that euyr/ I was so kynde. [[Harl. 1758]] Now dame quod he let all passe out/ of mynde. Come doun my leef/ and if I haue myssaide. God helpe me so as I am euyll apaide. [Harl. 1758 folio 88b] Line 2392 But be my fadir/ soule I wende haue seyne. How that this Damyan had bi the leyne. And that thi smok/ had leyne vp on thi brest. Ye sir/ quod sche ye may wene as you lest. Line 2396 But sir/ a man that waketh out/ of his slepe. He may not sodenly well take kepe. Vp on a thyng/ ne seen it parfitly. Till that he be a dawe verraily. Line 2400 Right so a man that long/ hath blynde be Ne may not sodenly so well se. ffirst whan the sight is newe comen a-geyne. As he that hath a day or two seyne. Line 2404 Till that your/ sight stablid be a while Ther/ may full many a sight/ you be-gile. Beth ware I pray you for bi heuen kyng ffull many a man weneth for to se a thyng. Line 2408 And it/ is all another/ than it semeth. He that mys conceyueth mys demeth. And with that word sche leep doun fro the tre. This Ianuarye who is glad but he. Line 2412 He kisseth hir/ and clippeth hir/ full ofte. And on hir/ wombe he strokith hir/ full softe. And to his paleis hoom he hath hir/ lad. Now good men I pray you to be glad. Line 2416 Thus endith here my tale of Ianuarye. God blisse vs and his modir/ seynt Marye. AmeN./ [[Harl. 1758 extract ends]] Line 2418

Here endith the Marchauntis Tale.]