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.]

[6-text p 476]

2. [ET Incipit prologus Armigeri [Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 5140, on leaf 169.]

Ey. goddis Mercy / said our oste tho. Nowe suche a wyf / y pray god kepe me fro Line 2420 loo suche sleyhtis / and sotiltees In wommen bene / for ay as besy as bees Ben they / vs secly men to disceyve And from the soth / evir wol they weyve Line 2424 By this Marchauntis tale / it preveth weell But doutles / as true as any steel I haue a wyf / though. she pore be But of hir tong / a labbyng shrewe is she Line 2428 And yit she hath / an heepe of vices mo Therof no fors / lat alle such thingis go. But wot ye what / in counsail be it said Me reweth soore / that y am to hir teyde Line 2432 ffor and y shulde rekne / euery vice Which that she hath / y-wys y were nyce And cause why / it sholde reported be And tolde to hir / of som of this menie [[? MS mence]] Of hom it nedith nat / for to declare [Addit. 5140 folio 169b] Syn wommen / can vttir suche chaffare And eek my wyt / suffiseth nat therto To tellyn all / wherfor my tale is do] Line 2440

[6-text p 442]

3. [MS. Reg. 17 D 15, leaf 106.]

[Wepenge waylenge Care & other sorrowe I knowe ynoughe boþe on evene & eke on morowe Quod the Marchaunte And So do other Moo That weddede bene I trowe þat itt bene so Line 1216 For wele I wotte itt Fareþe so by Me I haue A wyfe þe worste þat maye be For þoughe the Fende to her couplede were Sche wolde hym ouermacche I dare well swere Line 1220 Whatt schulde I you reherce inespecialle Her heyghe Malyce Sche is A schrewe atte all There is A longe & a large difference Bitwyxe Grisildes grete pacience Line 1224 And of my wyfe the passenge cruelte Were I vnbounden Allso Motte I thee I wolde neuer effte come in the Snare We weddede Men lyue in sorrowe & care Line 1228 Assaye who woll And he schall ffynde That I saye Sothe by saynte Thomas of ynde As for the more partye I saye notte all God schylde þat itt schall bifalle Line 1232 A gode Sir sayde Oste I haue weddede be These Moneþes two And nomore parde And yette I trowe he þat All his lyue Wyfelese haue bene þoughe þat Men wolde hym ryue Line 1236 Vnto the herte ne couþe in no Manere Tellen So moche sorrowe As I now here Couþe tellen of my vyues Cursydnesse Now quod ower Oste Marchaunte So god your Sowle blesse Synne ye somoche knowen of that Arte Line 1241 Fulle hartelye I praye you telle vs parte Gladely quod he of myne owne Sore For Sorye herte I telle Maye nomore] [[MS Reg. 17 D 15 extract ends]] Line 1244

[6-text p 478]

4. THE SQUIRE'S HEAD-LINK. [Brit. Mus. Additional MS 5140, on leaf 169, back.]

[Squyer come neer / yf it your wil be And sey somwhat of love / for certis ye Konne theron / as moche as any man Nay sir quod he / but suche thing as y can Line 4 wyth hert y wyll / for y will nat be rebelle Ageyn your lust / a tale y wol you telle Haue me excused / yf y speke amys My wyll is good / and loo my tale is this /] Line 8

[6-text p 498]

5. [& Incipit prologus de le ffrankelyn

[Brit. Mus. Addit. MS 5140 folio 181b]

IN feith squyer / ye haue you wel y-quyt And gentylly / y preyse wel your wyt Quod the ffrankelyn / consideryng your youth So felyngly / ye speke / sir y a-lowgh Line 676 As to my dome / ther is non that is her Of eloquence / that shalbe your peer Yf that ye lyve / god yeve you good chaunce And yn vertue / sende you contynuaunce Line 680 ffor of your speche / y haue gret deynte I haue sene / and by the Trynyte I hadde levir / than xx^li worth londe Thouh it ryht nowe / wer fallen in myn honde Line 684 He wer a man / of suche discrecion As that ye ben / fy on possession But yf a man / be vertuous wythall / I haue my sone snybbed / and yit shall [Addit. 5140 folio 182a] Line 688 ffor he to vertue / lustyth nat to entende But for to pleye at Dyse / and spende And lese all that he hath / is his vsage And he had lever / talkyn with a page Line 692 Than to comon / wyth any gentyl wyht Wher he myht lerne / gentylnesse aryht Strawe for gentylnesse / quod our ost what frankelyn parde / wel thou wost Line 696 That eche of you / mot tellen at lest A tale or too / or brekyn his behest That know y wel / sir / quod the ffrankelyn I pray you / haueth me nat in disdeyne Line 700

[6-text p 499] Line 700 Thouh to this man / y spak a worde . or too Telle on thy tale / withoutyn wordys moo Gladly sir oost / quod he / y wol obeye Vnto your wyl / nowe herkeneth what y seye Line 704 I wol you nat contrarye / in no wyse As fer as that my wyttes / wol suffyse I pray to god / that it may plesyn you Than wot y wel / that it is good y-now Line 708

Explicit Prologus de le ffrankelyn]