Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. The Canterbury tales :
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The Wife of Bath's Prologue

1: Experience, though noon auctoritee
2: Were in this world, is right ynogh for me
3: To speke of wo that is in mariage;
4: For, lordynges, sith I twelve yeer was of age,
5: Thonked be God that is eterne on lyve,
6: Housbondes at chirche dore I have had fyve, --
7: If I so ofte myghte have ywedded bee, --
8: And alle were worthy men in hir degree.
9: But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is,
10: That sith that crist ne wente nevere but onis
11: To weddyng, in the cane of galilee,
12: That by the same ensample taughte he me
13: That I ne sholde wedded be but ones.
14: Herkne eek, lo, which a sharp word for the nones,
15: Biside a welle, jhesus, God and man,
16: Spak in repreeve of the samaritan:
17: Thou hast yhad fyve housbondes, -- quod he,
18: -- And that ilke man that now hath thee
19: Is noght thyn housbonde, -- thus seyde he certeyn.
20: What that he mente therby, I kan nat seyn;
21: But that I axe, why that the fifthe man
22: Was noon housbonde to the samaritan?
23: How manye myghte she have in mariage?
24: Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age
25: Upon this nombre diffinicioun.
26: Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun,
27: But wel I woot, expres, withoute lye,
28: God bad us for to wexe and multiplye;
29: That gentil text kan I wel understonde.
30: Eek wel I woot, he seyde myn housbonde
31: Sholde lete fader and mooder, and take to me.
32: But of no nombre mencion made he,
33: Of bigamye, or of octogamye;
34: Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileynye?
35: Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun salomon;
36: I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon.
37: As wolde God it were leveful unto me
38: To be refresshed half so ofte as he!
39: Which yifte of God hadde he for alle his wyvys!
40: No man hath swich that in this world alyve is.
41: God woot, this noble kyng, as to my wit,
42: The firste nyght had many a myrie fit
43: With ech of hem, so wel was hym on lyve.
44: Yblessed be God that I have wedded fyve!
45: Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal.
46: For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chaast in al.
47: Whan myn housbonde is fro the world ygon,
48: Som cristen man shal wedde me anon,
49: For thanne, th' apostle seith that I am free
50: To wedde, a goddes half, where it liketh me.
51: He seith that to be wedded is no synne;
52: Bet is to be wedded than to brynne
53: What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileynye
54: Of shrewed lameth and his bigamye?
55: I woot wel abraham was an hooly man,
56: And jacob eek, as ferforth as I kan;
57: And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two,
58: And many another holy man also.
59: Wher can ye seye, in any manere age,
60: That hye God defended mariage
61: By expres word? I pray yow, telleth me.
62: Or where comanded he virginitee?
63: I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede,
64: Th' apostel, whan he speketh of maydenhede,
65: He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon.
66: Men may conseille a womman to been oon,
67: But conseillyng is no comandement.
68: He putte it in oure owene juggement;
69: For hadde God comanded maydenhede,
70: Thanne hadde he dampned weddyng with the dede.
71: And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe,
72: Virginitee, thanne wherof sholde it growe?
73: Poul dorste nat comanden, atte leeste,
74: A thyng of which his maister yaf noon heeste.
75: The dart is set up for birginitee:
76: Cacche whoso may, who renneth best lat see.
77: But this word is nat taken of every wight,
78: But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght.
79: I woot wel that th' apostel was a mayde;

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80: But nathelees, thogh that he wroot and sayde
81: He wolde that every wight were swich as he,
82: Al nys but conseil to virginitee.
83: And for to been a wyf he yaf me leve
84: Of indulgence; so nys it no repreve
85: To wedde me, if that my make dye,
86: Withouten excepcion of bigamye.
87: Al were it good no womman for to touche, --
88: He mente as in his bed or in his couche;
89: For peril is bothe fyr and tow t' assemble:
90: Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble.
91: This is al and som, he heeld virginitee
92: Moore parfit than weddyng in freletee.
93: Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she
94: Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee.
95: I graunte it wel, I have noon envie,
96: Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamye.
97: It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;
98: Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost.
99: For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold,
100: He nath nat every vessel al of gold;
101: Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse.
102: God clepeth folk to hym in sondry wyse,
103: And everich hath of God a propre yifte,
104: Som this, som that, as hym liketh shifte.
105: Virginitee is greet perfeccion,
106: And continence eek with devocion,
107: But crist, that of perfeccion is welle,
108: Bad nat every wight he sholde go selle
109: Al that he hadde, and gyve it to the poore
110: And in swich wise folwe hym and his foore.
111: He spak to hem that wolde lyve parfitly;
112: And lordynges, by youre leve, that am nat I.
113: I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age
114: In the actes and in fruyt of mariage.
115: Telle me also, to what conclusion
116: Were membres maad of generacion,
117: And of so parfit wys a wight ywroght?
118: Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght.
119: Glose whoso wole, and seye bothe up and doun,
120: That they were maked for purgacioun
121: Of uryne, and oure bothe thynges smale
122: Were eek to knowe a femele from a male,
123: And for noon oother cause, -- say ye no?
124: The experience woot wel it is noght so.
125: So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe,
126: I sey this, that they maked ben for bothe,
127: This is to seye, for office, and for ese
128: Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese.
129: Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette
130: That man shal yelde to his wyf hire dette?
131: Now wherwith sholde he make his paiement,
132: If he ne used his sely instrument?
133: Thanne were they maad upon a creature
134: To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure.
135: But I seye noght that every wight is holde,
136: That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde,
137: To goon and usen hem in engendrure.
138: Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure.
139: Crist was a mayde, and shapen as a man,
140: And many a seint, sith that the world bigan;
141: Yet lyved they evere in parfit chastitee.
142: I nyl envye no virginitee.
143: Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed,
144: And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed;
145: And yet with barly-breed, mark telle kan,
146: Oure lord jhesu refresshed many a man.
147: In swich estaat as God hath cleped us
148: I wol persevere; I nam nat precius.
149: In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument
150: As frely as my makere hath it sent.
151: If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe!
152: Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe,
153: Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette.
154: An housbonde I wol have, I wol nat lette,
155: Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral,
156: And have his tribulacion withal
157: Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf.
158: I have the power durynge al my lyf
159: Upon his propre body, and noght he.
160: Right thus the apostel tolde it unto me;
161: And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel.
162: Al this sentence me liketh every deel --
163: Up stirte the pardoner, and that anon:
164: Now, dame, quod he, by God and by seint john!
165: Ye been a noble prechour in this cas.
166: I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas!
167: What sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere?
168: Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!
169: Abyde! quod she, my tale is nat bigonne.
170: Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne,
171: Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale.
172: And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale
173: Of tribulacion in mariage,
174: Of which I am expert in al myn age,
175: This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe, --
176: Than maystow chese wheither thou wolt sippe
177: Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche.
178: Be war of it, er thou to ny approche;
179: For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten.
180: -- Whoso that nyl be war by othere men,
181: By hym shul othere men corrected be. --
182: The same wordes writeth ptholomee;
183: Rede in his almageste, and take it there.

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184: Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were,
185: Seyde this pardoner, as ye bigan,
186: Telle forth youre tale, spareth for no man,
187: And teche us yonge men of youre praktike.
188: Gladly, quod she, sith it may yow like;
189: But that I praye to al this compaignye,
190: If that I speke after my fantasye,
191: As taketh not agrief of that I seye;
192: For myn entente is nat but for to pleye.
193: Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale. --
194: As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale,
195: I shal seye sooth, tho housbondes that I hadde,
196: As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde.
197: The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde;
198: Unnethe myghte they the statut holde
199: In which that they were bounden unto me.
200: Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee!
201: As help me god, I laughe whan I thynke
202: How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke!
203: And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor.
204: They had me yeven hir lond and hir tresoor;
205: Me neded nat do lenger diligence
206: To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence.
207: They loved me so wel, by God above,
208: That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love!
209: A wys womman wol bisye hire evere in oon
210: To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hath noon.
211: But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond,
212: And sith they hadde me yeven al hir lond,
213: What sholde I taken keep hem for to plese,
214: But it were for my profit and myn ese?
215: I sette hem so a-werke, by my fey,
216: That many a nyght they songen -- weilawey! --
217: The bacon was nat fet for hem, I trowe,
218: That som men han in essex at dunmowe.
219: I governed hem so wel, after my lawe,
220: That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe
221: To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre.
222: They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire;
223: For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously.
224: Now herkneth hou I baar me proprely,
225: Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde.
226: Thus shulde ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde;
227: For half so boldely kan ther no man
228: Swere and lyen, as a womman kan.
229: I sey nat this by wyves that been wyse,
230: But if it be whan they hem mysavyse.
231: A wys wyf shal, it that she kan hir good,
232: Bere hym on honde that the cow is wood,
233: And take witnesse of hir owene mayde
234: Of hir assemt; but herkneth how I sayde:
235: Sire olde kaynard, is this thyn array?
236: Why is my neighbores wyf so gay?
237: She is honoured over al ther she gooth;
238: I sitte at hoom I have no thrifty clooth.
239: What dostow at my neighebores hous?
240: Is she so fair? artow so amorous?
241: What rowne ye with oure mayde? benedicite!
242: Sire olde lecchour, lat thy japes be!
243: And if I have a gossib or a freend,
244: Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a feend,
245: If that I walke or pleye unto his hous!
246: Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous,
247: And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef!
248: Thou seist to me it is a greet meschief
249: To wedde a povre womman, for costage;
250: And if that she be riche, of heigh parage,
251: Thanne seistow that it is a tormentrie
252: To soffre hire pride and hire malencolie.
253: And if that she be fair, thou verray knave,
254: Thou seyst that every holour wol hire have;
255: She may no while in chastitee abyde,
256: That is assailled upon ech a syde.
257: Thou seyst som folk desiren us for richesse,
258: Somme for oure shap, and somme for oure fairnesse,
259: And som for she kan outher synge or daunce,
260: And som for gentillesse and daliaunce;
261: Som for hir handes and hir armes smale:
262: Thus goth al to the devel, by thy tale.
263: Thou seyst men may nat kepe a castel wal,
264: It may so longe assailled been over al.
265: And if that she be foul, thou seist that she
266: Coveiteth every man that she may se,
267: For as a spaynel she wol on hym lepe,
268: Til that she fynde som man hire to chepe.
269: Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake
270: As, seistow, wol been withoute make.
271: And seyst it is an hard thyng for to welde
272: A thyng that no man wole, his thankes, helde.
273: Thus seistow, lorel, whan thow goost to bedde;
274: And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde,
275: Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene.
276: With wilde thonder-dynt and firy levene
277: Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke!
278: Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and eek smoke,
279: And chidyng wyves maken men to flee
280: Out of his owene hous; a! benedicitee!
281: What eyleth swich an old man for to chide?
282: Thow seyst we wyves wol oure vices hide
283: Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe, --
284: Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe!
285: Thou seist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes,

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286: They been assayed at diverse stoundes;
287: Bacyns, lavours, er that men hem bye,
288: Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye,
289: And so been pottes, clothes, and array;
290: But folk of wyves maken noon assay,
291: Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe!
292: And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.
293: Thou seist also that it displeseth me
294: But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee,
295: And but thou poure alwey upon my face,
296: And clepe me faire dame in every place.
297: And but thou make a feeste on thilke day
298: That I was born, and make me fressh and gay;
299: And but thou do to my norice honour,
300: And to my chamberere withinne my bour,
301: And to my fadres folk and his allyes, --
302: Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes!
303: And yet of oure apprentice janekyn,
304: For his crispe heer, shynynge as gold so fyn,
305: And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun,
306: Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun.
307: I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed tomorwe!
308: But tel me this: why hydestow, with sorwe,
309: They keyes of thy cheste awey fro me?
310: It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee!
311: What, wenestow make an ydiot of oure dame?
312: Now by that lord that called is seint jame,
313: Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were wood,
314: Be maister of my body and of my good;
315: That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yen.
316: What helpith it of me to enquere or spyen?
317: I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy chiste?
318: Thou sholdest seye, wyf, go wher thee liste;
319: Taak youre disport, I wol nat leve no talys.
320: I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame alys.
321: We love no man that taketh kep or charge
322: Wher that we goon; we wol ben at oure large.
323: Of alle men yblessed moot he be,
324: The wise astrologien, daun ptholome,
325: That seith this proverbe in his almageste --
326: Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste
327: That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde.
328: By this proverbe thou shalt understonde,
329: Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care
330: How myrily that othere folkes fare?
331: For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve,
332: Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve.
333: He is to greet a nygard that wolde werne
334: A man to light a candle at his lanterne;
335: He shal have never the lasse light, pardee.
336: Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee.
337: Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay
338: With clothyng, and with precious array,
339: That it is peril of oure chastitee;
340: And yet, with sorwe! thou most enforce thee,
341: And seye thise wordes in the apostles name:
342: in habit maad with chastitee and shame
343: Ye wommen shul apparaille yow, quod he,
344: And noght in tressed heer and gay perree,
345: As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche.
346: After thy text, ne after thy rubriche,
347: I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat.
348: Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat;
349: For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn,
350: Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in;
351: And if the cattes skyn be slyk and gay,
352: She wol nat dwelle in house half a day,
353: But forth she wole, er any day be dawed,
354: To shewe hir skyn, and goon a-caterwawed.
355: This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe,
356: I wol renne out, my borel for to shewe.
357: Sire olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen?
358: Thogh thou preye argus with his hundred yen
359: To be my warde-cors, as he kan best,
360: In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest;
361: Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee!
362: Thou seydest eek that ther been thynges thre,
363: The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe,
364: And that no wight may endure the ferthe.
365: O leeve sire shrewe, jhesu shorte thy lyf!
366: Yet prechestow and seyst and hateful wyf
367: Yrekened is for oon of thise meschances.
368: Been ther none othere maner resemblances
369: That ye may likne youre parables to,
370: But if a sely wyf be oon of tho?
371: Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle,
372: To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle.
373: Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr;
374: The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir
375: To consume every thyng that brent wole be.
376: Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree,
377: Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde;
378: This knowe they that been to wyves bonde. --
379: Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde,
380: Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde
381: That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse;
382: And al was fals, but that I took witnesse
383: On janekyn, and on my nece also.
384: O lord! the peyne I dide hem and the wo,
385: Ful giltelees, by goddes sweete pyne!
386: For as an hors I koude byte and whyne.
387: I koude pleyne, and yit was in the gilt,
388: Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt.

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389: Whose that first to mille comth, first grynt;
390: I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt.
391: They were ful glade to excuse hem blyve
392: Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve.
393: Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde,
394: Whan that for syk unnethes myghte they stonde.
395: Yet tikled I his herte, for that he
396: Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee!
397: I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte
398: Was for t' espye wenches that he dighte;
399: Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe.
400: For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe;
401: Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng God hath yive
402: To wommen kyndely, whil that they may lyve.
403: And thus of o thyng I avaunte me,
404: Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree,
405: By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng,
406: As by continueel murmur or grucchyng.
407: Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce:
408: Ther wolde I chide, and do hem no plesaunce;
409: I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde,
410: If that I felte his arm over my syde,
411: Til he had maad his raunson unto me;
412: Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his necetee.
413: And therfore every man this tale I telle,
414: Wynne whose may, for al is for to selle;
415: With empty hand men may none haukes lure.
416: For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure,
417: And make me feyned appetit;
418: And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit;
419: That made me that evere I wolde hem chide.
420: For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside,
421: I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord;
422: For, by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word.
423: As helpe me verray God omnipotent,
424: Though I right now sholde make my testament,
425: I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quit.
426: I broghte it so aboute by my wit
427: That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste,
428: Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste.
429: For thogh he looked as a wood leon,
430: Yet sholde he faille of his conclusion.
431: Thanne wolde I seye, -- goode lief, taak keep
432: How mekely looketh wilkyn, oure sheep!
433: Com neer, my spouse, lat me ba thy cheke!
434: Ye sholde been al pacient and meke,
435: And han a sweete spiced conscience,
436: Sith ye so preche of jobes pacience.
437: Suffreth alwey, syn ye so wel kan preche;
438: And but ye do, certein we shal yow teche
439: That it is fair to have a wyf in pees.
440: Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees;
441: And sith a man is moore resonable
442: Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable.
443: What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone?
444: Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone?
445: Wy, taak it al! lo, have it every deel!
446: Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel;
447: For if I wolde selle my bele chose,
448: I koude walke as fressh as is a rose;
449: But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth.
450: Ye be to blame, by god! I sey yow sooth. --
451: Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde.
452: Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde.
453: My fourthe housbonde was a revelour;
454: This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour;
455: And I was yong and ful of ragerye,
456: Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye.
457: How koude I daunce to an harpe smale,
458: And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale,
459: Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn!
460: Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn,
461: That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf,
462: For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf,
463: He sholde nat han daunted me from drynke!
464: And after wyn on venus moste I thynke,
465: For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl,
466: A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl.
467: In wommen vinolent is no defence, --
468: This knowen lecchours by experience.
469: But, lord crist! whan that it remembreth me
470: Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee,
471: It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote.
472: Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote
473: That I have had my world as in my tyme.
474: But age, allas! that al wole envenyme,
475: Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith.
476: Lat go, farewel! the devel go therwith!
477: The flour is goon, ther is namoore to telle;
478: The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle;
479: But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde.
480: Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde.
481: I seye, I hadde in herte greet despit
482: That he of any oother had delit.
483: But he was quit, by God and by seint joce!
484: I made hym of the same wode a croce;
485: Nat of my body, in no foul manere,
486: But certeinly, I made folk swich cheere
487: That in his owene grece I made hym frye
488: For angre, and for verray jalousye.
489: By god! in erthe I was his purgatorie,
490: For which I hope his soule be in glorie.
491: For, God it woot, he sat ful ofte and song,
492: Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong.
493: Ther was no wight, save God and he, that wiste,

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494: In many wise, how soore I hym twiste.
495: He deyde whan I cam fro jerusalem,
496: And lith ygrave under the roode beem,
497: Al is his tombe noght so curyus
498: As was the sepulcre of hym daryus,
499: Which that appeles wroghte subtilly;
500: It nys but wast to burye hym preciously.
501: Lat hym fare wel, God yeve his soul reste!
502: He is now in his grave and in his cheste.
503: Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle.
504: God lete his soule nevere come in helle!
505: And yet was he to me the mooste shrewe;
506: That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe,
507: And evere shal unto myn endyng day.
508: But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay,
509: And therwithal so wel koude he me glose,
510: Whan that he wolde han my bele chose,
511: That thogh he hadde me bete on every bon,
512: He koude wynne agayn my love anon.
513: I trowe I loved hym best, for that he
514: Was of his love daungerous to me.
515: We wommen han if that I shal nat lye,
516: In this matere a queynte fantasye;
517: Wayte what thyng we may nat lightly have,
518: Therafter wol we crie al day and crave.
519: Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we;
520: Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle.
521: With daunger oute we al oure chaffare;
522: Greet prees at market maketh deere ware,
523: And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys:
524: This knoweth every womman that is wys.
525: My fifthe housbonde, God his soule blesse!
526: Which that I took for love, and no richesse,
527: He som tyme was a clerk of oxenford,
528: And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord
529: With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun;
530: God have hir soule! hir name was alisoun.
531: She knew myn herte, and eek my privetee,
532: Bet than oure parisshe preest, so moot I thee!
533: To hire biwreyed I my conseil al.
534: For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal,
535: Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf,
536: To hire, and to another worthy wyf,
537: And to my nece, which that I loved weel,
538: I wolde han toold his conseil every deel.
539: And so I dide ful often, God it woot,
540: That made his face often reed and hoot
541: For verray shame, and blamed hymself for he
542: Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee.
543: And so bifel that ones in a lente --
544: So often tymes I to my gossyb wente,
545: For evere yet I loved to be gay,
546: And for to walke in march, averill, and may,
547: Fro hous to hous, to heere sondry talys --
548: That jankyn clerk, and my gossyb dame alys,
549: And I myself, into the feeldes wente.
550: Myn housbonde was at londoun al that lente;
551: I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye,
552: And for to se, and eek for to be seye
553: Of lusty folk. What wiste I wher my grace
554: Was shapen for to be, or in what place?
555: Therfore I made my visitaciouns
556: To vigilies and to processiouns,
557: To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages,
558: To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages,
559: And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes.
560: Thise wormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes,
561: Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel;
562: And wostow why? for they were used weel.
563: Now wol I tellen forth what happed me.
564: I seye that in the feeldes walked we,
565: Til trewely we hadde swich daliance,
566: This clerk and I, that of my purveiance
567: I spak to hym and seyde hym how that he,
568: If I were wydwe, sholde wedde me.
569: For certeinly, I sey for no bobance,
570: Yet was I nevere withouten purveiance
571: Of mariage, n' of othere thynges eek.
572: I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leek
573: That hath but oon hole for to sterte to,
574: And if that faille, thanne is al ydo.
575: I bar hym on honde he hadde enchanted me, --
576: My dame taughte me that soutiltee.
577: And eek I seyde I mette of hym al nyght,
578: He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright,
579: And al my bed was ful of verray blood;
580: But yet I hope that he shal do me good,
581: For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught.
582: And al was fals; I dremed of it right naught,
583: But as I folwed ay my dames loore,
584: As wel of this as of othere thynges moore.
585: But now, sire, lat me se, what I shal seyn?
586: A ha! by god, I have my tale ageyn.
587: Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere,
588: I weep algate, and made sory cheere,
589: As wyves mooten, for it is usage,
590: And with my coverchief covered my visage,
591: But for that I was purveyed of a make,
592: I wepte but smal, and that I undertake.
593: To chirche was myn housbonde born a-morwe
594: With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe;
595: And jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho.
596: As help me god! whan that I saugh hym go
597: After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire
598: Of legges and of feet so clene and faire

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599: That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold.
600: He was, I trowe, a twenty wynter oold,
601: And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth;
602: But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth.
603: Gat-tothed I was, and that bicam me weel;
604: I hadde the prente of seinte venus seel.
605: As help me god! I was a lusty oon,
606: And faire, and riche, and yong, and wel bigon;
607: And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me,
608: I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be.
609: For certes, I am al venerien
610: In feelynge, and myn herte is marcien.
611: Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse,
612: And mars yaf me my sturdy hardynesse;
613: Myn ascendent was taur, and mars therinne.
614: Allas! allas! that evere love was synne!
615: I folwed ay myn inclinacioun
616: By vertu of my constellacioun;
617: That made me I koude noght withdrawe
618: My chambre of venus from a good felawe.
619: Yet have I martes mark upon my face,
620: And also in another privee place.
621: For God so wys be my savacioun,
622: I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun,
623: But evere folwede myn appetit,
624: Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit;
625: I took no kep, so that he liked me,
626: How poore he was, ne eek of what degree.
627: What sholde I seye? but, at the monthes ende,
628: This joly clerk, jankyn, that was so hende,
629: Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee;
630: And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee
631: That evere was me yeven therbifoore.
632: But afterward repented me ful soore;
633: He nolde suffre nothyng of my list.
634: By god! he smoot me ones on the lyst,
635: For that I rente out of his book a leef,
636: That of the strook myn ere wax al deef.
637: Stibourn I was as is a leonesse,
638: And of my tonge verray jangleresse,
639: And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn,
640: From hous to hous, although he had it sworn;
641: For which he often tymes wolde preche,
642: And me of olde romayn geestes teche;
643: How he symplicius gallus lefte his wyf,
644: And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf,
645: Noght but for open-heveded he hir say
646: Lookynge out at his dore upon a day.
647: Another romayn tolde he me by name,
648: That, for his wyf was at a someres game
649: Withouten his wityng, he forsook hire eke.
650: And thanne wolde he upon his bible seke
651: That ilke proverbe of ecclesiaste
652: Where he comandeth, and forbedeth faste,
653: Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute.
654: Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute:
655: -whoso that buyldeth his hous al of salwes,
656: And priketh his blynde hors over the falwes,
657: And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes,
658: Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes! --
659: But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe
660: Of his proverbes n' of his olde sawe,
661: Ne I wolde nat of hym corrected be.
662: I hate hym that my vices telleth me,
663: And so doo mo, God woot, of us than I.
664: This made hym with me wood al outrely;
665: I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas.
666: Now wol I seye yow sooth, by seint thomas,
667: Why that I rente out of his book a leef,
668: For which he smoot me so that I was deef.
669: He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day,
670: For his desport he wolde rede alway;
671: He cleped it valerie and theofraste,
672: At which book he lough alwey ful faste.
673: And eek ther was somtyme a clerk at rome,
674: A cardinal, that highte seint jerome,
675: That made a book agayn jovinian;
676: In which book eek ther was tertulan,
677: Crisippus, trotula, and helowys,
678: That was abbesse nat fer fro parys;
679: And eek the parables of salomon,
680: Ovides art, and bookes many on,
681: And alle thise were bounden in o volume.
682: And every nyght and day was his custume,
683: Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun
684: From oother worldly occupacioun,
685: To reden on this book of wikked wyves.
686: He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves
687: Than been of goode wyves in the bible.
688: For trusteth wel, it is an impossible
689: That any clerk wol speke good of wyves,
690: But if it be of hooly seintes lyves,
691: Ne of noon oother womman never the mo.
692: Who peyntede the leon, tel me who?
693: By god! if wommen hadde writen stories,
694: As clerkes han withinne hire oratories,
695: They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse
696: Than al the mark of adam may redresse.
697: The children of mercurie and of venus
698: Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius;
699: Mercurie loveth wysdam and science,
700: And venus loveth ryot and dispence.
701: And, for hire diverse disposicioun,
702: Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun.
703: And thus, God woot, mercurie is desolat

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704: In pisces, wher venus is exaltat;
705: And venus falleth ther mercurie is reysed.
706: Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed.
707: The clerk, whan he is oold, and may noght do
708: Of venus werkes worth his olde sho,
709: Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage
710: That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage!
711: But now to purpos, why I tolde thee
712: That I was beten for a book, pardee!
713: Upon a nyght jankyn, that was oure sire,
714: Redde on his book, as he sat by the fire,
715: Of eva first, that for hir wikkednesse
716: Was al mankynde broght to wrecchednesse,
717: For which that jhesu crist hymself was slayn,
718: That boghte us with his herte blood agayn.
719: Lo, heere expres of womman may ye fynde,
720: That womman was the los of al mankynde.
721: The redde he me how sampson loste his heres:
722: Slepynge, his lemman kitte it with hir sheres;
723: Thurgh which treson loste he bothe his yen.
724: Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen,
725: Of hercules and of his dianyre,
726: That caused hym to sette hymself afyre.
727: No thyng forgat he the care and the wo
728: That socrates hadde with his wyves two;
729: How xantippa caste pisse upon his heed.
730: This sely man sat stille as he were deed;
731: He wiped his heed, namoore dorste he seyn,
732: But -- er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn! --
733: Of phasipha, that was the queen of crete,
734: For shrewednesse, hym thoughte the tale swete;
735: Fy! spek namoore -- it is a grisly thyng --
736: Of hire horrible lust and hir likyng.
737: Of clitermystra, for hire lecherye,
738: That falsly made hire housbonde for to dye,
739: He redde it with ful good devocioun.
740: He tolde me eek for what occasioun
741: Amphiorax at thebes loste his lyf.
742: Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf,
743: Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold
744: Hath prively unto the grekes told
745: Wher that hir housbonde hidde hym in a place,
746: For which he hadde at thebes sory grace.
747: Of lyvia tolde he me, and of lucye:
748: They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye;
749: That oon for love, that oother was for hate.
750: Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late,
751: Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo;
752: Lucia, likerous, loved hire housbonde so
753: That, for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke,
754: She yaf hym swich a manere love-drynke
755: That he was deed er it were by the morwe;
756: And thus algates housbondes han sorwe.
757: Thanne tolde he me how oon latumyus
758: Compleyned unto his felawe arrius
759: That in his gardyn growed swich a tree
760: On which he seyde how that his wyves thre
761: Hanged hemself for herte despitus.
762: -- O leeve brother, -- quod this arrius,
763: -- Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree,
764: And in my gardyn planted shal it bee. --
765: Of latter date, of wyves hath he red
766: That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed,
767: And lete hir lecchour dighte hire al the nyght,
768: Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright.
769: And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn,
770: Whil that they slepte, and thus they had hem slayn.
771: Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hire drynke.
772: He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke;
773: And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes
774: Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes.
775: -- Bet is, -- quod he, -- thyn habitacioun
776: Be with a leon or foul dragoun,
777: Than with a womman usynge for to chyde --
778: -- Bet is, -- quod he, -- hye in the roof abyde,
779: Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous;
780: They been so wikked and contrarious,
781: They haten that hir housbondes loven ay. --
782: He seyde, -- a womman cast hir shame away,
783: Whan she cast of hir smok; -- and forthermo,
784: -- A fair womman, but she be chaast also,
785: Is lyk a gold ryng in a sowes nose. --
786: Who wolde wene, or who wolde suppose,
787: The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?
788: And whan I saugh he wolde nevere fyne
789: To reden on this cursed book al nyght,
790: Al sodeynly thre leves have I plyght
791: Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke
792: I with my fest so took hym on the cheke
793: That in oure fyr he fil bakward adoun.
794: And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun,
795: And with his fest he smoot me on the heed,
796: That in the floor I lay as I were deed.
797: And whan he saugh how stille that I lay,
798: He was agast, and wolde han fled his way,
799: Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde.
800: -- O! hastow slayn me, false theef? -- I seyde,
801: -- And for my land thus hastow mordred me?
802: Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee. --
803: And neer he cam and kneled faire adoun,
804: And seyde, -- deere suster alisoun,
805: As help me god! I shal thee nevere smyte.
806: That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte.
807: Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke! --

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808: And yet eftsoones I hitte hym on the cheke,
809: And seyde, -- theef, thus muchel am I wreke;
810: Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke. --
811: But atte laste, with muchel care and wo,
812: We fille acorded by us selven two.
813: He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond,
814: To han the governance of hous and lond,
815: And of his tonge, and of his hond also;
816: And made hym brenne his book anon right tho.
817: And whan that I hadde geten unto me,
818: By maistrie, al the soveraynette,
819: And that he seyde, -- myn owene trewe wyf,
820: Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf;
821: Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat --
822: After that day we hadden never debaat.
823: God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde
824: As any wyf from denmark unto ynde,
825: And also trewe, and so was he to me.
826: I prey to god, that sit in magestee,
827: So blesse his soule for his mercy deere.
828: Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol heere.
829: The frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this;
830: Now dame, quod he, so have I joye or blis,
831: This is a long preamble of a tale!
832: And whan the somonour herde the frere gale,
833: Lo, quod the somonour, goddes armes two!
834: A frere wol entremette hym everemo.
835: Lo, goode men, a flye and eek a frere
836: Wol falle in every dyssh and eek mateere.
837: What spwkestow of preambulacioun?
838: What! amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun!
839: Thou lettest oure disport in this manere.
840: Ye, woltow so, sire somonour? quod the frere;
841: Now, by my feith, I shal, er that I go,
842: Telle of a somonour swich a tale or two,
843: That alle the folk shal laughen in this place.
844: Now elles, frere, I bishrewe thy face,
845: Quod this somonour, and I bishrewe me,
846: But if I telle tales two or thre
847: Of freres, er I come to sidyngborne,
848: That I shal make thyn herte for to morne,
849: For wel I woot thy pacience is gon.
850: Oure hooste cride pees! and that anon!
851: And seyde, lat the womman telle hire tale.
852: Ye fare as folk that dronken ben of ale.
853: Do, dame, telle forth youre tale, and that is best.
854: Al redy, sire, quod she, right as yow lest,
855: If I have licence of this worthy frere.
856: Yis, dame, quod he, tel forth, and I wol heere.

The Wife of Bath's Tale

857: In th' olde dayes of the kyng arthour,
858: Of which that britons speken greet honour,
859: Al was this land fulfild of fayerye.
860: The elf-queene, with hir joly compaignye,
861: Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede.
862: This was the olde opinion, as I rede;
863: I speke of manye hundred yeres ago.
864: But now kan no man se none elves mo,
865: For now the grete charitee and prayers
866: Of lymytours and othere hooly freres,
867: That serchen every lond and every streem,
868: As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem,
869: Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures,
870: Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures,
871: Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes --
872: This maketh that ther ben no fayeryes.
873: For ther as wont to walken was an elf,
874: Ther walketh now the lymytour hymself
875: In undermeles and in morwenynges,
876: And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges
877: As he gooth in his lymytacioun.
878: Wommen may go now saufly up and doun.
879: In every bussh or under every tree
880: Ther is noon oother incubus but he,
881: And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour.
882: And so bifel it that this kyng arthour
883: Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler,
884: That on a day cam ridynge fro ryver;

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-85-

885: And happed that, allone as he was born,
886: He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn,
887: Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed,
888: By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed;
889: For which oppressioun was swich clamour
890: And swich pursute unto the kyng arthour,
891: That dampned was this knyght for to be deed,
892: By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed --
893: Paraventure swich was the statut tho --
894: But that the queene and othere ladyes mo
895: So longe preyeden the kyng of grace,
896: Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place,
897: And yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille,
898: To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille.
899: The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght,
900: And after this thus spak she to the knyght,
901: Whan that she saugh hir tyme, upon a day:
902: Thou standest yet, quod she, in swich array
903: That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee.
904: I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me
905: What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren.
906: Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from iren!
907: And if thou kanst nat tellen it anon,
908: Yet wol I yeve thee leve for to gon
909: A twelf-month and a day, to seche and leere
910: An answere suffisant in this mateere;
911: And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace,
912: Thy body for to yelden in this place.
913: Wo was this knyght, and sorwefully he siketh;
914: But what! he may nat do al as hym liketh.
915: And at the laste he chees hym for to wende,
916: And come agayn, right at the yeres ende,
917: With swich answere as God wolde hym purveye;
918: And taketh his leve, and wendeth froth his weye.
919: He seketh every hous and and every place
920: Where as he hopeth for to fynde grace,
921: To lerne what thyng wommen loven moost;
922: But he ne koude arryven in no coost
923: Wher as he myghte fynde in this mateere
924: Two creatures accordynge in-feere.
925: Somme seyde wommen loven best richesse,
926: Somme seyde honour, somme seyde jolynesse,
927: Somme riche array, somme seyden lust abedde,
928: And oftetyme to be wydwe and wedde.
929: Somme seyde that oure hertes been moost esed
930: Whan that we ben yflatered and yplesed.
931: He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye.
932: A man shal wynne us best with flaterye;
933: And with attendance, and with bisynesse,
934: Been we ylymed, bothe moore and lesse.
935: And somme seyen that we loven best
936: For to be free, and do right as us lest,
937: And that no man repreve us of oure vice,
938: But seye that we be wise, and no thyng nyce.
939: For trewely ther is noon of us alle,
940: If any wight wol clawe us on the galle,
941: That we nel kike, for he seith us sooth.
942: Assay, and he shal fynde it that so dooth;
943: For, be we never so vicious withinne,
944: We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.
945: And somme seyn that greet delit han we
946: For to been holden stable, and eek secree,
947: And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle,
948: And nat biwreye thyng that men us telle.
949: But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele.
950: Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele;
951: Witnesse on myda, -- wol ye heere the tale?
952: Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale,
953: Seyde myda hadde, under his longe heres,
954: Growynge upon his heed two asses eres,
955: The whiche vice he hydde, as he best myghte,
956: Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte,
957: That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it namo.
958: He loved hire moost, and trusted hire also;
959: He preyede hire that to no creature
960: She sholde tellen of his disfigure.
961: She swoor him, nay, for al this world to wynne,
962: She nolde do that vileynye or synne,
963: To make hir housbonde han so foul a name.
964: She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame.
965: But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde,
966: That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde;
967: Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte
968: That nedely som word hire moste asterte;
969: And sith she dorste telle it to no man,
970: Doun to a mareys faste by she ran
971: Til she cam there, hir herte was a-fyre --
972: And as a bitore bombleth in the myre,
973: She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun:
974: Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun,
975: Quod she; -- to thee I telle it and namo;
976: Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two!
977: Now is myn herte al hool, now is it oute.
978: I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute.
979: Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde,
980: Yet out it moot; we kan no conseil hyde.
981: The remenant of the tale if ye wol heere,
982: Redeth ovyde, and ther ye may it leere.
983: This knyght, of which my tale is specially,
984: Than that he saugh he myghte nat come therby,

---

-86-

985: This is to seye, what wommen love moost,
986: Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost.
987: But hoom he gooth, he myghte nat sojourne;
988: The day was come that homward moste he tourne.
989: And in his wey it happed hym to ryde,
990: In al this care, under a forest syde,
991: Wher as he saugh upon a daunce go
992: Of ladyes foure and twenty, and yet mo;
993: Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,
994: In hope that som wysdom sholde he lerne.
995: But certeinly, er he cam fully there,
996: Vanysshed was this daunce, he nyste where.
997: No creature saugh he that bar lyf,
998: Save on the grene he saugh sittynge a wyf --
999: A fouler wight ther may no man devyse.
1000: Agayn the knyght this olde wyf gan ryse,
1001: And seyde, sire knyght, heer forth ne lith no wey.
1002: Tel me what that ye seken, by youre fey!
1003: Paraventure it may the bettre be;
1004: Thise olde folk kan muchel thyng, quod she.
1005: My leeve mooder, quod this knyght, certeyn
1006: I nam but deed, but if that I kan seyn
1007: What thyng it is that wommen moost desire.
1008: Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire.
1009: Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand, quod she,
1010: The nexte thyng that I requere thee,
1011: Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght,
1012: And I wol telle it yow er it be nyght.
1013: Have heer my trouthe, quod the knyght, I grante.
1014: Thanne, quod she, I dar me wel avante
1015: Thy lyf is sauf; for I wol stonde therby,
1016: Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I.
1017: Lat se which is the proudeste of hem alle,
1018: That wereth on a coverchief or a calle,
1019: That day seye nay of that I shal thee teche.
1020: Lat us go forth, withouten lenger speche.
1021: Tho rowned she a pistel in his ere,
1022: And bad hym to be glad, and have no fere.
1023: Whan they be comen to the court, this knyght
1024: Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde hight,
1025: And redy was his answere, as he sayde.
1026: Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde,
1027: And many a wydwe, for that they been wise,
1028: The queene hirself sittynge as a justise,
1029: Assembled been, his answere for to heere;
1030: And afterward this knyght was bode appeere.
1031: To every wight comanded was silence,
1032: And that the knyght sholde telle in audience
1033: What thyng that worldly wommen loven best.
1034: This knyght ne stood nat stille as doth a best,
1035: But to his questioun anon answerde
1036: With manly voys, that al the court it herde:
1037: My lige lady, generally, quod he,
1038: Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee
1039: As wel over his housbond as hir love,
1040: And for to been in maistrie hym above.
1041: This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille.
1042: Dooth as yow list; I am heer at youre wille.
1043: In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde,
1044: Ne wydwe, that contraried that he sayde,
1045: But seyden he was worthy han his lyf.
1046: And with that word up stirte the olde wyf,
1047: Which that the knyght saugh sittynge on the grene:
1048: Mercy, quod she, my sovereyn lady queene!
1049: Er that youre court departe, do me right.
1050: I taughte this answere unto the knyght;
1051: For which he plighte me his trouthe there,
1052: The firste thyng that I wolde hym requere,
1053: He wolde it do, if it lay in his myghte.
1054: Bifore the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght,
1055: Quod she, that thou me take unto thy wyf;
1056: For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf.
1057: If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy fey!
1058: This knyght answerde, allas! and weylawey!
1059: I woot right wel that swich was my biheste.
1060: For goddes love, as chees a newe requeste!
1061: Taak al my good, and lat my body go.
1062: Nay, thanne, quod she, I shrewe us bothe two!
1063: For thogh that I be foul, and oold, and poore,
1064: I nolde for al the metal, ne for oore,
1065: That under erthe is grave, or lith above,
1066: But if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love.
1067: My love? quod he, nay, my dampnacioun!
1068: Allas! that any of my nacioun
1069: Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!
1070: But al for noght; the ende is this, that he
1071: Constreyned was, he nedes moste hire wedde;
1072: And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde.
1073: Now wolden som men seye, paraventure,
1074: That for my necligence I do no cure
1075: To tellen yow the joye and al th' array
1076: That at the feeste was that ilke day.
1077: To which thyng shortly answeren I shal:
1078: I seye ther nas no joye ne feeste at al;
1079: Ther nas but hevynesse and muche sorwe.

---

-87-

1080: For prively he wedded hire on the morwe,
1081: And al day after hidde hym as an owle,
1082: So wo was hym, his wyf looked so foule.
1083: Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght,
1084: Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght;
1085: He walweth and he turneth to and fro.
1086: His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo,
1087: And seyde, o deere housbonde, benedicitee!
1088: Fareth every knyght thys with his wyf as ye?
1089: Is this the lawe of kyng arthures hous?
1090: Is every knyght of his so dangerous?
1091: I am youre owene love and eek youre wyf;
1092: I am she which that saved hath youre lyf,
1093: And, certes, yet ne dide I yow nevere unright;
1094: Why fare ye thus with me this firste nyght?
1095: Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit.
1096: What is my gilt? for goddes love, tel me it,
1097: And it shal been amende, if I may.
1098: Amended? quod this knyght, allas! nay, nay!
1099: It wol nat been amended nevere mo.
1100: Thou art so loothly, and so oold also,
1101: And therto comen of so lough a kynde,
1102: That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and wynde.
1103: So wolde God myn herte wolde breste!
1104: Is this, quod she, the cause of youre unreste?
1105: Ye, certeinly, quod he, no wonder is.
1106: Now, sire, quod she, I koude amende al this,
1107: If that me liste, er it were dayes thre,
1108: So wel ye myghte bere yow unto me.
1109: But, for ye speken of swich gentillesse
1110: As is descended out of old richesse,
1111: That therfore sholden ye be gentil men,
1112: Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen.
1113: Looke who that is moost vertuous alway,
1114: Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay
1115: To do the gentil dedes that he kan;
1116: Taak hym for the grettest gentil man.
1117: Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse,
1118: Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse.
1119: For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage,
1120: For which we clayme to been of heigh parage,
1121: Yet may they nat biquethe, for no thyng,
1122: To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng,
1123: That made hem gentil men ycalled be,
1124: And bad us folwen hem in swich degree.
1125: Wel kan the wise poete of florence,
1126: That highte dant, speken in this sentence.
1127: Lo, in swich maner rym is dantes tale:
1128: -- Ful selde up riseth by his brances smale
1129: Prowesse of man, for god, of his goodnesse,
1130: Wole that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse; --
1131: For of oure eldres may we no thyng clayme
1132: But temporel thyng, that man may hurte and mayme.
1133: Eek every wight woot this as wel as I,
1134: If gentillesse were planted natureelly
1135: Unto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne,
1136: Pryvee and apert, thanne wolde they nevere fyne
1137: To doon of gentillesse the faire office;
1138: They myghte do no vileynye or vice.
1139: Taak fyr, and ber it in the derkeste hous
1140: Bitwix this and the mount of kaukasous,
1141: And lat men shette the dores and go thenne;
1142: Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne
1143: As twenty thousand men myghte it biholde;
1144: His office natureel ay wol it holde,
1145: Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye.
1146: Heere may ye se wel how that genterye
1147: Is nat annexed to possessioun,
1148: Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun
1149: Alwey, as dooth the fyr, lo, in his kynde.
1150: For, God it woot, men may wel often fynde
1151: A lordes sone do shame and vileynye;
1152: And he that wole han pris of his gentrye,
1153: For he was boren of a gentil hous,
1154: And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous,
1155: And nel hymselven do no gentil dedis,
1156: Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is,
1157: He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl;
1158: For vileyns synful dedes make a cherl.
1159: For gentillesse nys but renomee
1160: Of thyne auncestres, for hire heigh bountee,
1161: Which is a strange thyng to thy persone.
1162: Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone.
1163: Thanne comth oure verray gentillesse of grace;
1164: It was no thyng biquethe us with oure place.
1165: Thenketh how noble, as seith valerius,
1166: Was thilke tullius hostillius,
1167: That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse.
1168: Reedeth senek, and redeth eek boece;
1169: Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is
1170: That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis.
1171: And therfore, leeve housbonde, thus conclude:
1172: Al were it that myne auncestres were rude,
1173: Yet may the hye god, and so hope I,
1174: Grante me grace to lyven vertuously.
1175: Thanne am I gentil, whan that I bigynne
1176: To lyven vertuously and weyve synne.
1177: And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve,
1178: The hye god, on whom that we bileeve,
1179: In wilful poverte chees to lyve his lyf.

---

-88-

1180: And certes every man, mayden, or wyf,
1181: May understonde that jhesus, hevene kyng,
1182: Ne wolde nat chese a vicious lyvyng.
1183: Glad poverte is an honest thyng, certeyn;
1184: This wole senec and othere clerkes seyn.
1185: Whoso that halt hym payd of his poverte,
1186: I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte.
1187: He that coveiteth is a povre wight,
1188: For he wolde han that is nat in his myght;
1189: But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have,
1190: Is riche, although ye holde hym but a knave.
1191: Verray poverte, it syngeth proprely;
1192: Juvenal seith of poverte myrily:
1193: -- The povre man, whan he goth by the weye,
1194: Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.
1195: Poverte is hateful good and, as I gesse,
1196: A ful greet bryngere out of bisynesse;
1197: A greet amendere eek of sapience
1198: To hym that taketh it in pacience.
1199: Poverte is this, although it seme alenge,
1200: Possessioun that no wight wol chalenge.
1201: Poverte ful ofte, whan a man is lowe,
1202: Maketh his God and eek hymself to knowe.
1203: Poverte a spectacle is, as thynketh me,
1204: Thurgh which he may his verray freendes see.
1205: And therfore, sire, syn that I noght yow greve,
1206: Of my poverte namoore ye me repreve.
1207: No, sire, of elde ye repreve me;
1208: And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee
1209: Were in no book, ye gentils of honour
1210: Seyn that men sholde an oold wight doon favour,
1211: And clepe hym fader, for youre gentillesse;
1212: And auctours shal I fynde, as I gesse.
1213: Now ther ye seye that I am foul and old,
1214: Than drede you noght to been a cokewold;
1215: For filthe and eelde, also moot I thee,
1216: Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee.
1217: But nathelees, syn I knowe youre delit,
1218: I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit.
1219: Chese now, quod she, oon of thise thynges tweye:
1220: To han me foul and old til that I deye,
1221: And be to yow a trewe, humble wyf,
1222: And nevere yow displese in al my lyf;
1223: Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,
1224: And take youre aventure of the repair
1225: That shal be to youre hous by cause of me,
1226: Or in som oother place, may wel be.
1227: Now chese yourselven, wheither that yow liketh.
1228: This knyght avyseth hym and sore siketh,
1229: But atte laste he seyde in this manere:
1230: My lady and my love, and wyf so deere,
1231: I put me in youre wise governance;
1232: Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance,
1233: And moost honour to yow and me also.
1234: I do no fors the wheither of the two;
1235: For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me.
1236: Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie, quod she,
1237: Syn I may chese and governe as me lest?
1238: Ye, certes, wyf, quod he, I holde it best.
1239: Kys me, quod she, we be no lenger wrothe;
1240: For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe,
1241: This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good.
1242: I prey to God that I moote sterven wood,
1243: But I to yow be also good and trewe
1244: As evere was wyf, syn that the world was newe.
1245: And but I be to-morn as fair to seene
1246: As any lady, emperice, or queene,
1247: That is bitwixe the est and eke the west,
1248: Dooth with my lyf and deth right as yow lest.
1249: Cast up the curtyn, looke how that it is.
1250: And whan the knyght saugh verraily al this,
1251: That she so fair was, and so yong therto,
1252: For joye he hente hire in his armes two,
1253: His herte bathed in a bath of blisse.
1254: A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hire kisse,
1255: And she obeyed hym in every thyng
1256: That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng.
1257: And thys they lyve unto hir lyves ende
1258: In parfit joye; and jhesu crist us sende
1259: Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde,
1260: And grace t' overbyde hem that we wedde;
1261: And eek I praye jhesu shorte hir lyves
1262: That wol nat be governed by hir wyves;
1263: And olde and angry nygardes of dispence,
1264: God sende hem soone verray pestilence!

---

-89-

The Friar's Prologue

1265: This worthy lymytour, this noble frere,
1266: He made alwey a maner louryng chiere
1267: Upon the somonour, but for honestee
1268: No vileyns word as yet to hym spak he.
1269: But atte laste he seyde unto the wyf,
1270: Dame, quod he, God yeve yow right good lyf!
1271: Ye han heer touched, also moot I thee,
1272: In scole-matere greet difficultee.
1273: Ye han seyd muche thyng right wel, I seye;
1274: But, dame, heere as we ryde by the weye,
1275: Us nedeth nat to speken but of game,
1276: And lete auctoritees, on goddes name,
1277: To prechyng and to scole eek of clergye.
1278: But if it lyke to this compaignye,
1279: I wol yow of a somonour telle a game.
1280: Pardee, ye may wel knowe by the name
1281: That of a somonour may no good be sayd;
1282: I praye that noon of you be yvele apayd.
1283: A somonour is a rennere up and doun
1284: With mandementz for fornicacioun,
1285: And is ybet at every townes ende.
1286: Oure hoost tho spak, a! sire, ye sholde be hende
1287: And curteys, as a man of youre estaat;
1288: In compaignye we wol have no debaat.
1289: Telleth youre tale, and lat the somonour be.
1290: Nay, quod the somonour, lat hym seye to me
1291: What so hym list; whan it comth to me lot,
1292: By god! I shal hym quiten every grot.
1293: I shal hym tellen which a greet honour
1294: It is to be a flaterynge lymytour;
1295: And eek of many another manere cryme
1296: Which nedeth nat rehercen at this tyme;
1297: And his office I shal hym telle, ywis.
1298: Oure hoost answerde, pees, namoore of this!
1299: And after this he seyde unto the frere,
1300: Tel forth youre tale, my leeve maister deere.

The Friar's Tale

1301: Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree
1302: And erchedeken, a man of heigh degree,
1303: That boldely dide execucioun
1304: In punysshynge of fornicacioun,
1305: Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye,
1306: Of difamacioun, and avowtrye,
1307: Of chirche reves, and of testamentz,
1308: Of contractes and of lakke of sacramentz,
1309: Of usure, and of symonye also.
1310: But certes, lecchours dide he grettest wo;
1311: They sholde syngen if that they were hent;
1312: And smale tytheres weren foule yshent,
1313: If any persoun wolde upon hem pleyne.
1314: Ther myghte asterte hym no pecunyal peyne.
1315: For smale tithes and for smal offrynge
1316: He made the peple pitously to synge.
1317: For er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook,
1318: They weren in the erchedeknes book.
1319: Thanne hadde he, thurgh his jurisdiccioun,
1320: Power to doon on hem correccioun.
1321: He hadde a somonour redy to his hond;
1322: A slyer boye nas noon in engelond;
1323: For subtilly he hadde his espiaille,
1324: That taughte hym wel wher that hym myghte availle.
1325: He koude spare of lecchours oon or two,
1326: To techen hym to foure and twenty mo.
1327: For thogh this somonour wood were as an hare,
1328: To telle his harlotrye I wol nat spare;
1329: For we been out of his correccioun.
1330: They han of us no jurisdiccioun,
1331: Ne nevere shullen, terme of alle hir lyves. --
1332: Peter! so been the wommen of the styves,
1333: Quod the somonour, yput out of oure cure!
1334: Pees! with myschance and with mysaventure!

---

-90-

1335: Thys seyde oure hoost, and lat hym telle his tale.
1336: Now telleth forth, thogh that the somonour gale;
1337: Ne spareth nat, myn owene maister deere. --
1338: This false theef, this somonour, quod the frere,
1339: Hadde alwey bawdes redy to his hond,
1340: As any hauk to lure in engelond,
1341: That tolde hym al the secree that they knewe;
1342: For hire acqueyntace was nat come of newe.
1343: They weren his approwours prively.
1344: He took hymself a greet profit therby;
1345: His maister knew nat alwey what he wan.
1346: Withouten mandement a lewed man
1347: He koude somne, on peyne of cristes curs,
1348: And they were glade for to fille his purs,
1349: And make hym grete feestes atte nale.
1350: And right as judas hadde purses smale,
1351: And was a theef, right swich a theef was he;
1352: His maister hadde but half his duetee.
1353: He was, if I shal yeven hym his laude,
1354: A theef, and eek a somnour, and baude.
1355: He hadde eek wenches at his retenue,
1356: That, wheither that sir robert or sir huwe,
1357: Or jakke, or rauf, or whoso that it were
1358: That lay by hem, they tolde it in his ere.
1359: Thus was the wenche and he of oon assent;
1360: And he wolde fecche a feyned mandement,
1361: And somne hem to chapitre bothe two,
1362: And pile the man, and lete the wenche go.
1363: Thanne wolde he seye, freend, I shal for thy sake
1364: Do striken hire out of oure lettres blake;
1365: Thee thar namoore as in this cas travaille.
1366: I am thy freend, ther I thee may availle.
1367: Certeyn he knew of briberyes mo
1368: Than possible is to telle in yeres two.
1369: For in this world nys dogge for the bowe
1370: That kan an hurt deer from an hool yknowe
1371: Bet than this somnour knew a sly lecchour,
1372: Or an avowtier, or a paramour.
1373: And for that was the fruyt of al his rente,
1374: Therfore on it he sette al his entente.
1375: And so bifel that ones on a day
1376: This somnour, evere waityng on his pray,
1377: Rood for to somne an old wydwe, a ribibe,
1378: Feynynge a cause, for he wolde brybe.
1379: And happed that he saugh bifore hym ryde
1380: A gay yeman, under a forest syde,
1381: A bowe he bar, and arwes brighte and kene;
1382: He hadde upon a courtepy of grene,
1383: An hat upon his heed with frenges blake.
1384: Sire, quod this somnour, hayl, and wel atake!
1385: Welcome, quod he, and every good felawe!
1386: Wher rydestow, under this grene-wode shawe?
1387: Seyde this yeman, wiltow fer to day?
1388: This somnour hym answerde and seyde, nay;
1389: Heere faste by, quod he, is myn entente
1390: To ryden, for to reysen up a rente
1391: That longeth to my lordes duetee.
1392: Artow thanne a bailly? ye, quod he.
1393: He dorste nat, for verray filthe and shame
1394: Seye that he was a somonour, for the name.
1395: Depardieux, quod this yeman, deere broother,
1396: Thou art a bailly, and I am another.
1397: I am unknowen as in this contree;
1398: Of thyn aqueyntance I wolde praye thee,
1399: And eek of bretherhede, if that yow leste.
1400: I have gold and silver in my cheste;
1401: If that thee happe to comen in oure shire,
1402: Al shal be thyn, right as thou wolt desire.
1403: Grantmercy, quod this somonour, by my feith!
1404: Everych on ootheres hand his trouthe leith,
1405: For to be sworne bretheren til they deye.
1406: In daliance they ryden forth and pleye.
1407: This somonour, which that was as ful of jangles,
1408: As ful of venym been thise waryangles,
1409: And evere enqueryng upon every thyng,
1410: Brother, quod he, where is now youre dwellyng
1411: Another day if that I sholde yow seche?
1412: This yeman hym answerde in softe speche,
1413: Brother, quod he, fer in the north contree,
1414: Where-as I hope som tyme I shal thee see.
1415: Er we departe, I shal thee so wel wisse
1416: That of myn hous ne shaltow nevere mysse.
1417: Now, brother, quod this somonour, I yow preye,
1418: Teche me, whil that we ryden by the weye,
1419: Syn that ye been a baillif as am I,
1420: Som subtiltee, and tel me feithfully
1421: In myn office how that I may moost wynne;
1422: And spareth nat for conscience ne synne,
1423: But as my brother tel me, how do ye.
1424: Now, by my trouthe, brother deere, seyde he,
1425: As I shal tellen thee a feithful tale,
1426: My wages been ful streite and ful smale.
1427: My lord is hard to me and daungerous,
1428: And myn office is ful laborous,
1429: And therfore by extorcions I lyve.
1430: For sothe, I take al that men wol me yive.

---

-91-

1431: Algate,by gleyghte or by violence,
1432: Fro yeer to yeer I wynne al my dispence.
1433: I kan no bettre telle, feithfully.
1434: Now certes, quod this somonour, so fare I.
1435: I spare nat to taken, God it woot,
1436: But if it be to hevy or to hoot.
1437: What I may gete in conseil prively,
1438: No maner conscience of that have I.
1439: Nere myn extorcioun, I myghte nat lyven,
1440: Ne of swiche japes wol I nat be shryven.
1441: Stomak ne conscience ne knowe I noon;
1442: I shrewe thise shrifte-fadres everychoon.
1443: Wel be we met, by God and by seint jame!
1444: But, leeve brother, tel me thanne thy name,
1445: Quod this somonour. In this meene while
1446: This yeman gan a litel for to smyle.
1447: Brother, quod he, wiltow that I thee telle?
1448: I am a feend; my dwellyng is in helle,
1449: And heere I ryde aboute my purchasyng,
1450: To wite wher men wol yeve me any thyng.
1451: My purchas is th' effect of al my rente.
1452: Looke how thou rydest for the same entente,
1453: To wynne good, thou rekkest nevere how;
1454: Right so fare I, for ryde wolde I now
1455: Unto the worldes ende for a preye.
1456: Al! quod this somonour, benedicite! sey ye?
1457: I wende ye were a yeman trewely.
1458: Ye han a mannes shap as wel as I;
1459: Han ye a figure thanne determinat
1460: In helle, ther ye been in youre estat?
1461: Nay, certeinly, quod he, ther have we noon;
1462: But whan us liketh, we kan take us oon,
1463: Or elles make yow seme we been shape
1464: Somtyme lyk a man, or lyk an ape,
1465: Or lyk an angel kan I ryde or go.
1466: It is no wonder thyng thogh it be so;
1467: A lowsy jogelour kan deceyve thee,
1468: And pardee, yet kan I moore craft than he.
1469: Why, quod this somonour, ryde ye thanne or goon
1470: In sondry shap, and nat alwey in oon?
1471: For we, quod he, wol us swiche formes make
1472: As moost able is oure preyes for to take.
1473: What maketh yow to han al this labour?
1474: Ful many a cause, leeve sire somonour,
1475: Seyde this feend, but alle thyng hath tyme.
1476: The day is short, and it is passed pryme,
1477: And yet ne wan I nothyng in this day.
1478: I wol entende to wynnyng, if I may,
1479: And nat entende oure wittes to declare.
1480: For, brother myn, thy wit is al to bare
1481: To understonde, althogh I tolde hem thee.
1482: But, for thou axest why labouren we --
1483: For somtyme we been goddes instrumentz,
1484: And meenes to doon his comandementz,
1485: Whan that hym list, upon his creatures,
1486: In divers art and in diverse figures.
1487: Withouten hym we have no myght, certayn,
1488: If that hym list stonden ther-agayn.
1489: And somtyme, at oure prayere, han we leve
1490: Oonly the body and nat the soule greve;
1491: Witnesse on job, whom that we diden wo.
1492: And somtyme han we myght of bothe two,
1493: This is to seyn, of soule and body eke.
1494: And somtyme be we suffred for to seke
1495: Upon a man, and doon his soule unreste,
1496: And nat his body, and al is for the beste.
1497: Whan he withstandeth oure temptacioun,
1498: It is a cause of his savacioun,
1499: Al be it that it was nat oure entente
1500: He sholde be sauf, but that we wolde hym hente.
1501: And somtyme be we servant unto man,
1502: As to the erchebisshop seint dunstan,
1503: And to the apostles servent eek was I.
1504: Yet tel me, quod the somonour, feithfully,
1505: Make ye yow newe bodies thus alway
1506: Of elementz? the feend answerde, nay.
1507: Somtyme we feyne, and somtyme we aryse
1508: With dede bodyes, in ful sondry wyse,
1509: And speke as renably and faire and wel
1510: As to the phitonissa dide samuel.
1511: (and yet wol som men seye it was nat he;
1512: I do no fors of youre dyvynytee.)
1513: But o thyng warne I thee, I wol nat jape, --
1514: Thou wolt algates wite how we been shape;
1515: Thou shalt herafterward, my brother deere,
1516: Come there thee nedeth nat of me to leere.
1517: For thou shalt, by thyn owene experience,
1518: Konne in a chayer rede of this sentence
1519: Bet than virgile, while he was on lyve,
1520: Or dant also. Now lat us ryde blyve,
1521: For I wole holde compaignye with thee
1522: Til it be so that thou forsake me.
1523: Nay, quod this somonour, that shal nat bityde!
1524: I am a yeman, knowen is ful wyde;
1525: My trouthe wol I holde, as in this cas.
1526: For though thou were the devel sathanas,
1527: My trouthe wol I holde to my brother,
1528: As I am sworn, and ech of us til oother,
1529: For to be trewe brother in this cas;
1530: And bothe we goon abouten oure purchas.

---

-92-

1531: Taak thou thy part, what that men wol thee yive,
1532: And I shal myn; thus may we bothe lyve.
1533: And if that any of us have moore than oother,
1534: Lat hym be trewe, and parte it with his brother.
1535: I graunte, quod the devel, by my fey.
1536: And with that word they ryden forth hir wey.
1537: And right at the entryng of the townes ende,
1538: To which this somonour shoop hym for to wende,
1539: They saugh a cart that charged was with hey,
1540: Which that a cartere droof forth in his wey.
1541: Deep was the wey, for which the carte stood.
1542: The cartere smoot, and cryde as he were wood,
1543: Hayt, brok! hayt, scot! what spare ye for the stones?
1544: The feend, quod he, yow fecche, body and bones,
1545: As ferforthly as evere were ye foled,
1546: So muche wo as I have with yow tholed!
1547: The devel have al, bothe hors and cart and hey!
1548: This somonour seyde, heere shal we have a pley.
1549: And neer the feend he drough, as noght ne were,
1550: Ful prively, and rowned in his ere:
1551: Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith!
1552: Herestow nat how that the cartere seith?
1553: Hent it anon, for he hath yeve it thee,
1554: Bothe hey and cart, and eek his caples thre.
1555: Nay, quod the devel, God woot, never a deel!
1556: It is nat his entente, trust me weel.
1557: Axe hym thyself, it thou nat trowest me;
1558: Or elles stynt a while, and thou shalt see.
1559: This cartere thakketh his hors upon the croupe,
1560: And they bigonne to drawen and to stoupe.
1561: Heyt! now, quod he, ther jhesu crist yow blesse,
1562: And al his handwerk, bothe moore and lesse!
1563: That was wel twight, myn owene lyard boy.
1564: I pray God save thee, and seinte loy!
1565: Now is my cart out of the slow, pardee!
1566: Lo, brother, quod the feend, what tolde I thee?
1567: Heere may ye se, myn owene deere brother,
1568: The carl spak oo thing, but he thoghte another.
1569: Lat us go forth abouten oure viage;
1570: Heere wynne I nothyng upon cariage.
1571: Whan that they coomen somwhat out of towne,
1572: This somonour to his brother gan to rowne:
1573: Brother, quod he, heere woneth an old rebekke,
1574: That hadde almoost as lief to lese hire nekke
1575: As for to yeve a peny of hir good.
1576: I wole han twelf pens, though that she be wood,
1577: Or I wol sompne hire unto oure office;
1578: And yet, God woot, of hire knowe I no vice.
1579: But for thou kanst nat, as in this contree,
1580: Wynne thy cost, taak heer ensample of me.
1581: This somonour clappeth at the wydwes gate.
1582: Com out, quod he, thou olde virytrate!
1583: I trowe thou hast som frere or preest with thee.
1584: Who clappeth? seyde this wyf, benedicitee!
1585: God save you, sire, what is youre sweete wille?
1586: I have, quod he, of somonce here a bille;
1587: Up peyne of cursyng, looke that thou be
1588: To-morn bifore the erchedeknes knee,
1589: T' answere to the court of certeyn thynges.
1590: Now, lord, quod she, crist jhesu, kyng of kynges,
1591: So wisly helpe me, as I ne may.
1592: I have been syk, and that ful many a day.
1593: I may nat go so fer, quod she, ne ryde,
1594: But I be deed, so priketh it in my syde.
1595: May I nat axe a libel, sire somonour,
1596: And answere there by my procuratour
1597: To swich thyng as men wole opposen me?
1598: Yis, quod this somonour, pay anon, lat se,
1599: Twelf pens to me, and I wol thee acquite.
1600: I shal no profit han therby but lite;
1601: My maister hath the profit, and nat I.
1602: Com of, and lat me ryden hastily;
1603: Yif me twelf pens, I may no lenger tarye.
1604: Twelf pens! quod she, now, lady seinte marie
1605: So wisly help me out of care and synne,
1606: This wyde world thogh that I sholde wynne,
1607: Ne have I nat twelf pens withinne myn hoold.
1608: Ye knowen wel that I am povre and oold;
1609: Kithe youre almesse on me povre wrecche.
1610: Nay thanne, quod he, the foule feend me fecche
1611: If I th' excuse, though thou shul be spilt!
1612: allas! quod she, God woot, I have no gilt.
1613: Pay me, quod he, or by the swete seinte anne,
1614: As I wol bere awey thy newe panne
1615: For dette which thou owest me of old.

---

-93-

1616: Whan that thou madest thyn housbonde cokewold,
1617: I payde at hoom for thy correccioun.
1618: Thou lixt! quod she, by my savacioun,
1619: Ne was I nevere er now, wydwe ne wyf,
1620: Somoned unto youre court in al my lyf;
1621: Ne nevere I nas but of my body trewe!
1622: Unto the devel blak and rough of hewe
1623: Yeve I thy body and my panne also!
1624: And whan the devel herde hire cursen so
1625: Upon hir knees, he seyde in this manere,
1626: Now, mabely, myn owene mooder deere,
1627: Is this youre wyl in ernest that ye seye?
1628: The devel, quod she, so fecche hym er he deye,
1629: And panne and al, but he wol hym repente!
1630: Nay, olde stot, that is nat myn entente,
1631: Quod this somonour, for to repente me
1632: For any thyng that I have had of thee.
1633: I wolde I hadde thy smok and every clooth!
1634: Now, brother, quod the devel, be nat wrooth;
1635: Thy body and this panne been myne by right.
1636: Thow shalt with me to helle yet to-nyght,
1637: Where thou shalt knowen of oure privetee
1638: Moore than a maister of dyvynytee.
1639: And with that word this foule feend hym hente;
1640: Body and soule he with the devel wente
1641: Where as that somonours han hir heritage.
1642: And god, that maked after his ymage
1643: Mankynde, save and gyde us, alle and some,
1644: And leve thise somonours goode men bicome!
1645: Lordynges, I koude han toold yow, quod this frere,
1646: Hadde I had leyser for this somonour heere,
1647: After the text of crist, poul, and john,
1648: And of oure othere doctours many oon,
1649: Swiche peynes that youre hertes myghte agryse,
1650: Al be it so no tonge may it devyse,
1651: Thogh that I myghte a thousand wynter telle
1652: The peynes of thilke cursed hous of helle.
1653: But for to kepe us fro that cursed place,
1654: Waketh, and preyeth jhesu for his grace
1655: So kepe us from the temptour sathanas.
1656: Herketh this word! beth war, as in this cas:
1657: The leoun sit in his awayt alway
1658: To sle the innocent, if that he may.
1659: Disposeth ay youre hertes to withstonde
1660: The feend, that yow wolde make thral and bonde.
1661: He may nat tempte yow over youre myght,
1662: For crist wol be youre champion and knyght.
1663: And prayeth that thise somonours hem repente
1664: Of hir mysdedes, er that the feend hem hente!

The Summoner's Prologue

1665: This somonour in his styropes hye stood;
1666: Upon this frere his herte was so wood
1667: That lyk an aspen leef he quook for ire.
1668: Lordynges, quod he, but o thyng I desire;
1669: I yow biseke that, of youre curteisye,
1670: Syn ye han herd this false frere lye,
1671: As suffreth me I may my tale telle.
1672: This frere bosteth that he knoweth helle,
1673: And God it woot, that it is litel wonder;
1674: Freres and feendes been but lyte asonder.
1675: For, pardee, ye han ofte tyme herd telle
1676: How that a frere ravyshed was to helle
1677: In spirit ones by a visioun;
1678: And as an angel ladde hym up and doun,
1679: To shewen hym the peynes that the were,
1680: In al the place saugh he nat a frere;
1681: Of oother folk he saugh ynowe in wo.
1682: Unto this angel spak the frere tho:
1683: Now, sire, quod he, han freres swich a grace
1684: That noon of hem shal come to this place?
1685: Yis, quod this aungel, many a millioun!
1686: And unto sathanas he ladde hym doun.
1687: -- And now hath sathanas, -- seith he, -- a tayl
1688: Brodder than of a carryk is the sayl.
1689: Hold up thy tayl, thou sathanas! -- quod he;
1690: -- shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere se
1691: Where is the nest of freres in this place! --
1692: And er that half a furlong wey of space,
1693: Right so as bees out swarmen from an hyve,
1694: Out of the develes ers ther gonne dryve

---

-94-

1695: Twenty thousand freres on a route,
1696: And thurghout helle swarmed al aboute,
1697: And comen agayn as faste as they may gon,
1698: And in his ers they crepten everychon.
1699: He clapte his tayl agayn and lay ful stille.
1700: This frere, whan he looked hadde his fille
1701: Upon the tormentz of this sory place,
1702: His spirit God restored, of his grace,
1703: Unto his body agayn, and he awook.
1704: But natheles, for fere yet he quook,
1705: So was the develes ers ay in his mynde,
1706: That is his heritage of verray kynde.
1707: God save yow alle, save this cursed frere!
1708: My prologe wol I ende in this manere.

The Summoner's Tale

1709: Lordynges, ther is in yorkshire, as I gesse,
1710: A mersshy contree called holdernesse,
1711: In which ther wente a lymytour aboute,
1712: To preche, and eek to begge, it so no doute.
1713: And so bifel that on a day this frere
1714: Hadde preched at a chirche in his manere,
1715: And specially, aboven every thyng,
1716: Excited he the peple in his prechyng
1717: To trentals, and to yeve, for goddes sake,
1718: Wherwith men myghte hooly houses make,
1719: Ther as divine servyce is honoured,
1720: Nat ther as it is wasted and devoured,
1721: Ne ther it nedeth nat for to be yive,
1722: As to possessioners, that mowen lyve,
1723: Thanked be god, in wele and habundaunce.
1724: Trentals, seyde he, deliveren fro penaunce
1725: Hir freendes soules, as wel olde as yonge, --
1726: Ye, whan that they been hastily ysonge,
1727: Nat for to holde a preest holy and gay --
1728: He syngeth nat but o masse in a day.
1729: Delivereth out, quod he, anon the soules!
1730: Ful hard it is with flesshhook or with oules
1731: To been yclawed, or to brenne or bake.
1732: Now spede yow hastily, for cristes sake!
1733: And whan this frere had seyd al his entente,
1734: With qui cum patre forth his wey he wente.
1735: Whan folk in chirche had yeve him what hem leste,
1736: He wente his wey, no lenger wolde he reste,
1737: With scrippe and tipped staf, ytukked hye,
1738: In every hous he gan to poure and prye,
1739: And beggeth mele and chese, or elles corn.
1740: His felawe hadde a staf tipped with horn,
1741: A peyre of tables al of yvory,
1742: And a poyntel polysshed fetisly,
1743: And wrooth the names alwey, as he stood,
1744: Of alle folk that yaf hym any good,
1745: Ascaunces that he wolde for hem preye.
1746: Yif us a busshel whete, malt, or reye,
1747: A goddes kechyl, or a trype of chese,
1748: Or elles what yow lyst, we may nat cheese;
1749: A goddes halfpeny, or a masse peny,
1750: Or yif us of youre brawn, if ye have eny;
1751: A dagon of youre blanket, leeve dame,
1752: Oure suster deere, -- lo! heere I write youre name, --
1753: Bacon or beef, or swich thyng as ye fynde.
1754: A sturdy harlot wente ay hem bihynde,
1755: That was hir hostes man, and bar a sak,
1756: And what men yaf hem, leyde it on his bak.
1757: And whan that he was out at dore, anon
1758: He planed awey the names everichon
1759: That he biforn had writen in his tables;
1760: He served hem with nyfles and with fables.
1761: Nay, ther thou lixt, thou somonour! quod the frere.
1762: Pees, quod oure hoost, for cristes mooder deere!
1763: Tel forth thy tale, and spare it nat at al.
1764: So thryve I, quod this somonour, so I shal!
1765: So longe he wente, hous by hous, til he
1766: Cam til an hous ther he was wont to be
1767: Refresshed moore than in an hundred placis.
1768: Syk lay the goode man whos that the place is;
1769: Bedrede upon a couche lowe he lay.
1770: Deus hic! quod he, o thomas, freend, good day!
1771: Seyde this frere, curteisly and softe.
1772: Thomas, quod he, God yelde yow! ful ofte
1773: Have I upon this bench faren ful weel;
1774: Heere have I eten many a myrie meel.
1775: And fro the bench he droof awey the cat,
1776: And leyde adoun his potente and his hat,
1777: And eek his scrippe, and sette hym softe adoun.
1778: His felawe was go walked into toun

---

-95-

1779: Forth with his knave, into that hostelrye
1780: Where as he shoop hym thilke nyght to lye.
1781: O deere maister, quod this sike man,
1782: How han ye fare sith that march bigan?
1783: I saugh yow noght this fourtenyght or moore.
1784: God woot, quod he, laboured have I ful soore,
1785: And specially, for thy savacion
1786: Have I seyd many a precious orison,
1787: And for oure othere freendes, God hem blesse!
1788: I have to day been at youre chirche at messe,
1789: And seyd a sermon after my symple wit,
1790: Nat al after the text of hooly writ;
1791: For it is hard to yow, as I suppose,
1792: And therfore wol I teche yow al the glose.
1793: Glosynge is a glorious thyng, certeyn,
1794: For lettre sleeth, so as we clerkes seyn.
1795: There have I taught hem to be charitable,
1796: And spende hir good ther it is resonable;
1797: And there I saugh oure dame, -- a! where is she?
1798: Yond in the yerd I trowe that she be,
1799: Seyde this man,and she wol come anon.
1800: Ey, maister, welcome be ye, by seint john!
1801: Seyde this wyf, how fare ye, hertely?
1802: The frere ariseth up ful curteisly,
1803: And hire embraceth in his armes narwe,
1804: And kiste hire sweete, and chirketh as a sparwe
1805: With his lyppes: dame, quod he, right weel,
1806: As he that is youre servent every deel,
1807: Thanked be god, that yow yaf soule and lyf!
1808: Yet saugh I nat this day so fair a wyf
1809: In al the chirche, God so save me!
1810: Ye, God amende defautes, sire, quod she.
1811: Algates, welcome be ye, by my fey!
1812: Graunt mercy, dame, this have I founde alwey.
1813: But of youre grete goodnesse, by youre leve,
1814: I wolde prey yow that ye nat yow greve,
1815: I wole with thomas speke a litel throwe.
1816: Thise curatz been ful necligent and slowe
1817: To grope tendrely a conscience
1818: In shrift; in prechyng is my diligence,
1819: And studie in petres wordes and in poules.
1820: I walke, and fisshe cristen mennes soules,
1821: To yelden jhesu crist his propre rente;
1822: To sprede his word is set al myn entente.
1823: Now, by youre leve, o deere sire, she,
1824: Chideth him weel, for seinte trinitee!
1825: He is as angry as a pissemyre,
1826: Though that he have al that he kan desire,
1827: Though I hym wrye a-nyght and make hym warm,
1828: And over hym leye my leg outher myn arm,
1829: He groneth lyk oure boor, lith in oure sty.
1830: Oother desport right noon of hym have I;
1831: I may nat plese hym in no maner cas.
1832: O thomas, je vous dy, thomas! thomas!
1833: This maketh the feend; this moste ben amended.
1834: Ire is a thyng that hye God defended,
1835: And therof wol I speke a word or two.
1836: Now, maister, quod the wyf, er that I go,
1837: What wol ye dyne? I wol go theraboute.
1838: Now dame, quod he, now je vous dy sanz doute,
1839: Have I nat of a capon but the lyvere,
1840: And of youre softe breed nat but a shyvere,
1841: And after that a rosted pigges heed --
1842: But that I nolde no beest for me were deed --
1843: Thanne hadde I with yow hoomly suffisaunce.
1844: I am a man of litel sustenaunce;
1845: My spirit hath his fostryng in the bible.
1846: The body is ay so redy and penyble
1847: To wake, that my stomak is destroyed.
1848: I prey yow, dame, ye be nat anoyed,
1849: Though I so freendly yow my conseil shewe.
1850: By god! I wolde nat telle it but a fewe.
1851: Now, sire, quod she, but o word er I go.
1852: My child is deed withinne thise wykes two,
1853: Soone after that ye wente out of this toun.
1854: His deeth saugh I by revelacioun,
1855: Seide this frere, at hoom in oure dortour.
1856: I dar wel seyn that, er that half an hour
1857: After his deeth, I saugh hym born to blisse
1858: In myn avision, so God me wisse!
1859: So didde oure sexteyn and oure fermerer,
1860: That han been trewe freres fifty yeer;
1861: They may now -- God be thanked of his loone! --
1862: Maken hir jubilee and walke allone.
1863: And up I roos, and al oure covent eke,
1864: With many a teere trillyng on my cheke,
1865: Withouten noyse or claterynge of belles;
1866: Te deum was oure song, and nothyng elles,
1867: Save that to crist I seyde an orison,
1868: Thankynge hym of his revelacion.
1869: For, sire and dame, trusteth me right weel,
1870: Oure orisons been moore effectueel,
1871: And moore we seen of cristes secree thynges,
1872: Than burel folk, although they weren kynges.
1873: We lyve in poverte and in abstinence,
1874: And burell folk in richesse and despence
1875: Of mete and drynke, and in hir foul delit.
1876: We han this worldes lust al in despit.
1877: Lazar and dives lyveden diversly,
1878: And divers gerdon hadden they therby.

---

-96-

1879: Whoso wol preye, he moot faste and be clene,
1880: And fatte his soule, and make his body lene.
1881: We fare as seith th' apostle; clooth and foode
1882: Suffisen us, though they be nat ful goode.
1883: The clennesse and the fastynge of us freres
1884: Maketh that crist accepteth oure preyeres.
1885: Lo, moyses fourty dayes and fourty nyght
1886: Fasted, er that the heighe God of myght
1887: Spak with hym in the mountayne of synay.
1888: With empty wombe, fastynge many a day,
1889: Receyved he the lawe that was writen
1890: With goddes fynger; and elye, wel ye witen,
1891: In mount oreb, er he hadde any speche
1892: With hye god, that is oure lyves leche,
1893: He fasted longe, and was in contemplaunce.
1894: Aaron, that hadde the temple in governaunce,
1895: And eek the othere preestes everichon,
1896: Into the temple whan they sholde gon
1897: To preye for the peple, and do servyse,
1898: They nolden drynken in no maner wyse
1899: No drynke which that myghte hem dronke make,
1900: But there in abstinence preye and wake,
1901: Lest that they deyden. Taak heede what I seye!
1902: But they be sobre that for the peple preye,
1903: War that I seye -- namoore, for it suffiseth.
1904: Oure lord jhesu, as hooly writ devyseth,
1905: Yaf us ensample of fastynge and preyeres.
1906: Therfore we mendynantz, we sely freres,
1907: Been wedded to poverte and continence,
1908: To charite, humblesse, and abstinence,
1909: To persecucioun for rightwisnesse,
1910: To wepynge, misericorde, and clennesse.
1911: And therfore may ye se that oure preyeres --
1912: I speke of us, we mendynantz, we freres --
1913: Been to the hye God moore acceptable
1914: Than youres, with youre feestes at the table.
1915: Fro paradys first, if I shal nat lye,
1916: Was man out chaced for his glotonye;
1917: And chaast was man in paradys, certeyn.
1918: But herkne now, thomas, what I shal seyn.
1919: I ne have no text of it, as I suppose,
1920: But I shal fynde it in a maner glose,
1921: That specially oure sweete lord jhesus
1922: Spak this by freres, whan he seyde thus:
1923: -- Blessed be they that povere in spirit been. --
1924: And so forth al the gospel may ye seen,
1925: Wher it be likker oure professioun,
1926: Or hirs that swymmen in possessioun.
1927: Fy on hire pompe and on hire glotonye!
1928: And for hir lewednesse I hem diffye.
1929: My thynketh they been lyk jovinyan,
1930: Fat as a whale, and walkynge as a swan,
1931: Al vinolent as botel in the spence.
1932: Hir preyere is of ful greet reverence,
1933: Whan they for soules seye the psalm of davit;
1934: Lo, -- buf! -- they seye, -- cor meum eructavit! --
1935: Who folweth cristes gospel and his foore,
1936: But we that humble been, and chaast, and poore,
1937: Werkeris of goddes word, nat auditours?
1938: Therfore, right as an hauk up at a sours
1939: Up springeth into th' eir, right so prayeres
1940: Of charitable and chaste bisy freres
1941: Maken hir sours to goddes eres two.
1942: Thomas! thomas! so moote I ryde or go,
1943: And by that lord that clepid is seint yve,
1944: Nere thou oure brother, sholdestou nat thryve.
1945: In our chapitre prayer we day and nyght
1946: To crist, that he thee sende heele and myght
1947: Thy body for to weelden hastily.
1948: God woot, quod he, nothyng therof feele i!
1949: As help me crist, as I in fewe yeres,
1950: Have spent upon diverse manere freres
1951: Ful many a pound; yet fare I never the bet.
1952: Certeyn, my good have I almoost biset.
1953: Farwel, my gold, for it is al ago!
1954: The frere answerde, o thomas, dostow so?
1955: What nedeth yow diverse freres seche?
1956: What nedeth hym that hath a parfit leche
1957: To sechen othere leches in the toun?
1958: Youre inconstance is youre confusioun.
1959: Holde ye thanne me, or elles oure covent,
1960: To praye for yow been insufficient?
1961: Thomas, that jape nys nat worth a myte.
1962: Youre maladye is for we han to lyte.
1963: A! yif that covent half a quarter otes!
1964: A! yif that covent foure and twenty grotes!
1965: A! yif that frere a peny, and lat hym go!
1966: Nay, nay, thomas, it may no thyng be so!
1967: What is a ferthyng worth parted in twelve?
1968: Lo, ech thyng that is oned in himselve
1969: Is moore strong than whan it is toscatered.
1970: Thomas, of me thou shalt nat been yflatered;
1971: Thou woldest han oure labour al for noght.
1972: The hye god, that al this world hath wroght,
1973: Seith that the werkman worthy is his hyre.
1974: Thomas, noght of youre tresor I desire
1975: As for myself, but that al oure covent
1976: To preye for yow is ay so diligent,
1977: And for to buylden cristes owene chirche.
1978: Thomas, if ye wol lernen for to wirche,
1979: Of buyldynge up of chirches may ye fynde,

---

-97-

1980: If it be good, in thomas lyf of inde.
1981: Ye lye heere ful of anger and of ire,
1982: With which the devel set youre herte afyre,
1983: And chiden heere the sely innocent,
1984: Youre wyf, that is so meke and pacient.
1985: And therfore, thomas, trowe me if thee leste,
1986: Ne stryve nat with thy wyf, as for thy beste;
1987: And ber this word awey now, by thy feith,
1988: Touchynge swich thyng, lo, what the wise seith:
1989: -- Withinne thyn hous ne be thou no leon;
1990: To thy subgitz do noon oppression,
1991: Ne make thyne aqueyntances nat to flee. --
1992: And, thomas, yet eft-soones I charge thee,
1993: Be war from hire that in thy bosom slepeth;
1994: War fro the serpent that so slily crepeth
1995: Under the gras, and styngeth subtilly.
1996: Be war, my sone, and herkne paciently,
1997: That twenty thousand men han lost hir lyves
1998: For stryvyng with hir lemmans and hir wyves.
1999: Now sith ye han so hooly and meke a wyf,
2000: What nedeth yow, thomas, to maken stryf?
2001: Ther nys, ywys, no serpent so cruel,
2002: Whan man tret on his tayl, ne half so fel,
2003: As womman is, whan she hath caught an ire;
2004: Vengeance is thanne al that they desire.
2005: Ire is a synne, oon of the grete of sevene,
2006: Abhomynable unto the God of hevene;
2007: And to hymself it is destruccion.
2008: This every lewed viker or person
2009: Kan seye, how ire engendreth homycide.
2010: Ire is, in sooth, executour of pryde.
2011: I koude of ire seye so muche sorwe,
2012: My tale sholde laste til to-morwe.
2013: And therfore preye I god, bothe day and nyght,
2014: An irous man, God sende hym litel myght!
2015: It is greet harm and certes greet pitee
2016: To sette an irous man in heigh degree.
2017: Whilom ther was an irous potestat,
2018: As seith senek, that, durynge his estaat,
2019: Upon a day out ryden knyghtes two,
2020: And as fortune wolde that it were so,
2021: That oon of hem cam hoom, that oother noght.
2022: Anon the knyght bifore the juge is broght,
2023: That seyde thus, -- thou hast thy felawe slayn,
2024: For which I deme thee to the deeth, certayn. --
2025: And to another knyght comanded he,
2026: -- Go lede hym to the deeth, I charge thee, --
2027: And happed, as they wente by the weye
2028: Toward the place ther he sholde deye,
2029: The knyght cam which men wenden had be deed.
2030: Thanne thoughte they it were the beste reed
2031: To lede hem bothe to the juge agayn.
2032: They seiden,-lord, the knyght ne hath nat slayn
2033: His felawe; heere he standeth hool alyve. --
2034: -- Ye shul be deed, -- quod he, -- so moot I thryve!
2035: That is to seyn, bothe oon, and two, and thre! --
2036: And to the firste knyght right thus spak he,
2037: -- I dampned thee; thou most algate be deed.
2038: And thou also most nedes lese thyn heed,
2039: For thou art cause why thy felawe deyth. --
2040: And to the thridde knyght right thus he seith,
2041: -- Thou hast nat doon that I comanded thee. --
2042: And thus he dide doon sleen hem alle thre.
2043: Irous cambises was eek dronkelewe,
2044: And ay delited hym to been a shrewe.
2045: And so bifel, a lord of his meynee,
2046: That loved vertuous moralitee,
2047: Seyde on a day bitwix hem two right thus:
2048: -- A lord is lost, if he be vicius;
2049: And dronkenesse is eek a foul record
2050: Of any man, and namely in a lord.
2051: Ther is ful many an eye and many an ere
2052: Awaityng on a lord, and he noot where.
2053: For goddes love, drynk moore attemprely!
2054: Wyn maketh man to lesen wrecchedly
2055: His mynde and eek his lymes everichon. --
2056: -- The revers shaltou se, -- quod he, -- anon,
2057: And preve it by thyn owene experience,
2058: That wyn ne dooth to folk no swich offence.
2059: Ther is no wyn bireveth me my myght
2060: Of hand ne foot, ne of myne eyen sight. --
2061: And for despit he drank ful muchel moore,
2062: An hondred part, than he hadde don bifoore;
2063: And right anon this irous, cursed wrecche
2064: Leet this knyghtes sone bifore hym fecche,
2065: Comandynge hym he sholde bifore hym stonde.
2066: And sodeynly he took his bowe in honde,
2067: And up the streng he pulled to his ere,
2068: And with an arwe he slow the child right there.
2069: -- Now wheither have I a siker hand or noon? --
2070: Quod he; -- is al my myght and mynde agon?
2071: Hath wyn bireved me myn eyen sight? --
2072: What sholde I telle th' answere of the knyght?
2073: His sone was slayn, ther is namoore to seye.
2074: Beth war, therfore, with lordes how ye pleye.
2075: Syngeth placebo, and -- I shal, if I kan, --
2076: But if it be unto a povre man.
2077: To a povre man men sholde his vices telle,
2078: But nat to a lord, thogh he sholde go to helle.
2079: Lo irous cirus, thilke percien,
2080: How he destroyed the ryver of gysen,
2081: For that an hors of his was dreynt therinne,
2082: Whan that he wente babiloigne to wynne.
2083: He made that the ryver was so smal
2084: That wommen myghte wade it over al.
2085: Lo, what seyde he that so wel teche kan?

---

-98-

2086: -- Ne be no felawe to an irous man,
2087: Ne with no wood man walke by the weye,
2088: Lest thee repente; -- I wol no ferther seye.
2089: Now, thomas, leeve brother, lef thyn ire;
2090: Thou shalt me fynde as just as is a squyre.
2091: Hoold nat the develes knyf ay at thyn herte --
2092: Thyn angre dooth thee al to soore smerte --
2093: But shewe to me al thy confessioun.
2094: nay, quod the sike man, by seint symoun!
2095: I have be shryven this day at my curat.
2096: I have hym toold hoolly al myn estat;
2097: Nedeth namoore to speken of it, seith he,
2098: But if me list, of myn humylitee.
2099: Yif me thanne of thy gold, to make oure cloystre,
2100: Quod he, for many a muscle and many an oystre,
2101: Whan othere men han ben ful wel at eyse,
2102: Hath been oure foode, our cloystre for to reyse.
2103: And yet, God woot, unnethe the fundement
2104: Parfourned is, ne of our pavement
2105: Nys nat a tyle yet withinne oure wones.
2106: By god! we owen fourty pound for stones.
2107: Now help, thomas, for hym that harwed helle!
2108: For elles moste we oure bookes selle.
2109: And if yow lakke oure predicacioun,
2110: Thanne goth the world al to destruccioun.
2111: For whoso wolde us fro this world bireve,
2112: So God me save, thomas, by youre leve,
2113: He wolde bireve out of this world the sonne.
2114: For who kan teche and werchen as we konne?
2115: And that is nat of litel tyme, quod he,
2116: But syn elye was, or elise,
2117: Han freres been, that funde I of record,
2118: In charitee, ythanked be oure lord!
2119: Now thomas, help, for seinte charitee!
2120: And doun anon he sette hym on his knee.
2121: This sike man wax wel ny wood for ire;
2122: He wolde that the frere had been on-fire,
2123: With his false dissymulacioun.
2124: Swich thyng as is in my possessioun,
2125: Quod he, that may I yeve yow, and noon oother.
2126: Ye sey me thus, how that I am youre brother?
2127: Ye, certes, quod the frere, trusteth weel.
2128: I took oure dame oure lettre with oure seel.
2129: Now wel, quod he, and somwhat shal I yive
2130: Unto youre hooly covent whil I lyve;
2131: And in thyn hand thou shalt it have anon,
2132: On this condicion, and oother noon,
2133: That thou departe it so, my deere brother,
2134: That every frere have also muche as oother.
2135: This shaltou swere on thy professioun,
2136: Withouten fraude or cavillacioun.
2137: I swere it, quod this frere, by my feith!
2138: And therwithal his hand in his he leith,
2139: Lo, heer my feith; in me shal be no lak.
2140: Now thanne, put in thyn hand doun by my bak,
2141: Seyde this man, and grope wel bihynde.
2142: Bynethe my buttok there shaltow fynde
2143: A thyng that I have hyd in pryvetee.
2144: A! thoghte this frere, that shal go with me!
2145: And doun his hand he launcheth to the clifte,
2146: In hope for to fynde there a yifte.
2147: And whan this sike man felte this frere
2148: Aboute his tuwel grope there and heere,
2149: Amydde his hand he leet the frere a fart,
2150: Ther nys no capul, drawynge in a cart,
2151: That myghte have lete a fart of swich a soun.
2152: The frere up stirte as dooth a wood leoun, --
2153: A! false cherl, quod he, for goddes bones!
2154: This hastow for despit doon for the nones.
2155: Thou shalt abye this fart, if that I may!
2156: His meynee, whiche that herden this affray,
2157: Cam lepynge in and chaced out the frere;
2158: And forth he gooth, with a ful angry cheere,
2159: And fette his felawe, ther as lay his stoor.
2160: He looked as it were a wilde boor;
2161: He grynte with his teeth, so was he wrooth.
2162: A sturdy paas doun to the court he gooth,
2163: Wher as ther woned a man of greet honour,
2164: To whom that he was alwey confessour.
2165: This worthy man was lord of that village.
2166: This frere cam as he were in a rage,
2167: Where as this lord sat etyng at his bord;
2168: Unnethes myghte the frere speke a word,
2169: Til atte laste he seyde, God yow see!
2170: This lord gan looke, and seide, benedicitee!
2171: What, frere john, what maner world is this?
2172: I se wel that som thyng ther is amys;
2173: Ye looken as the wode were ful of thevys.
2174: Sit doun anon, and tel me what youre grief is,
2175: And it shal been amended, if I may.
2176: I have, quod he, had a despit this day,
2177: God yelde yow, adoun in youre village,
2178: That in this world is noon so povre a page
2179: That he nolde have abhomynacioun
2180: Of that I have receyved in youre toun.
2181: And yet ne greveth me nothyng so soore,
2182: As that this olde cherl with lokkes hoore
2183: Blasphemed hath oure hooly covent eke.
2184: Now, maister, quod this lord, I yow biseke, --

---

-99-

2185: No maister, sire, quod he, but servitour,
2186: Thogh I have had in scole that honour.
2187: God liketh nat that -- raby -- men us calle,
2188: Neither in market ne in youre large halle.
2189: No fors, quod he, but tel me al youre grief.
2190: Sire, quod this frere, and odious meschief
2191: This day bityd is to myn ordre and me,
2192: And so, per consequens, to ech degree
2193: Of hooly chirche, God amende it soone!
2194: Sire, quod the lord, ye woot what is to doone.
2195: Distempre yow noght, ye be my confessour;
2196: Ye been the salt of the erthe and the savour.
2197: For goddes love, youre pacience ye holde!
2198: Tel me youre grief; and anon hym tolde,
2199: As ye han herd biforn, ye woot wel what.
2200: The lady of the hous ay stille sat
2201: Til she had herd what the frere sayde.
2202: Ey, goddes mooder, quod she, blisful mayde!
2203: Is ther oght elles? telle me feithfully.
2204: Madame, quod he, how thynke ye herby?
2205: How that me thynketh? quod she, so God me speede,
2206: I seye, a cherl hath doon a cherles dede.
2207: What shold I seye? God lat hym nevere thee!
2208: His sike heed is ful of vanytee;
2209: I holde hym in a manere frenesye.
2210: Madame, quod he, by god, I shal nat lye
2211: But in on oother wyse may be wreke,
2212: I shal disclaundre hym over al ther I speke,
2213: This false blasphemour, that charged me
2214: To parte that wol nat departed be,
2215: To every man yliche, with meschaunce!
2216: The lord sat stille as he were in a traunce,
2217: And in his herte he rolled up and doun,
2218: How hadde this cherl ymaginacioun
2219: To shewe swich a probleme to the frere?
2220: Nevere erst er now herde I of swich mateere.
2221: I trowe the devel putte it in his mynde.
2222: In ars-metrike shal ther no man fynde,
2223: Biforn this day, of swich a question.
2224: Who sholde make a demonstracion
2225: That every man sholde have yliche his part
2226: As of the soun or savour of a fart?
2227: O nyce, proude cherl, I shrewe his face!
2228: Lo, sires, quod the lord, with harde grace!
2229: Who evere herde of swich a thyng er now?
2230: To every man ylike, tel me how?
2231: It is an inpossible, it may nat be.
2232: Ey, nyce cherl, God lete him nevere thee!
2233: The rumblynge of a fart, and every soun,
2234: Nis but of eir reverberacioun,
2235: And evere it wasteth litel and litel awey.
2236: Ther is no man kan deemen, by my fey,
2237: If that it were departed equally.
2238: What, lo, my cherl, lo, yet how shrewedly
2239: Unto my confessour to-day he spak!
2240: I holde hym certeyn a demonyak!
2241: Now ete youre mete, and lat the cherl go pleye;
2242: Lat hym go honge hymself a devel weye!
2243: Now stood the lordes squier at the bord,
2244: That karf his mete, and herde word by word
2245: Of alle thynges whiche I have yow sayd.
2246: My lord, quod he, be ye nat yvele apayd,
2247: I koude telle, for a gowne-clooth,
2248: To yow, sire frere, so ye be nat wrooth,
2249: How that this fart sholde evene deled be
2250: Among youre covent, if it lyked me.
2251: Tel, quod the lord, and thou shalt have anon
2252: A gowne-clooth, by God and by seint john!
2253: My lord, quod he, whan that the weder is fair,
2254: Withouten wynd or perturbynge of air,
2255: Lat brynge a cartwheel heere into this halle;
2256: But looke that it have his spokes alle, --
2257: Twelve spokes hath a cartwheel comunly.
2258: And bryng me thanne twelve freres, woot ye why?
2259: For thrittene is a covent, as I gesse.
2260: Youre confessour heere, for his worthynesse,
2261: Shal parfoune up the nombre of his covent,
2262: Thanne shal they knele doun, by oon assent,
2263: And to every spokes ende, in this manere,
2264: Ful sadly leye his nose shal a frere.
2265: Youre noble confessour -- there God hym save! --
2266: Shal holde his nose upright under the nave.
2267: Thanne shal this cherl, with bely stif and toght
2268: As any tabour, hyder been ybroght;
2269: And sette hym on the wheel right of this cart.
2270: Upon the nave, and make hym lete a fart.
2271: And ye shul seen, up peril of my lyf,
2272: By preeve which that is demonstratif,
2273: That equally the soun of it wol wende,
2274: And eke the stynk, unto the spokes ende.
2275: Save that this worthy man, youre confessour,
2276: By cause he is a man of greet honour,
2277: Shal have the firste fruyt, as resoun is.

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2278: The noble usage of freres yet is this,
2279: The worthy men of hem shul first be served;
2280: And certeinly he hath it well disserved.
2281: He hath to-day taught us so muche good
2282: With prechyng in the pulpit the he stood,
2283: That I may vouche sauf, I sey for me,
2284: He hadde the firste smel of fartes thre;
2285: And so wolde al his covent hardily,
2286: He bereth hym so faire and hoolily.
2287: The lord, the lady, and ech man, save the frere,
2288: Seyde that jankyn spak, in this matere,
2289: As wel as euclide dide or ptholomee.
2290: Touchynge the cherl, they seyde, subtiltee
2291: And heigh wit made hym speken as he spak;
2292: He nys no fool, ne no demonyak.
2293: And jankyn hath ywonne a newe gowne. --
2294: My tale is doon; we been almost at towne.

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