Geoffrey Chaucer(ea, 1343–1400)

The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale

Maken the werkman parfit sikerly:certainly

Of five housbondes scoleying am I.learning

Welcome the sixte whan that evere he shal!

For sith I wol nat kepe me chast in al,

Whan my housbonde is fro the world agoon,

Som Cristen man shal wedde me anoon.right away

For thanne th'Apostle saith that I am freeSt. Paul

To wedde, a Goddes half, where it liketh me.

He saide that to be wedded is no sinne:

Bet is to be wedded than to brinne.

What rekketh me ' though folk saye vilainye

Of shrewed Lamech' and his bigamye

I woot wel Abraham was an holy man,

And Jacob eek, as fer as evere I can,know

And eech of hem hadde wives mo than two,

And many another holy man also.

Where can ye saye in any manere age

That hye God defended mariageprohibited

By expres word I praye you, telleth me.

Or where comanded he virginitee

I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede,doubt

Th'Apostle, whan he speketh of maidenhedc,virginity

He saide that precept therof hadde he noon:command

Men may conseile a womman to be oon,single

But conseiling nis no comandement.is not

He putte it in oure owene juggement.

For hadde God comanded maidenhede,

Thanne hadde he dampned wedding with the deede;

And certes, if there were no seed ysowe,

Virginitee, thanne wherof sholde it growe

Paul dorste nat comanden at the leeste

A thing of which his maister yaf no heeste.gave / command

The dart is set up for virginitee:

Cacche whoso may, who rcnneth best lat see.runs

But this word is nought take of every wight,

But ther as God list yive it of his might.it pleases

I woot wel that th'Apostle was a maide,virgin

But natheless, though that he wroot and saide

He wolde that every wight were swich as he,such

Al nis but conseil to virginitee;

And for to been a wif he yaf me levegave

Of indulgence; so nis it no reprevedisgrace

To wedde me if that my make die,mate

Withouten excepcion of bigamyes-s-

AI were it good no womman for to touchealthough

(He mente as in his bed or in his couche,

For peril is bothe fire and tow t'assemble-fire / flax

Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble);'

This al and sorn, he heeld virginitee

More parfit than wedding in freletee.frailty

(Freletee clepe I but if that he and she

Wolde leden al hir lif in chastitee.)

I graunte it wel, I have noon envyehard feelings

Though maidenhede preferre bigamye.surpass

It liketh hem to be clene in body and gost.spirit

Of myn estaat ne wol I make no boost;

For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold

Ne hath nat every vessel al of gold:

Some been of tree, and doon hir lord servise.wood

God clepeth folk to him in sondry wise,calls

And everich hath of God a propre yifte,

Som this, som that, as him liketh shifte:ordain

Virginitee is greet perfeccioun,

And continence eek with devocioun,

But Crist, that of perfeccion is wellc,source

Bad nat every wight he sholde go selle

Al that he hadde and yive it to the poore,

And in swich wise folwe him and his fore:

He spak to hem that wolde live parfitly—perfectly

And lordinges, by youre leve, that am nat I.

I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age

In th'actes and in fruit of mariage.

Telle me also, to what conclusiounend

Were membres maad of generacioun

And of so parfit wis a wrighte ywrought

Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for nought.

Close whoso wol, and saye bothe up and downinterpret

That they were maked for purgacioun

Of urine, and oure bothe thinges smale

Was eek to knowe a femele from a male,also

And for noon other cause—saye ye no

Th'experience woot it is nought so.

So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe,angry

I saye this, that they been maad for bothe—

That is to sayn, for office and for eseuse/pleasure

Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese.procreation

Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette

That man shal yeelde to his wif hir detteP''pay / (marital) debt

Now wherwith sholde he make his payement

If he ne used his sell instrumentinnocent

9. "It is good for a man not to touch a woman (l unmarried persons and "continence for husbands

Corinthians 7.1).and wives.

T h a n n e w e r e t h e y m a a d u p o n a c r e a t u r e

T o p u r g e urine, a n d e e k for e n g e n d r u r e .

B u t I saye n o u g h t that every w i g h t is h o l d e , bound

That hath swich hameis as I to you tolde,equipment

T o g o o n a n d u s e n h e m i n e n g e n d r u r e :

Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure.heed

Crist w a s a m a i d e a n d s h a p e n as a m a n ,virgin

A n d m a n y a saint sith that t h e w o r l d bigan,

Yit lived t h e y e v e r e in parfit c h a s t i t e e .

I nil e n v y e no virginitee:will not

Lat hem be breed of pured whete seed,bread / refined

A n d lat u s w i v e s h o t e barly b r e e d —be called

A n d yit w i t h barly b r e e d , M a r k telle c a n ,

Oure Lord Jesu refresshed many a man.

In swich estaat as God hath cleped uscalled

I wol persevere: I nam nat precious.careful

In w i f h o o d w o l I u s e m y n i n s t r u m e n t

A s freely a s m y M a k e r e h a t h i t s e n t .generously

If I be daungerous, God yive me sorwe:

M y n h o u s b o n d e shal i t h a n b o t h e v e a n d m o r w e , morning

Whan that him list' come forth and paye his dette.

An housbonde wol I have, I wol nat lettc,leave off, stop

Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral, debtor / slave

And have his tribulacion withalas well

U p o n his f l e s s h w h i l that I am his wif.

I h a v e t h e p o w e r d u r i n g al my lif

Upon his propre body, and nat he:

Right t h u s th'Apostle t o l d e it u n t o m e ,

A n d bad o u r e h o u s b o n d e s for t o love u s w e e l .

Al this sentence me liketh everydeel. opinion / entirely

[AN I N T E R L U D E ]

Up sterte the Pardoner and that anoon:started

"Now dame, quod he, "by God and by Saint John,

Ye been a noble prechour in this cas.

I was aboute to wedde a wif: allas,

What sholde I bye it on my flessh so derewhy / purchase

Yit hadde I levere wedde no wif toyere.:rather / this year

"Abid, quod she, "my tale is nat bigonne.

Nay, thou shalt drinken of another tonne,tun, barrel

Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale.before

And whan that I have told thee forth my tale

O f t r i b u l a c i o n i n mariage,

Of w h i c h I am expert in al m y n a g e —

T h i s i s t o saye, m y s e l f h a t h b e e n t h e w h i p p e —

Thanne maistou chese wheither thou wolt sippechoose

Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche;this same / open

Be war of it, er thou too neigh approche,near

For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten.

'Whoso that nil be war by othere men,will not

By him shal othere men corrected be.'

This same wordes writeth Ptolomee:

Rede in his Almageste and take it there.!

"Dame, I wolde praye you if youre wil it were,'

Saide this Pardoner, "as ye bigan,

Telle forth youre tale; spareth for no man,

And teche us yonge men of youre practike.:mode of operation

"Gladly, quod she, "sith it may you like;please

But that I praye to al this compaignye,

If that I speke after my fantasye,

As taketh nat agriefo of that I saye,amiss

For myn entente nis but for to playe.

[THE WIFE CNTINUES]

Now sire, thanne wol I telle you forth my tale.

As evere mote I drinke win or ale,

I shal saye sooth: tho housbondes that I hadde,those

As three of hem were goode, and two were badde.

The three men were goode, and riche, and olde;

Unnethe mighte they the statut holdescarcely

In which they were bounden unto me—

Ye woot wel what I mene of this, pardee.by God

As help me God, I laughe whan I thinke

How pitously anight I made hem swinkework

And by my fay, I tolde of it no stoor:faith

They hadde me yiven hir land and hir tresor;

Me needed nat do lenger diligence>

To winne hir love or doon hem reverence.

They loved me so wel, by God above,

That I ne tolde no daintee of hir love.

A wis womman wol bisye hire eve re in oon

To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hatch noon.

But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hand,

And sith that they hadde yiven me al hir land,

What sholde I take keep hem for to plese,why / care

But it were for my profit and myn ese

I sette hem so awerke, by my fay,awork

That many a night they songen wailaway.sang

The bacon was nat fee for hem, I trowe,brought back

That some men han in Essexe at Dunmowe.

I governed hem so wel after my laweaccording to

3. "He who will not be warned by the example ofther effort.

That eech of hem ful blisful was and faweglad

To bringe me gaye thinges fro the faire;

They were ful glade whan I spak hem faire,

For God it woot, I chidde hem spitously.chided I cruelly

Now herkneth how I bar me] proprely:

Ye wise wives, that conne understonde,

Thus sholde ye speke and bere him wrong on honde-->

For half so boldely can ther no man

Swere and lie as a woman can.

I saye nat this by wives that been wise,

But if it be whan they hem misavise,

A wis wif, if that she can hir good,

Shal bere him on hande the cow is wood,

And take witnesse of hir owene maide

Of hir assent. But herkneth how I saide:

"Sire olde cainard, is this thyn array

Why is my neighebores wif so gay

She is honoured overal ther she gooth:wherever

I sitte at hoom; I have no thrifty cloth.decent

What doostou at my neighebores hous

Is she so fair Artou so amorous

What roune ye with oure maide, benedicitewhisper / bless ye

Sire olde leehour, lat thy japes be.tricks, intrigues

And if I have a gossib or a freendconfidant

Withouten gilt, ye chiden as a feend,

If that I walke or playe unto his hous.

Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous,

And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef.8

Thou saist to me, it is a greet meschiefmisfortune

To wedde a poore womman for costage.

And if that she be riche, of heigh parage,descent

Thanne saistou that it is a tormentrye

To suffre hir pride and hir malencolye,bad mood

And if that she be fair, thou verray knave,

Thou saist that every holour wol hire have:lecher

She may no while in chastitee abide

That is assailed upon eech a side.

"Thou saist som folk desiren us for richesse,

Som ' for oure shap, and som for oure fairnesse,

And som for she can outher singe or daunce,either

And som for gentilesse and daliaunce,flirtatiousness

Som for hir handes and hir armes smale—slender

Thus gooth al to the devel by thy talc!-

Thou saist men may nat keepe ' a castel wal,

It may so longe assailed been overal.everywhere

And if that she be foul, thou saist that sheugly

Coveiteth every man that she may see;desires

For as a spaniel she wol on him lepe,

Til that she finde som man hire to chepe.bargain for

Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake,

As, saistou, wol be withoute make;mate

And saist it is an hard thing for to weeldepossess

A thing that no man wol, his thankes, heelde.

Thus saistou, lorel, whan thou goost to bedde,wretch

And that no wis man needeth for to wedde,

Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene—aims

With wilde thonder-dint and firy levenethunderbolt / lightning

Mote thy welked nekke be tobroke!5

Thou saist that dropping houses and eek smokeleaking

And chiding wives maken men to flee

Out of hir owene hous: a, benedicite,

What aileth swich an old man for to chide

Thou saist we wives wil oure vices hide

Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe-

Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe!

Thou saist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes,horses

They been assayed at diverse stoundestried out / times

Bacins, Iavours, er that men hem bye;washbowls / buy

Spoones, stooles, and al swich housbondrye,household goods

And so bee pottes, clothes, and array-are / clothing

But folk of wives maken noon assay

Til they be wedded—olde dotard shrewe!

And thanne, saistou, we wil oure vices shewe.

Thou saist also that it displeseth me

But if9 that thou wolt praise my beautee,

And but thou poure alway upon my face,gaze

And clepe me 'Faire Dame' in every place,

And but thou make a feeste on thilke day

That I was born, and make me fressh and gay,

And but thou do to my norice honour,nurse

And to my chamberere within my bowr, I

And to my fadres folk, and his allieso-relatives by marriage

Thus saistou, olde barel-ful of lies.

And yit of our apprentice Janekin,

For his crispe heer, shining as gold so fin,curly

And foro he squiereth me bothe up and down,because

Yit hastou caught a fals suspecioun;

I wU him nat though thou were deed tomorwe.want / dead

"But tel me this, why hidestou with sorwesorrow

The keyes of thy cheste away fro memoney box

It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee.property / by God

What, weenestou make an idiot of oure dameido you think to

Now by that lord that called is Saint Jame,

Thou shalt nought bothe, though thou were wood,furious

Be maister of my body and of my good:

That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thine yen.

"What helpeth it of me enquere and spyeninquire

I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy cheste.lock

Thou sholdest saye, 'Wif, go wher thee leste.it may please

Taak youre disport. I nil leve no tales:believe

I knowe you for a trewe wif, dame Alis.'

We love no man that taketh keep or chargeenotice I interest

Wher that we goon: we wol been at oure large.

Of alle men yblessed mote he be

The wise astrologen daun Ptolomee,astronomer

That saith this proverbe in his Almageste:

'Of aIle men his wisdom is the hyeste

That rekketh nat who hath the world in honde.

By this proverbe thou shalt understonde,

Have thou7 ynough, what thar thee rekke or careneed

How merily that othere folkes fare

For certes, olde dotard, by youre leve,

Ye shal han queinte right ynough at eve:

He is too greet a nigard that wil wernerefuse

A man to lighte a candle at his lanterne;

He shal han nevere the lasse lighte, pardee.less

Have thou ynough, thee thar nat plaine thee.

"Thou saist also that if we make us gay

With clothing and with precious array,

That it is peril of oure chastitee,

And yit, with sorwe, thou moste enforce thee, I

And saye thise wordes in th'Apostles name:St. Paul's

'In habit maad with chastitee and shameclothing

Ye wommen shal apparaile you,' quod he,

'And nat in tressed heer and gay perree,

As perles, ne with gold ne clothes riche,.'

After thy text, ne after thy rubriche,

I wol nat werke as muchel as a gnat.

Thou saidest this, that I was lik a cat:

For whoso wolde senge a cattes skin,singe

Thanne wolde the cat wel dweIlen in his in;lodging

And if the cattes skin be slik and gay,sleek

She wol nat dweIle in house half a day,

But forth she wol, er any day bee dawed,has I dawned

To shewe her skin and goon a-caterwawed.caterwauling

This is to saye, if I be gay, sire shrewe,

I wol renne out, my borel for to shewe.run I clothing

Sir olde fool, what helpeth thee t'espyendoes it help

Though thou praye Argus with his hundred yen

To be my wardecors, as he can best,bodyguard

In faith, he shal nat keepe me but me lest:

Yit coude I make his beerd, so mote I thee. prosper

"Thou saidest eek that ther been thinges three,

The whiche thinges troublen al this erthe,

And that no wight may endure the ferthe.fourth

o levee sire shrewe, ]esu shorte thy lif!dear / shorten

Yit prechestou and saist an hateful wif

Yrekened is for oon of thise meschaunces.is counted

Been ther nat none othere resemblaunces

That ye may likne youre parables to,

But if a sely' wif be oon of tho

"Thou liknest eek wommanes love to helle,

To bareine land ther water may nat dwelle;barren

Thou liknest it also to wilde fir—

The more it brcnneth, the more it hath desirburns

To consumen every thing that brent wol be;burned

Thou saist right as wormes shende a tree,just/destroy

Right so a wif destroyeth hir housbonde—

This knowen they that been to wives bonde. "0bound

Lordinges, right thus, as ye hand understonde,

Bar I stilly mine olde housbondes on honde-

That thus they saiden in hir dronkenesse—

And al was fals, but that I took witnesse

On ]anekin and on my nece also.

o Lord, the paine I dide hem and the wo,

Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pine!

For as an hors I coude bite and whine;-whinny

I coude plaine and I was in the gilt, 4

Or elles often time I hadde been spilt.ruined

Whoso that first to mille comth first grint.ogrinds

I plained first: so was oure werre stint.

They were ful glade to excusen hem ful blivequickly

Of thing of which they nevere agilte hir live.s

Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde.

Whan that for sik they mighte unnethe stonde,scarcely

Yit tikled I his herte for that he

Wende I hadde had of him so greet cheertee.thought /affection

I swoor that al my walking out by nighte

Was for to espye wenches that he dighte.had intercourse -with

Under that colour hadde I many a mirthe.

For al swich wit is yiven us in oure birthe:

Deceite, weeping, spinning God hath yive

To wommen kindely whil they may live.naturally

And thus of 00 thing I avaunte me.'

At ende I hadde the beta in eech degree,better

By sleighte or force, or by som manere thing,

As by continuel murmur or grucching;complaint / grumbling

Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce:especially

Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce;

I wolde no lenger in the bed abide

If that I felte his arm over my side,

Til he hadde maad his raunson unto me;ransom

Thanne wolde I suffre him do his nicetee.foolishness (sex)

And therfore every man this tale I telle:

Winne whoso may, for al is for to selle;

With empty hand men may no hawkes lure.

For winning wolde I al his lust endure,profit

And make me a feined appetit—pretended

And yit in bacon hadde I nevere delit.

That made me that evere I wolde hem chide;

For though the Pope hadde seten hem biside,sat

I wolde nought spare hem at hir owene boord.table

For by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word.repaid

As help me verray God omnipotent,

Though I right now sholde make my testament,

I ne owe hem nat a word that it nis quit.

I broughte it so aboute by my wit

That they moste yive it up as for the beste,

Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste;

For though he looked as a wood leoun,furious / lion

Yit sholde he faile of his conclusioun.object

Thanne wolde I saye, "Goodelief, taak keep,

How mekely looketh Wilekin, oure sheep!Willie

Corn neer my spouse, lat, me ba thy cheeke-kiss

Ye sholden be al pacient and meeke, •

And han a sweete-spiced conscience,mild

Sith ye so preche of Jobes pacience;

Suffreth alway, sin ye so wel can preche;

And but ye do, certain, we shal you teche

That it is fair to han a wif in pees.peace

Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees,

And sith a man is more resonable

Than womman is, ye mosten been suffrable.patient

What aileth you to gruccheo thus and gronegrumble

Is it for ye wolde have my queinte allonesexual organ

Why, taak it al-Io, have it everydeel. all of it

Peter, I shrewe you but ye love it weel.

For if I wolde selle my bele chose,

I coude walke as fressh as is a rose;

But I wol keepe it for youre owene tooth.taste

Ye be to blame. By God, I saye you soothl'"the truth

Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde.kind of

Now wol I speke of my ferthe housbonde.fourth

My ferthe housbonde was a revelourreveler

This is to sayn, he hadde a paramourmistress

And I was yong and ful of ragerye,passion

Stibourne and strong and joly as a pie:untamable / magpie

How coude I daunce to an harpe smale,gracefully

And singe, ywis, as any nightingale,indeed

Whan I hadde dronke a draughte of sweete win.

Metellius, the foule cherl, the swin,

That with a staf birafte his wif hir lifdeprived

Foro she drank win, though I hadde been his wif,because

Ne sholde nat han daunted me fro drinke,frightened

And after win on Venus moste I thinke,must

For also siker as cold engendreth hail,sure

A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tail:greedy / lecherous

In womman vinolent is no defence—who drinks

This knowen leohours by experience.

But Lord Crist, whan that it remembreth me

Upon my youthe and on my jolitee,

It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote—

Unto this day it dooth myn herte booteegood

That I have had my world as in my time.

But age, alias, that al wol envenime,poison

Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith1—

Lat go, farewel, the devel go therwith!

The flour is goon, ther is namore to telIe:

The bren as I best can now moste I selIe;bran

But yit to be right merye wol I Ionde.strive

Now wol I telIen of my ferthe housbonde.

I saye I hadde in herte greet despit

That he of any other hadde delit,

But he was quit, by God and by Saint Joce:paid back

I made him of the same wode a croce2—

Nat of my body in no foul manere—

But, certainly, I made folk swich cheere'

That in his owene grece I made him frye,

For angre and for verray jalousye.

By God, in erthe I was his purgatorye,

For which I hope his soule be in glorye.5

For God it woot, he sat ful ofte and soongsang

Whan that his sho ful bitterly him wroong.pinched

Ther was no wight save God and he that wisteknew

In many wise how sore I him twiste.

He deide whan I cam fro Jerusalem,

And lith ygrave under the roode-becm,

Al is his tombe nought so curiousalthough / carefully wrought

As was the sepulcre of him Darius,

Which that Apelles wroughte subtilly:

It nis but wast to burye him preciously.expensively

Lat him fare wel, God yive his soule reste;

He is now in his grave and in his cheste.coffin

Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle—

God lete his soule nevere come in helle—

And yit he was to me the moste shrewe:worst / rascal

That feele I on my ribbes ale bye rewe,in / a / row

And evere shal unto myn ending day.

But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay,

And therwithal so wel coulde he me gloseflatter, coax

Whan that he wolde han my bele chose,

That though he hadde me bee on every boon, beaten / bone

He coude winne again my love anoon.immediately

I trowe I loved him best for that he

Was of his love daungerous to me.

We wommen han, if that I shal nat lie,

In this matere a quainte fantasye:strange / fancy

Waite what thing we may nat lightly have,easily

Therafter wol we crye al day and crave;

Forbede us thing, and that desiren we;

Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we flee.

With daunger oute we al oure chaffare: I

Greet prees at market maketh dere ware,crowd / expensive

And too greet chepe is holden at litel pris.

This knoweth every womman that is wis.

My fifthe housbonde—God his soule blesse!—

Which that I took for love and no richesse,

He somtime was a clerk at Oxenforde,

And hadde lalt scole and wente at hoom to boordeleft

With my gossib,o dwelling in oure townconfidante

God have hir soule!—hir name was Alisoun;

She knew myn herte and eek my priveteesecrets

Bet than oure parissh preest, as mote I thee.

To hire biwrayed I my conseil aI,disclosed / secrets

For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal,

Or doon a thing that sholde han cost his lif,

To hire, and to another worthy wif,her

And to my nece which I loved weel,

I wolde han told his conseil everydeel;entirely

And so I dide ful often, God it woot,knew

That made his face often reed and hootred / hot

For verray shame, and blamed himself for he

Hadde told to me so greet a privetee.

And so bifel that ones in a Lente—once

So often times I to my gossib wente,

For evere yit I loved to be gay,

And for to walke in March, Averil, and May,

From hous to hous, to heere sondry tales—

That Janekin clerk and my gossib dame Alis

And I myself into the feeldes wente.

Myn housbonde was at London al that Lente:

I hadde the better Ieiser for to playe,leisure

And for to see, and eek for to be seyeseen

Of lusty folk-what wiste I wher my grace

Was shapen for to be, or in what placedestined

Therfore I made my visitaciouns

To vigilies and to processiouns,

To preching eek, and to thise pilgrimages,

To playes of miracles and to mariages,

And wered upon my gaye scarlet gites-gowns

Thise wormes ne thise motthes ne thise mites,

Upon my peril, frete hem reveradeel:

And woostou why For they were used weel.

Now wol I tellen forth what happed me.

I saye that in the feeldes walked we,

Til trewely we hadde swich daliaunce,flirtation

This clerk and I, that of my purveyaunceforesight

I spak to him and saide him how that he,

If I were widwe, sholde wedde me.

For certainly, I saye for no bobaunce,hoast

Yit was I nevere withouten purveyaunce

Of mariage n'of othere thinges eek.

I holde a mouses herte nought worth a leek

That hath but oon hole for to sterte to,run

And if that faile thanne is al ydo.

I bar him on hand I he hadde enchaunted me

(My dame taughte me that subtiltee);mother

And eek I saide I metre of him al night;dreamed

He wolde han slain me as I lay upright,on my hack

And al my bed was ful of verray blood—

"But yit I hope that ye shul do me good;

For blood bitokeneth gold2 as me was taught.

And al was fals, I dremed of it right naught,

But as I folwed ay my dames loremother's / teaching

As wel of that as othere thinges more.

But now sire—lat me see, what shal I sayn

Aha, by God, I have my tale again.

Whan that my ferthe housbonde was on beerc,funeral hier

I weep, algate, and made sory cheere,wept / anyhow

As wives moten, for it is usage,must / custom

And with my coverchief covered my visage;face

But for I was purveyed of a make.provided / mate

I wepte but smale, and that I undertake.guarantee

To chirche was myn housbonde born arnorwe;

With neighebores that for him maden sorwe,

And Janekin oure clerk was oon of tho.

As help me God, whan that I saw him go

After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire

Of legges and of feet so clene and faire,neat

That al myn herte I yaf unto his hold.possession

He was, I trowe, twenty winter old,believe

And I was fourty, if I shal saye sooth—

But yit I hadde alway a coltes tooth:

Gat-toothed was 1,6 and that bicam me weel:

I hadde the prente of Sainte Venus seel.

As help me God, I was a lusty oon,

And fair and riche and yong and wel-bigoon,well-situated

And trewely, as mine housbondes tolde me,

I hadde the beste quoniam mighte be.

For certes I am al Venerien

In feeling, and myn herte is Marcien:

Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse,gave / amorousness

And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardinesse,

Myn ascendent was Taur! and Mars therinne-

AlIas, alIas, that evere love was sinnel-

I folwed ay my inclinaciounever

By vertu of my constellacioun;'

That made me I coude nought withdrawe

My chambre of Venus from a good felawe.

Yit have I Martes merk upon my face,Mars's

And also in another privee place.

For God so wise be my savacioun,surely / salvation

I loved nevere by no discrecioun,moderation

But evere folwede myn appetit,

Al were he short or long or blak or whit;

I took no keep, so that he liked me,heed / pleased

How poore he was, ne eek of what degree.

What sholde I saye but at the monthes ende

This joly clerk Janekin that was so hendecourteous, nice

Hath wedded me with greet solempnitee,splendor

And to him yaf I al the land and feeproperty

That evere was me yiven therbifore—

But afterward repented me ful sore:

He nolde suffre no thing of my list.

By God, he smoot me ones on the liststruck / ear

For that I rente out of his book a leef,tore

That of the strook myn ere weex al deef.blow / grew

Stibourne I was as is a leonesse,stubborn

And of my tonge a verray jangleresse,chatterbox

And walke I wolde, as I hadde doon biforn,

From hous to hous, although he hadde it sworn;

For which he often times wolde preche,

And me of olde Romain geestes teche,stories

How he Simplicius Gallus lafte his wif,left

And hire forsook for terme of al his lif,

Nought but for open-heveded he hire sey

Looking out at his dore upon a day.

Another Romain tolde he me by name

That, for his wif was at a someres game

Withouten his wiring, he forsook hire eke;knowledge

And thanne wolde he upon his Bible seeke

That ilke proverbe of Ecclesiaste

Where he comandeth and forbedeth fastestrictly

Man shal nat suffre his wif go roule aboute;roam

Thanne wolde he saye right thus withouten doute:

"Whoso that buildeth his hous al of salwes,willow sticks

And priketh his blinde hors over the falwes,spurs / plowed land

And suffreth his wif to go seeken halwes,allows / shrines

Is worthy to be hanged on the galwes.gallows

But al for nought-I sette nought an hawe'

Of his proverbes n'of his olde sawe;

N' I wolde nat of him corrected be:

I hate him that my vices telleth me,

And so doon mo, God woot, of us than I.2

This made him with me wood al outrely:entirely

I nolde nought Iorbere him in no cas.submit to

Now wol I saye you sooth, by Saint Thomas,

Why that I rente out of his book a leef,tore

For which he smoot me so that I was deef.

He hadde a book that gladly night and day

For his disport he wolde rede alway.entertainment

He cleped it Valerie and Theojraste,'

At which book he lough alway ful faste;laughed

And eek ther was somtime a clerk at Rome,

A cardinal, that highte Saint Jerome,

That made a book again jovinian;'

In which book eek ther was Tertulan,

Crysippus, Trotula, and Helouis,

That was abbesse nat fer fro Paris;

And eek the Parables of Salomon

Ovides Arr, and bookes many oon-

And alle thise were bounden in 00 volume.

And every night and day was his custume,

Whan he hadde leiser and vacaciounfree time

From other worldly occupacioun,

To reden in this book of wikked wives.

He knew of hem mo legendes and lives

Than been of goode wives in the Bible.

For trusteth wel, it is an impossibleimpossibility

That any clerk wol speke good of wives,

But if it be of holy saintes lives,

N'of noon other womman nevere the mo—

Who painted the leon, tel me who

By God, if wommen hadden written stories,

As clerkes han within hir oratories,chapels

They wolde han writen of men more wikkednesse

Than al the merk of Adam may redresse.mark, sex

The children of Mercurye and Venus

Been in hir werking ful contrarious:operation / opposed

Mercurye loveth wisdom and science,

And Venus loveth riot and dispence;revelry / spending

And for hir diverse disposicioun

Each falleth in otheres exaltacioun,1

And thus, God woot, Mercurye is desolat

In Pisces wher Venus is exaltat,

And Venus falleth ther Mercurye is raised:

Therfore no womman of no clerk is praised.

The clerk, whan he is old and may nought do

Of Venus werkes worth his olde sho,shoe

Thanne site he down and write in his dotagesits / writes

That wommen can nat keepe hir mariage.

But now to purpose why I tolde thee

That I was beten for a book, pardee:

Upon a night Janekin, that was our sire,my / husband

Redde on his book as he sat by the fire

Of Eva first, that for hir wikkednesse

Was al mankinde brought to wrecchednesse,

For which that Jesu Crist himself was slain

That boughte us with his herte blood again—redeemed

Lo, heer expres of wommen may ye finde

That womman was the lose of al mankinde.ruin

Tho redde he me how Sampson loste his heres:then

Sleeping his lemman kitte it with hir sheres,lover / cut

Thurgh which treson loste he both his yen.

Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lien,

Of Ercules and of his Dianire,

That caused him to sette himself afire.

No thing forgat he the sorwe and wo

That Socrates hadde with his wives two—

How Xantippa caste pisse upon his heed:

This sely man sat stille as he were deed;poor, hapless

He wiped his heed, namore dorste he sayndared

But "Er that thonder stinte, comth a rain.stops

Of Pasipha> that was the queene of Crete-

For shrewednesse him thoughte the tale sweete-malice

Fy, speek namore, it is a grisly thing

Of hir horrible lust and hir liking.pleasure

Of Clytermistra> for hir lecherye

That falsly made hir housbonde for to die,

He redde it with ful good devocioun.

He tolde me eek for what occasioun

Amphiorax at Thebes loste his lif:

Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wif

Eriphylem, that for an ouche of goldtrinket

Hath prively unto the Greekes told

Wher that hir housbonde hidde him in a place,

For which he hadde at Thebes sory grace.

Of Livia tolde he me and of Lucie:

They bothe made hir housbondes for to die,

That oon for love, that other was for hate;

Livia hir housbonde on an even lateevening

Empoisoned hath for that she was his fo;

Lucia likerous loved hir housbonde solecherous

That for he sholde alway upon hire thinke,

She yaf him swich a manere love-drinke

That he was deed er it were by the morwe.'

And thus algates housbondes han sorwe.in every way

Thanne tolde he me how oon Latumius

Complained unto his felawe Arrius

That in his garden growed swich a tree,

On which he saide how that his wives three

Hanged hemself for herte despitous.spiteful

"0 leve brother, quod this Arrius,dear

"Yif me a plante of thilke blessed tree,

And in my gardin planted shal it be.

Of latter date of wives hath he red

That some han slain hir housbondes in hir bed

And lete hir lechour dighte hire al the night, have intercourse with

Whan that the cors lay in the floor upright;corpse / on his back

And some han driven nailes in hir brain

Whil that they sleepe, and thus they han hem slain;

Some han hem yiven poison in hir drinke.

He spak more hram than herte may bithinke,imagine

And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes

Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes:

"Bet is, quod he, "thyn habitaciounbetter

Be with a leon or a foul dragoun

Than with a womman using for to chide.accustomed

"Bet is, quod he, "hye in the roof abide

Than with an angry wif down in the hous:

They been so wikked and contrarious,perverse

They ha ten that hir housbondes loveth ay.

He saide, "A womman cast hir shame awaycasts

When she cast of hir smoke,'? and ferthermo,

"A fair womman, but she be chast also,unless

Is like a gold ring in a sowes nose.:'

Who wolde weene, or who wolde supposethink

The wo that in myn herte was and pinesuffering

And whan I sawgh he wolde nevere fineend

To reden on this cursed book al night,

Al sodeinly three leves have I plightsnatched

Out of his book right as he redde, and eke

I with my fist so took him on the cheeke

That in oure fir he file bakward adown.fell

And up he sterte as dooth a wood leoun,raging

And with his fist he smoot me on the heedhit I head

That in the floor I lay as I were deed.dead

And whan he sawgh how stille that I lay,

He was agast, and wolde have fled his way,

Til atte laste out of my swough I braide:swoon I started

"0 hastou slain me, false thief I saide,

"And for my land thus hastou mordred memurdered

Er I be deed yit wol I kisse thee.

And neer he cam and kneeled faire adown,

And saide, "Dere suster Alisoun,

As help me God, I shal thee nevere smite.

That I have doon, it is thyself to wite.blame

Foryif it me, and that I thee biseeke.beseech

And yit eftsoones I hitte him on the cheeke,another time

And saide, "Thief, thus muchel am I wreke.avenged

Now wol I die: I may no lenger speke.

But at the laste with muchel care and wo

We fille accorded by us selven two.

He yaf me al the bride]" in myn hand,bridle

To han the governance of hous and land,

And of his tonge and his hand also;

And made him brenne his book anoonright tho.bum

And whan that I hadde geten unto me

By maistrye al the sovereinetee, skill / dominion

And that he saide, "Myn owene trewe wif,

Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lif;it pleases

Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estat,

Mter that day we hadde nevere debat.

God help me so, I was to him as kinde

As any wif from Denmark unto Inde,India

And also trewe, and so was he to me.

I praye to God that site in majestee,sits

So blesse his soule for his mercy dere.

Now wol I saye my tale if ye wol heere.

[ANTHER INTERRUPTIN]

The Frere lough whan he hadde herd all this:laughed

"Now dame, quod he, "so have I joye or blis,

This is a long preamble of a tale.

And whan the Sornnour herde the Frere gale,exclaim

"Lo, quod the Somnour, "Coddes armes two,

A frere wol entremette him evermo!intrude / himself

Lo, goode men, a flye and eek a frere

Wol falle in every dissh and eek matere.

What spekestou of preambulacioun

What, amble or trotte or pisse or go sitte down!

Thou lettest oure disport in this manere.hinder

"Ye, woltou so, sire Somnour quod the Frere.

"Now by my faith, I shal er that I go

Telle of a somnour swich a tale or two

That al the folk shal laughen in this place.

"Now elles, Frere, I wol bishrewe thy face,curse

Quod this Somnour, "and I bishrewe me,

But if I telle tales two or three

Of freres, er I come to Sidingborne,

That I shal make thyn herte for to moorne'v->mourn

For wel I woot thy pacience is goon.

Oure Hoste cride, "Pees, and that anoon!peace

And saide, "Lat the womman telle hir tale:

Ye fare as folk that dronken been of ale.

Do, dame, tel forth youre tale, and that is best.

"AI redy, sire, quod she, «right as you lest-it pleases

If I have licence of this worthy Frere.

"Yis, dame, quod he, "tel forth and I wol heere.

The Tale

In th'olde dayes of the King Arthour,

Of which that Britouns speken greet honour,

Al was this land fulfild of faIrye: I

The elf-queene with hir joly compaignyequeen of the fairies

Daunced ful ofte in many a greene mede—meadow

This was the olde opinion as I rcde;think

I speke of many hundred yeres ago.

But now can no man see none elves mo,

For now the grete charitee and prayeres

Of limitours, and othere holy freres,

That serchen every land and every streem,

As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem,dust particles

Blessing halles, chambres, kichenes, bowres,

Citees, burghes, castels, hye towres,townships

Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeries-

This maketh that ther been no fairies.

For ther as wont to walken was an elf

Ther walketh now the limitour himself,

In underrneles and in morweninges,afternoons / mornings

And saith his Matins and his holy thinges,

As he gooth in his limitacioun.

Wommen may go saufly up and down:safely

In every bussh or under every tree

Ther is noon other incubus but he,

And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour.6

And so bifel it that this King Arthour

Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler,young knight

That on a day cam riding fro river,

And happed that, allone as he was born,it happened

He sawgh a maide walking him biforn;

Of which maide anoon, maugree hir heed.

By verray force he rafte hir maidenheed;

For which oppression was swich clamour,rape

And swich pursuite unto the King Arthour,petitioning

That dampned was this knight for to be deed1

By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed—

Paraventure swich was the statut tho—perchance

But that the queene and othere ladies mo

So longe prayeden the king of grace,

Til he his lif him graunted in the place,

And yaf him to the queene, al at hir wille,

To chese wheither she wolde him save or spille-

The queene thanked the king with al hir might,

And after this thus spak she to the knight,

Whan that she saw hir time upon a day:

"Thou standest yit, quod she, "in swich arraycondition

That of thy lif yit hastou no suretee.guarantee

I graunte thee lif if thou canst tellen me

What thing it is that wommen most desiren:

Be war and keep thy nekke boon from iren.

And if thou canst nat tellen me anoon,right away

Yit wol I yive thee leve for to goon

A twelfmonth and a day to seeche and leresearch / learn

An answere suffisant in this matere,satisfactory

And suretee wol I han er that thou pace,pass

Thy body for to yeelden in this place.

Wo was this knight, and sorwefully he siketh.sighs

But what, he may nat doon al as him liketh,

And atte laste he cheese him for to wende,chose / go

And come again right at the yeres ende,

With swich answere as God wolde him purveye,provide

And taketh his leve and wendeth forth his waye.

He seeketh every hous and every place

Wher as he hopeth for to finde grace,

To lerne what thing wommen love most.

But he ne coude arriven in no coost

Wher as he mighte finde in this matere

Two creatures according in fere.

Some saiden wommen loven best richesse;

Some saide honour, some saide jolinesse;pleasure

Some riche array, some saiden lust abedde,

And ofte time to be widwe and wedde.

Some saide that oure herte is most esed

Whan that we been yflatered and yplesed—

He gooth ful neigh the soothe, I wol nat lie:truth

A man shal winne us best with flaterye,

And with attendance and with bisinesseattention / solicitude

Been we ylimed, bothe more and lesse.ensnared

And some sayen that we loven best

For to be free, and do right as us lest,it pleases

And that no man repreve us of oure vice,reprove

But saye that we be wise and no thing nice.foolish

For trewely, ther is noon of us alle,

If any wight wol clawe us on the galle,rub / sore spot

That we nil kike foro he saith us sooth:kick / because

Assaye and he shal finde it that so dooth.try

For be we nevere so vicious withinne,

We wol be holden wise and clene of sinne.considered

And some sayn that greet delit han we

For to be holden stable and eek secree,

And in 00 purpos stedefastly to dwelle,one

And nat biwraye thing that men us telle—disclose

But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele.rake handle

Pardee, we wommen conne no thing hele:by God / conceal

Witnesse on Mida. Wol ye heere the taleMidas

Ovide, amonges othere thinges smale,

Saide Mida hadde under his longe heres,

Growing upon his heed, two asses eres,

The whiche vice he hidde as he best mightedefect

Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte,

That save his wif ther wiste of it namo.knew

He loved hire most and trusted hire also.

He prayed hire that to no creature

She sholde tellen of his disfigure.deformity

She swoor him nay, for al this world to winne,

She nolde do that vilainye or sinne

To make hir housbonde han so foul a name:

She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame.

But natheless, hir thoughte that she dydewould die

That she so longe sholde a conseil hide;secret

Hire thoughte it swal so sore about hir herteswelled

That nedely som word hire moste asterte,

And sith she dorste nat telle it to no man,

Down to a mareis faste by she ran—marsh / close

Til she cam there hir herte was afire—

And as a bitore bombleth in the mire,

She laide hir mouth unto the water down:

"Biwray me nat, thou water, with thy soun,betray / sound

Quod she. "To thee I telle it and namo:to no one else

Myn housbonde hath longe asses eres two.

Now is myn herte al hool, I now is it oute.

I mighte no lenger keep it, out of doute.

Here may ye see, though we a time abide,

Yit oute it moot: we can no conseil hide.must

The remenant of the tale if ye wol heere,

Redeth Ovide, and ther ye may it lere.

This knight of which my tale is specially,

Whan that he sawgh he mighte nat come thereby—

This is to saye what wommen loven most—

Within his brest ful sorweful was his gost,spirit

But hoom he gooth, he mighte nat sojourne:delay

The day was come that hoomward moste he turne.must

And in his way it happed him to ride

In al this care under a forest side,by

Wher as he sawgh upon a daunce go

Of ladies foure and twenty and yit mo;

Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,

In hope that som wisdom sholde he lerne.

But certainly, er he cam fully there,

Vanisshed was this daunce, he niste where.knew not

No creature sawgh he that bar lif,bore

Save on the greene he sawgh sitting a wif'-woman

A fouler wight ther may no man devise.imagine

Again the knight this olde wif gan rise,

And saide, "Sire knight, heer forth lith no way.lies I road

Telle me what ye seeken, by youre fay.faith

Paraventure it may the better be:

Thise olde folk conne muchel thing, quod she.know

"My leve moder, quod this knight, "certain,mother

I nam but deed but if that I can sayn

What thing it is that wommen most desire.

Coude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire.teach

"Plight me thy trouthe here in myn hand, quod shepledge

"The nexte thing that I requere thee,require of

Thou shalt it do, if it lie in thy might,

And I wol telle it you er it be night.

"Have heer my trouthe, quod the knight. "I graunte.

"Thanne, quod she, "I dar me wel avaunteboast

Thy lif is sauf, for I wol stande therby.safe

Upon my lif the queene wol saye as I.

Lat see which is the pruddeste of hem alleproudest

That wereth on a coverchief or a calleheaddress

That dar saye nay of that I shal thee teche.

Lat us go forth withouten lenger speeche.

Tho rouned she a pistel in his ere,whispered I message

And bad him to be glad and have no fere.ordered

Whan they be comen to the court, this knight

Saide he hadde holde his day as he hadde hight,promised

And redy was his answere, as he saide.

Ful many a noble wif, and many a maide,

And many a widwe—for that they been wise—

The queene hirself sitting as justise,

Assembled been this answere for to heere,

And afterward this knight was bode appere.bidden to

To every wight comanded was silence,

And that the knight sholde telle in audienceopen hearing

What thing that worldly wommen loven best.

This knight ne stood nat stille as dooth a best,beast

But to his question anoon answerde

With manly vois that al the court it herde.

"My lige lady, generally, quod he,liege

"Wommen desire to have sovereineteedominion

As wel over hir housbonde as hir love,

And for to been in maistrye him above.

This is youre moste desir though ye me kille.

Dooth as you list: I am here at youre wille.please

In al the court ne was ther wif ne maide

Ne widwe that contraried that he saide,contradicted

But saiden he was worthy han his lif.to have

And with that word up sterte that olde wif,started

Which that the knight sawgh sitting on the greene;

"Mercy, quod she, "my soverein lady queene,

Er that youre court departe, do me right.

I taughte this answere unto the knight,

For which he plighte me his trouthe there

The firste thing I wolde him requererequire

He wolde it do, if it laye in his might.

Bifore the court thanne praye I thee, sire knight,

Quod she, "that thou me take unto thy wif,

For we! thou woost that I have kept thy lif.saved

If I saye fals, say nay, upon thy fay.

This knight answerde, "Allas and wailaway,

I woot right wel that swich was my biheeste.promise

For Goddes love, as cheese a newe requeste:choose

Taak al my good and lat my body go.

"Nay thanne, quod she, "I shrewe us bothe two.curse

For though that I be foul and old and poore,

I nolde for al the metal ne for ore

That under erthe is grave or lith above,buried / lies

But if thy wif I were and eek thy love.

"My love, quod he. "Nay, my dampnacioun!damnation

Allas, that any of my naciounfamily

Sholde evere so foule disparaged be.degraded

But al for nought, th'ende is this, that he

Constrained was: he needes moste hire wedde,

And taketh his olde wif and gooth to bedde.

Now wolden some men saye, paraventure,

That for my necligence I do no cure

To tellen you the joye and al th'array

That at the feeste was that ilke day.

To which thing shortly answere I shal:

I saye ther nas no joye ne feeste at al;

Ther nas but hevinesse and muche sorwe.

For prively he wedded hire on morwe,in / the morning

And al day after hidde him as an owle,

So wo was him, his wif looked so foule.

Greet was the wo the knight hadde in his thought:

Whan he was with his wif abedde brought,

He walweth and he turneth to and fro.tosses

His olde wif lay smiling everemo,

And saide, "0 dere housbonde, benedicite,bless ye

Fareth every knight thus with his wif as yebehaves

Is this the lawe of King Arthures hous

Is every knight of his thus daungerousstandoffish

I am youre owene love and youre wif;

I am she which that saved hath youre Iif;

And certes yit ne dide I you nevere unright.

Why fare ye thus with me this firste night

Ye faren like a man hadde lost his wit.

What is my gilt For Goddes love, telIe it,

And it shal been amended if I may.

"Amended! quod this knight. "Allas, nay, nay,

It wol nat been amended neveremo.

Thou art so lothly and so old also,hideous

And therto comen of so lowe a kinde,lineage

That litel wonder is though I walwe and winde.turn

So wolde God myn herte wolde brestel'"break

"Is this, quod she, "the cause of youre unreste

"Ye, certainly, quod he. "No wonder is.

"Now sire, quod she, "I coude amende al this,

If that me liste, er it were dayes three,

SD we! ye mighte bere you unto me.provided that

"But for ye speken of swich gentilessenobility

As is descended out of old richesse—

That therfore sholden ye be gentilmen—

Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen.

Looke who that is most vertuous alway,

Privee and apert, and most entendeth ay'

To do the gentil deedes that he can,

Taak him for the gretteste gentilman.greatest

Crist wol we claime of him oure gentilesse,desires that

Nat of oure eldres for hir 'old richesse.'

For though they yive us al hir heritage,

For which we claime to been of heigh parage,descent

Yit may they nat biquethe for no thing

To noon of us hir vertuous living,

That made hem gentilmen ycalIed be,

And bade us folwen hem in swich degree.ordered

"Wel can the wise poete of Florence,

That highte Dant, speken in this sentence;Dante / topic

Lo, in swich manere rym is Dantes tale:

'Ful selde up riseth by his braunches smale

Prowesse of man, for God of his prowesse

Wol that of him we claime oure gentilesse.'

For of oure eldres may we no thing claime

But temporel thing that man may hurte and maime.-

Eek every wight woot this as we! as I,

If gentilesse were planted natureelIy

Unto a certain linage down the line,

Privee and apert, thanne wolde they nevere finecease

To doon of gentilesse the faire officeo-function

They mighte do no vilainye or vice.

"Taak fir and beer it in the derkeste housbear

Bitwixe this and the Mount of Caucasus,

And lat men shette the dores and go thenne,shut / thence

Yit wol the fir as faire lye and brenneblaze / burn

As twenty thousand men mighte it biholde:

His office natureel ay wol it holde,its

Up peril of my lif, til that it die.upon

Heer may ye see wel how that genteryegentility

Is nat annexed to possessioun,

Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun

Alway, as dooth the fir, 10, in his kinde.nature

For God it woot, men may wel often finde

A lordes sone do shame and vilainye;

And he that wol han pris of his gentrye,5

For he was boren of a gentile hous,born / noble

And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous,

And nil himselven do no gentil deedes,

Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is,dead

He nis nat gentil, be he due or erl-duke

For vilaines sinful deedes maken a cherl.lout

Thy gentilesse nis but renomee

Of thine auncestres for hir heigh bountee,magnanimity

Which is a straunge thing for thy persone.external

For gentilesse cometh fro God allone.

Thanne comth oure verray gentilesse of grace.

It was no thing biquethe us with oure place.

Thenketh how noble, as saith Valerius,

Was thilke Tullius Hostilius

That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse.poverty

Redeth Senek and redeth eek Boece:

Ther shul ye seen expres that no drede isdoubt

That he is gentil that dooth gentil deedes.

And therfore, leve housbonde, I thus conclude:

Al were it that mine auncestres weren rude,although / lowborn

Yit may the hye God-and so hope 1-

Graunte me grace to liven vertuously.

Thanne am I gentil whan that I biginne

To liven vertuously and waive sinne.avoid

"And ther as ye of poverte me repreve,reprove

The hye God, on whom that we bileve,

In wilful poverte cheese to live his lif;voluntary / chose

And certes every man, maiden, or wif

May understonde that Jesus, hevene king,

Ne wolde nat chese a vicious living.choose

Glad poverte is an honeste thing, certain;honorable

This wol Senek and othere clerkes sayn.

Whoso that halt him paid of! his poverte,

I holde him riche al hadde he nat a sherte.shirt

He that coveiteth is a poore wight,

For he wolde han that is nat in his might;

But he that nought hath, ne coveiteth have,desires to

Is riche, although we holde him but a knave.

Verray poverte it singeth proprely.true / appropriately

Juvenal saith of poverte, 'Merily

The poore man, whan he gooth by the waye,

Biforn the theves he may singe and playe.'

Poverte is hateful good, and as I gesse,

A ful greet bringere out of bisinesse;

A greet amendere eek of sapiencewisdom

To him that taketh it in pacience;

Poverte is thing, although it seeme elenge,wretched

Possession that no wight wol chalenge;claim as his property

Poverte ful often, whan a man is lowe,

Maketh his God and eek himself to knowe;

Poverte a spectacle is as thinketh me,pair of spectacles

Thurgh which he may his verray freendes see.true

And therfore, sire, sin that I nought you greve,

Of my poverte namore ye me repreve.reproach

"Now sire, of eldc ye repreve me:old age

And certes sire, though noon auctoritee

Were in no book, ye gentils of honour

Sayn that men sholde an old wight doon favour,

And clepe him fader for youre gentilesse—

And auctours shal I finde, as I gesse.

"Now ther ye saye that I am foul and old:

Thanne drede you nought to been a cokewold,cuckold

For filthe and elde, also mote I thee,

Been grete wardeins upon chastitee.guardians

But nathelees, sin I knowe your delit,

I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit.

"Chees now, quod she, "oon of thise thinges twaye:choose

To han me foul and old til that I deye

And be to you a trewe humble wif,

And nevere you displese in al my lif,

Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,

And take youre aventure of the repair

That shal be to youre hous by cause of me—

Or in some other place, wel may be.

Now chees youreselven wheither that you liketh.whichever

This knight aviseth him and sore siketh;sighs

But atte laste he saide in this manere:

"My lady and my love, and wif so dere,

I putte me in youre wise governaunce:

Cheseth youreself which may be most plesaunce choose / pleasure

And most honour to you and me also.

I do no fors the wheither of the two,

For as you liketh it suffiseth me.satisfies

"Thanne have I gete of you maistrye, quod she,got

"Sin I may chese and governe as me lestit pleases

"Ye, certes, wif, quod he. "I holde it best.

"Kisse me, quod she. "We be no lenger wrothe.

For by my trouthe, I wol be to you bothe—

This is to sayn, ye, bothe fair and good.

I praye to God that I mote sterven wood.'

Bur I to you be al so good and treweunless

As evere was wif sin that the world was newe.

And but I be tornorn as fair to seenetomorrow morning

As any lady, emperisse, or queene,

That is bitwixe the eest and eek the west,

Do with my lif and deeth right as you lest:

Caste up the curtin, looke how that it is.'?

And whan the knight sawgh verraily al this,truly

That she so fair was and so yong therto,

For joye he hente hire in his armes two;took

His herte bathed in a bath of blisse;basked

A thousand time are we he gan hire kisse,in a row

And she obeyed him in every thing

That mighte do him plesance or liking.pleasure

And thus they live unto hir lives ende

In parfit joye. And Jesu Crist us sendeperfect

Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fresshe abedde—

And grace t'overbide hem that we wedde.outlive

And eek I praye Jesu shorte hir livesshorten

That nought wol be governed by hir wives.

And olde and angry nigardes of dispence—spending

God sende hem soone a verray pestilence!veritable

FRM TRILUS AND CRISEIDE 1