The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
By Geoffrey Chaucer

Transcription, correction, editorial commentary, and markup by Austin Benson
    

Editorial Statements

Research informing these annotations draws on publicly-accessible resources, with links provided where possible. Annotations have also included common knowledge, defined as information that can be found in multiple reliable sources. If you notice an error in these annotations, please contact lic.open.anthology@gmail.com.

Original spelling and capitalization is retained, though the long s has been silently modernized and ligatured forms are not encoded.

Hyphenation has not been retained, except where necessary for the sense of the word.

Page breaks have been retained. Catchwords, signatures, and running headers have not. Where pages break in the middle of a word, the complete word has been indicated prior to the page beginning.

Materials have been transcribed from and checked against first editions, where possible. See the Sources section.

Citation

Chaucer, Geoffrey. " The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale " . The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Clarendon Press, 1900 . Literature in Context: An Open Anthology. http://anthologydev.lib.virginia.edu/work/Chaucer/chaucer-wifeofbath. Accessed: 2024-11-21T10:20:07.768Z

Linked Data

Explore the collection using linked open data.

TEST Audio
TP THE COMPLETE WORKS
OF
GEOFFREY CHAUCER intro EDITED, FROM NUMEROUS MANUSCRIPTS
BY THE
REV. WALTER W. SKEATskeat, M.A.
Litt.D., LL.D., D.C.L., PH.D.
ERLINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON
AND FELLOW OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE ****
 THE CANTERBURY TALES: TEXT
'Let every felawe telle his tale aboute, And lat see now who shal the soper winne.' The Knightes Tale; A890
SECOND EDITION
OXFORD AT THE CLARENDON PRESS MDCCCC 320 THE WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE.
The Prologe of the Wyves Tale of Bathe. 1‘Experience, though noon auctoriteeexperience 2Were in this world, were right y-nough to me 3To speke of wo that is in mariage; 4For, lordinges, sith I twelf yeer was of agetwelf, 5Thonked be god that is eterne on lyve, 6Housbondes at chirche-dore I have had fyve; 7For I so ofte have y-wedded be; 8And alle were worthy men in hir degreedegree. 9But me was told certeyn, nat longe agon is, 10That sith that Crist ne wente never but onisonce 11To wedding in the Cane of Galileecana, 12That by the same ensample taughte he me 13That I ne sholde wedded be but ones. 14Herke eek, lo! which a sharp word for the nones 15Besyde a welle Iesuswelle, god and man, 16Spak in repreve of the Samaritan: 17“Thou hast y-had fyve housbondes,” quod he, 18“And thilke man, the which that hath now thee, 19Is noght thyn housbond;” thus seyde he certeyn; 20What that he mente ther-by, I can nat seyn;mente 321 21But that I axeaxe, why that the fifthe man 22Was noon housbond to the Samaritan? 23How manye mighte she have in mariage?many 24Yet herde I never tellen in myn age 25Upon this nombre diffinicioun; 26Men may devynedevyne and glosen up and dounglosen. 27But wel I woot expres, with-oute lye,woot 28God bad us for to wexe and multiplyewexe; 29That gentil text can I wel understonde. 30Eek wel I wootwoot he seyde, myn housbonde 31Sholde lete fader and moder, and take mefader; 32But of no nombre mencioun made he, 33Of bigamye or of octogamyebigamye; 34Why sholde men speke of it vileinye?vileinye 35Lo, here the wyse king, dan SalomonSalomon; 36I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oonoon; 37As, wolde god, it levefulleveful were to me 38To be refresshed half so ofte as he! 39Which yifte of god hadde he for alle his wyvis!yifte 40No man hath swich, that in this world alyve is. 41God wootwoot, this noble king, as to my wit, 42The firste night had many a mery fitfit 43With ech of hem, so wel was him on lyve! 44Blessed be god that I have wedded fyve! 45Welcome the sixte, whan that ever he shal. 46For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chast in alchast; 47Whan myn housbond is fro the world y-gon, 48Som Cristen man shal wedde me anon; 49For thanne thapostleapostle seith, that I am free 50To wedde, a goddes half, wher it lyketh me. 51He seith that to be wedded is no sinne; 52Bet is to be wedded than to brinne.brinne 53What rekkethrekketh me, thogh folk seye vileinye 54Of shrewed Lameth and his bigamyeLameth? 322 55I woot wel AbrahamAbraham was an holy man, 56And IacobJacob eek, as ferforth as I can; 57And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two; 58And many another holy man also. 59Whan saugh ye ever, in any maner age, 60That hye god defended mariage 61By expres wordword? I pray you, telleth me; 62Or wher comanded he virginitee? 63I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede, 64Thapostel, whan he speketh of maydenhedemaydenhede; 65He seyde, that precept ther-of hadde he noon. 66Men may conseille a womman to been oon, 67But conseilling is no comandementconseilling; 68He putte it in our owene Iugement. 69For hadde god comanded maydenhede, 70Thanne hadde he dampned wedding with the dededampned; 71And certes, if ther were no seed y-soweseed, 72Virginitee, wher-of than sholde it growe? 73Poul dorste nat comanden atte leste 74A thing of which his maister yaf noon heste. 75The dartdart is set up for virginitee; 76Cacche who so may, who renneth best lat see. 77But this word is nat take of every wighttake, 78But ther as god list give it of his might. 79I woot wel, that thapostel was a maydemayde; 80But natheless, thogh that he wroot and sayde, 81He wolde that every wight were swich as he, 82Al nis but conseil to virginitee; 83And for to been a wyf, he yaf me leve 84Of indulgence; so it is no repreve 85To wedde me, if that my makemake dye, 86With-oute excepcioun of bigamyeexcepcioun. 87Al were it good no womman for to touche, 88He mente as in his bed or in his couche; 89For peril is bothe fyr and towfyr tassemble; 90Ye knowe what this ensample may resembleensample. 323 91This is al and som, he heeld virginitee 92More parfit than wedding in freleteefreletee. 93Freeltee clepe I, but-if that he and she 94Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee. 95I graunte it wel, I have noon envye, 96Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamyepreferre; 97Hem lyketh to be clene, body and goost, 98Of myn estaat I nil nat make no boostestaat. 99For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold, 100He hath nat every vessel al of goldgold; 101Somme been of treetree, and doon hir lord servyse. 102God clepeth folk to him in sondry wysesondry, 103And everich hath of god a propre yifteyifte, 104Som this, som that,—as him lyketh shifte. 105Virginitee is greet perfeccioun, 106And continence eek with devocioun. 107But Crist, that of perfeccioun is wellewelle, 108Bad nat every wight he shold go selleselle 109All that he hadde, and give it to the pore, 110And in swich wyse folwe hime and his fore. 111He spak to hem that wolde live parfitly; 112And lordinges, by your leve, that am nat I. 113I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age 114In the actes and in fruitactes of mariage. 115Telle me also, to what conclusiounconclusioun 116Were membres maad of generaciounmembres, 117And for what profit was a wight y-wroght? 118Trusteth right wel, they wer nat maad for noght. 119Glose who-so wole, and seye bothe up and doun, 120That they were maked for purgaciounpurgacioun 121Of urine, and our bothe thinges smale 122Were eek to knowe a femele from a malefemele, 123And for noone other cause: sey ye no? 124The experience woot wel it is noght so; 324 125So that the clerkesclerkes be nat with me wrothe, 126I sey this, that they maked been for bothe, 127This is to seye, for office, and for eseoffice 128Of engendrure, ther we nat god displese. 129Why sholde men elles in hir bokes sette, 130That man shal yelde to his wyf hir dette?dette 131Now wher-with sholde he make his payement, 132If he ne used his sely instrument? 133Than were they maad up-on a creature, 134To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure. 135But I seye noght that every wight is holde, 136That hath swich harneysharneys as I to yow tolde, 137To goon and usen hem in engendrure; 138Than sholde men take of chastitee no curecure. 139Crist was a mayde, and shapen as a man, 140And many a seint, sith that the world bigan, 141Yet lived they ever in parfit chastitee. 142I nil envye no virginitee; 143Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seedwhete, 144And lat us wyves hoten barly-breedbarly; 145And yet with barly-breed, MarkMark telle can, 146Our lord Iesu refresshed many a manrefresshed. 147In swich estaat as god hath cleped us 148I wol persevere, I nam nat preciousprecious. 149In wyfhode I wol use myn instrument 150As frely as my maker hath it sent. 151If I be daungerousdaungerous, god yeve me sorwe! 152Myn housbond shal it have bothe eve and morwe, 153Whan that him list com forth and paye his dette. 154An housbonde I wol have, I nil nat lette, 155Which shal be bothe my dettourdettour and my thralthral, 156And have his tribulaciountribulacioun with-al 157Up-on his flessh, whyl that I am his wyf. 158I have the power duringe al my lyf 159Up-on his propre body, and noght he. 325 160Right thus the apostel tolde it un-to me; 161And bad our housbondes for to love us weelloveweel. 162Al this sentence me lyketh every-deel’— 163Up sterte the Pardoner, and that anon, 164‘Now dame,’ quod he, ‘by god and by seint Iohn, 165Ye been a noble prechourprechour in this cas! 166I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas! 167What sholde I bye it on my flesh so dere?bye 168Yet hadde I lever wedde no wyf to-yere!’ 169‘Abyde!’ quod she, ‘my tale is nat bigonne; 170Nay, thou shalt drinken of another tonnetonne 171Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale. 172And whan that I have told thee forth my tale 173Of tribulacioun in mariage, 174Of which I am expert in al myn age, 175This to seyn, my-self have been the whippe;— 176Than maystow chese whether thou wolt sippe 177Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche. 178Be warwar of it, er thou to ny approche; 179For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten. 180'Who-sowhoso that nil be war by othere men, 181By him shul othere men corrected be.' 182The same wordes wryteth Ptholomeeptolomy; 183Rede in his Almagestealmageste, and take it there.’ 184‘Dame, I wolde praye yow, if your wil it were,’ 185Seyde this Pardoner, ‘as ye bigan, 186Telle forth your tale, spareth for no man, 187And teche us yonge men of your praktikepraktike.’ 188‘Gladly,’ quod she, ‘sith it may yow lyke. 189But yet I praye to al this companye, 190If that I speke after my fantasyefantasye, 191As taketh not a-grief of that I seyeagrief; 192For myn entente nis but for to pleyeentente. 193Now sires, now wol I telle forth my talenow.— 194As ever mote I drinken wyn or ale, 326 195I shal seye sooth, tho housbondes that I hadde, 196As three of hem were gode and two were badde. 197The three men were gode, and riche, and oldethree; 198Unnethe mighte they the statut holdeunnethe 199In which that they were bounden un-to me. 200Ye woot wel what I mene of this, pardee!pardee 201As help me god, I laughe whan I thinke 202How pitously a-night I made hem swinkeswinke; 203And by my fey, I tolde of it no stoorstoor. 204They had me yeven hir gold and hir tresoor; 205Me neded nat do lenger diligencediligence 206To winne hir love, or doon hem reverence. 207They loved me so wel, by god above, 208That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir lovedeyntee! 209A wys womman wol sette hir ever in oonwys 210To gete hir love, ther as she hath noon. 211But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hondhoolly, 212And sith they hadde me yeven all hir lond, 213What sholde I taken hede hem for to plese, 214But it were for my profit and myn ese? 215I sette hem so a-werkeawerke, by my fey, 216That many a night they songen “weilawey!” 217The bacoun was nat fet for hembacoun, I trowe, 218That som men han in Essex at Dunmoweessex. 219I governed hem so wel, after my lawe, 220That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawefawe 221To bringe me gayegaye thinges fro the fayre. 222They were ful glad whan I spak to hem fayre; 223For god it woot, I chidde hem spitouslychidde. 224Now herkneth, how I bar me proprely, 225Ye wyse wyves, that can understonde. 226Thus shul ye speke and bere hem wrong on hondewrong; 227For half so boldely can ther no man 228Swere and lyen as a womman canswere. 229I sey nat this by wyves that ben wyse, 327 230But-if it be whan they hem misavyse. 231A wys wyf, if that she can hir goodcan, 232Shal beren him on hond the cow is woodcow, 233And take witnesse of hir owene mayde 234Of hir assent; but herkneth how I saydeherkneth. 235‘Sir olde kaynardkaynard, is this thyn array? 236Why is my neigheboresneighebore wyf so gay? 237She is honoured over-al ther she goth; 238I sitte at hoom, I have no thrifty cloththrifty. 239What dostow at my neighebores hous? 240Is she so fair? artow so amorous? 241What rowne ye with our mayde?mayde benedicite! 242Sir olde lechourlechour, lat thy Iapesjapes be! 243And if I have a gossib or a freend, 244With-outen gilt, thou chydest as a feendfeend, 245If that I walke or pleye un-to his hous! 246Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, 247And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preefpreef! 248Thou seist to me, it is a greet meschief 249To wedde a povre womman, for costagecostage; 250And if that she be riche, of heigh parageparage, 251Than seistow that it is a tormentrye 252To suffre hir pryde and hir malencolyepryde. 253And if that she be fair, thou verray knaveknave, 254Thou seyst that every holourholour wol hir have; 255She may no whyle in chastitee abyde, 256That is assailled up-on ech a syde. 257Thou seyst, som folk desyre us for richesse, 258Somme for our shapshap, and somme for our fairnesse; 259And som, for she can outher singe or daunce, 260And som, for gentillesse and daliauncedaliaunce; 261Som, for hir handes and hir armes smale; 262Thus goth al to the develdevel by thy tale. 263Thou seyst, men may nat kepe a castel-walcastel; 328 264It may so longe assailled been over-al. 265And if that she be foul, thou seist that she 266Coveiteth every man that she may se; 267For as a spaynelspaynel she wol on him lepe, 268Til that she finde som man hir to chepechepe; 269Ne noon so grey goosgoos goth ther in the lake, 270As, seistow, that wol been with-oute make. 271And seyst, it is an hard thing for to weldewelde 272A thing that no man wol, his thankes, helde. 273Thus seistow, lorellorel, whan thow goost to bedde; 274And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde, 275Ne no man that entendeth un-to hevene. 276With wilde thonder-dint and firy levenelevene 277Mote thy welkedwelked nekke be to-broke! 278Thow seyst that dropping houses, and eek smoke, 279And chyding wyves, maken men to flee 280Out of hir owene hous; a! benedicite! 281What eyleth swich an old man for to chyde? 282Thow seyst, we wyves wol our vyces hyde 283Til we be fast, and than we wol hem shewe; 284Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe! 285Thou seist, that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, 286They been assayed at diverse stoundesassayed; 287Bacinsbacins, lavourslavours, er that men hem bye, 288Spones and stoles, and al swich housbondrye, 289And so been pottes, clothes, and array; 290But folk of wyves maken noon assay 291Til they be wedded; olde dotard shrewe! 292And than, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe. 293Thou seist also, that it displeseth me 294But-if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, 295And but thou pourepoure alwey up-on my face, 296And clepeclepe me “faire dame” in every place; 297And but thou make a feste on thilke day 298That I was born, and make me fresh and gay, 329 299And but thou do to my noricenorice honour, 300And to my chamberere with-inne my bourchamberere, 301And to my fadres folk and his allyes;— 302Thus seistow, olde barel ful of lyes! 303And yet of our apprentice Ianekyn, 304For his crisp heercrisp, shyninge as gold so fyn, 305And for he squiereth me bothe up and dounsquiereth, 306Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun; 307I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed to-morwe. 308But tel me this, why hydestow, with sorwe, 309The keyes of thy cheste awey fro me? 310It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee. 311What wenestow make an idiot of our damewenestow? 312Now by that lord, that called is seint Iame, 313Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were woodwood, 314Be maister of my body and of my good; 315That oonforgo thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yënmaugree; 316What nedeth thee of me to enquere or spyën?enquere 317I trowe, thou woldest loke me in thy chisteloke! 318Thou sholdest seye, “wyf, go wher thee liste, 319Tak your disport, I wol nat leve no talistalis; 320I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame Alis.” 321We love no man that taketh kepe or charge 322Wher that we goon, we wol ben at our large. 323Of alle men y-blessed moot he be, 324The wyse astrologien Dan Ptholomeptolomy, 325That seith this proverbe in his Almagestealmageste, 326“Of alle men his wisdom is the hyeste, 327That rekketh never who hath the world in hondehonde.” 328By this proverbe thou shalt understonde, 329Have thou y-nogh, what thar thee recche or care 330How merily that othere folkes fare? 331For certeyn, olde dotard, by your leve, 330 332Ye shul have queyntequeynte right y-nough at eve. 333He is to greet a nigard that wol wernenigard 334A man to lighte his candle at his lanterne; 335He shal have never the lasse light, pardee; 336Have thou y-nough, thee thar nat pleyne thee. 337Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay 338With clothing and with precious array, 339That it is peril of our chastitee; 340And yet, with sorwe, thou most enforce thee, 341And seye thise wordes in the apostles name, 342“In habithabit, maad with chastitee and shame, 343Ye wommen shul apparaille yow,” quod he, 344“And noght in tressed heer and gay perree, 345As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche;” 346After thy text, ne after thy rubricherubriche 347I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat. 348Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a catcat; 349For who-so wolde senge a cattes skin, 350Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in; 351And if the cattes skin be slyk and gay, 352She wol nat dwelle in house half a day, 353But forth she wole, er any day be dawed, 354To shewe hir skin, and goon a-caterwawedcaterwawed; 355This is to seyeborel, if I be gay, sir shrewe, 356I wol renne out, my borel for to shewe. 357Sire olde fool, what eyleth thee to spyën? 358Thogh thou preye Argusargus, with his hundred yën, 359To be my warde-cors, as he can best, 360In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest; 361Yet coude I make his berd, so moot I thee. 362Thou seydest eek, that ther ben thinges threethinges, 363The whiche thinges troublen al this erthe, 364And that no wight ne may endure the ferthe; 365O leve sir shrewe, Iesu shorte thy lyf! 366Yet prechestow, and seyst, an hateful wyf 367Y-rekened is for oon of thise meschances. 331 368Been ther none othere maner resemblances 369That ye may lykne your parables to, 370But-if a sely wyf be oon of tho? 371Thou lykenestlykenest wommanes love to helle, 372To bareyne lond, ther water may not dwelle. 373Thou lyknest it also to wilde fyr; 374The more it brennethbrenneth, the more it hath desyr 375To consume every thing that brent wol be. 376Thou seyst, that right as wormes shende a tree, 377Right so a wyf destroyeth hir housbonde; 378This knowe they that been to wyves bonde.’ 379Lordinges, right thus, as ye have understondelordinges, 380Bar I stifly myne olde housbondes on hondebaronhonde, 381That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse; 382And al was fals, but that I took witnesse 383On Ianekin and on my nece also. 384O lord, the peyne I dide hem and the wo, 385Ful gilteleesgiltelees, by goddes swete pyne! 386For as an hors I coude byte and whyne. 387I coude pleynepleyne, thogh I were in the giltgilt, 388Or elles often tyme hadde I ben spiltspilt. 389Who-so that first to mille comth, first grintmille; 390I pleyned first, so was our werre y-stint. 391They were ful glad to excusen hem ful blyveexcusen 392Of thing of which they never agilte hir lyve. 393Of wenches wolde I beren him on hondeberen, 394Whan that for syk unnethesunnethes mighte he stonde. 395Yet tikled it his herte, for that he 396Wende that I hadde of him so greet chierteechiertee. 397I swoor that al my walkinge out by nighte 398Was for tespye wenches that he dightedighte; 399Under that colour hadde I many a mirthe. 400For al swich wit is yeven us in our birthe; 332 401Deceite, weping, spinningspinning god hath yive 402To wommen kindely, whyl they may live. 403And thus of o thing I avaunte meavaunte, 404Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree, 405By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thing, 406As by continuel murmur or grucching; 407Namely a beddenamely hadden they meschaunce, 408Ther wolde I chyde and do hem no plesaunce; 409I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde, 410If that I felte his arm over my syde, 411Til he had maad his raunsonraunson un-to me; 412Than wolde I suffre him do his nyceteenycetee. 413And ther-fore every man this tale I telle, 414Winne who-so may, for al is for to sellewinne. 415With empty handemptyhand men may none haukes lure; 416For winning wolde I al his lust endure, 417And make me a feyned appetytappetyt; 418And yet in baconbacon hadde I never delyt; 419That made me that ever I wolde hem chyde. 420For thogh the popepope had seten hem biside, 421I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord. 422For by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for wordquitte. 423As help me verray god omnipotent, 424Thogh I right now sholde make my testament, 425I ne owe hem nat a word that it nis quit. 426I broghte it so aboute by my wit, 427That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste; 428Or elles hadde we never been in reste. 429For thogh he loked as a wood leounleoun, 430Yet sholde he faille of his conclusioun. 431Thanne wolde I seye, ‘gode lief, tak keep 432How mekely loketh Wilkin oure sheepsheep; 433Com neer, my spouse, lat me baba thy cheke! 434Ye sholde been al pacient and meke, 435And han a swete spyced conscienceconscience, 436Sith ye so preche of Iobes pacienceJob. 437Suffreth alwey, sin ye so wel can preche; 333 438And but ye do, certain we shal yow teche 439That it is fair to have a wyf in pees. 440Oon of us two moste bowenbowen, doutelees; 441And sith a man is more resonableresonable 442Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable. 443What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone? 444Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allonequeynte? 445Why taak it al, lo, have it every-deel; 446Peterpeter! I shrewe yow but ye love it weelshrewe! 447For if I wolde selle my bele chosechose, 448I coude walke as fresh as is a rosefresh; 449But I wol kepe it for your owene toothtooth. 450Ye be to blame, by god, I sey yow sooth.’ 451Swiche maner wordes hadde we on honde. 452Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde. 453My fourthe housbonde was a revelourrevelour, 454This is to seyn, he hadde a paramourparamour; 455And I was yong and ful of rageryeragerye, 456Stiborn and strong, and Ioly as a pyepye. 457Wel coude I daunce to an harpe smale, 458And singe, y-wis, as any nightingale, 459Whan I had dronke a draughte of swete wyn. 460Metelliusmetellius, the foule cherl, the swyn, 461That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyfbirafte, 462For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf, 463He sholde nat han daunted me fro drinke; 464And, after wyn, on Venusvenus moste I thinke: 465For al so siker as cold engendreth haylhayl, 466A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl. 467In womman vinolentvinolent is no defence, 468This knowen lechours by experience. 469But, lord Crist! whan that it remembreth meremembreth 470Up-on my yowthe, and on my Iolitee, 471It tikleth me aboute myn herte roterote. 472Unto this day it dooth myn herte botebote 473That I have had my world as in my tyme. 474But age, allas! that al wol envenymeenvenyme, 334 475Hath me biraft my beautee and my pithpith; 476Lat go, fare-wel, the devel go therwith! 477The flour is goon, ther is na-more to telle, 478The brenbren, as I best can, now moste I selle; 479But yet to be right mery wol I fonde. 480Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde. 481I seye, I hadde in herte greet despytdespyt 482That he of any other had delyt. 483But he was quit, by god and by seint Iocejoce! 484I made him of the same wode a crocecroce; 485Nat of my body in no foul manere, 486But certeinly, I made folk swich chere, 487That in his owene grece I made him fryegrece 488For angre, and for verray Ialousye. 489By god, in erthe I was his purgatoriepurgatorie, 490For which I hope his soule be in glorie. 491For god it woot, he sat ful ofte and songsong 492Whan that his shooshoo ful bitterly him wrong. 493Ther was no wight, save god and he, that wiste, 494In many wyse, how sore I him twiste. 495He deyde whan I cam fro Ierusalemjerusalem, 496And lyth y-grave under the rode-beemrode, 497Al is his tombe noght so curiouscurious 498As was the sepulcre of him, Dariusdarius, 499Which that Appellesappelles wroghte subtilly; 500It nis but wast to burie him preciously. 501Lat him fare-wel, god yeve his soule reste, 502He is now in the grave and in his chestecheste. 503Now of my fifthe housbond wol I telle. 504God lete his soule never come in helle! 505And yet was he to me the moste shrewe; 506That fele I on my ribbes al by reweribbes, 507And ever shal, un-to myn ending-day. 508But in our bed he was so fresh and gaybed, 509And ther-with-al so wel coude he me gloseglose, 510Whan that he wolde han my bele chosebelechose, 511That thogh he hadde me bet on every boonboon, 335 512He coude winne agayn my love anoon. 513I trowe I loved him beste, for that he 514Was of his love daungerousdaungerous2 to me. 515We wommen han, if that I shal nat lye, 516In this matere a queynte fantasyefantasye2; 517Waytewayte what thing we may nat lightly have, 518Ther-after wol we crye al-day and crave. 519Forbede us thing, and that desyren we; 520Preesprees on us faste, and thanne wol we flee. 521With daunger oute we al our chaffarechaffare; 522Greet preesprees2 at market maketh dere waredere, 523And to greet cheep is holde at litel pryscheep; 524This knoweth every womman that is wys. 525My fifthe housbonde, god his soule blesse! 526Which that I took for love and no richesserichesse, 527He som-tyme was a clerk of Oxenfordoxenford, 528And had left scole, and wente at hoom to bord 529With my gossibgossib, dwellinge in oure toun, 530God have hir soule! hir name was Alisoun. 531She knew myn herte and eek my priveteeprivetee 532Bet than our parisshe-preest, so moot I thee! 533To hir biwreyed I my conseil albiwreyed. 534For had myn housbonde pissed on a wal, 535Or doon a thing that sholde han cost his lyf, 536To hir, and to another worthy wyf, 537And to my nece, which that I loved weel, 538I wolde han told his conseil every-deel. 539And so I dide ful often, god it woot, 540That made his face ful often reed and hoot 541For verray shame, and blamed him-self for he 542Had told to me so greet a privetee. 543And so bifel that ones, in a Lente, 544(So often tymes I to my gossib wente, 545For ever yet I lovede to be gay, 546And for to walke, in March, Averille, and May, 547Fro hous to hous, to here sondry talissondry), 336 548That Iankin clerk, and my gossib dame Alis, 549And I my-self, in-to the feldes wente. 550Myn housbond was at London al that Lente; 551I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleyeleyser, 552And for to see, and eek for to be seye 553Of lustylusty folk; what wiste I wher my gracegrace 554Was shapen for to be, or in what place? 555Therefore I made my visitaciouns, 556To vigiliesvigils and to processiounsprocession, 557To preching eek and to thise pilgrimages, 558To pleyes of miraclespleyes and mariages, 559And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytesgytes. 560Thise wormeswormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes, 561Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel; 562And wostow why? for they were used weel. 563Now wol I tellen forth what happed me. 564I seye, that in the feeldes walked we, 565Til trewely we hadde swich daliancedaliance, 566This clerk and I, that of my purveyance 567I spak to him, and seyde him, how that he, 568If I were widwe, sholde wedde mewedde. 569For certeinly, I sey for no bobancebobance, 570Yet was I never with-outen purveyance 571Of mariage, nof othere thinges eek. 572I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leekleek, 573That hath but oon hole for to sterte to, 574And if that faille, thanne is al y-do. 575I bar him on hondebaronhonde, he hadde enchanted me; 576My damemydame taughte me that soutilteesoutiltee. 577And eek I seyde, I mettemette of him al night; 578He wolde han slayn me as I lay up-right, 579And al my bed was ful of verray blood, 580But yet I hope that he shal do me good; 581For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught. 582And al was fals, I dremed of it right naught, 337 583But as I folwed ay my dames lore, 584As wel of this as of other thinges more. 585But now sir, lat me see, what I shal seyn? 586A! ha! by god, I have my tale ageyn. 587Whan that my fourthe housbond was on bereonbere, 588I weep algatealgate, and made sory cheresory, 589As wyves moten, for it is usageusage, 590And with my coverchief covered my visage; 591But for that I was purveyed of a makepurveyed, 592I weep but smal, and that I undertake. 593To chirche was myn housbond born a-morwe 594With neighebores, that for him maden sorwe; 595And Iankin oure clerk was oon of tho. 596As help me god, whan that I saugh him go 597After the bere, me thoughte he hadde a paire 598Of legges and of feet so clene and faire, 599That al myn herte I yaf un-to his hold. 600He was, I trowe, a twenty winter old, 601And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth; 602But yet I hadde alwey a coltes toothtooth. 603Gat-tothedgap I was, and that bicam me weel; 604I hadde the prente of sëynt Venus seelprente. 605As help me god, I was a lusty oon, 606And faire and riche, and yong, and wel bigoonbigoon; 607And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me, 608I had the beste quoniamquoniam mighte be. 609For certes, I am al Venerienvenerien 610In felinge, and myn herte is Marcien. 611Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesselikerousnesse, 612And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardinesse. 613Myn ascendent was Taurtaur, and Mars ther-inne. 614Allas! allas! that ever love was sinne! 615I folwed ay myn inclinacioun 616By vertu of my constellacioun; 617That made me I coude noght withdrawe 338 618My chambre of Venuschambre from a good felawe. 619Yet have I Martes mark up-on my facemartes, 620And also in another privee placeprivee. 621For, god so wis be my savacioun, 622I ne loved never by no discrecioun, 623But ever folwede myn appetyt, 624Al were he short or long, or blak or whyt; 625I took no kepe, so that he lyked me, 626How pore he was, ne eek of what degree. 627What sholde I seye, but, at the monthes ende, 628This Ioly clerk Iankin, that was so hende, 629Hath wedded me with greet solempnitee, 630And to him yaf I al the lond and fee 631That ever was me yeven ther-bifore; 632But afterward repented me ful sore. 633He nolde suffre nothing of my listlist. 634By god, he smoot me ones on the listlist2, 635For that I rente out of his book a leefleef, 636That of the strook myn ere wex al deef. 637Stiborn I was as is a leonesse, 638And of my tonge a verray Iangleressejangleresse, 639And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn, 640From hous to hous, al-though he had it sworn. 641For which he often tymes wolde preche, 642And me of olde Romayn gestes techegestes, 643How he, Simplicius Gallusgallus, lefte his wyf, 644And hir forsook for terme of al his lyf, 645Noght but for open-heeded he hir say 646Lokinge out at his dore upon a day. 647Another Romayn tolde he me by name, 648That, for his wyf was at a someres game 649With-oute his witing, he forsook hir eke. 650And than wolde he up-on his Biblebible seke 651That ilke proverbe of Ecclesiasteecclesiastes, 652Wher he comandeth and forbedeth faste, 653Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute; 339 654Than wolde he seye right thus, with-outen doute, 655“Who-so that buildeth his hous al of salwessalwes, 656And priketh his blinde hors over the falwes, 657And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes, 658Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes!” 659But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe 660Of his proverbes nof his olde sawe, 661Ne I wolde nat of him corrected becorrected. 662I hate him that my vices telleth me, 663And so do mo, god woot! of us than I. 664This made him with me wood al outrely; 665I nolde noght forbere him in no cas. 666 Now wol I seye yow sooth, by seint Thomasthomas, 667Why that I rente out of his book a leef, 668For which he smoot me so that I was deef. 669He hadde a book that gladly, night and day, 670For his desportdesport he wolde rede alway. 671He cleped it Valerie and Theofrastevalerie, 672At whiche book he lough alwey ful faste. 673And eek ther was som-tyme a clerk at Rome, 674A cardinal, that highte Seint Ieromejerome, 675That made a book agayn Iovinianjovinian; 676In whiche book eek ther was Tertulantertulan, 677Crisippuscrisippus, Trotulatrotula, and Helowyshelowys, 678That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys; 679And eek the Parables of Salomonparables, 680Ovydes Artovid, and bokes many on, 681And alle thise wer bounden in o volume. 682And every night and day was his custume, 683Whan he had leyser and vacacioun 684From other worldly occupacioun, 685To reden on this book of wikked wyveswyves. 686He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves 687Than been of gode wyves in the Bible. 688For trusteth wel, it is an impossible 689That any clerk wol speke good of wyves, 340 690But-if it be of holy seintes lyves, 691Ne of noon other womman never the mo. 692Who peyntede the leounleon, tel me who? 693By god, if wommen hadde writen stories, 694As clerkes han with-inne hir oratories, 695They wolde han writen of men more wikkednesse 696Than all the mark of Adam may redresse. 697The children of Mercurie and of Venusmercury 698Been in hir wirking ful contrarious; 699Mercurie loveth wisdom and science, 700And Venus loveth ryot and dispence. 701And, for hir diverse disposicioun, 702Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun; 703And thus, god woot! Mercurie is desolat 704In Piscespisces, wher Venus is exaltat; 705And Venus falleth ther Mercurie is reysed; 706Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed. 707The clerk, whan he is old, and may noght do 708Of Venus werkeswerkes worth his olde sho, 709Than sit he doun, and writ in his dotage 710That wommen can nat kepe hir mariage! 711But now to purpos, why I tolde thee 712That I was beten for a book, pardee. 713Up-on a night Iankin, that was our syre, 714Redde on his book, as he sat by the fyre, 715Of Evaeve first, that, for hir wikkednesse, 716Was al mankinde broght to wrecchednesse, 717For which that Iesu Crist him-self was slaynjesus, 718That boghte us with his herte-blood agayn. 719Lo, here expres of womman may ye finde, 720That womman was the los of al mankinde. 721Tho redde he me how Sampsonsampson loste his heres, 722Slepinge, his lemman kitte hem with hir sheres; 723Thurgh whiche tresoun loste he bothe his yën. 341 724Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen, 725Of Herculeshercules and of his Dianyre, 726That caused him to sette himself a-fyre. 727No-thing forgat he the penaunce and wo 728That Socratessocrates had with hise wyves two; 729How Xantippa caste pisse up-on his heed; 730This sely man sat stille, as he were deed; 731He wyped his heed, namore dorste he seyn 732But “er that thonder stinte, comth a reyn.” 733Of Phasiphaphasipha, that was the quene of Crete, 734For shrewednesse, him thoughte the tale swete; 735Fy! spek na-more—it is a grisly thing— 736Of hir horrible lust and hir lyking. 737Of Clitemistraclytemnestra, for hir lecherye, 738That falsly made hir housbond for to dye, 739He redde it with ful good devocioun. 740He tolde me eek for what occasioun 741Amphioraxamphiorax at Thebes loste his lyf; 742Myn housbond hadde a legende of his wyf, 743Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold 744Hath prively un-to the Grekes told 745Wher that hir housbonde hidde him in a place, 746For which he hadde at Thebes sory grace. 747Of Lymalivia tolde he me, and of Lucyelucye, 748They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye; 749That oon for love, that other was for hate; 750Lyma hir housbond, on an even late, 751Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo. 752Lucya, likerous, loved hir housbond so, 753That, for he sholde alwey up-on hir thinke, 754She yaf him swich a maner love-drinke, 755That he was deed, er it were by the morwe; 756And thus algates housbondes han sorwe. 757Than tolde he me, how oon Latumiuslatumius 758Compleyned to his felawe Arrius, 342 759That in his gardin growed swich a tree, 760On which, he seyde, how that his wyves three 761Hanged hem-self for herte despitous. 762“O leve brother,” quod this Arrius, 763“Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree, 764And in my gardin planted shal it be!” 765Of latter date, of wyves hath he red, 766That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, 767And lete hir lechour dighte hir al the night 768Whyl that the corps lay in the floor up-right. 769And somme han drive nayles in hir brayn 770Whyl that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn. 771Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drinke. 772He spak more harm than herte may bithinke. 773And ther-with-al, he knew of mo proverbes 774Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. 775“Bet isbetis,” quod he, “thyn habitacioun 776Be with a leoun or a foul dragoun, 777Than with a womman usinge for to chyde. 778Bet isbetis2,” quod he, “hye in the roof abyde 779Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; 780They been so wikked and contrarious; 781They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.” 782He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame awayshame, 783Whan she cast of hir smok;” and forther-mo, 784“A fair womman, but she be chaast alsochaast, 785Is lyk a gold ring in a sowes nose.” 786Who wolde wenen, or who wolde suppose 787The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne? 788And whan I saugh he wolde never fyne 789To reden on this cursed book al night, 790Al sodeynly three leves have I plight 791Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke, 792I with my fist so took him on the chekecheke, 793That in our fyr he fil bakward adoun. 794And he up-stirte as dooth a wood leoun, 343 795And with his fist he smoot me on the heed, 796That in the floor I lay as I were deeddead. 797And when he saugh how stille that I lay, 798He was agast, and wolde han fled his way, 799Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde: 800“O! hastow slayn me, false theeftheef?” I seyde, 801“And for my land thus hastow mordred me? 802Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee.” 803And neer he cam, and kneled faire adoun, 804And seyde, “dere suster Alisoun, 805As help me god, I shal thee never smyte; 806That I have doon, it is thy-self to wyteself. 807Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke”— 808And yet eft-sones I hitte him on the chekecheke2, 809And seyde, “theef, thus muchel am I wreke; 810Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke.” 811But atte laste, with muchel care and wo, 812We fille acorded, by us selven two. 813He yaf me al the brydel in myn hondbrydel 814To han the governance of hous and lond, 815And of his tonge and of his hond alsotonge, 816And made him brenne his book anon right thobook. 817And whan that I hadde geten un-to me, 818By maistrie, al the soveraynetee, 819And that he seyde, “myn owene trewe wyf, 820Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf, 821Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat”— 822After that day we hadden never debaat. 823God help me so, I was to him as kinde 824As any wyf from Denmark un-to Indedenmark, 825And also trewe, and so was he to me. 826I prey to god that sit in magestee, 827So blesse his soule, for his mercy dere! 828Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol here.’ 344 Biholde the wordes bitween the Somonour and the Freresomonour. 829The Frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this, 830‘Now, dame,’ quod he, ‘so have I Ioye or blis, 831This is a long preamble of a tale!preamble’ 832And whan the Somnour herde the Frere gale, 833‘Lo!’ quod the Somnour, ‘goddes armes two! 834A frere wol entremette him ever-mo.entremette 835Lo, gode men, a flye and eek a frere 836Wol falle in every dish and eek matere. 837What spekestow of preambulacioun? 838What! amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun; 839Thou lettest our disportlettest in this manere.’ 840‘Ye, woltow so, sir Somnour?’ quod the Frere, 841‘Now, by my feith, I shal, er that I go, 842Telle of a Somnour swich a tale or twotaleortwo, 843That alle the folk shal laughen in this place.’ 844‘Now elles, Frere, I bishrewe thy face,’ 845Quod this Somnour, ‘and I bishrewe me, 846But if I telle tales two or thretalestwo 847Of freres er I come to Sidingbornesidingborne, 848That I shal make thyn herte for to morne; 849For wel I wool thy patience is goon.’ 850Our hoste cryde ‘pees! and that anoon!’ 851And seyde, ‘lat the womman telle hir tale. 852Ye fare as folk that dronken been of ale. 853Do, dame, tel forth your tale, and that is best.’ 854‘Al redy, sir,’ quod she, ‘right as yow lest, 855If I have licence of this worthy Frere.’ 856‘Yis, dame,’ quod he, ‘tel forth, and I wol here.’ Here endeth the Wyf of Bathe hir Prologe. 345 THE TALE OF THE WYF OF BATHE.
Here bigenneth the Tale of the Wyf of Bathe. 857In tholde dayes of the king Arthour, 858Of which that Britonsbritons speken greet honour, 859All was this land fulfild of fayerye. 860The elf-queen, with hir Ioly companye, 861Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede; 862This was the olde opinion, as I rede, 863I speke of manye hundred yeres ago; 864But now can no man see none elves mo. 865For now the grete charitee and prayeres 866Of limitourslimitours and othere holy freresfreres, 867That serchen every lond and every streem, 868As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem, 869Blessinge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures, 870Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures, 871Thropesthrope, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes, 872This maketh that ther been no fayeryes. 873For ther as wont to walken was an elf, 874Ther walketh now the limitour him-self 875In undermelesundermeles and in morweninges, 876And seyth his matinsmatins and his holy thinges 877As he goth in his limitaciounlimitacioun. 878Wommen may go saufly up and doun, 879In every bush, or under every tree; 880Ther is noon other incubusincubus but he, 881And he ne wol doon hem but dishonourdishonour. 346 882And so bifel it, that this king Arthour 883Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler, 884That on a day cam rydinge fro river; 885And happed that, allone as she was born, 886He saugh a mayde walkinge him biforn, 887Of whiche mayde anon, maugree hir heedheed, 888By verray force he rafte hir maydenheedrafte; 889For which oppressioun was swich clamour 890And swich pursute un-to the king Arthour, 891That dampned was this knight for to be deeddeed 892By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed 893Paraventure, swich was the statut tho; 894But that the quene and othere ladies moquene 895So longe preyeden the king of grace, 896Til he his lyf him graunted in the place, 897And yaf him to the quene al at hir willewille, 898To chese, whether she wolde him save or spille. 899The quene thanketh the king with al hir might, 900And after this thus spak she to the knight, 901Whan that she saugh hir tyme, up-on a day: 902‘Thou standest yet,’ quod she, ‘in swich array, 903That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee. 904I grante thee lyf, if thou canst tellen me 905What thing is it that wommen most desyren?desyren 906Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from yrenyren. 907And if thou canst nat tellen it anon, 908Yet wol I yeve thee leve for to gon 909A twelf-month and a day, to seche and lereseche 910An answere suffisant in this matere. 911And sureteesuretee wol I han, er that thou pace, 912Thy body for to yelden in this place.’ 913 Wo was this knight and sorwefully he sykethsyketh; 914 But what! he may nat do al as him lyketh. 915 And at the laste, he chees him for to wende, 916 And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, 347 917 With swich answere as god wolde him purveye; 918 And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye. 919 He seketh every hous and every place, 920 Wher-as he hopeth for to finde grace, 921 To lerne, what thing wommen loven most; 922 But he ne coude arryven in no cost, 923 Wher-as he mighte finde in this matere 924 Two creatures accordinge in-ferefere. 925 Somme seydeseyde, wommen loven best richesse, 926 Somme seyde, honour, somme seyde, Iolynesse; 927 Somme, riche array, somme seyden, lust abedde, 928 And ofte tyme to be widwe and wedde. 929 Somme seyde, that our hertes been most esed, 930 Whan that we been y-flatered and y-plesed. 931 He gooth ful ny the sothesothe, I wol nat lye; 932 A man shal winne us best with flaterye; 933 And with attendance, and with bisinesse, 934 Been we y-lymedylymed, bothe more and lesse. 935And somme seyn, how that we loven best 936For to be free, and do right as us lest, 937And that no man repreve us of our vyce, 938But seye that we be wyse, and no-thing nycenyce. 939For trewely, ther is noon of us alle, 940If any wight wol clawe us on the gallegalle, 941That we nil kike, for he seith us sooth; 942Assay, and he shal finde it that so dooth. 943For be we never so vicious with-inne, 944We wol been holden wyse, and clene of sinne. 945And somme seyn, that greet delyt han we 946For to ben holden stable and eek secree, 947And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle, 948And nat biwreye thing that men us telle. 949But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele; 950Pardee, we wommen conne no-thing helehele; 951Witnesse on MydaMidas; wol ye here the tale? 952 Ovyde, amonges othere thinges smale, 953Seyde, Myda hadde, under his longe heres, 954Growinge up-on his heed two asses eres, 348 955The which vyce he hidde, as he best mighte, 956Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte, 957That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it na-mo. 958He loved hir most, and trusted hir also; 959He preyede hir, that to no creature 960 She sholde tellen of his disfigure. 961She swoor him ‘nay, for al this world to winne, 962She nolde do that vileinye or sinne, 963To make hir housbond han so foul a name; 964She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame.’ 965But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde, 966That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde; 967Hir thoughte it swal so sore aboute hir herteswal, 968That nedely som word hir moste asterteasterte; 969And sith she dorste telle it to no man, 970Doun to a mareysmareys faste by she ran; 971Til she came there, hir herte was a-fyre, 972And, as a bitore bombleth in the myremyre, 973She leyde hir mouth un-to the water doun: 974‘Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun,’ 975Quod she, ‘to thee I telle it, and namo; 976Myn housbond hath longe asses eres two! 977Now is myn herte all hool, now is it oute; 978I mighte no lenger kepe it, out of doute,’ 979Heer may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde, 980Yet out it moot, we can no conseil hyde; 981The remenant of the tale if ye wol here, 982Redeth Ovyde, and ther ye may it lere. 983This knight, of which my tale is specially, 984Whan that he saugh he mighte nat come therby, 985This is to seye, what wommen loven moost, 986With-inne his brest ful sorweful was the goostgoost; 987But hoom he gooth, he mighte nat soiournesoiourne. 988The day was come, that hoomward moste he tourne, 989And in his wey it happed him to ryde, 990In al this care, under a forest-syde, 349 991Wher-as he saugh up-on a daunce go 992Of ladies foure and twenty, and yet mo; 993Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne, 994In hope that som wisdom sholde he lerne. 995But certeinly, er he came fully there, 996Vanisshed was this dauncevanisshed, he niste where. 997No creature saugh he that bar lyf, 998Save on the grene he saugh sittinge a wyf; 999A fouler wight ther may no man devysefouler. 1000Agayn the knight this olde wyf gan ryse, 1001And seyde, ‘sir knight, heer-forth ne lyth no wey. 1002Tel me, what that ye seken, by your fey? 1003Paraventure it may the bettre be; 1004Thise olde folk can muchel thing,’ quod she. 1005‘My leve mooder,’ quod this knight certeyn, 1006‘I nam but deed, but-if that I can seyn 1007What thing it is that wommen most desyre; 1008Coude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quyte your hyre.wisse’ 1009‘Plighte me thy trouthe, heer in myn handtrouthe,’ quod she, 1010‘The nexte thing that I requere thee, 1011Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy might; 1012And I wol telle it yow er it be night.’ 1013‘Have heer my trouthe,’ quod the knight, ‘I grante.’ 1014‘Thanne,’ quod she, ‘I dar me wel avanteavante, 1015Thy lyf is sauf, for I wol stonde therby, 1016Up-on my lyf, the queen wol seye as I. 1017Lat see which is the proudeste of hem alle, 1018That wereth on a coverchief or a callecoverchief, 1019That dar seye nay, of that I shal thee teche; 1020Lat us go forth with-outen lenger speche.’ 1021Tho rouned she a pistel in his erepistel, 1022And bad him to be glad, and have no fere. 1023Whan they be comen to the court, this knight 1024Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde highthight, 1025And redy was his answere, as he sayde. 1026Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde, 1027And many a widwe, for that they ben wyse, 350 1028The quene hir-self sittinge as a Iustysejustyse, 1029Assembled been, his answere for to here; 1030And afterward this knight was bode appere. 1031To every wight comanded was silence, 1032And that the knight sholde telle in audience, 1033What thing that worldly wommen loven best. 1034This knight ne stood nat stillestille as doth a best, 1035But to his questioun anon answerde 1036With manly voys, that al the court it herde: 1037‘My lige lady, generally,’ quod he, 1038‘Wommen desyren to have sovereyntee 1039As wel over hir housbond as hir lovelove, 1040And for to been in maistriemaistrie him above; 1041This is your moste desyr, thogh ye me kille, 1042Doth as yow list, I am heer at your wille.wille’ 1043In al the court ne was ther wyf ne mayde, 1044Ne widwe, that contraried that he sayde, 1045But seyden, ‘he was worthy han his lyf.’ 1046And with that word up stirte the olde wyf, 1047Which that the knight saugh sittinge in the grene: 1048‘Mercy,’ quod she, ‘my sovereyn lady quene! 1049Er that your court departe, do me right. 1050I taughte this answere un-to the knight; 1051For which he plighte me his trouthe there, 1052The firste thing I wolde of him requere, 1053He wolde it do, if it lay in his might. 1054Bifore the court than preye I thee, sir knight,’ 1055Quod she, ‘that thou me take un-to thy wyf; 1056For wel thou wost that I have kept thy lyf. 1057If I sey fals, sey nay, up-on thy fey!’ 1058This knight answerde, ‘allas! and weylawey! 1059I woot right wel that swich was my biheste. 1060For goddes love, as chees a newe requestechees; 1061Tak al my good, and lat my body go.body’ 1062‘Nay than,’ quod she, ‘I shrewe us bothe two! 1063For thogh that I be foul, and old, and pore, 351 1064I nolde for al the metal, ne for ore, 1065That under erthe is grave, or lyth above, 1066But-if thy wyf I were, and eek thy loveeek.’ 1067‘My love?’ quod he; ‘nay, my dampnacioun! 1068Allas! that any of my nacioun 1069Sholde ever so foule disparaged be!’ 1070But al for noght, the ende is this, that he 1071Constreyned was, he nedes moste hir wedde; 1072And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde. 1073Now wolden som men seye, paraventure, 1074That, for my necligence, I do no cure 1075To tellen yow the Ioye and al tharray 1076That at the feste was that ilke day. 1077To whiche thing shortly answere I shal; 1078I seye, ther nas no Ioye ne feste at alfeste, 1079Ther nas but hevinesse and muche sorwe; 1080For prively he wedded hir on a morwe, 1081And al day after hidde him as an ouleoule; 1082So wo was him, his wyf looked so foule. 1083Greet was the wo the knight hadde in his thoght, 1084Whan he was with his wyf a-bedde y-broght; 1085He walweth, and he turneth to and fro. 1086His olde wyf lay smylinge evermo, 1087And seyde, ‘o dere housbond, benedicite! 1088Fareth every knight thus with his wyf as ye? 1089Is this the lawe of king Arthures hous? 1090Is every knight of his so dangerous?dangerous 1091I am your owene love and eek your wyf; 1092I am she, which that saved hath your lyf; 1093And certes, yet dide I yow never unright; 1094Why fare ye thus with me this firste night? 1095Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit; 1096What is my gilt? for goddes love, tel me it, 1097And it shal been amended, if I may.’ 1098‘Amended?’ quod this knight, ‘allas! nay, nay! 1099It wol nat been amended never mo! 1100Thou art so loothlyloothly, and so old also, 352 1101And ther-to comen of so lowe a kindekinde, 1102That litel wonder is, thogh I walwe and windewalwe. 1103So wolde god myn herte wolde breste!breste’ 1104‘Is this,’ quod she, ‘the cause of your unreste?’ 1105‘Ye, certainly,’ quod he, ‘no wonder is.’ 1106‘Now, sire,’ quod she, ‘I coude amende al this, 1107If that me liste, er it were dayes three, 1108So wel ye mighte bere yow un-to me. 1109But for ye speken of swich gentillesse 1110As is descended out of old richesse, 1111That therfore sholden ye be gentil men, 1112Swich arrogance is nat worth an henarrogance. 1113Loke who that is most vertuous alway, 1114Privee and apert, and most entendeth ay 1115To do the gentil dedes that he can, 1116And tak him for the grettest gentil man. 1117Crist wol, we clayme of him our gentillesse, 1118Nat of our eldres for hir old richesse. 1119For thogh they yeve us al hir heritageheritage, 1120For which we clayme to been of heigh parage, 1121Yet may they nat biquethe, for no-thing, 1122To noon of us hir vertuous living, 1123That made hem gentil men y-called be; 1124And bad us folwen hem in swich degree. 1125Wel can the wyse poete of Florenceflorence, 1126That highte Dant, speken in this sentence; 1127Lo in swich maner rym is Dantes tale: 1128“Fulcomedia selde up ryseth by his branches smale 1129Prowesse of man, for god, of his goodnesse, 1130Wol that of him we clayme our gentillesse;” 1131For of our eldres may we no-thing clayme 1132But temporel thing, that man may hurte and mayme. 1133Eek every wight wot this as wel as I, 1134If gentillesse were planted naturellygentillesse 1135Un-to a certeyn linage, doun the lyne, 1136Privee ne apert, than wolde they never fyne 353 1137To doon of gentillesse the faire offyce; 1138They mighte do no vileinye or vyce. 1139Tak fyr, and ber it in the derkeste hous 1140Bitwix this and the mount of CaucasusCaucasus, 1141And lat men shette the dores and go thenne; 1142Yet wol the fyr as faire lye and brenne, 1143As twenty thousand men mighte it biholde; 1144His office naturel ay wol it holde, 1145Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye. 1146Heer may ye see wel, how that genteryegenterye 1147Is nat annexed to possessioun, 1148Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun 1149Alwey, as dooth the fyrfyr, lo! in his kinde. 1150For, god it woot, men may wel often finde 1151A lordes sone do shame and vileinye; 1152And he that wol han prys of his gentrye 1153For he was boren of a gentil hous, 1154And hadde hise eldres noble and vertuous, 1155And nil him-selven do no gentil dedis, 1156Ne folwe his gentil auncestre that deed is, 1157He nis nat gentil, be he duk or erl; 1158For vileyns sinful dedes make a cherl. 1159For gentillesse nis but renomeerenomee 1160Of thyne auncestres, for hir heigh bountee, 1161Which is a strangestrange thing to thy persone. 1162Thy gentillesse cometh fro god allone; 1163Than comth our verray gentillesse of grace, 1164It was no-thing biquethe us with our place. 1165Thenketh how noble, as seith Valeriusvalerius, 1166Was thilke Tullius Hostiliustullius, 1167That out of povert roos to heigh noblesse. 1168Redeth Senekseneca, and redeth eek Boëceboethius, 1169Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is, 1170That he is gentil that doth gentil dedis; 1171And therfore, leve housbond, I thus conclude, 354 1172Al were it that myne auncestres were rude, 1173Yet may the hye god, and so hope I, 1174Grante me grace to liven vertuously. 1175Thanne am I gentilthanne, whan that I biginne 1176To liven vertuously and weyve sinne. 1177And ther-as ye of povert me repreve, 1178The hye god, on whom that we bileve, 1179In wilful povert chees to live his lyfpovert. 1180And certes every man, mayden, or wyf, 1181May understonde that Iesus, hevene king, 1182Ne wolde nat chese a vicious living. 1183Glad povert is an honest thing, certeyn; 1184This wol Senek and othere clerkes seyn. 1185Who-so that halt him payd of his poverte, 1186I holde him riche, al hadde he nat a sherte. 1187He that coveyteth is a povre wight, 1188For he wolde han that is nat in his might. 1189But he that noght hath, ne coveyteth have, 1190Is riche, al-though ye holde him but a knave. 1191Verray povert, it singeth proprely; 1192Iuvenaljuvenal seith of povert merily: 1193“The povre man, whan he goth by the weye, 1194Bifore the theves he may singe and pleye.” 1195Povert is hateful good, and, as I gesse, 1196A ful greet bringer out of bisinesse; 1197A greet amender eek of sapienceamender 1198To him that taketh it in pacience. 1199Povert is this, al-though it seme elengeelenge: 1200Possessioun, that no wight wol chalenge. 1201Povert ful ofte, whan a man is lowe, 1202Maketh his god and eek him-self to knowe. 1203Povert a spectacle is, as thinketh me, 1204Thurgh which he may his verray frendes seefrendes. 1205And therfore, sire, sin that I noght yow greve, 1206Of my povert na-more ye me repreve. 355 1207Now, sire, of elde ye repreve me; 1208And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoriteethogh 1209Were in no book, ye gentils of honour 1210Seyn that men sholde an old wight doon favour, 1211And clepe him fader, for your gentillesse; 1212And auctours shal I finden, as I gesse. 1213Now ther ye seye, that I am foul and old, 1214Than drede you noght to been a cokewoldcokewold; 1215For filthe and elde, al-so moot I thee, 1216Been grete wardeyns up-on chastitee. 1217But nathelees, sin I knowe your delyt, 1218I shal fulfille your worldly appetyt. 1219Chese now,’ quod she, ‘oon of thise thinges tweye, 1220To han me foul and old til that I deye, 1221And be to yow a trewe humble wyf, 1222And never yow displese in al my lyf, 1223Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, 1224And take your aventure of the repair 1225That shal be to your hous, by-cause of me, 1226Or in som other placeplace, may wel be. 1227Now chese your-selven, whether that yow lyketh.’ 1228This knight avyseth himavyseth and sore syketh, 1229But atte laste he seyde in this manere, 1230‘My lady and my love, and wyf so dere, 1231I put me in your wyse governance; 1232Cheseth your-self, which may be most plesance, 1233And most honour to yow and me also. 1234I do no fors the whether of the twofors; 1235For as yow lyketh, it suffiseth me.’ 1236‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrye,’ quod she, 1237‘Sin I may chese, and governe as me lest?’ 1238‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’ 1239‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe; 1240For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothebothe, 1241This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. 1242I prey to god that I mot sterven woodwood, 1243But I to yow be al-so good and trewe 1244As ever was wyf, sin that the world was newe. 356 1245And, but I be to-morn as fair to sene 1246As any lady, emperyce, or quene, 1247That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, 1248Doth with my lyf and deeth right as yow lestlest. 1249Cast up the curtin, loke how that it is.’ 1260And whan the knight saugh verraily al this, 1251That she so fair was, and so yong ther-to, 1252For Ioye he hente hir in his armes two, 1253His herte bathed in a bath of blisse; 1254A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hir kisse. 1255And she obeyed him in every thing 1256That mighte doon him plesance or lyking. 1257And thus they live, un-to hir lyves ende, 1258In parfit Ioye; and Iesu Crist us sende 1259Housbondes meke, yonge, and fresshe a-bedde, 1260And grace toverbyde hem that we wedde. 1261And eek I preye Iesu shorte hir lyves 1262That wol nat be governed by hir wyves; 1263And olde and angry nigardes of dispence, 1264God sende hem sone verray pestilence. Here endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe. intro The Wife of Bath's Prologue and The Wife of Bath's Tale are perhaps the most well-known sections of The Canterbury Tales. The Prologue offers a substantial insight into Alison's (The Wife of Bath's) heterodox views on love and marriage as she recounts her five husbands and the trials of her marriages to them. The Tale enshrines Alison's philsoophy recounts the story of an Arthurian knight who, after committing an act of sexual assault, is forced to discover what women desire most. Alison's pragmatism and down-to-earth tone has made her one of the most memorable and beloved characters not only of The Canterbury Tales, but of the whole of medieval literature. - [AJB] skeatWalter William Skeat (1835–1912) was one of the most prolific and learned philologists of his time. While he was most famous for his Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, his edition of The Canterbury Tales was an academic standard until the publication of Larry Benson's The Riverside Chaucer. - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB] - [AJB]

Footnotes

intro The Wife of Bath's Prologue and The Wife of Bath's Tale are perhaps the most well-known sections of The Canterbury Tales. The Prologue offers a substantial insight into Alison's (The Wife of Bath's) heterodox views on love and marriage as she recounts her five husbands and the trials of her marriages to them. The Tale enshrines Alison's philsoophy recounts the story of an Arthurian knight who, after committing an act of sexual assault, is forced to discover what women desire most. Alison's pragmatism and down-to-earth tone has made her one of the most memorable and beloved characters not only of The Canterbury Tales, but of the whole of medieval literature.
skeat_Walter William Skeat (1835–1912) was one of the most prolific and learned philologists of his time. While he was most famous for his Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, his edition of The Canterbury Tales was an academic standard until the publication of Larry Benson's The Riverside Chaucer.