#  3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale 

 



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**The Wife of Bath's Prologue**

*The Prologe of the Wyves Tale of Bathe*

1 **"Experience, though noon auctoritee**  
 "Experience, though no written authority  
2 **Were in this world, is right ynogh for me**  
 Were in this world, is good enough for me  
3 **To speke of wo that is in mariage;**  
 To speak of the woe that is in marriage;  
4 **For, lordynges, sith I twelve yeer was of age,**  
 For, gentlemen, since I was twelve years of age,  
5 **Thonked be God that is eterne on lyve,**  
 Thanked be God who is eternally alive,  
6 **Housbondes at chirche dore I have had fyve --**  
 I have had five husbands at the church door --  
7 **If I so ofte myghte have ywedded bee --**  
 If I so often might have been wedded --  
8 **And alle were worthy men in hir degree.**  
 And all were worthy men in their way.  
9 **But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is,**  
 But to me it was told, certainly, it is not long ago,  
10 **That sith that Crist ne wente nevere but onis**  
 That since Christ went never but once  
11 **To weddyng, in the Cane of Galilee,**  
 To a wedding, in the Cana of Galilee,  
12 **That by the same ensample taughte he me**  
 That by that same example he taught me  
13 **That I ne sholde wedded be but ones.**  
 That I should be wedded but once.  
14 **Herkne eek, lo, which a sharp word for the nones,**  
 Listen also, lo, what a sharp word for this purpose,  
15 **Biside a welle, Jhesus, God and man,**  
 Beside a well, Jesus, God and man,  
16 **Spak in repreeve of the Samaritan:**  
 Spoke in reproof of the Samaritan:  
17 **`Thou hast yhad fyve housbondes,' quod he,**  
 `Thou hast had five husbands,' he said,  
18 **`And that ilke man that now hath thee**  
 `And that same man that now has thee  
19 **Is noght thyn housbonde,' thus seyde he certeyn.**  
 Is not thy husband,' thus he said certainly.  
20 **What that he mente therby, I kan nat seyn;**  
 What he meant by this, I can not say;  
21 **But that I axe, why that the fifthe man**  
 But I ask, why the fifth man  
22 **Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan?**  
 Was no husband to the Samaritan?  
23 **How manye myghte she have in mariage?**  
 How many might she have in marriage?  
24 **Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age**  
 I never yet heard tell in my lifetime  
25 **Upon this nombre diffinicioun.**  
 A definition of this number.  
26 **Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun,**  
 Men may conjecture and interpret in every way,  
27 **But wel I woot, expres, withoute lye,**  
 But well I know, expressly, without lie,  
28 **God bad us for to wexe and multiplye;**  
 God commanded us to grow fruitful and multiply;  
29 **That gentil text kan I wel understonde.**  
 That gentle text I can well understand.  
30 **Eek wel I woot, he seyde myn housbonde**  
 Also I know well, he said my husband  
31 **Sholde lete fader and mooder and take to me.**  
 Should leave father and mother and take to me.  
32 **But of no nombre mencion made he,**  
 But he made no mention of number,  
33 **Of bigamye, or of octogamye;**  
 Of marrying two, or of marrying eight;  
34 **Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileynye?**  
 Why should men then speak evil of it?

35 **Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun Salomon;**  
 Lo, (consider) here the wise king, dan Salomon;  
36 **I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon.**  
 I believe he had wives more than one.  
37 **As wolde God it leveful were unto me**  
 As would God it were lawful unto me  
38 **To be refresshed half so ofte as he!**  
 To be refreshed half so often as he!  
39 **Which yifte of God hadde he for alle his wyvys!**  
 What a gift of God he had because of all his wives!  
40 **No man hath swich that in this world alyve is.**  
 No man that in this world is alive has such (a gift).  
41 **God woot, this noble kyng, as to my wit,**  
 God knows, this noble king, according to my judgment,  
42 **The firste nyght had many a myrie fit**  
 The first night had many a merry fit  
43 **With ech of hem, so wel was hym on lyve.**  
 With each of them, so well things went for him in his lifetime.  
44 **Yblessed be God that I have wedded fyve!**  
 Blessed be God that I have wedded five!  
44a **\[Of whiche I have pyked out the beste,**  
 \[Of which I have picked out the best,  
44b **Bothe of here nether purs and of here cheste.**  
 Both of their lower purse (scrotum) and of their strongbox.  
44c **Diverse scoles maken parfyt clerkes,**  
 Differing schools make perfect clerks,  
44d **And diverse practyk in many sondry werkes**  
 And differing practice in many various works  
44e **Maketh the werkman parfyt sekirly;**  
 Makes the workman truly perfect;  
44f **Of fyve husbondes scoleiyng am I.\]**  
 Of five husbands' schooling am I.\]  
45 **Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal.**  
 Welcome the sixth, whenever he shall appear.  
46 **For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chaast in al.**  
 For truly, I will not keep myself chaste in everything.  
47 **Whan myn housbonde is fro the world ygon,**  
 When my husband is gone from the world,  
48 **Som Cristen man shal wedde me anon,**  
 Some Christian man shall wed me straightway,  
49 **For thanne th' apostle seith that I am free**  
 For then the apostle says that I am free  
50 **To wedde, a Goddes half, where it liketh me.**  
 To wed, by God's side (I swear), wherever it pleases me.  
51 **He seith that to be wedded is no synne;**  
 He says that to be wedded is no sin;  
52 **Bet is to be wedded than to brynne.**  
 It is better to be wedded than to burn.  
53 **What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileynye**  
 What do I care, though folk speak evil  
54 **Of shrewed Lameth and his bigamye?**  
 Of cursed Lamech and his bigamy?  
55 **I woot wel Abraham was an hooly man,**  
 I know well Abraham was a holy man,  
56 **And Jacob eek, as ferforth as I kan;**  
 And Jacob also, insofar as I know;  
57 **And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two,**  
 And each of them had more than two wives,  
58 **And many another holy man also.**  
 And many another holy man also.  
59 **Wher can ye seye, in any manere age,**  
 Where can you find, in any historical period,  
60 **That hye God defended mariage**  
 That high God forbad marriage  
61 **By expres word? I pray yow, telleth me.**  
 By express word? I pray you, tell me.  
62 **Or where comanded he virginitee?**  
 Or where commanded he virginity?  
63 **I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede,**  
 I know as well as you, it is no doubt,  
64 **Th' apostel, whan he speketh of maydenhede,**  
 The apostle, when he speaks of maidenhood,  
65 **He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon.**  
 He said that he had no precept concerning it.  
66 **Men may conseille a womman to been oon,**  
 Men may advise a woman to be one,  
67 **But conseillyng is no comandement.**  
 But advice is no commandment.  
68 **He putte it in oure owene juggement;**  
 He left it to our own judgment;  
69 **For hadde God comanded maydenhede,**  
 For had God commanded maidenhood,  
70 **Thanne hadde he dampned weddyng with the dede.**  
 Then had he damned marriage along with the act (of procreation).  
71 **And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe,**  
 And certainly, if there were no seed sown,  
72 **Virginitee, thanne wherof sholde it growe?**  
 Then from what should virginity grow?  
73 **Poul dorste nat comanden, atte leeste,**  
 In any case, Paul dared not command  
74 **A thyng of which his maister yaf noon heeste.**  
 A thing of which his master gave no command.  
75 **The dart is set up for virginitee;**  
 The prize is set up for virginity;  
76 **Cacche whoso may, who renneth best lat see.**  
 Catch it whoever can, let's see who runs best.

77 **But this word is nat taken of every wight,**  
 But this word does not apply to every person,  
78 **But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght.**  
 But where God desires to give it by his power.  
79 **I woot wel that th' apostel was a mayde;**  
 I know well that the apostle was a virgin;  
80 **But nathelees, thogh that he wroot and sayde**  
 But nonetheless, though he wrote and said  
81 **He wolde that every wight were swich as he,**  
 He would that every person were such as he,  
82 **Al nys but conseil to virginitee.**  
 All is nothing but advice to (adopt) virginity.   
83 **And for to been a wyf he yaf me leve**  
 And he gave me leave to be a wife   
84 **Of indulgence; so nys it no repreve**  
 By explicit permission; so it is not blameful  
85 **To wedde me, if that my make dye,**  
 To wed me, if my mate should die,  
86 **Withouten excepcion of bigamye.**  
 Without objection on the grounds of bigamy.  
87 **Al were it good no womman for to touche --**  
 Although it would be good to touch no woman --  
88 **He mente as in his bed or in his couche,**  
 He meant in his bed or in his couch,  
89 **For peril is bothe fyr and tow t' assemble;**  
 For it is perilous to assemble both fire and flax;  
90 **Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble.**  
 You know what this example may apply to.  
91 **This is al and som: he heeld virginitee**  
 This is the sum of it: he held virginity  
92 **Moore parfit than weddyng in freletee.**  
 More perfect than wedding in weakness.  
93 **Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she**  
 Weakness I call it, unless he and she  
94 **Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee.**  
 Would lead all their life in chastity.

95 **I graunte it wel; I have noon envie,**  
 I grant it well; I have no envy,  
96 **Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamye.**  
 Though maidenhood may have precedence over a second marriage.  
97 **It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost;**  
 It pleases them to be clean, body and spirit;  
98 **Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost,**  
 Of my state I will make no boast,  
99 **For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold,**  
 For well you know, a lord in his household,  
100 **He nath nat every vessel al of gold;**  
 He has not every utensil all of gold;  
101 **Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse.**  
 Some are of wood, and do their lord service.  
102 **God clepeth folk to hym in sondry wyse,**  
 God calls folk to him in various ways,  
103 **And everich hath of God a propre yifte --**  
 And each one has of God an individual gift --  
104 **Som this, som that, as hym liketh shifte.**  
 Some this, some that, as it pleases Him to provide.

105 **Virginitee is greet perfeccion,**  
 Virginity is great perfection,  
106 **And continence eek with devocion,**  
 And continence also with devotion,  
107 **But Crist, that of perfeccion is welle,**  
 But Christ, who is the source of perfection,  
108 **Bad nat every wight he sholde go selle**  
 Did not command that every one should go sell  
109 **Al that he hadde, and gyve it to the poore,**  
 All that he had, and give it to the poor,  
110 **And in swich wise folwe hym and his foore.**  
 And in such wise follow him and his footsteps.  
111 **He spak to hem that wolde lyve parfitly;**  
 He spoke to those who would live perfectly;  
112 **And lordynges, by youre leve, that am nat I.**  
 And gentlemen, by your leave, I am not that.  
113 **I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age**  
 I will bestow the flower of all my age  
114 **In the actes and in fruyt of mariage.**  
 In the acts and in fruit of marriage.

115 **Telle me also, to what conclusion**  
 Tell me also, to what purpose  
116 **Were membres maad of generacion,**  
 Were members of generation made,  
117 **And of so parfit wys a \[wright\] ywroght?**  
 And by so perfectly wise a Workman wrought?  
118 **Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght.**  
 Trust right well, they were not made for nothing.  
119 **Glose whoso wole, and seye bothe up and doun**  
 Interpret whoever will, and say both up and down  
120 **That they were maked for purgacioun**  
 That they were made for purgation  
121 **Of uryne, and oure bothe thynges smale**  
 Of urine, and both our small things   
122 **Were eek to knowe a femele from a male,**  
 Were also to know a female from a male,  
123 **And for noon oother cause -- say ye no?**  
 And for no other cause -- do you say no?  
124 **The experience woot wel it is noght so.**  
 The experience knows well it is not so.  
125 **So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe,**  
 Provided that the clerks be not angry with me,  
126 **I sey this: that they maked ben for bothe;**  
 I say this: that they are made for both;  
127 **That is to seye, for office and for ese**  
 That is to say, for urination and for ease  
128 **Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese.**  
 Of procreation, in which we do not displease God.  
129 **Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette**  
 Why else should men set in their books   
130 **That man shal yelde to his wyf hire dette?**  
 That man shall pay to his wife her debt?  
131 **Now wherwith sholde he make his paiement,**  
 Now with what should he make his payment,  
132 **If he ne used his sely instrument?**  
 If he did not use his blessed instrument?   
133 **Thanne were they maad upon a creature**  
 Then were they made upon a creature  
134 **To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure.**  
 To purge urine, and also for procreation.

135 **But I seye noght that every wight is holde,**  
 But I say not that every person is required,  
136 **That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde,**  
 That has such equipment as I to you told,  
137 **To goon and usen hem in engendrure.**  
 To go and use them in procreation.  
138 **Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure.**  
 Then should men have no regard for chastity.  
139 **Crist was a mayde and shapen as a man,**  
 Christ was a virgin and shaped like a man,  
140 **And many a seint, sith that the world bigan;**  
 And many a saint, since the world began;  
141 **Yet lyved they evere in parfit chastitee.**  
 Yet lived they ever in perfect chastity.  
142 **I nyl envye no virginitee.**  
 I will envy no virginity.  
143 **Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed,**  
 Let them be bread of pure wheat-seed,  
144 **And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed;**  
 And let us wives be called barley-bread;  
145 **And yet with barly-breed, Mark telle kan,**  
 And yet with barley-bread, Mark can tell it,  
146 **Oure Lord Jhesu refresshed many a man.**  
 Our Lord Jesus refreshed many a man.  
147 **In swich estaat as God hath cleped us**  
 In such estate as God has called us  
148 **I wol persevere; I nam nat precius.**  
 I will persevere; I am not fussy.  
149 **In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument**  
 In wifehood I will use my instrument  
150 **As frely as my Makere hath it sent.**  
 As freely as my Maker has it sent.  
151 **If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe!**  
 If I be niggardly, God give me sorrow!  
152 **Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe,**  
 My husband shall have it both evenings and mornings,  
153 **Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette.**  
 When it pleases him to come forth and pay his debt.  
154 **An housbonde I wol have -- I wol nat lette --**  
 A husband I will have -- I will not desist --  
155 **Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral,**  
 Who shall be both my debtor and my slave,  
156 **And have his tribulacion withal**  
 And have his suffering also   
157 **Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf.**  
 Upon his flesh, while I am his wife.  
158 **I have the power durynge al my lyf**  
 I have the power during all my life  
159 **Upon his propre body, and noght he.**  
 Over his own body, and not he.  
160 **Right thus the Apostel tolde it unto me,**  
 Right thus the Apostle told it unto me,  
161 **And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel.**  
 And commanded our husbands to love us well.  
162 **Al this sentence me liketh every deel" --**  
 All this sentence pleases me every bit" --

163 **Up stirte the Pardoner, and that anon;**  
 Up sprang the Pardoner, and that at once;  
164 **"Now, dame," quod he, "by God and by Seint John!**  
 "Now, madam," he said, "by God and by Saint John!  
165 **Ye been a noble prechour in this cas.**  
 You are a noble preacher in this case.  
166 **I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas!**  
 I was about to wed a wife; alas!  
167 **What sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere?**  
 Why should I pay for it so dearly on my flesh?  
168 **Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!"**  
 Yet would I rather wed no wife this year!"

169 **"Abyde!" quod she, "my tale is nat bigonne.**  
 "Wait!" she said, "my tale is not begun.  
170 **Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne,**  
 Nay, thou shalt drink from another barrel,  
171 **Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale.**  
 Before I go, which shall taste worse than ale.  
172 **And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale**  
 And when I have told thee forth my tale  
173 **Of tribulacion in mariage,**  
 Of suffering in marriage,   
174 **Of which I am expert in al myn age --**  
 Of which I am expert in all my life --   
175 **This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe --**  
 This is to say, myself have been the whip --  
176 **Than maystow chese wheither thou wolt sippe**  
 Than may thou choose whether thou will sip  
177 **Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche.**  
 Of that same barrel that I shall open.  
178 **Be war of it, er thou to ny approche;**  
 Beware of it, before thou too near approach;  
179 **For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten.**  
 For I shall tell examples more than ten.  
180 **`Whoso that nyl be war by othere men,**  
 `Whoever will not be warned by (the examples of) other men,  
181 **By hym shul othere men corrected be.'**  
 Shall be an example by which other men shall be corrected.'  
182 **The same wordes writeth Ptholomee;**  
 The same words writes Ptholomy;  
183 **Rede in his Almageste, and take it there."**  
 Read in his Almagest, and take it there."

184 **"Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were,"**  
 "Madam, I would pray you, if it were your will,"  
185 **Seyde this Pardoner, "as ye bigan,**  
 Said this Pardoner, "as you began,  
186 **Telle forth youre tale, spareth for no man,**  
 Tell forth your tale, refrain for no man,  
187 **And teche us yonge men of youre praktike."**  
 And teach us young men of your practice."

188 **"Gladly," quod she, "sith it may yow like;**  
 "Gladly," she said, "since it may please you;  
189 **But yet I praye to al this compaignye,**  
 But yet I pray to all this company,  
190 **If that I speke after my fantasye,**  
 If I speak according to my fancy,  
191 **As taketh not agrief of that I seye,**  
 Do not be annoyed by what I say,  
192 **For myn entente nys but for to pleye.**  
 For my intention is only to amuse.

193 **Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale.**  
 Now, sir, now will I tell forth my tale.  
194 **As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale,**  
 As ever may I drink wine or ale,  
195 **I shal seye sooth; tho housbondes that I hadde,**  
 I shall speak the truth; those husbands that I had,  
196 **As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde.**  
 Three of them were good, and two were bad.  
197 **The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde;**  
 The three were good men, and rich, and old;  
198 **Unnethe myghte they the statut holde**  
 Hardly might they the statute hold (pay the debt)  
199 **In which that they were bounden unto me.**  
 In which they were bound unto me.  
200 **Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee!**  
 You know well what I mean of this, by God!  
201 **As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke**  
 So help me God, I laugh when I think  
202 **How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke!**  
 How pitifully at night I made them work!  
203 **And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor.**  
 And, by my faith, I set no store by it.  
204 **They had me yeven hir lond and hir tresoor;**  
 They had given me their land and their treasure;  
205 **Me neded nat do lenger diligence**  
 I needed not work hard any longer  
206 **To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence.**  
 To win their love, or do them reverence.  
207 **They loved me so wel, by God above,**  
 They loved me so well, by God above,  
208 **That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love!**  
 That I reckoned little of their love!  
209 **A wys womman wol bisye hire evere in oon**  
 A wise woman will be constantly busy  
210 **To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hath noon.**  
 To get their love, yes, when she has none.  
211 **But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond,**  
 But since I had them wholly in my hand,  
212 **And sith they hadde me yeven al hir lond,**  
 And since they had me given all their land,  
213 **What sholde I taken keep hem for to plese,**  
 Why should I take care to please them,  
214 **But it were for my profit and myn ese?**  
 Unless it were for my profit and my pleasure?  
215 **I sette hem so a-werke, by my fey,**  
 I set them so to work, by my faith,  
216 **That many a nyght they songen `Weilawey!'**  
 That many a night they sang `Woe is me!'  
217 **The bacon was nat fet for hem, I trowe,**  
 The bacon was not fetched for them, I believe,  
218 **That som men han in Essex at Dunmowe.**  
 That some men have in Essex at Dunmowe.  
219 **I governed hem so wel, after my lawe,**  
 I governed them so well, according to my law,  
220 **That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe**  
 That each of them was very blissful and eager  
221 **To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre.**  
 To bring me gay things from the fair.  
222 **They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire,**  
 They were very glad when I spoke to them pleasantly,  
223 **For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously.**  
 For, God knows it, I cruelly scolded them.

224 **Now herkneth hou I baar me proprely,**  
 Now listen how well I conducted myself,  
225 **Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde.**  
 You wise wives, that can understand.  
226 **Thus shulde ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde,**  
 Thus should you speak and accuse them wrongfully,  
227 **For half so boldely kan ther no man**  
 For half so boldly can there no man  
228 **Swere and lyen, as a womman kan.**  
 Swear and lie, as a woman can.  
229 **I sey nat this by wyves that been wyse,**  
 I do not say this concerning wives that are wise,  
230 **But if it be whan they hem mysavyse.**  
 Unless it be when they are ill advised.  
231 **A wys wyf, if that she kan hir good,**  
 A wise wife, if she knows what is good for her,  
232 **Shal beren hym on honde the cow is wood,**  
 Shall deceive him by swearing the bird is crazy,   
233 **And take witnesse of hir owene mayde,**  
 And prove it by taking witness of her own maid   
234 **Of hir assent. But herkneth how I sayde:**  
 Who is in league with her. But listen how I spoke:

235 **`Sire olde kaynard, is this thyn array?**  
 `Sir old doddering fool, is this thy doing?   
236 **Why is my neighebores wyf so gay?**  
 Why is my neighbor's wife so gay?  
237 **She is honoured overal ther she gooth;**  
 She is honored everywhere she goes;  
238 **I sitte at hoom; I have no thrifty clooth.**  
 I sit at home; I have no decent clothing.  
239 **What dostow at my neighebores hous?**  
 What dost thou at my neighbor's house?  
240 **Is she so fair? Artow so amorous?**  
 Is she so fair? Art thou so amorous?  
241 **What rowne ye with oure mayde? Benedicite!**  
 What do you whisper with our maid? Bless me!  
242 **Sire olde lecchour, lat thy japes be!**  
 Sir old lecher, let thy tricks be!   
243 **And if I have a gossib or a freend,**  
 And if I have a close friend or an acquaintance,  
244 **Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a feend,**  
 Innocently, thou scold like a fiend,  
245 **If that I walke or pleye unto his hous!**  
 If I walk or go unto his house to amuse myself!  
246 **Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous,**  
 Thou comest home as drunk as a mouse,  
247 **And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef!**  
 And preach on thy bench, bad luck to you!  
248 **Thou seist to me it is a greet meschief**  
 Thou sayest to me it is a great misfortune  
249 **To wedde a povre womman, for costage;**  
 To wed a poor woman, because of expense;  
250 **And if that she be riche, of heigh parage,**  
 And if she be rich, of high birth,  
251 **Thanne seistow that it is a tormentrie**  
 Then thou sayest that it is a torment  
252 **To soffre hire pride and hire malencolie.**  
 To put up with her pride and her angry moods.  
253 **And if that she be fair, thou verray knave,**  
 And if she be fair, thou utter knave,  
254 **Thou seyst that every holour wol hire have;**  
 Thou sayest that every lecher wants to have her;  
255 **She may no while in chastitee abyde,**  
 She can not remain chaste for any length of time,   
256 **That is assailled upon ech a syde.**  
 Who is assailed on every side.

257 **Thou seyst som folk desiren us for richesse,**  
 Thou sayest some folk desire us for riches,  
258 **Somme for oure shap, and somme for oure fairnesse,**  
 Some for our shape, and some for our fairness,  
259 **And som for she kan outher synge or daunce,**  
 And one because she can either sing or dance,  
260 **And som for gentillesse and daliaunce;**  
 And some because of noble descent and flirtatious talk;  
261 **Som for hir handes and hir armes smale;**  
 Some because of their hands and their slender arms;  
262 **Thus goth al to the devel, by thy tale.**  
 Thus goes all to the devil, according to you.  
263 **Thou seyst men may nat kepe a castel wal,**  
 Thou sayest men may not defend a castle wall,  
264 **It may so longe assailled been overal.**  
 It may so long be assailed on all sides.

265 **And if that she be foul, thou seist that she**  
 And if she be ugly, thou sayest that she  
266 **Coveiteth every man that she may se,**  
 Covets every man that she may see,  
267 **For as a spanyel she wol on hym lepe,**  
 For like a spaniel she will on him leap,  
268 **Til that she fynde som man hire to chepe.**  
 Until she find some man to buy (take) her.  
269 **Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake**  
 Nor does any goose go there in the lake, no matter how drab,  
270 **As, seistow, wol been withoute make.**  
 That, thou sayest, will be without a mate.  
271 **And seyst it is an hard thyng for to welde**  
 And thou sayest it is a hard thing to control  
272 **A thyng that no man wole, his thankes, helde.**  
 A thing that no man will, willingly, hold.  
273 **Thus seistow, lorel, whan thow goost to bedde,**  
 Thus sayest thou, scoundrel, when thou goest to bed,  
274 **And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde,**  
 And that no wise man needs to wed,  
275 **Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene.**  
 Nor any man that hopes (to go) to heaven.  
276 **With wilde thonder-dynt and firy levene**  
 With wild thunder-bolt and fiery lightning  
277 **Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke!**  
 May thy wrinkled neck be broken in pieces!

278 **Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and eek smoke,**  
 Thou sayest that leaky houses, and also smoke,  
279 **And chidyng wyves maken men to flee**  
 And scolding wives make men to flee  
280 **Out of hir owene houses; a, benedicitee!**  
 Out of their own houses; ah, bless me!  
281 **What eyleth swich an old man for to chide?**  
 What ails such an old man to chide like that?

282 **Thow seyst we wyves wol oure vices hide**  
 Thou sayest we wives will hide our vices   
283 **Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe --**  
 Until we be securely tied (in marriage), and then we will them show --  
284 **Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe!**  
 Well may that be a proverb of a scoundrel!

285 **Thou seist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes,**  
 Thou sayest that oxen, asses, horses, and hounds,  
286 **They been assayed at diverse stoundes;**  
 They are tried out a number of times;  
287 **Bacyns, lavours, er that men hem bye,**  
 Basins, wash bowls, before men them buy,  
288 **Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye,**  
 Spoons and stools, and all such household items,  
289 **And so been pottes, clothes, and array;**  
 And so are pots, clothes, and adornments;  
290 **But folk of wyves maken noon assay,**  
 But folk of wives make no trial,  
291 **Til they be wedded -- olde dotard shrewe! --**  
 Until they are wedded -- old doddering scoundrel! --  
292 **And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.**  
 And then, sayest thou, we will show our vices.

293 **Thou seist also that it displeseth me**  
 Thou sayest also that it displeases me  
294 **But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee,**  
 Unless thou will praise my beauty,  
295 **And but thou poure alwey upon my face,**  
 And unless thou peer always upon my face,  
296 **And clepe me "faire dame" in every place.**  
 And call me "dear lady" in every place.  
297 **And but thou make a feeste on thilke day**  
 And unless thou make a feast on that same day  
298 **That I was born, and make me fressh and gay;**  
 That I was born, and make me happy and gay;  
299 **And but thou do to my norice honour,**  
 And unless thou do honor to my nurse,  
300 **And to my chamberere withinne my bour,**  
 And to my chambermaid within my bedchamber,  
301 **And to my fadres folk and his allyes --**  
 And to my father's folk and his allies --  
302 **Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes!**  
 Thus sayest thou, old barrelful of lies!

303 **And yet of oure apprentice Janekyn,**  
 And yet of our apprentice Janekin,  
304 **For his crispe heer, shynynge as gold so fyn,**  
 Because of his curly hair, shining like gold so fine,  
305 **And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun,**  
 And because he familiarly attends me everywhere,  
306 **Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun.**  
 Yet hast thou caught a false suspicion.  
307 **I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed tomorwe!**  
 I do not want him, though thou were dead tomorrow!

308 **But tel me this: why hydestow, with sorwe,**  
 But tell me this: why hidest thou, bad luck to you,  
309 **The keyes of thy cheste awey fro me?**  
 The keys of thy strongbox away from me?  
310 **It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee!**  
 It is my property as well as thine, by God!  
311 **What, wenestow make an ydiot of oure dame?**  
 What, think thou to make a fool of the lady of the house?  
312 **Now by that lord that called is Seint Jame,**  
 Now by that lord that is called Saint James,  
313 **Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were wood,**  
 Thou shalt not both, though thou were crazy with anger,  
314 **Be maister of my body and of my good;**  
 Be master of my body and of my property;  
315 **That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yen.**  
 One of them thou must give up, despite anything you can do.  
316 **What helpith it of me to enquere or spyen?**  
 What helps it to inquire about me or spy?  
317 **I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy chiste!**  
 I believe thou would lock me in thy strongbox!  
318 **Thou sholdest seye, "Wyf, go wher thee liste;**  
 Thou should say, "Wife, go where you please;  
319 **Taak youre disport; I wol nat leve no talys.**  
 Enjoy yourself; I will not believe any gossip.  
320 **I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame Alys."**  
 I know you for a true wife, dame Alys."  
321 **We love no man that taketh kep or charge**  
 We love no man who takes notice or concern about  
322 **Wher that we goon; we wol ben at oure large.**  
 Where we go; we will be free (to do as we wish).

323 **Of alle men yblessed moot he be,**  
 Of all men blessed may he be,  
324 **The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome,**  
 The wise astrologer, Dan Ptolemy,  
325 **That seith this proverbe in his Almageste:**  
 Who says this proverb in his Almagest:  
326 **"Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste**  
 "Of all men his wisdom is the highest  
327 **That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde."**  
 Who never cares who has the world in his control."  
328 **By this proverbe thou shalt understonde,**  
 By this proverb thou shalt understand,  
329 **Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care**  
 If thou have enough, why should thou take note or care  
330 **How myrily that othere folkes fare?**  
 How merrily other folks fare?  
331 **For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve,**  
 For, certainly, old senile fool, by your leave,  
332 **Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve.**  
 You shall have pudendum right enough at eve.   
333 **He is to greet a nygard that wolde werne**  
 He is too great a miser that would refuse  
334 **A man to lighte a candle at his lanterne;**  
 A man to light a candle at his lantern;  
335 **He shal have never the lasse light, pardee.**  
 He shall have never the less light, by God.  
336 **Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee.**  
 If thou have enough, thou need not complain.

337 **Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay**  
 Thou sayest also, that if we make ourselves gay  
338 **With clothyng, and with precious array,**  
 With clothing, and with precious adornments,  
339 **That it is peril of oure chastitee;**  
 That it is dangerous to our chastity;  
340 **And yet -- with sorwe! -- thou most enforce thee,**  
 And yet -- bad luck to thee! -- thou must reinforce thy argument,  
341 **And seye thise wordes in the Apostles name:**  
 And say these words in the Apostle's name:  
342 **"In habit maad with chastitee and shame**  
 "In clothing made with chastity and shame  
343 **Ye wommen shul apparaille yow," quod he,**  
 You women shall apparel yourselves," he said,  
344 **"And noght in tressed heer and gay perree,**  
 "And not in carefully arranged hair and gay precious stones,  
345 **As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche."**  
 Such as pearls, nor with gold, nor rich cloth."  
346 **After thy text, ne after thy rubriche,**  
 In accordance with thy text, nor in accord with thy interpretation,  
347 **I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat.**  
 I will not do as much as a gnat.

348 **Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat;**  
 Thou said this, that I was like a cat;  
349 **For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn,**  
 For if anyone would singe a cat's skin,  
350 **Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in;**  
 Then would the cat well stay in his dwelling;  
351 **And if the cattes skyn be slyk and gay,**  
 And if the cat's skin be sleek and gay,  
352 **She wol nat dwelle in house half a day,**  
 She will not stay in house half a day,  
353 **But forth she wole, er any day be dawed,**  
 But forth she will (go), before any day be dawned,  
354 **To shewe hir skyn and goon a-caterwawed.**  
 To show her skin and go yowling like a cat in heat.   
355 **This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe,**  
 This is to say, if I be well dressed, sir scoundrel,  
356 **I wol renne out my borel for to shewe.**  
 I will run out to show my poor clothes.

357 **Sire olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen?**  
 Sir old fool, what help is it for thee to spy?  
358 **Thogh thou preye Argus with his hundred yen**  
 Though thou pray Argus with his hundred eyes  
359 **To be my warde-cors, as he kan best,**  
 To be my bodyguard, as he best knows how,  
360 **In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest;**  
 In faith, he shall not keep me but as I please;  
361 **Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee!**  
 Yet could I deceive him, as I may prosper!

362 **Thou seydest eek that ther been thynges thre,**  
 Thou said also that there are three things,  
363 **The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe,**  
 The which things trouble all this earth,  
364 **And that no wight may endure the ferthe.**  
 And that no one can endure the fourth.  
365 **O leeve sire shrewe, Jhesu shorte thy lyf!**  
 O dear sir scoundrel, Jesus shorten thy life!  
366 **Yet prechestow and seyst an hateful wyf**  
 Yet thou preachest and sayest a hateful wife  
367 **Yrekened is for oon of thise meschances.**  
 Is reckoned as one of these misfortunes.  
368 **Been ther none othere maner resemblances**  
 Are there no other sorts of comparisons  
369 **That ye may likne youre parables to,**  
 That you can use in your sayings,   
370 **But if a sely wyf be oon of tho?**  
 Without a poor wife's being one of them?

371 **Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle,**  
 Thou also compare women's love to hell,  
372 **To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle.**  
 To barren land, where water may not remain.  
373 **Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr;**  
 Thou compare it also to Greek (inextinguishable) fire;  
374 **The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir**  
 The more it burns, the more it has desire  
375 **To consume every thyng that brent wole be.**  
 To consume every thing that will be burned.  
376 **Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree,**  
 Thou sayest, just as worms destroy a tree,  
377 **Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde;**  
 Right so a wife destroys her husband;  
378 **This knowe they that been to wyves bonde.'**  
 This know they who are bound to wives.'

379 **Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde,**  
 Gentlemen, right thus, as you have heard,  
380 **Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde**  
 I firmly swore to my old husbands  
381 **That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse;**  
 That thus they said in their drunkenness;  
382 **And al was fals, but that I took witnesse**  
 And all was false, but I took witness  
383 **On Janekyn, and on my nece also.**  
 On Janekin, and on my niece also.   
384 **O Lord! The peyne I dide hem and the wo,**  
 O Lord! The pain I did them and the woe,  
385 **Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pyne!**  
 Entirely guiltless (they were), by God's sweet pain!  
386 **For as an hors I koude byte and whyne.**  
 For like a horse I could bite and whinny.  
387 **I koude pleyne, and yit was in the gilt,**  
 I could complain, and yet was in the wrong,  
388 **Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt.**  
 Or else many times had I been ruined.  
389 **Whoso that first to mille comth, first grynt;**  
 Whoever first comes to the mill, first grinds;  
390 **I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt.**  
 I complained first, so was our war ended.  
391 **They were ful glade to excuse hem blyve**  
 They were very glad to excuse themselves quickly  
392 **Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve.**  
 Of things of which they were never guilty in their lives.  
393 **Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde,**  
 Of wenches would I falsely accuse them,  
394 **Whan that for syk unnethes myghte they stonde.**  
 When for sickness they could hardly stand.

395 **Yet tikled I his herte, for that he**  
 Yet I tickled his heart, for he  
396 **Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee!**  
 Believed that I had of him so great affection!  
397 **I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte**  
 I swore that all my walking out by night  
398 **Was for t' espye wenches that he dighte;**  
 Was to spy out wenches with whom he had intercourse;  
399 **Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe.**  
 Under that pretense I had many a mirth.  
400 **For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe;**  
 For all such wit is given us in our birth;  
401 **Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng God hath yive**  
 Deceit, weeping, spinning God has given  
402 **To wommen kyndely, whil that they may lyve.**  
 To women naturally, while they may live.  
403 **And thus of o thyng I avaunte me:**  
 And thus of one thing I boast:  
404 **Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree,**  
 At the end I had the better in every way,  
405 **By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng,**  
 By trickery, or force, or by some such thing,   
406 **As by continueel murmur or grucchyng.**  
 As by continual grumbling or grouching.  
407 **Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce:**  
 Especially in bed they had misfortune:  
408 **Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce;**  
 There would I scold and do them no pleasure;  
409 **I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde,**  
 I would no longer in the bed abide,  
410 **If that I felte his arm over my syde,**  
 If I felt his arm over my side,  
411 **Til he had maad his raunson unto me;**  
 Until he had paid his penalty to me;  
412 **Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee.**  
 Then would I allow him to do his foolishness.  
413 **And therfore every man this tale I telle,**  
 And therefore this tale I tell to every man,  
414 **Wynne whoso may, for al is for to selle;**  
 Anyone can profit, for everything is for sale;   
415 **With empty hand men may none haukes lure.**  
 One can lure no hawks with an empty hand.  
416 **For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure,**  
 For profit I would endure all his lust,  
417 **And make me a feyned appetit;**  
 And make me a feigned appetite;  
418 **And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit.**  
 And yet in bacon (old meat) I never had delight.  
419 **That made me that evere I wolde hem chide,**  
 That made me so that I would always scold them,  
420 **For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside,**  
 For though the pope had sat beside them,  
421 **I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord,**  
 I would not spare them at their own table,  
422 **For, by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word.**  
 For, by my troth, I paid them back word for word.  
423 **As helpe me verray God omnipotent,**  
 As help me true God omnipotent,  
424 **Though I right now sholde make my testament,**  
 Though I right now should make my will,  
425 **I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quit.**  
 I owe them not one word that has not been avenged.  
426 **I broghte it so aboute by my wit**  
 I brought it so about by my wit  
427 **That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste,**  
 That they had to give it up, as the best they could do,  
428 **Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste;**  
 Or else had we never been at peace;  
429 **For thogh he looked as a wood leon,**  
 For though he looked like a furious lion,  
430 **Yet sholde he faille of his conclusion.**  
 Yet should he fail to attain his goal.

431 **Thanne wolde I seye, `Goode lief, taak keep**  
 Then I would say, `Sweetheart, see   
432 **How mekely looketh Wilkyn, oure sheep!**  
 How meekly looks Willy, our sheep!  
433 **Com neer, my spouse, lat me ba thy cheke!**  
 Come near, my spouse, let me kiss thy cheek!  
434 **Ye sholde been al pacient and meke,**  
 You should be all patient and meek,  
435 **And han a sweete spiced conscience,**  
 And have a sweet tender disposition,  
436 **Sith ye so preche of Jobes pacience.**  
 Since you so preach of Job's patience.  
437 **Suffreth alwey, syn ye so wel kan preche;**  
 Suffer always, since you so well can preach;  
438 **And but ye do, certein we shal yow teche**  
 And unless you do, certainly we shall teach you   
439 **That it is fair to have a wyf in pees.**  
 That it is fair to have a wife in peace.  
440 **Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees,**  
 One of us two must bow, doubtless,  
441 **And sith a man is moore resonable**  
 And since a man is more reasonable  
442 **Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable.**  
 Than a woman is, you must be able to bear suffering.  
443 **What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone?**  
 What ails you to grouch thus and groan?  
444 **Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone?**  
 Is it because you want to have my pudendum all to yourself?  
445 **Wy, taak it al! Lo, have it every deel!**  
 Why, take it all! Lo, have it every bit!  
446 **Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel;**  
 By Saint Peter! I would curse you, if you did not love it well;  
447 **For if I wolde selle my bele chose,**  
 For if I would sell my `pretty thing,'   
448 **I koude walke as fressh as is a rose;**  
 I could walk as fresh (newly clothed) as is a rose;  
449 **But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth.**  
 But I will keep it for your own pleasure.  
450 **Ye be to blame, by God! I sey yow sooth.'**  
 You are to blame, by God! I tell you the truth.'

451 **Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde.**  
 Such sorts of words we had in hand.   
452 **Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde.**  
 Now will I speak of my fourth husband.

453 **My fourthe housbonde was a revelour --**  
 My fourth husband was a reveller --  
454 **This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour --**  
 This is to say, he had a mistress --  
455 **And I was yong and ful of ragerye,**  
 And I was young and full of playfulness,  
456 **Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye.**  
 Stubborn and strong, and jolly as a magpie.  
457 **How koude I daunce to an harpe smale,**  
 How well I could dance to a small harp,  
458 **And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale,**  
 And sing, indeed, like any nightingale,  
459 **Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn!**  
 When I had drunk a draft of sweet wine!  
460 **Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn,**  
 Metellius, the foul churl, the swine,  
461 **That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf,**  
 Who with a staff deprived his wife of her life,  
462 **For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf,**  
 Because she drank wine, if I had been his wife,  
463 **He sholde nat han daunted me fro drynke!**  
 He should not have frightened me away from drink!  
464 **And after wyn on Venus moste I thynke,**  
 And after wine on Venus must I think,  
465 **For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl,**  
 For as surely as cold engenders hail,  
466 **A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl.**  
 A gluttonous mouth must have a lecherous tail.  
467 **In wommen vinolent is no defence --**  
 In drunken women there is no defense --  
468 **This knowen lecchours by experience.**  
 This lechers know by experience.

469 **But -- Lord Crist! -- whan that it remembreth me**  
 But -- Lord Christ! -- when I remember  
470 **Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee,**  
 My youth, and my gaiety,  
471 **It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote.**  
 It tickles me to the bottom of my heart.  
472 **Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote**  
 Unto this day it does my heart good  
473 **That I have had my world as in my tyme.**  
 That I have had my world in my time.  
474 **But age, allas, that al wole envenyme,**  
 But age, alas, that all will poison,  
475 **Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith.**  
 Has deprived me of my beauty and my vigor.  
476 **Lat go. Farewel! The devel go therwith!**  
 Let it go. Farewell! The devil go with it!  
477 **The flour is goon; ther is namoore to telle;**  
 The flour is gone; there is no more to tell;  
478 **The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle;**  
 The bran, as I best can, now I must sell;  
479 **But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde.**  
 But yet I will try to be right merry.  
480 **Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde.**  
 Now will I tell of my fourth husband.

481 **I seye, I hadde in herte greet despit**  
 I say, I had in heart great anger  
482 **That he of any oother had delit.**  
 That he had delight in any other.  
483 **But he was quit, by God and by Seint Joce!**  
 But he was paid back, by God and by Saint Joce!  
484 **I made hym of the same wode a croce;**  
 I made him a cross of the same wood;  
485 **Nat of my body, in no foul manere,**  
 Not of my body, in no foul manner,  
486 **But certeinly, I made folk swich cheere**  
 But certainly, I treated folk in such a way   
487 **That in his owene grece I made hym frye**  
 That I made him fry in his own grease   
488 **For angre, and for verray jalousye.**  
 For anger, and for pure jealousy.  
489 **By God, in erthe I was his purgatorie,**  
 By God, in earth I was his purgatory,  
490 **For which I hope his soule be in glorie.**  
 For which I hope his soul may be in glory.  
491 **For, God it woot, he sat ful ofte and song,**  
 For, God knows it, he sat very often and cried out in pain,   
492 **Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong.**  
 When his shoe very bitterly pinched him.  
493 **Ther was no wight, save God and he, that wiste,**  
 There was no person who knew it, save God and he,  
494 **In many wise, how soore I hym twiste.**  
 In many a way, how painfully I tortured him.  
495 **He deyde whan I cam fro Jerusalem,**  
 He died when I came from Jerusalem,  
496 **And lith ygrave under the roode beem,**  
 And lies buried under the rood beam,   
497 **Al is his tombe noght so curyus**  
 Although his tomb is not so elaborate  
498 **As was the sepulcre of hym Daryus,**  
 As was the sepulcher of that Darius,  
499 **Which that Appelles wroghte subtilly;**  
 Which Appelles wrought skillfully;  
500 **It nys but wast to burye hym preciously.**  
 It is nothing but waste to bury him expensively.  
501 **Lat hym fare wel; God yeve his soule reste!**  
 Let him fare well; God give his soul rest!  
502 **He is now in his grave and in his cheste.**  
 He is now in his grave and in his casket.

503 **Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle.**  
 Now of my fifth husband I will tell.  
504 **God lete his soule nevere come in helle!**  
 God let his soul never come in hell!  
505 **And yet was he to me the mooste shrewe;**  
 And yet he was to me the greatest scoundrel;  
506 **That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe,**  
 That feel I on my ribs one after another,  
507 **And evere shal unto myn endyng day.**  
 And ever shall unto my final day.  
508 **But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay,**  
 But in our bed he was so lively and gay,  
509 **And therwithal so wel koude he me glose,**  
 And moreover he so well could deceive me,  
510 **Whan that he wolde han my bele chose;**  
 When he would have my `pretty thing';  
511 **That thogh he hadde me bete on every bon,**  
 That though he had beat me on every bone,  
512 **He koude wynne agayn my love anon.**  
 He could win back my love straightway.  
513 **I trowe I loved hym best, for that he**  
 I believe I loved him best, because he  
514 **Was of his love daungerous to me.**  
 Was of his love standoffish to me.   
515 **We wommen han, if that I shal nat lye,**  
 We women have, if I shall not lie,  
516 **In this matere a queynte fantasye:**  
 In this matter a curious fantasy:  
517 **Wayte what thyng we may nat lightly have,**  
 Note that whatever thing we may not easily have,  
518 **Therafter wol we crie al day and crave.**  
 We will cry all day and crave for it.  
519 **Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we;**  
 Forbid us a thing, and we desire it;  
520 **Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle.**  
 Press on us fast, and then will we flee.  
521 **With daunger oute we al oure chaffare;**  
 With niggardliness we spread out all our merchandise;  
522 **Greet prees at market maketh deere ware,**  
 A great crowd at the market makes wares expensive,  
523 **And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys:**  
 And too great a supply makes them of little value:   
524 **This knoweth every womman that is wys.**  
 Every woman that is wise knows this.

525 **My fifthe housbonde -- God his soule blesse! --**  
 My fifth husband -- God bless his soul! --  
526 **Which that I took for love, and no richesse,**  
 Whom I took for love, and no riches,  
527 **He som tyme was a clerk of Oxenford,**  
 He was formerly a clerk of Oxford,  
528 **And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord**  
 And had left school, and came home to board  
529 **With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun;**  
 With my close friend, dwelling in our town;  
530 **God have hir soule! Hir name was Alisoun.**  
 God have her soul! Her name was Alisoun.  
531 **She knew myn herte, and eek my privetee,**  
 She knew my heart, and also my secrets,  
532 **Bet than oure parisshe preest, so moot I thee!**  
 Better than our parish priest, as I may prosper!  
533 **To hire biwreyed I my conseil al.**  
 To her I revealed all my secrets.  
534 **For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal,**  
 For had my husband pissed on a wall,  
535 **Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf,**  
 Or done a thing that should have cost his life,  
536 **To hire, and to another worthy wyf,**  
 To her, and to another worthy wife,  
537 **And to my nece, which that I loved weel,**  
 And to my niece, whom I loved well,  
538 **I wolde han toold his conseil every deel.**  
 I would have told every one of his secrets.  
539 **And so I dide ful often, God it woot,**  
 And so I did very often, God knows it,  
540 **That made his face often reed and hoot**  
 That made his face often red and hot  
541 **For verray shame, and blamed hymself for he**  
 For true shame, and blamed himself because he  
542 **Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee.**  
 Had told to me so great a secret.

543 **And so bifel that ones in a Lente --**  
 And so it happened that once in a Springtime --  
544 **So often tymes I to my gossyb wente,**  
 Since frequently I went to visit my close friend,   
545 **For evere yet I loved to be gay,**  
 For I always loved to be gay,  
546 **And for to walke in March, Averill, and May,**  
 And to walk in March, April, and May,  
547 **Fro hous to hous, to heere sondry talys --**  
 From house to house, to hear various bits of gossip --  
548 **That Jankyn clerk, and my gossyb dame Alys,**  
 That Jankin the clerk, and my close friend dame Alys,  
549 **And I myself, into the feeldes wente.**  
 And I myself, into the fields went.  
550 **Myn housbonde was at Londoun al that Lente;**  
 My husband was at London all that Spring;  
551 **I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye,**  
 I had the better opportunity to amuse myself,  
552 **And for to se, and eek for to be seye**  
 And to see, and also to be seen  
553 **Of lusty folk. What wiste I wher my grace**  
 By amorous folk. What did I know about where my good fortune   
554 **Was shapen for to be, or in what place?**  
 Was destined to be, or in what place?  
555 **Therfore I made my visitaciouns**  
 Therefore I made my visitations  
556 **To vigilies and to processiouns,**  
 To religious feasts and to processions,   
557 **To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages,**  
 To preaching also, and to these pilgrimages,  
558 **To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages,**  
 To plays about miracles, and to marriages,  
559 **And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes.**  
 And wore my gay scarlet robes.  
560 **Thise wormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes,**  
 These worms, nor these moths, nor these mites,  
561 **Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel;**  
 Upon my peril (I swear), chewed on them never a bit;  
562 **And wostow why? For they were used weel.**  
 And know thou why? Because they were well used.

563 **Now wol I tellen forth what happed me.**  
 Now will I tell forth what happened to me.  
564 **I seye that in the feeldes walked we,**  
 I say that in the fields we walked,  
565 **Til trewely we hadde swich daliance,**  
 Until truly we had such flirtation,  
566 **This clerk and I, that of my purveiance**  
 This clerk and I, that for my provision for the future  
567 **I spak to hym and seyde hym how that he,**  
 I spoke to him and said to him how he,  
568 **If I were wydwe, sholde wedde me.**  
 If I were a widow, should wed me.  
569 **For certeinly -- I sey for no bobance --**  
 For certainly -- I say this for no boast --  
570 **Yet was I nevere withouten purveiance**  
 I was never yet without providing beforehand   
571 **Of mariage, n' of othere thynges eek.**  
 For marriage, nor for other things also.  
572 **I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leek**  
 I hold a mouse's heart not worth a leek  
573 **That hath but oon hole for to sterte to,**  
 That has but one hole to flee to,  
574 **And if that faille, thanne is al ydo.**  
 If that should fail, then all is lost.

575 **I bar hym on honde he hadde enchanted me --**  
 I falsely swore that he had enchanted me --  
576 **My dame taughte me that soutiltee --**  
 My mother taught me that trick --  
577 **And eek I seyde I mette of hym al nyght,**  
 And also I said I dreamed of him all night,  
578 **He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright,**  
 He would have slain me as I lay on my back,  
579 **And al my bed was ful of verray blood;**  
 And all my bed was full of real blood;   
580 **`But yet I hope that ye shal do me good,**  
 `But yet I hope that you shall do me good,  
581 **For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught.'**  
 For blood symbolizes gold, as I was taught.'  
582 **And al was fals; I dremed of it right naught,**  
 And all was false; I dreamed of it not at all,   
583 **But as I folwed ay my dames loore,**  
 But I followed always my mother's teaching,  
584 **As wel of this as of othere thynges moore.**  
 As well in this as in other things more.

585 **But now, sire, lat me se what I shal seyn.**  
 But now, sir, let me see what I shall say.  
586 **A ha! By God, I have my tale ageyn.**  
 A ha! By God, I have my tale again.

587 **Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere,**  
 When my fourth husband was on the funeral bier,  
588 **I weep algate, and made sory cheere,**  
 I wept continuously, and acted sorry,  
589 **As wyves mooten, for it is usage,**  
 As wives must do, for it is the custom,  
590 **And with my coverchief covered my visage,**  
 And with my kerchief covered my face,  
591 **But for that I was purveyed of a make,**  
 But because I was provided with a mate,  
592 **I wepte but smal, and that I undertake.**  
 I wept but little, and that I affirm.

593 **To chirche was myn housbonde born a-morwe**  
 To church was my husband carried in the morning  
594 **With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe;**  
 By neighbors, who for him made sorrow;  
595 **And Jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho.**  
 And Jankin, our clerk, was one of those.  
596 **As help me God, whan that I saugh hym go**  
 As help me God, when I saw him go  
597 **After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire**  
 After the bier, I thought he had a pair  
598 **Of legges and of feet so clene and faire**  
 Of legs and of feet so neat and fair  
599 **That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold.**  
 That all my heart I gave unto his keeping.  
600 **He was, I trowe, twenty wynter oold,**  
 He was, I believe, twenty years old,  
601 **And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth;**  
 And I was forty, if I shall tell the truth;  
602 **But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth.**  
 But yet I had always a colt's tooth.  
603 **Gat-tothed I was, and that bicam me weel;**  
 With teeth set wide apart I was, and that became me well;  
604 **I hadde the prente of seinte Venus seel.**  
 I had the print of Saint Venus's seal.  
605 **As help me God, I was a lusty oon,**  
 As help me God, I was a lusty one,  
606 **And faire, and riche, and yong, and wel bigon,**  
 And fair, and rich, and young, and well fixed,  
607 **And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me,**  
 And truly, as my husbands told me,  
608 **I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be.**  
 I had the best pudendum that might be.   
609 **For certes, I am al Venerien**  
 For certainly, I am all influenced by Venus  
610 **In feelynge, and myn herte is Marcien.**  
 In feeling, and my heart is influenced by Mars.  
611 **Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse,**  
 Venus me gave my lust, my amorousness,  
612 **And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardynesse;**  
 And Mars gave me my sturdy boldness;  
613 **Myn ascendent was Taur, and Mars therinne.**  
 My ascendant was Taurus, and Mars was therein.  
614 **Allas, allas! That evere love was synne!**  
 Alas, alas! That ever love was sin!  
615 **I folwed ay myn inclinacioun**  
 I followed always my inclination  
616 **By vertu of my constellacioun;**  
 By virtue of the state of the heavens at my birth;  
617 **That made me I koude noght withdrawe**  
 That made me that I could not withdraw  
618 **My chambre of Venus from a good felawe.**  
 My chamber of Venus from a good fellow.  
619 **Yet have I Martes mark upon my face,**  
 Yet have I Mars' mark upon my face,  
620 **And also in another privee place.**  
 And also in another private place.  
621 **For God so wys be my savacioun,**  
 For as God may be my salvation,  
622 **I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun,**  
 I never loved in moderation,  
623 **But evere folwede myn appetit,**  
 But always followed my appetite,  
624 **Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit;**  
 Whether he were short, or tall, or black-haired, or blond;  
625 **I took no kep, so that he liked me,**  
 I took no notice, provided that he pleased me,  
626 **How poore he was, ne eek of what degree.**  
 How poor he was, nor also of what rank.

627 **What sholde I seye but, at the monthes ende,**  
 What should I say but, at the month's end,  
628 **This joly clerk, Jankyn, that was so hende,**  
 This jolly clerk, Jankin, that was so courteous,  
629 **Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee,**  
 Has wedded me with great solemnity,  
630 **And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee**  
 And to him I gave all the land and property  
631 **That evere was me yeven therbifoore.**  
 That ever was given to me before then.  
632 **But afterward repented me ful soore;**  
 But afterward I repented very bitterly;  
633 **He nolde suffre nothyng of my list.**  
 He would not allow me anything of my desires.  
634 **By God, he smoot me ones on the lyst,**  
 By God, he hit me once on the ear,  
635 **For that I rente out of his book a leef,**  
 Because I tore a leaf out of his book,  
636 **That of the strook myn ere wax al deef.**  
 So that of the stroke my ear became all deaf.  
637 **Stibourn I was as is a leonesse,**  
 I was as stubborn as is a lioness,  
638 **And of my tonge a verray jangleresse,**  
 And of my tongue a true chatterbox,  
639 **And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn,**  
 And I would walk, as I had done before,  
640 **From hous to hous, although he had it sworn;**  
 From house to house, although he had sworn the contrary;  
641 **For which he often tymes wolde preche,**  
 For which he often times would preach,  
642 **And me of olde Romayn geestes teche;**  
 And teach me of old Roman stories;  
643 **How he Symplicius Gallus lefte his wyf,**  
 How he, Simplicius Gallus, left his wife,  
644 **And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf,**  
 And forsook her for rest of all his life,  
645 **Noght but for open-heveded he hir say**  
 Because of nothing but because he saw her bare-headed  
646 **Lookynge out at his dore upon a day.**  
 Looking out at his door one day.

647 **Another Romayn tolde he me by name,**  
 Another Roman he told me by name,  
648 **That, for his wyf was at a someres game**  
 Who, because his wife was at a midsummer revel  
649 **Withouten his wityng, he forsook hire eke.**  
 Without his knowledge, he forsook her also.  
650 **And thanne wolde he upon his Bible seke**  
 And then he would seek in his Bible  
651 **That ilke proverbe of Ecclesiaste**  
 That same proverb of Ecclesiasticus  
652 **Where he comandeth and forbedeth faste**  
 Where he commands and strictly forbids that  
653 **Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute.**  
 Man should suffer his wife go wander about.  
654 **Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute:**  
 Then would he say right thus, without doubt:

655 **`Whoso that buyldeth his hous al of salwes,**  
 `Whoever builds his house all of willow twigs,  
656 **And priketh his blynde hors over the falwes,**  
 And spurs his blind horse over the open fields,  
657 **And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes,**  
 And suffers his wife to go on pilgrimages,  
658 **Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes!'**  
 Is worthy to be hanged on the gallows!'  
659 **But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe**  
 But all for nothing, I gave not a hawthorn berry   
660 **Of his proverbes n' of his olde sawe,**  
 For his proverbs nor for his old sayings,  
661 **Ne I wolde nat of hym corrected be.**  
 Nor would I be corrected by him.  
662 **I hate hym that my vices telleth me,**  
 I hate him who tells me my vices,  
663 **And so doo mo, God woot, of us than I.**  
 And so do more of us, God knows, than I.  
664 **This made hym with me wood al outrely;**  
 This made him all utterly furious with me;  
665 **I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas.**  
 I would not put up with him in any way.

666 **Now wol I seye yow sooth, by Seint Thomas,**  
 Now will I tell you the truth, by Saint Thomas,  
667 **Why that I rente out of his book a leef,**  
 Why I tore a leaf out of his book,  
668 **For which he smoot me so that I was deef.**  
 For which he hit me so hard that I was deaf.

669 **He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day,**  
 He had a book that regularly, night and day,  
670 **For his desport he wolde rede alway;**  
 For his amusement he would always read;  
671 **He cleped it Valerie and Theofraste,**  
 He called it Valerie and Theofrastus,  
672 **At which book he lough alwey ful faste.**  
 At which book he always heartily laughed.  
673 **And eek ther was somtyme a clerk at Rome,**  
 And also there was once a clerk at Rome,  
674 **A cardinal, that highte Seint Jerome,**  
 A cardinal, who is called Saint Jerome,  
675 **That made a book agayn Jovinian;**  
 That made a book against Jovinian;  
676 **In which book eek ther was Tertulan,**  
 In which book also there was Tertullian,  
677 **Crisippus, Trotula, and Helowys,**  
 Crisippus, Trotula, and Heloise,  
678 **That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys,**  
 Who was abbess not far from Paris,  
679 **And eek the Parables of Salomon,**  
 And also the Parables of Salomon,  
680 **Ovides Art, and bookes many on,**  
 Ovid's Art, and many other books,  
681 **And alle thise were bounden in o volume.**  
 And all these were bound in one volume.  
682 **And every nyght and day was his custume,**  
 And every night and day was his custom,  
683 **Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun**  
 When he had leisure and spare time  
684 **From oother worldly occupacioun,**  
 From other worldly occupations,  
685 **To reden on this book of wikked wyves.**  
 To read in this book of wicked wives.  
686 **He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves**  
 He knew of them more legends and lives  
687 **Than been of goode wyves in the Bible.**  
 Than are of good women in the Bible.  
688 **For trusteth wel, it is an impossible**  
 For trust well, it is an impossibility  
689 **That any clerk wol speke good of wyves,**  
 That any clerk will speak good of women,  
690 **But if it be of hooly seintes lyves,**  
 Unless it be of holy saints' lives,  
691 **Ne of noon oother womman never the mo.**  
 Nor of any other woman in any way.  
692 **Who peyntede the leon, tel me who?**  
 Who painted the lion, tell me who?  
693 **By God, if wommen hadde writen stories,**  
 By God, if women had written stories,  
694 **As clerkes han withinne hire oratories,**  
 As clerks have within their studies,   
695 **They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse**  
 They would have written of men more wickedness  
696 **Than al the mark of Adam may redresse.**  
 Than all the male sex could set right.  
697 **The children of Mercurie and of Venus**  
 The children of Mercury (clerks) and of Venus (lovers)  
698 **Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius;**  
 Are directly contrary in their actions;  
699 **Mercurie loveth wysdam and science,**  
 Mercury loves wisdom and knowledge,  
700 **And Venus loveth ryot and dispence.**  
 And Venus loves riot and extravagant expenditures.  
701 **And, for hire diverse disposicioun,**  
 And, because of their diverse dispositions,  
702 **Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun.**  
 Each falls in the other's most powerful astronomical sign.  
703 **And thus, God woot, Mercurie is desolat**  
 And thus, God knows, Mercury is powerless  
704 **In Pisces, wher Venus is exaltat,**  
 In Pisces (the Fish), where Venus is exalted,  
705 **And Venus falleth ther Mercurie is reysed.**  
 And Venus falls where Mercury is raised.  
706 **Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed.**  
 Therefore no woman is praised by any clerk.  
707 **The clerk, whan he is oold, and may noght do**  
 The clerk, when he is old, and can not do  
708 **Of Venus werkes worth his olde sho,**  
 Any of Venus's works worth his old shoe,  
709 **Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage**  
 Then he sits down, and writes in his dotage  
710 **That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage!**  
 That women can not keep their marriage!

711 **But now to purpos, why I tolde thee**  
 But now to the point, why I told thee  
712 **That I was beten for a book, pardee!**  
 That I was beaten for a book, by God!  
713 **Upon a nyght Jankyn, that was oure sire,**  
 Upon a night Jankin, that was master of our house,  
714 **Redde on his book, as he sat by the fire,**  
 Read on his book, as he sat by the fire,  
715 **Of Eva first, that for hir wikkednesse**  
 Of Eve first, how for her wickedness  
716 **Was al mankynde broght to wrecchednesse,**  
 All mankind was brought to wretchedness,  
717 **For which that Jhesu Crist hymself was slayn,**  
 For which Jesus Christ himself was slain,  
718 **That boghte us with his herte blood agayn.**  
 Who bought us back with his heart's blood.  
719 **Lo, heere expres of womman may ye fynde**  
 Lo, here clearly of woman you may find  
720 **That womman was the los of al mankynde.**  
 That woman was the cause of the loss of all mankind.

721 **Tho redde he me how Sampson loste his heres:**  
 Then he read me how Sampson lost his hair:  
722 **Slepynge, his lemman kitte it with hir sheres;**  
 Sleeping, his lover cut it with her shears;   
723 **Thurgh which treson loste he bothe his yen.**  
 Through which treason he lost both his eyes.  
724 **Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen,**  
 Then he read to me, if I shall not lie,  
725 **Of Hercules and of his Dianyre,**  
 Of Hercules and of his Dianyre,  
726 **That caused hym to sette hymself afyre.**  
 Who caused him to set himself on fire.

727 **No thyng forgat he the care and the wo**  
 He forgot not a bit of the care and the woe  
728 **That Socrates hadde with his wyves two,**  
 That Socrates had with his two wives,  
729 **How Xantippa caste pisse upon his heed.**  
 How Xantippa caste piss upon his head.  
730 **This sely man sat stille as he were deed;**  
 This poor man sat still as if he were dead;   
731 **He wiped his heed, namoore dorste he seyn,**  
 He wiped his head, no more dared he say,  
732 **But `Er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn!'**  
 But `Before thunder stops, there comes a rain!'

733 **Of Phasipha, that was the queene of Crete,**  
 Of Phasipha, that was the queen of Crete,  
734 **For shrewednesse, hym thoughte the tale swete;**  
 For sheer malignancy, he thought the tale sweet;  
735 **Fy! Spek namoore -- it is a grisly thyng --**  
 Fie! Speak no more -- it is a grisly thing --  
736 **Of hire horrible lust and hir likyng.**  
 Of her horrible lust and her pleasure.

737 **Of Clitermystra, for hire lecherye,**  
 Of Clitermystra, for her lechery,  
738 **That falsly made hire housbonde for to dye,**  
 That falsely made her husband to die,  
739 **He redde it with ful good devocioun.**  
 He read it with very good devotion.

740 **He tolde me eek for what occasioun**  
 He told me also for what occasion  
741 **Amphiorax at Thebes loste his lyf.**  
 Amphiorax at Thebes lost his life.  
742 **Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf,**  
 My husband had a legend of his wife,  
743 **Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold**  
 Eriphilem, that for a brooch of gold  
744 **Hath prively unto the Grekes told**  
 Has secretly unto the Greeks told  
745 **Wher that hir housbonde hidde hym in a place,**  
 Where her husband hid him in a place,  
746 **For which he hadde at Thebes sory grace.**  
 For which he had at Thebes a sad fate.

747 **Of Lyvia tolde he me, and of Lucye:**  
 Of Livia told he me, and of Lucie:  
748 **They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye,**  
 They both made their husbands to die,  
749 **That oon for love, that oother was for hate.**  
 That one for love, that other was for hate.  
750 **Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late,**  
 Livia her husband, on a late evening,  
751 **Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo;**  
 Has poisoned, because she was his foe;  
752 **Lucia, likerous, loved hire housbonde so**  
 Lucia, lecherous, loved her husband so much  
753 **That, for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke,**  
 That, so that he should always think upon her,  
754 **She yaf hym swich a manere love-drynke**  
 She gave him such a sort of love-drink  
755 **That he was deed er it were by the morwe;**  
 That he was dead before it was morning;  
756 **And thus algates housbondes han sorwe.**  
 And thus always husbands have sorrow.

757 **Thanne tolde he me how oon Latumyus**  
 Then he told me how one Latumius  
758 **Compleyned unto his felawe Arrius**  
 Complained unto his fellow Arrius  
759 **That in his gardyn growed swich a tree**  
 That in his garden grew such a tree  
760 **On which he seyde how that his wyves thre**  
 On which he said how his three wives   
761 **Hanged hemself for herte despitus.**  
 Hanged themselves for the malice of their hearts   
762 **`O leeve brother,' quod this Arrius,**  
 `O dear brother,' this Arrius said,  
763 **`Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree,**  
 `Give me a shoot of that same blessed tree,   
764 **And in my gardyn planted shal it bee.'**  
 And in my garden shall it be planted.'

765 **Of latter date, of wyves hath he red**  
 Of latter date, of wives has he read  
766 **That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed,**  
 That some have slain their husbands in their bed,  
767 **And lete hir lecchour dighte hire al the nyght,**  
 And let her lecher copulate with her all the night,  
768 **Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright.**  
 When the corpse lay in the floor flat on its back.  
769 **And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn,**  
 And some have driven nails in their brains,  
770 **Whil that they slepte, and thus they had hem slayn.**  
 While they slept, and thus they had them slain.  
771 **Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hire drynke.**  
 Some have given them poison in their drink.  
772 **He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke,**  
 He spoke more harm than heart may imagine,  
773 **And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes**  
 And concerning this he knew of more proverbs  
774 **Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes.**  
 Than in this world there grow grass or herbs.  
775 **`Bet is,' quod he, `thyn habitacioun**  
 `Better is,' he said, `thy habitation  
776 **Be with a leon or a foul dragoun,**  
 Be with a lion or a foul dragon,  
777 **Than with a womman usynge for to chyde.**  
 Than with a woman accustomed to scold.  
778 **Bet is,' quod he, `hye in the roof abyde,**  
 Better is,' he said, `to stay high in the roof,  
779 **Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous;**  
 Than with an angry wife down in the house;  
780 **They been so wikked and contrarious,**  
 They are so wicked and contrary,  
781 **They haten that hir housbondes loven ay.'**  
 They always hate what their husbands love.'  
782 **He seyde, `A womman cast hir shame away,**  
 He said, `A woman casts their shame away,  
783 **Whan she cast of hir smok'; and forthermo,**  
 When she casts off her undergarment'; and furthermore,  
784 **`A fair womman, but she be chaast also,**  
 `A fair woman, unless she is also chaste,  
785 **Is lyk a gold ryng in a sowes nose.'**  
 Is like a gold ring in a sow's nose.'  
786 **Who wolde wene, or who wolde suppose,**  
 Who would believe, or who would suppose,  
787 **The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?**  
 The woe that in my heart was, and pain?

788 **And whan I saugh he wolde nevere fyne**  
 And when I saw he would never cease  
789 **To reden on this cursed book al nyght,**  
 Reading on this cursed book all night,  
790 **Al sodeynly thre leves have I plyght**  
 All suddenly have I plucked three leaves   
791 **Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke**  
 Out of his book, right as he read, and also  
792 **I with my fest so took hym on the cheke**  
 I with my fist so hit him on the cheek  
793 **That in oure fyr he fil bakward adoun.**  
 That in our fire he fell down backwards.  
794 **And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun,**  
 And he leaped up as does a furious lion,  
795 **And with his fest he smoot me on the heed**  
 And with his fist he hit me on the head  
796 **That in the floor I lay as I were deed.**  
 That on the floor I lay as if I were dead.  
797 **And whan he saugh how stille that I lay,**  
 And when he saw how still I lay,  
798 **He was agast and wolde han fled his way,**  
 He was frightened and would have fled on his way,  
799 **Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde.**  
 Until at the last out of my swoon I awoke.  
800 **`O! hastow slayn me, false theef?' I seyde,**  
 `O! hast thou slain me, false thief?' I said,  
801 **`And for my land thus hastow mordred me?**  
 `And for my land thus hast thou murdered me?  
802 **Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee.'**  
 Before I am dead, yet will I kiss thee.'

803 **And neer he cam, and kneled faire adoun,**  
 And near he came, and kneeled gently down,  
804 **And seyde, `Deere suster Alisoun,**  
 And said, `Dear sister Alisoun,  
805 **As help me God, I shal thee nevere smyte!**  
 So help me God, I shall never (again) smite thee!  
806 **That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte.**  
 What I have done, it is thyself to blame (you drove me to it).   
807 **Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke!'**  
 Forgive it me, and that I beseech thee!'  
808 **And yet eftsoones I hitte hym on the cheke,**  
 And yet immediately I hit him on the cheek,  
809 **And seyde, `Theef, thus muchel am I wreke;**  
 And said, `Thief, thus much am I avenged;  
810 **Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke.'**  
 Now will I die, I may no longer speak.'  
811 **But atte laste, with muchel care and wo,**  
 But at the last, with much care and woe,  
812 **We fille acorded by us selven two.**  
 We made an agreement between our two selves.   
813 **He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond,**  
 He gave me all the control in my hand,  
814 **To han the governance of hous and lond,**  
 To have the governance of house and land,  
815 **And of his tonge, and of his hond also;**  
 And of his tongue, and of his hand also;  
816 **And made hym brenne his book anon right tho.**  
 And made him burn his book immediately right then.  
817 **And whan that I hadde geten unto me,**  
 And when I had gotten unto me,  
818 **By maistrie, al the soveraynetee,**  
 By mastery, all the sovereignty,  
819 **And that he seyde, `Myn owene trewe wyf,**  
 And that he said, `My own true wife,  
820 **Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf;**  
 Do as you please the rest of all thy life;  
821 **Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat' --**  
 Guard thy honor, and guard also my reputation' --  
822 **After that day we hadden never debaat.**  
 After that day we never had an argument.  
823 **God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde**  
 As God may help me, I was to him as kind  
824 **As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde,**  
 As any wife from Denmark unto India,  
825 **And also trewe, and so was he to me.**  
 And also true, and so was he to me.  
826 **I prey to God, that sit in magestee,**  
 I pray to God, who sits in majesty,  
827 **So blesse his soule for his mercy deere.**  
 So bless his soul for his mercy dear.  
828 **Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol heere."**  
 Now will I say my tale, if you will hear."

*Beholde the wordes bitwene the*   
*Somonour and the Frere*

829 **The Frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this;**  
 The Friar laughed, when he had heard all this;  
830 **"Now dame," quod he, "so have I joye or blis,**  
 "Now dame, he said, "as I may have joy or bliss,  
831 **This is a long preamble of a tale!"**  
 This is a long preamble of a tale!"  
832 **And whan the Somonour herde the Frere gale,**  
 And when the Summoner heard the Friar cry out,  
833 **"Lo," quod the Somonour, "Goddes armes two!**  
 "Lo," said the Summoner, "By God's two arms!  
834 **A frere wol entremette hym everemo.**  
 A friar will always intrude himself (in others' affairs).  
835 **Lo, goode men, a flye and eek a frere**  
 Lo, good men, a fly and also a friar  
836 **Wol falle in every dyssh and eek mateere.**  
 Will fall in every dish and also every discussion.  
837 **What spekestow of preambulacioun?**  
 What speakest thou of perambulation?  
838 **What! amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun!**  
 What! amble, or trot, or keep still, or go sit down!  
839 **Thou lettest oure disport in this manere."**  
 Thou spoil our fun in this manner."

840 **"Ye, woltow so, sire Somonour?" quod the Frere;**  
 "Yes, wilt thou have it thus, sir Summoner?" said the Friar;  
841 **"Now, by my feith I shal, er that I go,**  
 "Now, by my faith I shall, before I go,  
842 **Telle of a somonour swich a tale or two**  
 Tell of a summoner such a tale or two  
843 **That alle the folk shal laughen in this place."**  
 That all the folk shall laugh in this place."

844 **"Now elles, Frere, I bishrewe thy face,"**  
 "Now otherwise, Friar, I curse thy face,"  
845 **Quod this Somonour, "and I bishrewe me,**  
 Said this Summoner, "and I curse myself,  
846 **But if I telle tales two or thre**  
 Unless I tell tales two or three  
847 **Of freres er I come to Sidyngborne**  
 Of friars before I come to Siitingbourne  
848 **That I shal make thyn herte for to morne,**  
 That I shall make thy heart to mourn,  
849 **For wel I woot thy pacience is gon."**  
 For well I know thy patience is gone."

850 **Oure Hooste cride "Pees! And that anon!"**  
 Our Host cried "Peace! And that right now!"  
851 **And seyde, "Lat the womman telle hire tale.**  
 And said, "Let the woman tell her tale.  
852 **Ye fare as folk that dronken ben of ale.**  
 You act like folk that are drunk on ale.  
853 **Do, dame, telle forth youre tale, and that is best."**  
 Do, dame, tell forth your tale, and that is best."

854 **"Al redy, sire," quod she, "right as yow lest,**  
 "All ready, sir," she said, "right as you please,  
855 **If I have licence of this worthy Frere."**  
 If I have permission of this worthy Friar."

856 **"Yis, dame," quod he, "tel forth, and I wol heere."**  
 "Yes, dame," he said, "tell forth, and I will hear."

*Heere endeth the Wyf of Bathe hir Prologe*

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**The Wife of Bath's Tale**

*Heere bigynneth the Tale of the Wyf of Bathe*

857 **In th' olde dayes of the Kyng Arthour,**  
 In the old days of King Arthur,   
858 **Of which that Britons speken greet honour,**  
 Of whom Britons speak great honor,  
859 **Al was this land fulfild of fayerye.**  
 This land was all filled full of supernatural creatures.   
860 **The elf-queene, with hir joly compaignye,**  
 The elf-queen, with her jolly company,  
861 **Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede.**  
 Danced very often in many a green mead.  
862 **This was the olde opinion, as I rede;**  
 This was the old belief, as I read;  
863 **I speke of manye hundred yeres ago.**  
 I speak of many hundred years ago.  
864 **But now kan no man se none elves mo,**  
 But now no man can see any more elves,  
865 **For now the grete charitee and prayeres**  
 For now the great charity and prayers  
866 **Of lymytours and othere hooly freres,**  
 Of licensed beggars and other holy friars,  
867 **That serchen every lond and every streem,**  
 That overrun every land and every stream,  
868 **As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem,**  
 As thick as specks of dust in the sun-beam,  
869 **Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures,**  
 Blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, bedrooms,  
870 **Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures,**  
 Cities, towns, castles, high towers,  
871 **Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes --**  
 Villages, barns, stables, dairies --  
872 **This maketh that ther ben no fayeryes.**  
 This makes it that there are no fairies.  
873 **For ther as wont to walken was an elf**  
 For where an elf was accustomed to walk   
874 **Ther walketh now the lymytour hymself**  
 There walks now the licensed begging friar himself  
875 **In undermeles and in morwenynges,**  
 In late mornings and in early mornings,  
876 **And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges**  
 And says his morning prayers and his holy things  
877 **As he gooth in his lymytacioun.**  
 As he goes in his assigned district.  
878 **Wommen may go saufly up and doun.**  
 Women may go safely up and down.  
879 **In every bussh or under every tree**  
 In every bush or under every tree  
880 **Ther is noon oother incubus but he,**  
 There is no other evil spirit but he,  
881 **And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour.**  
 And he will not do them any harm except dishonor.

882 **And so bifel that this kyng Arthour**  
 And so it happened that this king Arthur  
883 **Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler,**  
 Had in his house a lusty bachelor,  
884 **That on a day cam ridynge fro ryver,**  
 That on one day came riding from hawking,  
885 **And happed that, allone as he was born,**  
 And it happened that, alone as he was born,  
886 **He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn,**  
 He saw a maiden walking before him,  
887 **Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed,**  
 Of which maiden straightway, despite all she could do,  
888 **By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed;**  
 By utter force, he took away her maidenhead;  
889 **For which oppressioun was swich clamour**  
 For which wrong was such clamor  
890 **And swich pursute unto the kyng Arthour**  
 And such demand for justice unto king Arthur  
891 **That dampned was this knyght for to be deed,**  
 That this knight was condemned to be dead,  
892 **By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed --**  
 By course of law, and should have lost his head --  
893 **Paraventure swich was the statut tho --**  
 Perhaps such was the statute then --  
894 **But that the queene and other ladyes mo**  
 Except that the queen and other ladies as well  
895 **So longe preyeden the kyng of grace**  
 So long prayed the king for grace  
896 **Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place,**  
 Until he granted him his life right there,  
897 **And yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille,**  
 And gave him to the queen, all at her will,  
898 **To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille.**  
 To choose whether she would him save or put to death.

899 **The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght,**  
 The queen thanks the king with all her might,  
900 **And after this thus spak she to the knyght,**  
 And after this she spoke thus to the knight,  
901 **Whan that she saugh hir tyme, upon a day:**  
 When she saw her time, upon a day:  
902 **"Thou standest yet," quod she, "in swich array**  
 "Thou standest yet," she said, "in such condition,  
903 **That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee.**  
 That of thy life yet thou hast no assurance  
904 **I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me**  
 I grant thee life, if thou canst tell me  
905 **What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren.**  
 What thing it is that women most desire.  
906 **Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from iren!**  
 Beware, and keep thy neck-bone from iron (axe)!  
907 **And if thou kanst nat tellen it anon,**  
 And if thou canst not tell it right now,  
908 **Yet wol I yeve thee leve for to gon**  
 Yet I will give thee leave to go  
909 **A twelf-month and a day, to seche and leere**  
 A twelvemonth and a day, to seek to learn  
910 **An answere suffisant in this mateere;**  
 A satisfactory answer in this matter;  
911 **And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace,**  
 And I will have, before thou go, a pledge   
912 **Thy body for to yelden in this place."**  
 To surrender thy body in this place."

913 **Wo was this knyght, and sorwefully he siketh;**  
 Woe was this knight, and sorrowfully he sighs;  
914 **But what! He may nat do al as hym liketh.**  
 But what! He can not do all as he pleases.  
915 **And at the laste he chees hym for to wende**  
 And at the last he chose to leave  
916 **And come agayn, right at the yeres ende,**  
 And come again, exactly at the year's end,  
917 **With swich answere as God wolde hym purveye;**  
 With such answer as God would provide him;  
918 **And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye.**  
 And takes his leave, and goes forth on his way.

919 **He seketh every hous and every place**  
 He seeks every house and every place  
920 **Where as he hopeth for to fynde grace**  
 Where he hopes to have the luck  
921 **To lerne what thyng wommen loven moost,**  
 To learn what thing women love most,  
922 **But he ne koude arryven in no coost**  
 But he could not arrive in any region  
923 **Wher as he myghte fynde in this mateere**  
 Where he might find in this matter  
924 **Two creatures accordynge in-feere.**  
 Two creatures agreeing together.  
925 **Somme seyde wommen loven best richesse,**  
 Some said women love riches best,  
926 **Somme seyde honour, somme seyde jolynesse,**  
 Some said honor, some said gaiety,  
927 **Somme riche array, somme seyden lust abedde,**  
 Some rich clothing, some said lust in bed,  
928 **And oftetyme to be wydwe and wedde.**  
 And frequently to be widow and wedded.  
929 **Somme seyde that oure hertes been moost esed**  
 Some said that our hearts are most eased  
930 **Whan that we been yflatered and yplesed.**  
 When we are flattered and pleased.  
931 **He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye.**  
 He goes very near the truth, I will not lie.  
932 **A man shal wynne us best with flaterye,**  
 A man shall win us best with flattery,  
933 **And with attendance and with bisynesse**  
 And with attentions and with solicitude  
934 **Been we ylymed, bothe moore and lesse.**  
 We are caught, every one of us.

935 **And somme seyen that we loven best**  
 And some say that we love best  
936 **For to be free and do right as us lest,**  
 To be free and do just as we please,  
937 **And that no man repreve us of oure vice,**  
 And that no man reprove us for our vices,  
938 **But seye that we be wise and no thyng nyce.**  
 But say that we are wise and not at all silly.  
939 **For trewely ther is noon of us alle,**  
 For truly there is not one of us all,  
940 **If any wight wol clawe us on the galle,**  
 If any one will scratch us on the sore spot,   
941 **That we nel kike, for he seith us sooth.**  
 That we will not kick back, because he tells us the truth.  
942 **Assay, and he shal fynde it that so dooth;**  
 Try it, and whoever so does shall find it true;  
943 **For, be we never so vicious withinne,**  
 For, be we never so vicious within,  
944 **We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.**  
 We want to be considered wise and clean of sin.

945 **And somme seyn that greet delit han we**  
 And some say that we have great delight   
946 **For to been holden stable, and eek secree,**  
 To be considered steadfast, and also (able to keep a) secret,  
947 **And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle,**  
 And in one purpose steadfastly to remain,  
948 **And nat biwreye thyng that men us telle.**  
 And not reveal things that men tell us.  
949 **But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele.**  
 But that tale is not worth a rake handle.  
950 **Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele;**  
 By God, we women can hide nothing;  
951 **Witnesse on Myda -- wol ye heere the tale?**  
 Witness on Midas -- will you hear the tale?

952 **Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale,**  
 Ovid, among other small matters,   
953 **Seyde Myda hadde, under his longe heres,**  
 Said Midas had, under his long hair,  
954 **Growynge upon his heed two asses eres,**  
 Two ass's ears, growing upon his head,  
955 **The whiche vice he hydde as he best myghte**  
 The which vice he hid as he best could  
956 **Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte,**  
 Very skillfully from every man's sight,  
957 **That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it namo.**  
 That, except for his wife, there knew of it no others.  
958 **He loved hire moost, and trusted hire also;**  
 He loved her most, and trusted her also;  
959 **He preyede hire that to no creature**  
 He prayed her that to no creature  
960 **She sholde tellen of his disfigure.**  
 She should tell of his disfigurement.

961 **She swoor him, "Nay"; for al this world to wynne,**  
 She swore him, "Nay"; for all this world to win,  
962 **She nolde do that vileynye or synne,**  
 She would not do that dishonor or sin,  
963 **To make hir housbonde han so foul a name.**  
 To make her husband have so foul a reputation.  
964 **She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame.**  
 She would not tell it for her own shame.  
965 **But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde**  
 But nonetheless, she thought that she would die  
966 **That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde;**  
 If she should hide a secret so long;  
967 **Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte**  
 She thought it swelled so sore about her heart  
968 **That nedely som word hire moste asterte;**  
 That necessarily some word must escape her;  
969 **And sith she dorste telle it to no man,**  
 And since she dared tell it to no man,  
970 **Doun to a mareys faste by she ran --**  
 She ran down to a marsh close by --  
971 **Til she cam there hir herte was afyre --**  
 Until she came there her heart was afire --  
972 **And as a bitore bombleth in the myre,**  
 And as a bittern bumbles in the mire,  
973 **She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun:**  
 She laid her mouth down unto the water:  
974 **"Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun,"**  
 "Betray me not, thou water, with thy sound,"  
975 **Quod she; "to thee I telle it and namo;**  
 She said; "to thee I tell it and no others;  
976 **Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two!**  
 My husband has two long asses ears!  
977 **Now is myn herte al hool; now is it oute.**  
 Now is my heart all whole; now is it out.  
978 **I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute."**  
 I could no longer keep it, without doubt."  
979 **Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde,**  
 Here you may see, though we a time abide,  
980 **Yet out it moot; we kan no conseil hyde.**  
 Yet out it must come; we can hide no secret.  
981 **The remenant of the tale if ye wol heere,**  
 The remnant of the tale if you will hear,  
982 **Redeth Ovyde, and ther ye may it leere.**  
 Read Ovid, and there you may learn it.

983 **This knyght, of which my tale is specially,**  
 This knight, of whom my tale is in particular,  
984 **Whan that he saugh he myghte nat come therby --**  
 When he saw he might not come to that --  
985 **This is to seye, what wommen love moost --**  
 This is to say, what women love most --  
986 **Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost.**  
 Within his breast very sorrowful was the spirit.  
987 **But hoom he gooth; he myghte nat sojourne;**  
 But home he goes; he could not linger;  
988 **The day was come that homward moste he tourne.**  
 The day was come that homeward he must turn.  
989 **And in his wey it happed hym to ryde,**  
 And in his way he happened to ride,  
990 **In al this care, under a forest syde,**  
 In all this care, near a forest side,  
991 **Wher as he saugh upon a daunce go**  
 Where he saw upon a dance go  
992 **Of ladyes foure and twenty, and yet mo;**  
 Ladies four and twenty, and yet more;  
993 **Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,**  
 Toward the which dance he drew very eagerly,  
994 **In hope that som wysdom sholde he lerne.**  
 In hope that he should learn some wisdom.  
995 **But certeinly, er he cam fully there,**  
 But certainly, before he came fully there,  
996 **Vanysshed was this daunce, he nyste where.**  
 Vanished was this dance, he knew not where.  
997 **No creature saugh he that bar lyf,**  
 He saw no creature that bore life,  
998 **Save on the grene he saugh sittynge a wyf --**  
 Save on the green he saw sitting a woman --  
999 **A fouler wight ther may no man devyse.**  
 There can no man imagine an uglier creature.  
1000 **Agayn the knyght this olde wyf gan ryse,**  
 At the knight's coming this old wife did rise,  
1001 **And seyde, "Sire knyght, heer forth ne lith no wey.**  
 And said, "Sir knight, there lies no road out of here.  
1002 **Tel me what that ye seken, by youre fey!**  
 Tell me what you seek, by your faith!  
1003 **Paraventure it may the bettre be;**  
 Perhaps it may be the better;  
1004 **Thise olde folk kan muchel thyng," quod she.**  
 These old folk know many things," she said.

1005 **"My leeve mooder," quod this knyght, "certeyn**  
 "My dear mother," said this knight, "certainly  
1006 **I nam but deed but if that I kan seyn**  
 I am as good as dead unless I can say  
1007 **What thyng it is that wommen moost desire.**  
 What thing it is that women most desire.  
1008 **Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire."**  
 If you could teach me, I would well repay you."

1009 **"Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand," quod she,**  
 "Pledge me thy word here in my hand," she said,  
1010 **"The nexte thyng that I requere thee,**  
 "The next thing that I require of thee,  
1011 **Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght,**  
 Thou shalt do it, if it lies in thy power,  
1012 **And I wol telle it yow er it be nyght."**  
 And I will tell it to you before it is night."

1013 **"Have heer my trouthe," quod the knyght, "I grante."**  
 "Have here my pledged word," said the knight, "I agree."  
1014 **"Thanne," quod she, "I dar me wel avante**  
 "Then," she said, "I dare me well boast  
1015 **Thy lyf is sauf, for I wol stonde therby;**  
 Thy life is safe, for I will stand thereby;  
1016 **Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I.**  
 Upon my life, the queen will say as I.  
1017 **Lat se which is the proudeste of hem alle**  
 Let's see which is the proudest of them all  
1018 **That wereth on a coverchief or a calle**  
 That wears a kerchief or a hairnet  
1019 **That dar seye nay of that I shal thee teche.**  
 That dares say `nay' of what I shall teach thee.  
1020 **Lat us go forth withouten lenger speche."**  
 Let us go forth without longer speech."  
1021 **Tho rowned she a pistel in his ere,**  
 Then she whispered a message in his ear,  
1022 **And bad hym to be glad and have no fere.**  
 And commanded him to be glad and have no fear.  
1023 **Whan they be comen to the court, this knyght**  
 When they are come to the court, this knight  
1024 **Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde hight,**  
 Said he had held his day, as he had promised,  
1025 **And redy was his answere, as he sayde.**  
 And his answer was ready, as he said.  
1026 **Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde,**  
 Very many a noble wife, and many a maid,  
1027 **And many a wydwe, for that they been wise,**  
 And many a widow, because they are wise,  
1028 **The queene hirself sittynge as a justise,**  
 The queen herself sitting as a justice,  
1029 **Assembled been, his answere for to heere;**  
 Are assembled, to hear his answer;  
1030 **And afterward this knyght was bode appeere.**  
 And afterward this knight was commanded to appear.

1031 **To every wight comanded was silence,**  
 Silence was commanded to every person,  
1032 **And that the knyght sholde telle in audience**  
 And that the knight should tell in open court  
1033 **What thyng that worldly wommen loven best.**  
 What thing (it is) that worldly women love best.  
1034 **This knyght ne stood nat stille as doth a best,**  
 This knight stood not silent as does a beast,  
1035 **But to his questioun anon answerde**  
 But to his question straightway answered  
1036 **With manly voys, that al the court it herde:**  
 With manly voice, so that all the court heard it:

1037 **"My lige lady, generally," quod he,**  
 "My liege lady, without exception," he said,  
1038 **"Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee**  
 "Women desire to have sovereignty  
1039 **As wel over hir housbond as hir love,**  
 As well over her husband as her love,  
1040 **And for to been in maistrie hym above.**  
 And to be in mastery above him.  
1041 **This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille.**  
 This is your greatest desire, though you kill me.  
1042 **Dooth as yow list; I am heer at youre wille."**  
 Do as you please; I am here subject to your will."  
1043 **In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde,**  
 In all the court there was not wife, nor maid,  
1044 **Ne wydwe that contraried that he sayde,**  
 Nor widow that denied what he said,  
1045 **But seyden he was worthy han his lyf.**  
 But said that he was worthy to have his life.  
1046 **And with that word up stirte the olde wyf,**  
 And with that word up sprang the old woman,  
1047 **Which that the knyght saugh sittynge on the grene:**  
 Whom the knight saw sitting on the green:  
1048 **"Mercy," quod she, "my sovereyn lady queene!**  
 "Mercy," she said, "my sovereign lady queen!  
1049 **Er that youre court departe, do me right.**  
 Before your court departs, do me justice.  
1050 **I taughte this answere unto the knyght;**  
 I taught this answer to the knight;  
1051 **For which he plighte me his trouthe there,**  
 For which he pledged me his word there,  
1052 **The firste thyng that I wolde hym requere**  
 The first thing that I would ask of him  
1053 **He wolde it do, if it lay in his myghte.**  
 He would do, if it lay in his power.  
1054 **Bifore the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght,"**  
 Before the court then I pray thee, sir knight,"  
1055 **Quod she, "that thou me take unto thy wyf,**  
 Said she, "that thou take me as thy wife,  
1056 **For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf.**  
 For well thou know that I have saved thy life.  
1057 **If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy fey!"**  
 If I say false, say `nay', upon thy faith!"

1058 **This knyght answerde, "Allas and weylawey!**  
 This knight answered, "Alas and woe is me!  
1059 **I woot right wel that swich was my biheste.**  
 I know right well that such was my promise.  
1060 **For Goddes love, as chees a newe requeste!**  
 For God's love, choose a new request!  
1061 **Taak al my good and lat my body go."**  
 Take all my goods and let my body go."

1062 **"Nay, thanne," quod she, "I shrewe us bothe two!**  
 "Nay, then," she said, "I curse both of us two!  
1063 **For thogh that I be foul, and oold, and poore**  
 For though I am ugly, and old, and poor  
1064 **I nolde for al the metal, ne for oore**  
 I would not for all the metal, nor for ore  
1065 **That under erthe is grave or lith above,**  
 That under earth is buried or lies above,  
1066 **But if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love."**  
 Have anything except that I were thy wife, and also thy love."

1067 **"My love?" quod he, "nay, my dampnacioun!**  
 "My love?" he said, "nay, my damnation!  
1068 **Allas, that any of my nacioun**  
 Alas, that any of my family  
1069 **Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!"**  
 Should ever be so foully degraded!"  
1070 **But al for noght; the ende is this, that he**  
 But all for naught; the end is this, that he  
1071 **Constreyned was; he nedes moste hire wedde,**  
 Constrained was; he must by necessity wed her,  
1072 **And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde.**  
 And takes his old wife, and goes to bed.

1073 **Now wolden som men seye, paraventure,**  
 Now would some men say, perhaps,  
1074 **That for my necligence I do no cure**  
 That because of my negligence I make no effort  
1075 **To tellen yow the joye and al th' array**  
 To tell you the joy and all the rich display  
1076 **That at the feeste was that ilke day.**  
 That was at the (wedding) feast that same day.  
1077 **To which thyng shortly answeren I shal:**  
 To which thing shortly I shall answer:  
1078 **I seye ther nas no joye ne feeste at al;**  
 I say there was no joy nor feast at all;  
1079 **Ther nas but hevynesse and muche sorwe.**  
 There was nothing but heaviness and much sorrow.  
1080 **For prively he wedded hire on morwe,**  
 For he wedded her in private in the morning,  
1081 **And al day after hidde hym as an owle,**  
 And all day after hid himself like an owl,  
1082 **So wo was hym, his wyf looked so foule.**  
 So woeful was he, his wife looked so ugly.

1083 **Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght,**  
 Great was the woe the knight had in his thought,  
1084 **Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght;**  
 When he was brought to bed with his wife;  
1085 **He walweth and he turneth to and fro.**  
 He wallows and he turns to and fro.  
1086 **His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo,**  
 His old wife lay smiling evermore,  
1087 **And seyde, "O deere housbonde, benedicitee!**  
 And said, "O dear husband, bless me!  
1088 **Fareth every knyght thus with his wyf as ye?**  
 Does every knight behave thus with his wife as you do?  
1089 **Is this the lawe of kyng Arthures hous?**  
 Is this the law of king Arthur's house?  
1090 **Is every knyght of his so dangerous?**  
 Is every knight of his so aloof?  
1091 **I am youre owene love and youre wyf;**  
 I am your own love and your wife;  
1092 **I am she which that saved hath youre lyf,**  
 I am she who has saved your life,  
1093 **And, certes, yet ne dide I yow nevere unright;**  
 And, certainly, I did you never wrong yet;  
1094 **Why fare ye thus with me this firste nyght?**  
 Why behave you thus with me this first night?  
1095 **Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit.**  
 You act like a man who had lost his wit.  
1096 **What is my gilt? For Goddes love, tel it,**  
 What is my offense? For God's love, tell it,  
1097 **And it shal been amended, if I may."**  
 And it shall be amended, if I can."

1098 **"Amended?" quod this knyght, "Allas, nay, nay!**  
 "Amended?" said this knight, "Alas, nay, nay!  
1099 **It wol nat been amended nevere mo.**  
 It will not be amended ever more.  
1100 **Thou art so loothly, and so oold also,**  
 Thou art so loathsome, and so old also,  
1101 **And therto comen of so lough a kynde,**  
 And moreover descended from such low born lineage,  
1102 **That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and wynde.**  
 That little wonder is though I toss and twist about.  
1103 **So wolde God myn herte wolde breste!"**  
 So would God my heart would burst!"

1104 **"Is this," quod she, "the cause of youre unreste?"**  
 "Is this," she said, "the cause of your distress?"

1105 **"Ye, certeinly," quod he, "no wonder is."**  
 "Yes, certainly," he said, "it is no wonder."

1106 **"Now, sire," quod she, "I koude amende al this,**  
 "Now, sir," she said, "I could amend all this,  
1107 **If that me liste, er it were dayes thre,**  
 If I pleased, before three days were past,  
1108 **So wel ye myghte bere yow unto me.**  
 Providing that you might behave well towards me.

1109 **"But, for ye speken of swich gentillesse**  
 "But, since you speak of such nobility  
1110 **As is descended out of old richesse,**  
 As is descended out of old riches,  
1111 **That therfore sholden ye be gentil men,**  
 That therefore you should be noble men,  
1112 **Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen.**  
 Such arrogance is not worth a hen.  
1113 **Looke who that is moost vertuous alway,**  
 Look who is most virtuous always,  
1114 **Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay**  
 In private and public, and most intends ever  
1115 **To do the gentil dedes that he kan;**  
 To do the noble deeds that he can;  
1116 **Taak hym for the grettest gentil man.**  
 Take him for the greatest noble man.  
1117 **Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse,**  
 Christ wants us to claim our nobility from him,  
1118 **Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse.**  
 Not from our ancestors for their old riches.  
1119 **For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage,**  
 For though they give us all their heritage,  
1120 **For which we clayme to been of heigh parage,**  
 For which we claim to be of noble lineage,  
1121 **Yet may they nat biquethe for no thyng**  
 Yet they can not bequeath by any means  
1122 **To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng,**  
 To any of us their virtuous living,  
1123 **That made hem gentil men ycalled be,**  
 That made them be called noble men,  
1124 **And bad us folwen hem in swich degree.**  
 And commanded us to follow them in such matters.

1125 **"Wel kan the wise poete of Florence,**  
 "Well can the wise poet of Florence,  
1126 **That highte Dant, speken in this sentence.**  
 Who is called Dante, speak on this matter.  
1127 **Lo, in swich maner rym is Dantes tale:**  
 Lo, in such sort of rime is Dante's speech:  
1128 **`Ful selde up riseth by his branches smale**  
 `Very seldom grows up from its small branches  
1129 **Prowesse of man, for God, of his goodnesse,**  
 Nobility of man, for God, of his goodness,  
1130 **Wole that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse';**  
 Wants us to claim our nobility from him';  
1131 **For of oure eldres may we no thyng clayme**  
 For from our ancestors we can claim no thing   
1132 **But temporel thyng, that man may hurte and mayme.**  
 Except temporal things, that may hurt and injure a man.

1133 **"Eek every wight woot this as wel as I,**  
 "Also every person knows this as well as I,  
1134 **If gentillesse were planted natureelly**  
 If nobility were planted naturally  
1135 **Unto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne,**  
 Unto a certain lineage down the line,  
1136 **Pryvee and apert thanne wolde they nevere fyne**  
 Then in private and in public they would never cease  
1137 **To doon of gentillesse the faire office;**  
 To do the just duties of nobility;  
1138 **They myghte do no vileynye or vice.**  
 They could do no dishonor or vice.

1139 **"Taak fyr and ber it in the derkeste hous**  
 "Take fire and bear it in the darkest house  
1140 **Bitwix this and the mount of Kaukasous,**  
 Between this and the mount of Caucasus,  
1141 **And lat men shette the dores and go thenne;**  
 And let men shut the doors and go away;  
1142 **Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne**  
 Yet will the fire as brightly blaze and burn   
1143 **As twenty thousand men myghte it biholde;**  
 As if twenty thousand men might it behold;  
1144 **His office natureel ay wol it holde,**  
 Its natural function it will always hold,  
1145 **Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye.**  
 On peril of my life (I say), until it dies.

1146 **"Heere may ye se wel how that genterye**  
 "Here may you see well that nobility  
1147 **Is nat annexed to possessioun,**  
 Is not joined with possession,  
1148 **Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun**  
 Since folk not do behave as they should  
1149 **Alwey, as dooth the fyr, lo, in his kynde.**  
 Always, as does the fire, lo, in its nature.  
1150 **For, God it woot, men may wel often fynde**  
 For, God knows it, men may well often find  
1151 **A lordes sone do shame and vileynye;**  
 A lord's son doing shame and dishonor;  
1152 **And he that wole han pris of his gentrye,**  
 And he who will have praise for his noble birth,  
1153 **For he was boren of a gentil hous**  
 Because he was born of a noble house  
1154 **And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous,**  
 And had his noble and virtuous ancestors,  
1155 **And nel hymselven do no gentil dedis**  
 And will not himself do any noble deeds  
1156 **Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is,**  
 Nor follow his noble ancestry that is dead,  
1157 **He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl,**  
 He is not noble, be he duke or earl,  
1158 **For vileyns synful dedes make a cherl.**  
 For churlish sinful deeds make a churl.  
1159 **For gentillesse nys but renomee**  
 For nobility is nothing but renown  
1160 **Of thyne auncestres, for hire heigh bountee,**  
 Of thy ancestors, for their great goodness,  
1161 **Which is a strange thyng to thy persone.**  
 Which is a thing not naturally part of thy person.  
1162 **Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone.**  
 Thy nobility comes from God alone.  
1163 **Thanne comth oure verray gentillesse of grace;**  
 Then our true nobility comes from grace ;  
1164 **It was no thyng biquethe us with oure place.**  
 It was not at all bequeathed to us with our social rank.

1165 **"Thenketh hou noble, as seith Valerius,**  
 "Think how noble, as says Valerius,  
1166 **Was thilke Tullius Hostillius,**  
 Was that same Tullius Hostillius,  
1167 **That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse.**  
 That out of poverty rose to high nobility.  
1168 **Reedeth Senek, and redeth eek Boece;**  
 Read Seneca, and read also Boethius;  
1169 **Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is**  
 There shall you see clearly that it is no doubt  
1170 **That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis.**  
 That he is noble who does noble deeds.  
1171 **And therfore, leeve housbonde, I thus conclude:**  
 And therefore, dear husband, I thus conclude:  
1172 **Al were it that myne auncestres were rude,**  
 Although it is so that my ancestors were rude,  
1173 **Yet may the hye God, and so hope I,**  
 Yet may the high God, and so hope I,  
1174 **Grante me grace to lyven vertuously.**  
 Grant me grace to live virtuously.  
1175 **Thanne am I gentil, whan that I bigynne**  
 Then am I noble, when I begin  
1176 **To lyven vertuously and weyve synne.**  
 To live virtuously and abandon sin.

1177 **"And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve,**  
 "And whereas you reprove me for poverty,  
1178 **The hye God, on whom that we bileeve,**  
 The high God, on whom we believe,  
1179 **In wilful poverte chees to lyve his lyf.**  
 In voluntary poverty chose to live his life.  
1180 **And certes every man, mayden, or wyf**  
 And certainly every man, maiden, or woman  
1181 **May understonde that Jhesus, hevene kyng,**  
 Can understand that Jesus, heaven's king,  
1182 **Ne wolde nat chese a vicious lyvyng.**  
 Would not choose a vicious form of living.  
1183 **Glad poverte is an honest thyng, certeyn;**  
 Glad poverty is an honest thing, certain;  
1184 **This wole Senec and othere clerkes seyn.**  
 This will Seneca and other clerks say.  
1185 **Whoso that halt hym payd of his poverte,**  
 Whoever considers himself satisfied with his poverty,  
1186 **I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte.**  
 I consider him rich, although he had not a shirt.  
1187 **He that coveiteth is a povre wight,**  
 He who covets is a poor person,  
1188 **For he wolde han that is nat in his myght;**  
 For he would have that which is not in his power;  
1189 **But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have,**  
 But he who has nothing, nor covets to have anything,  
1190 **Is riche, although ye holde hym but a knave.**  
 Is rich, although you consider him but a knave.  
1191 **Verray poverte, it syngeth proprely;**  
 True poverty, it rightly sings;   
1192 **Juvenal seith of poverte myrily:**  
 Juvenal says of poverty merrily:  
1193 **`The povre man, whan he goth by the weye,**  
 `The poor man, when he goes along the roadway,  
1194 **Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.'**  
 Before the thieves he may sing and play.'  
1195 **Poverte is hateful good and, as I gesse,**  
 Poverty is a hateful good and, as I guess,  
1196 **A ful greet bryngere out of bisynesse;**  
 A very great remover of cares;  
1197 **A greet amendere eek of sapience**  
 A great amender also of wisdom  
1198 **To hym that taketh it in pacience.**  
 To him that takes it in patience.  
1199 **Poverte is this, although it seme alenge:**  
 Poverty is this, although it may seem miserable:  
1200 **Possessioun that no wight wol chalenge.**  
 A possession that no one will challenge.  
1201 **Poverte ful ofte, whan a man is lowe,**  
 Poverty very often, when a man is low,  
1202 **Maketh his God and eek hymself to knowe.**  
 Makes him know his God and also himself.  
1203 **Poverte a spectacle is, as thynketh me,**  
 Poverty is an eye glass, as it seems to me,  
1204 **Thurgh which he may his verray freendes see.**  
 Through which one may see his true friends.  
1205 **And therfore, sire, syn that I noght yow greve,**  
 And therefore, sir, since I do not injure you,  
1206 **Of my poverte namoore ye me repreve.**  
 You (should) no longer reprove me for my poverty.

1207 **"Now, sire, of elde ye repreve me;**  
 "Now, sir, of old age you reprove me;  
1208 **And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee**  
 And certainly, sir, though no authority  
1209 **Were in no book, ye gentils of honour**  
 Were in any book, you gentlefolk of honor  
1210 **Seyn that men sholde an oold wight doon favour**  
 Say that men should be courteous to an old person  
1211 **And clepe hym fader, for youre gentillesse;**  
 And call him father, because of your nobility;  
1212 **And auctours shal I fynden, as I gesse.**  
 And authors shall I find, as I guess.

1213 **"Now ther ye seye that I am foul and old,**  
 "Now where you say that I am ugly and old,  
1214 **Than drede you noght to been a cokewold;**  
 Than do not fear to be a cuckold;  
1215 **For filthe and eelde, also moot I thee,**  
 For filth and old age, as I may prosper,  
1216 **Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee.**  
 Are great guardians of chastity.  
1217 **But nathelees, syn I knowe youre delit,**  
 But nonetheless, since I know your delight,  
1218 **I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit.**  
 I shall fulfill your worldly appetite.

1219 **"Chese now," quod she, "oon of thise thynges tweye:**  
 "Choose now," she said, "one of these two things:  
1220 **To han me foul and old til that I deye,**  
 To have me ugly and old until I die,  
1221 **And be to yow a trewe, humble wyf,**  
 And be to you a true, humble wife,  
1222 **And nevere yow displese in al my lyf,**  
 And never displease you in all my life,  
1223 **Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,**  
 Or else you will have me young and fair,  
1224 **And take youre aventure of the repair**  
 And take your chances of the crowd  
1225 **That shal be to youre hous by cause of me,**  
 That shall be at your house because of me,  
1226 **Or in som oother place, may wel be.**  
 Or in some other place, as it may well be.  
1227 **Now chese yourselven, wheither that yow liketh."**  
 Now choose yourself, whichever you please."

1228 **This knyght avyseth hym and sore siketh,**  
 This knight deliberates and painfully sighs,  
1229 **But atte laste he seyde in this manere:**  
 But at the last he said in this manner:  
1230 **"My lady and my love, and wyf so deere,**  
 "My lady and my love, and wife so dear,  
1231 **I put me in youre wise governance;**  
 I put me in your wise governance;  
1232 **Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance**  
 Choose yourself which may be most pleasure  
1233 **And moost honour to yow and me also.**  
 And most honor to you and me also.  
1234 **I do no fors the wheither of the two,**  
 I do not care which of the two,  
1235 **For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me."**  
 For as it pleases you, is enough for me."

1236 **"Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie," quod she,**  
 "Then have I gotten mastery of you," she said,  
1237 **"Syn I may chese and governe as me lest?"**  
 "Since I may choose and govern as I please?"

1238 **"Ye, certes, wyf," quod he, "I holde it best."**  
 "Yes, certainly, wife," he said, "I consider it best."

1239 **"Kys me," quod she, "we be no lenger wrothe,**  
 "Kiss me," she said, "we are no longer angry,  
1240 **For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe --**  
 For, by my troth, I will be to you both --  
1241 **This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good.**  
 This is to say, yes, both fair and good.  
1242 **I prey to God that I moote sterven wood,**  
 I pray to God that I may die insane  
1243 **But I to yow be also good and trewe**  
 Unless I to you be as good and true  
1244 **As evere was wyf, syn that the world was newe.**  
 As ever was wife, since the world was new.  
1245 **And but I be to-morn as fair to seene**  
 And unless I am tomorrow morning as fair to be seen  
1246 **As any lady, emperice, or queene,**  
 As any lady, empress, or queen,  
1247 **That is bitwixe the est and eke the west,**  
 That is between the east and also the west,  
1248 **Dooth with my lyf and deth right as yow lest.**  
 Do with my life and death right as you please.  
1249 **Cast up the curtyn, looke how that it is."**  
 Cast up the curtain, look how it is."

1250 **And whan the knyght saugh verraily al this,**  
 And when the knight saw truly all this,  
1251 **That she so fair was, and so yong therto,**  
 That she so was beautiful, and so young moreover,  
1252 **For joye he hente hire in his armes two.**  
 For joy he clasped her in his two arms.  
1253 **His herte bathed in a bath of blisse.**  
 His heart bathed in a bath of bliss.  
1254 **A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hire kisse,**  
 A thousand time in a row he did her kiss,  
1255 **And she obeyed hym in every thyng**  
 And she obeyed him in every thing  
1256 **That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng.**  
 That might do him pleasure or enjoyment.

1257 **And thus they lyve unto hir lyves ende**  
 And thus they live unto their lives' end  
1258 **In parfit joye; and Jhesu Crist us sende**  
 In perfect joy; and Jesus Christ us send  
1259 **Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde,**  
 Husbands meek, young, and vigorous in bed,  
1260 **And grace t' overbyde hem that we wedde;**  
 And grace to outlive them whom we wed;  
1261 **And eek I praye Jhesu shorte hir lyves**  
 And also I pray Jesus shorten their lives  
1262 **That noght wol be governed by hir wyves;**  
 That will not be governed by their wives;  
1263 **And olde and angry nygardes of dispence,**  
 And old and angry misers in spending,  
1264 **God sende hem soone verray pestilence!**  
 God send them soon the very pestilence!

*Heere endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe*