Test your reading of the Wife of Bath's Tale (Lines 857-1264)

Translate each of bold-faced words in the following lines into clear modern English (it is best to write out your translation):

867 That serchen every lond and every streem,

878 Wommen may go saufly up and doun.

887 Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed,

898 To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille.

909 A twelf-month and a day, to seche and leere

911 And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace,

922 But he ne koude arryven in no coost

941 That we nel kike, for he seith us sooth.

944 We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.

950 Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele;

965 But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde

970 Doun to a mareys faste by she ran --

989 And in his wey it happed hym to ryde,

999 A fouler wight ther may no man devyse.

1030 And afterward this knyght was bode appeere.

1059 I woot right wel that swich was my biheste.

1069 Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!"

1120 For which we clayme to been of heigh parage,

1136 Pryvee and apert thanne wolde they nevere fyne

1142 Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne

1152 And he that wole han pris of his gentrye,

1161 Which is a strange thyng to thy persone.

1189 But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have,

1209 Were in no book, ye gentils of honour

1216 Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee.

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