| "Experience, though noon auctoritee |
| Were in this world, were right ynogh to me |
| To speke of wo that is in mariage; |
| For, lordynges, sith I twelf yeer was of age,— |
| 5 | Y-thonked be God, that is eterne on lyve! |
| Housbondes at chirchė dore I have had fyve; |
| For I so oftė have y-wedded bee; |
| And alle were worthy men in hir degree. |
| But me was toold certeyn, nat longe agoon is, |
| 10 | That sith that Crist ne wente never but onis |
| To weddyng, in the Cane of Galilee, |
| Bý the same ensample taughte he me |
| That I ne sholdė wedded be but ones. |
| Herkne, eek, which a sharp word for the nones, |
| 15 | Biside a wellė Jhesus, God and man, |
| Spak in repreeve of the Samaritan: |
| "Thou hast y-had fyve housbondes," quod he, |
| "And that ilk man that hath now thee |
| Is noght thyn housbonde"; thus seyde he certeyn. |
| 20 | What that he mente therby, I kan nat seyn; |
| But that I axė, why the fifthė man |
| Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan? |
| How manye myghte she have in mariage? |
| Yet herde I never tellen, in myn age, |
| 25 | Upon this nombrė diffinicioun. |
| Men may devyne, and glosen up and doun, |
| But wel I woot, expres, withoutė lye, |
| God bad us for to wexe and multiplye; |
| That gentil text kan I wel understonde. |
| 30 | Eek, wel I woot, he seydė myn housbonde |
| Sholde letė fader and mooder, and takė me. |
| But of no nombrė mencioun made he, |
| Of bigamye, or of octogamye; |
| Why sholdė men speke of it vileynye. |
| 35 | Lo, heere the wisė kyng, daun Salomon; |
| I trowe he haddė wyves mo than oon; |
| As, wolde God, it leveful were to me |
| To be refresshėd half so ofte as he! |
| Which yifte of God hadde he for alle his wyvys! |
| 40 | No man hath swich that in this world alyve is. |
| God woot, this noble kyng, as to my wit, |
| The firstė nyght had many a myrie fit |
| With ech of hem, so wel was hym on lyve. |
| Y-blessed be God, that I have wedded fyve! |
| 45 | Welcome the sixtė, whan that ever he shal, |
| For sothe I wol nat kepe me chaast in al. |
| Whan myn housbonde is fro the world y-gon, |
| Som Cristen man shal weddė me anon; |
| For thanne, thapostle seïth, I am free |
| 50 | To wedde, a Goddes half, where it liketh me. |
| He seïth to be wedded is no synne; |
| "Bét is to be wedded than to brynne." |
| What rekketh me thogh folk seye vileynye |
| Of shrewėd Lameth, and his bigamye? |
| 55 | I woot wel Abraham was an hooly man, |
| And Jacob eek, as ferforth as I kan, |
| And ech of hem hadde wyvės mo than two, |
| And many another holy man also. |
| Whanne saugh ye ever in any manere age |
| 60 | That hyė God defended mariage |
| By expres word? I pray yow telleth me; |
| Or where comanded he virginitee? |
| I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede, |
| Thapostel whan he speketh of maydenhede, |
| 65 | He seyde that precept ther-of hadde he noon. |
| Men may conseille a womman to been oon, |
| But conseillyng is no comandėment. |
| He putte it in oure owene juggėment; |
| For haddė God comanded maydenhede |
| 70 | Thanne hadde he dampnėd weddyng with the dede; |
| And certein, if ther were no seed y-sowe, |
| Virginitee, wher-of thanne sholde it growe? |
| Poul dorste nat comanden, attė leeste, |
| A thyng of which his maister yaf noon heeste. |
| 75 | The dart is set up for virginitee, |
| Cacche who so may, who renneth best lat see! |
| But this word is nat taken of every wight, |
| But ther as God lust yive it of his myght. |
| I woot wel that the Apostel was a mayde, |
| 80 | But nathėlees, thogh that he wroot and sayde |
| He wolde that every wight were swich as he, |
| Al nys but conseil to virginitee; |
| And for to been a wyf he yaf me leve |
| Of índulgence; so it is no repreve |
| 85 | To weddė me, if that my makė dye, |
| Withouten excepcioun of bigamye, |
| Al were it good no womman for to touche,— |
| He mente as in his bed or in his couche; |
| For peril is bothe fyr and tow tassemble; |
| 90 | Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble. |
| This is al and som, he heeld virginitee |
| Moore profiteth than weddyng in freletee; |
| Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she |
| Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee. |
| 95 | I graunte it wel I havė noon envie |
| Thogh maydenhede preferrė bigamye: |
| Hem liketh to be clenė, body and goost. |
| Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost, |
| For wel ye knowe a lord in his houshold |
| 100 | He nath nat every vessel al of gold; |
| Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse. |
| God clepeth folk to hym in sondry wyse, |
| And everich hath of God a propre yifte, |
| Som this, som that, as hym liketh to shifte. |
| 105 | Virginitee is greet perfeccioun, |
| And continence eek, with devocioun; |
| But Crist, that of perfeccioun is welle, |
| Bád nat every wight sholdė go selle |
| All that he hadde and yive it to the poore, |
| 110 | And in swich wisė folwe hym and his foore. |
| He spak to hem that wolde lyve parfitly, |
| And, lordynges, by youre leve, that am nat I. |
| I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age |
| In the actės and in fruyt of mariage. |
| 115 | Telle me also, to what conclusioun |
| Were membres maad of generacioun, |
| And for what profit was a wight y-wroght? |
| Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght. |
| Glose who so wole, and seye bothe up and doun, |
| 120 | That they were makyd for purgacioun |
| Of uryne, and oure bothė thyngės smale |
| Were eek to knowe a femele from a male, |
| And for noon oother causė,—sey ye no? |
| The experience woot wel it is noght so; |
| 125 | So that the clerkės be nat with me wrothe, |
| I sey this, that they beth maked for bothe; |
| This is to seye, for office, and for ese |
| Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese. |
| Why sholde men ellės in hir bookės sette |
| 130 | That man shal yeldė to his wyf hire dette? |
| Now wher-with sholde he make his paiėment, |
| If he ne used his sely instrument? |
| Thanne were they maad upon a creäture, |
| To purge uryne and eek for engendrure. |
| 135 | But I seye noght that every wight is holde, |
| That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde, |
| To goon and usen hem in engendrure,— |
| Thanne shuld men take of chastitee no cure. |
| Crist was a mayde and shapen as a man, |
| 140 | And many a seint sith that the world bigan; |
| Yet lyved they ever in parfit chastitee. |
| I nyl nat envye no virginitee; |
| Lat hem be breed of purėd whetė seed, |
| And lat us wyvės hoten barly breed |
| 145 | And yet with barly breed Mark tellė kan, |
| Oure Lord Jhesu refresshėd many a man. |
| In swich estaat as God hath clepėd us, |
| I wol persévere, I nam nat precius; |
| In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument |
| 150 | As frely as my Makere hath it sent. |
| If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe; |
| Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe, |
| Whan that hym list com forth and paye his dette. |
| An housbonde I wol have, I nyl nat lette, |
| 155 | Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral, |
| And have his tribulacioun withal |
| Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf. |
| I have the power, durynge al my lyf, |
| Upon his proprė body, and noght he. |
| 160 | Right thus the Apostel tolde it unto me, |
| And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel; |
| Al this sentence me liketh every deel." |
| Up stirte the Pardoner, and that anon; |
| "Now, dame," quod he, "by God and by Seint John! |
| 165 | Ye been a noble prechour in this cas. |
| I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas! |
| What, sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere? |
| Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!" |
| "Abyde," quod she, "my tale is nat bigonne. |
| 170 | Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne |
| Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale; |
| And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale |
| Of tribulacioun in mariage, |
| Of which I am expert in al myn age,— |
| 175 | This is to seyn, my self have been the whippe,— |
| Than maystow chesė wheither thou wolt sippe |
| Of thilkė tonnė that I shal abroche. |
| Be war of it, er thou to ny approche, |
| For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten, |
| 180 | "Whoso that nyl be war by othere men, |
| By hym shul othere men corrected be"; |
| The samė wordes writeth Ptholomee; |
| Rede in his Almageste, and take it there." |
| "Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were," |
| 185 | Seydė this Pardoner, "as ye bigan |
| Telle forth youre talė, spareth for no man, |
| And teche us yongė men of youre praktike." |
| "Gládly, sirės, sith it may yow like; |
| But yet I praye to al this compaignye, |
| 190 | If that I speke after my fantasye, |
| As taketh not agrief of that I seye, |
| For myn entente is nought but for to pleye. |
| Now, sire, now wol I tellė forth my tale. |
| As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale, |
| 195 | I shal seye sooth, of housbondes that I hadde, |
| As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde. |
| The thre were goodė men and riche, and olde; |
| Unnethė myghtė they the statut holde |
| In which that they were bounden unto me; |
| 200 | Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee! |
| As help me God, I laughė whan I thynke |
| How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke! |
| And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor; |
| They had me yiven hir lond and hir tresoor, |
| 205 | Me neded nat do lenger diligence |
| To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence; |
| They lovėd me so wel, by God above, |
| That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love! |
| A wys womman wol sette hire, ever in oon, |
| 210 | To gete hire lovė ther as she hath noon; |
| But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond, |
| And sith they hadde me yeven al hir lond, |
| What sholde I taken heede hem for to plese, |
| But it were for my profit and myn ese? |
| 215 | I sette hem so a werkė, by my fey, |
| That many a nyght they songen "weilawey!" |
| The bacoun was nat fet for hem, I trowe, |
| That som men han in Essexe at Dunmowe. |
| I governed hem so wel after my lawe, |
| 220 | That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe |
| To brynge me gayė thynges fro the fayre; |
| They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire, |
| For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously. |
| Now herkneth how I baar me proprely, |
| 225 | Ye wisė wyvės that kan understonde. |
| Thus shul ye speke, and beren hem on honde; |
| For half so boldėly kan ther no man |
| Swerė and lyė as a womman kan. |
| I sey nat this by wyvės that been wyse, |
| 230 | But if it be whan they hem mysavyse. |
| I-wis a wyf, if that she kan hir good, |
| Shal berė hym on hond the cow is wood, |
| And takė witnesse of hir owene mayde |
| Of hir assent; but herkneth how I sayde. |
| 235 | "Sire olde kaynard, is this thyn array? |
| Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? |
| She is honoured overal ther she gooth; |
| I sitte at hoom; I have no thrifty clooth. |
| What dostow at my neighebores hous? |
| 240 | Is she so fair? Artow so amorous? |
| What rowne ye with oure mayde? Benedicite! |
| Sire olde lecchour, lat thy japes be! |
| And if I have a gossib or a freend, |
| Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a feend, |
| 245 | If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! |
| Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, |
| And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! |
| Thou seist to me it is a greet meschief |
| To wedde a povre womman, for costage; |
| 250 | And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, |
| Thanne seistow that it is a tormentrie |
| To soffre hire pride and hire malencolie. |
| And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, |
| Thou seyst that every holour wol hire have; |
| 255 | She may no while in chastitee abyde, |
| That is assailled upon ech a syde. |
| Thou seyst som folk desiren us for richesse, |
| Somme for oure shap, and somme for oure fairnesse, |
| And som for she kan outher synge or daunce, |
| 260 | And som for gentillesse and daliaunce; |
| Som for hir handes and hir armes smale; |
| Thus goth al to the devel, by thy tale. |
| Thou seyst men may nat kepe a castel wal, |
| It may so longe assailled been overal. |
| 265 | And if that she be foul, thou seist that she |
| Coveiteth every man that she may se, |
| For as a spanyel she wol on hym lepe, |
| Til that she fynde som man hire to chepe. |
| Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake |
| 270 | As, seistow, wol been withoute make. |
| And seyst it is an hard thyng for to welde |
| A thyng that no man wole, his thankes, helde. |
| Thus seistow, lorel, whan thow goost to bedde, |
| And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde, |
| 275 | Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene. |
| With wilde thonder-dynt and firy levene |
| Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke! |
| Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and eek smoke, |
| And chidyng wyves maken men to flee |
| 280 | Out of hir owene houses; a, benedicitee! |
| What eyleth swich an old man for to chide? |
| Thow seyst we wyves wol oure vices hide |
| Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe -- |
| Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe! |
| 285 | Thou seist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, |
| They been assayed at diverse stoundes; |
| Bacyns, lavours, er that men hem bye, |
| Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye, |
| And so been pottes, clothes, and array; |
| 290 | But folk of wyves maken noon assay, |
| Til they be wedded -- olde dotard shrewe! -- |
| And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe. |
| Thou seist also that it displeseth me |
| But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, |
| 295 | And but thou poure alwey upon my face, |
| And clepe me "faire dame" in every place. |
| And but thou make a feeste on thilke day |
| That I was born, and make me fressh and gay; |
| And but thou do to my norice honour, |
| 300 | And to my chamberere withinne my bour, |
| And to my fadres folk and his allyes -- |
| Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes! |
| And yet of oure apprentice Janekyn, |
| For his crispe heer, shynynge as gold so fyn, |
| 305 | And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, |
| Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun. |
| I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed tomorwe! |
| But tel me this: why hydestow, with sorwe, |
| The keyes of thy cheste awey fro me? |
| 310 | It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee! |
| What, wenestow make an ydiot of oure dame? |
| Now by that lord that called is Seint Jame, |
| Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were wood, |
| Be maister of my body and of my good; |
| 315 | That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yen. |
| What helpith it of me to enquere or spyen? |
| I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy chiste! |
| Thou sholdest seye, "Wyf, go wher thee liste; |
| Taak youre disport; I wol nat leve no talys. |
| 320 | I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame Alys." |
| We love no man that taketh kep or charge |
| Wher that we goon; we wol ben at oure large. |
| Of alle men yblessed moot he be, |
| The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome, |
| 325 | That seith this proverbe in his Almageste: |
| "Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste |
| That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde." |
| By this proverbe thou shalt understonde, |
| Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care |
| 330 | How myrily that othere folkes fare? |
| For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve, |
| Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve. |
| He is to greet a nygard that wolde werne |
| A man to lighte a candle at his lanterne; |
| 335 | He shal have never the lasse light, pardee. |
| Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee. |
| Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay |
| With clothyng, and with precious array, |
| That it is peril of oure chastitee; |
| 340 | And yet -- with sorwe! -- thou most enforce thee, |
| And seye thise wordes in the Apostles name: |
| "In habit maad with chastitee and shame |
| Ye wommen shul apparaille yow," quod he, |
| "And noght in tressed heer and gay perree, |
| 345 | As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche." |
| After thy text, ne after thy rubriche, |
| I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat. |
| Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat; |
| For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn, |
| 350 | Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in; |
| And if the cattes skyn be slyk and gay, |
| She wol nat dwelle in house half a day, |
| But forth she wole, er any day be dawed, |
| To shewe hir skyn and goon a-caterwawed. |
| 355 | This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe, |
| I wol renne out my borel for to shewe. |
| Sire olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen? |
| Thogh thou preye Argus with his hundred yen |
| To be my warde-cors, as he kan best, |
| 360 | In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest; |
| Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee! |
| Thou seydest eek that ther been thynges thre, |
| The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe, |
| And that no wight may endure the ferthe. |
| 365 | O leeve sire shrewe, Jhesu shorte thy lyf! |
| Yet prechestow and seyst an hateful wyf |
| Yrekened is for oon of thise meschances. |
| Been ther none othere maner resemblances |
| That ye may likne youre parables to, |
| 370 | But if a sely wyf be oon of tho? |
| Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle, |
| To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle. |
| Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr; |
| The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir |
| 375 | To consume every thyng that brent wole be. |
| Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree, |
| Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde; |
| This knowe they that been to wyves bonde." |
| Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde, |
| 380 | Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde |
| That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse; |
| And al was fals, but that I took witnesse |
| On Janekyn, and on my nece also. |
| O Lord! The peyne I dide hem and the wo, |
| 385 | Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pyne! |
| For as an hors I koude byte and whyne. |
| I koude pleyne, and yit was in the gilt, |
| Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt. |
| Whoso that first to mille comth, first grynt; |
| 390 | I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt. |
| They were ful glade to excuse hem blyve |
| Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve. |
| Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde, |
| Whan that for syk unnethes myghte they stonde. |
| 395 | Yet tikled I his herte, for that he |
| Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee! |
| I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte |
| Was for t" espye wenches that he dighte; |
| Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe. |
| 400 | For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe; |
| Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng God hath yive |
| To wommen kyndely, whil that they may lyve. |
| And thus of o thyng I avaunte me: |
| Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree, |
| 405 | By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng, |
| As by continueel murmur or grucchyng. |
| Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce: |
| Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce; |
| I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde, |
| 410 | If that I felte his arm over my syde, |
| Til he had maad his raunson unto me; |
| Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee. |
| And therfore every man this tale I telle, |
| Wynne whoso may, for al is for to selle; |
| 415 | With empty hand men may none haukes lure. |
| For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure, |
| And make me a feyned appetit; |
| And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit. |
| That made me that evere I wolde hem chide, |
| 420 | For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside, |
| I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord, |
| For, by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word. |
| As helpe me verray God omnipotent, |
| Though I right now sholde make my testament, |
| 425 | I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quit. |
| I broghte it so aboute by my wit |
| That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste, |
| Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste; |
| For thogh he looked as a wood leon, |
| 430 | Yet sholde he faille of his conclusion. |
| Thanne wolde I seye, "Goode lief, taak keep |
| How mekely looketh Wilkyn, oure sheep! |
| Com neer, my spouse, lat me ba thy cheke! |
| Ye sholde been al pacient and meke, |
| 435 | And han a sweete spiced conscience, |
| Sith ye so preche of Jobes pacience. |
| Suffreth alwey, syn ye so wel kan preche; |
| And but ye do, certein we shal yow teche |
| That it is fair to have a wyf in pees. |
| 440 | Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees, |
| And sith a man is moore resonable |
| Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable. |
| What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone? |
| Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone? |
| 445 | Wy, taak it al! Lo, have it every deel! |
| Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel; |
| For if I wolde selle my bele chose, |
| I koude walke as fressh as is a rose; |
| But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth. |
| 450 | Ye be to blame, by God! I sey yow sooth." |
| Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde. |
| Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde. |
| My fourthe housbonde was a revelour -- |
| This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour -- |
| 455 | And I was yong and ful of ragerye, |
| Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye. |
| How koude I daunce to an harpe smale, |
| And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale, |
| Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn! |
| 460 | Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn, |
| That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf, |
| For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf, |
| He sholde nat han daunted me fro drynke! |
| And after wyn on Venus moste I thynke, |
| 465 | For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl, |
| A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl. |
| In wommen vinolent is no defence -- |
| This knowen lecchours by experience. |
| But -- Lord Crist! -- whan that it remembreth me |
| 470 | Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee, |
| It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote. |
| Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote |
| That I have had my world as in my tyme. |
| But age, allas, that al wole envenyme, |
| 475 | Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith. |
| Lat go. Farewel! The devel go therwith! |
| The flour is goon; ther is namoore to telle; |
| The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle; |
| But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde. |
| 480 | Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde. |
| I seye, I hadde in herte greet despit |
| That he of any oother had delit. |
| But he was quit, by God and by Seint Joce! |
| I made hym of the same wode a croce; |
| 485 | Nat of my body, in no foul manere, |
| But certeinly, I made folk swich cheere |
| That in his owene grece I made hym frye |
| For angre, and for verray jalousye. |
| By God, in erthe I was his purgatorie, |
| 490 | For which I hope his soule be in glorie. |
| For, God it woot, he sat ful ofte and song, |
| Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong. |
| Ther was no wight, save God and he, that wiste, |
| In many wise, how soore I hym twiste. |
| 495 | He deyde whan I cam fro Jerusalem, |
| And lith ygrave under the roode beem, |
| Al is his tombe noght so curyus |
| As was the sepulcre of hym Daryus, |
| Which that Appelles wroghte subtilly; |
| 500 | It nys but wast to burye hym preciously. |
| Lat hym fare wel; God yeve his soule reste! |
| He is now in his grave and in his cheste. |
| Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle. |
| God lete his soule nevere come in helle! |
| 505 | And yet was he to me the mooste shrewe; |
| That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe, |
| And evere shal unto myn endyng day. |
| But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay, |
| And therwithal so wel koude he me glose, |
| 510 | Whan that he wolde han my bele chose; |
| That thogh he hadde me bete on every bon, |
| He koude wynne agayn my love anon. |
| I trowe I loved hym best, for that he |
| Was of his love daungerous to me. |
| 515 | We wommen han, if that I shal nat lye, |
| In this matere a queynte fantasye: |
| Wayte what thyng we may nat lightly have, |
| Therafter wol we crie al day and crave. |
| Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we; |
| 520 | Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle. |
| With daunger oute we al oure chaffare; |
| Greet prees at market maketh deere ware, |
| And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys: |
| This knoweth every womman that is wys. |
| 525 | My fifthe housbonde -- God his soule blesse! -- |
| Which that I took for love, and no richesse, |
| He som tyme was a clerk of Oxenford, |
| And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord |
| With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun; |
| 530 | God have hir soule! Hir name was Alisoun. |
| She knew myn herte, and eek my privetee, |
| Bet than oure parisshe preest, so moot I thee! |
| To hire biwreyed I my conseil al. |
| For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal, |
| 535 | Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf, |
| To hire, and to another worthy wyf, |
| And to my nece, which that I loved weel, |
| I wolde han toold his conseil every deel. |
| And so I dide ful often, God it woot, |
| 540 | That made his face often reed and hoot |
| For verray shame, and blamed hymself for he |
| Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee. |
| And so bifel that ones in a Lente -- |
| So often tymes I to my gossyb wente, |
| 545 | For evere yet I loved to be gay, |
| And for to walke in March, Averill, and May, |
| Fro hous to hous, to heere sondry talys -- |
| That Jankyn clerk, and my gossyb dame Alys, |
| And I myself, into the feeldes wente. |
| 550 | Myn housbonde was at Londoun al that Lente; |
| I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye, |
| And for to se, and eek for to be seye |
| Of lusty folk. What wiste I wher my grace |
| Was shapen for to be, or in what place? |
| 555 | Therfore I made my visitaciouns |
| To vigilies and to processiouns, |
| To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages, |
| To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages, |
| And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes. |
| 560 | Thise wormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes, |
| Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel; |
| And wostow why? For they were used weel. |
| Now wol I tellen forth what happed me. |
| I seye that in the feeldes walked we, |
| 565 | Til trewely we hadde swich daliance, |
| This clerk and I, that of my purveiance |
| I spak to hym and seyde hym how that he, |
| If I were wydwe, sholde wedde me. |
| For certeinly -- I sey for no bobance -- |
| 570 | Yet was I nevere withouten purveiance |
| Of mariage, n" of othere thynges eek. |
| I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leek |
| That hath but oon hole for to sterte to, |
| And if that faille, thanne is al ydo. |
| 575 | I bar hym on honde he hadde enchanted me -- |
| My dame taughte me that soutiltee -- |
| And eek I seyde I mette of hym al nyght, |
| He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright, |
| And al my bed was ful of verray blood; |
| 580 | "But yet I hope that ye shal do me good, |
| For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught." |
| And al was fals; I dremed of it right naught, |
| But as I folwed ay my dames loore, |
| As wel of this as of othere thynges moore. |
| 585 | But now, sire, lat me se what I shal seyn. |
| A ha! By God, I have my tale ageyn. |
| Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere, |
| I weep algate, and made sory cheere, |
| As wyves mooten, for it is usage, |
| 590 | And with my coverchief covered my visage, |
| But for that I was purveyed of a make, |
| I wepte but smal, and that I undertake. |
| To chirche was myn housbonde born a-morwe |
| With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe; |
| 595 | And Jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho. |
| As help me God, whan that I saugh hym go |
| After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire |
| Of legges and of feet so clene and faire |
| That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold. |
| 600 | He was, I trowe, twenty wynter oold, |
| And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth; |
| But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth. |
| Gat-tothed I was, and that bicam me weel; |
| I hadde the prente of seinte Venus seel. |
| 605 | As help me God, I was a lusty oon, |
| And faire, and riche, and yong, and wel bigon, |
| And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me, |
| I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be. |
| For certes, I am al Venerien |
| 610 | In feelynge, and myn herte is Marcien. |
| Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse, |
| And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardynesse; |
| Myn ascendent was Taur, and Mars therinne. |
| Allas, allas! That evere love was synne! |
| 615 | I folwed ay myn inclinacioun |
| By vertu of my constellacioun; |
| That made me I koude noght withdrawe |
| My chambre of Venus from a good felawe. |
| Yet have I Martes mark upon my face, |
| 620 | And also in another privee place. |
| For God so wys be my savacioun, |
| I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun, |
| But evere folwede myn appetit, |
| Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit; |
| 625 | I took no kep, so that he liked me, |
| How poore he was, ne eek of what degree. |
| What sholde I seye but, at the monthes ende, |
| This joly clerk, Jankyn, that was so hende, |
| Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee, |
| 630 | And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee |
| That evere was me yeven therbifoore. |
| But afterward repented me ful soore; |
| He nolde suffre nothyng of my list. |
| By God, he smoot me ones on the lyst, |
| 635 | For that I rente out of his book a leef, |
| That of the strook myn ere wax al deef. |
| Stibourn I was as is a leonesse, |
| And of my tonge a verray jangleresse, |
| And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn, |
| 640 | From hous to hous, although he had it sworn; |
| For which he often tymes wolde preche, |
| And me of olde Romayn geestes teche; |
| How he Symplicius Gallus lefte his wyf, |
| And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf, |
| 645 | Noght but for open-heveded he hir say |
| Lookynge out at his dore upon a day. |
| Another Romayn tolde he me by name, |
| That, for his wyf was at a someres game |
| Withouten his wityng, he forsook hire eke. |
| 650 | And thanne wolde he upon his Bible seke |
| That ilke proverbe of Ecclesiaste |
| Where he comandeth and forbedeth faste |
| Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute. |
| Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute: |
| 655 | "Whoso that buyldeth his hous al of salwes, |
| And priketh his blynde hors over the falwes, |
| And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes, |
| Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes!" |
| But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe |
| 660 | Of his proverbes n" of his olde sawe, |
| Ne I wolde nat of hym corrected be. |
| I hate hym that my vices telleth me, |
| And so doo mo, God woot, of us than I. |
| This made hym with me wood al outrely; |
| 665 | I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas. |
| Now wol I seye yow sooth, by Seint Thomas, |
| Why that I rente out of his book a leef, |
| For which he smoot me so that I was deef. |
| He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day, |
| 670 | For his desport he wolde rede alway; |
| He cleped it Valerie and Theofraste, |
| At which book he lough alwey ful faste. |
| And eek ther was somtyme a clerk at Rome, |
| A cardinal, that highte Seint Jerome, |
| 675 | That made a book agayn Jovinian; |
| In which book eek ther was Tertulan, |
| Crisippus, Trotula, and Helowys, |
| That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys, |
| And eek the Parables of Salomon, |
| 680 | Ovides Art, and bookes many on, |
| And alle thise were bounden in o volume. |
| And every nyght and day was his custume, |
| Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun |
| From oother worldly occupacioun, |
| 685 | To reden on this book of wikked wyves. |
| He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves |
| Than been of goode wyves in the Bible. |
| For trusteth wel, it is an impossible |
| That any clerk wol speke good of wyves, |
| 690 | But if it be of hooly seintes lyves, |
| Ne of noon oother womman never the mo. |
| Who peyntede the leon, tel me who? |
| By God, if wommen hadde writen stories, |
| As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, |
| 695 | They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse |
| Than al the mark of Adam may redresse. |
| The children of Mercurie and of Venus |
| Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius; |
| Mercurie loveth wysdam and science, |
| 700 | And Venus loveth ryot and dispence. |
| And, for hire diverse disposicioun, |
| Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun. |
| And thus, God woot, Mercurie is desolat |
| In Pisces, wher Venus is exaltat, |
| 705 | And Venus falleth ther Mercurie is reysed. |
| Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed. |
| The clerk, whan he is oold, and may noght do |
| Of Venus werkes worth his olde sho, |
| Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage |
| 710 | That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage! |
| But now to purpos, why I tolde thee |
| That I was beten for a book, pardee! |
| Upon a nyght Jankyn, that was oure sire, |
| Redde on his book, as he sat by the fire, |
| 715 | Of Eva first, that for hir wikkednesse |
| Was al mankynde broght to wrecchednesse, |
| For which that Jhesu Crist hymself was slayn, |
| That boghte us with his herte blood agayn. |
| Lo, heere expres of womman may ye fynde |
| 720 | That womman was the los of al mankynde. |
| Tho redde he me how Sampson loste his heres: |
| Slepynge, his lemman kitte it with hir sheres; |
| Thurgh which treson loste he bothe his yen. |
| Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen, |
| 725 | Of Hercules and of his Dianyre, |
| That caused hym to sette hymself afyre. |
| No thyng forgat he the care and the wo |
| That Socrates hadde with his wyves two, |
| How Xantippa caste pisse upon his heed. |
| 730 | This sely man sat stille as he were deed; |
| He wiped his heed, namoore dorste he seyn, |
| But "Er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn!" |
| Of Phasipha, that was the queene of Crete, |
| For shrewednesse, hym thoughte the tale swete; |
| 735 | Fy! Spek namoore -- it is a grisly thyng -- |
| Of hire horrible lust and hir likyng. |
| Of Clitermystra, for hire lecherye, |
| That falsly made hire housbonde for to dye, |
| He redde it with ful good devocioun. |
| 740 | He tolde me eek for what occasioun |
| Amphiorax at Thebes loste his lyf. |
| Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf, |
| Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold |
| Hath prively unto the Grekes told |
| 745 | Wher that hir housbonde hidde hym in a place, |
| For which he hadde at Thebes sory grace. |
| Of Lyvia tolde he me, and of Lucye: |
| They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye, |
| That oon for love, that oother was for hate. |
| 750 | Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late, |
| Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo; |
| Lucia, likerous, loved hire housbonde so |
| That, for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke, |
| She yaf hym swich a manere love-drynke |
| 755 | That he was deed er it were by the morwe; |
| And thus algates housbondes han sorwe. |
| Thanne tolde he me how oon Latumyus |
| Compleyned unto his felawe Arrius |
| That in his gardyn growed swich a tree |
| 760 | On which he seyde how that his wyves thre |
| Hanged hemself for herte despitus. |
| "O leeve brother," quod this Arrius, |
| "Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree, |
| And in my gardyn planted shal it bee." |
| 765 | Of latter date, of wyves hath he red |
| That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, |
| And lete hir lecchour dighte hire al the nyght, |
| Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright. |
| And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn, |
| 770 | Whil that they slepte, and thus they had hem slayn. |
| Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hire drynke. |
| He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke, |
| And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes |
| Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. |
| 775 | "Bet is," quod he, "thyn habitacioun |
| Be with a leon or a foul dragoun, |
| Than with a womman usynge for to chyde. |
| Bet is," quod he, "hye in the roof abyde, |
| Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; |
| 780 | They been so wikked and contrarious, |
| They haten that hir housbondes loven ay." |
| He seyde, "A womman cast hir shame away, |
| Whan she cast of hir smok"; and forthermo, |
| "A fair womman, but she be chaast also, |
| 785 | Is lyk a gold ryng in a sowes nose." |
| Who wolde wene, or who wolde suppose, |
| The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne? |
| And whan I saugh he wolde nevere fyne |
| To reden on this cursed book al nyght, |
| 790 | Al sodeynly thre leves have I plyght |
| Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke |
| I with my fest so took hym on the cheke |
| That in oure fyr he fil bakward adoun. |
| And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun, |
| 795 | And with his fest he smoot me on the heed |
| That in the floor I lay as I were deed. |
| And whan he saugh how stille that I lay, |
| He was agast and wolde han fled his way, |
| Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde. |
| 800 | "O! hastow slayn me, false theef?" I seyde, |
| "And for my land thus hastow mordred me? |
| Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee." |
| And neer he cam, and kneled faire adoun, |
| And seyde, "Deere suster Alisoun, |
| 805 | As help me God, I shal thee nevere smyte! |
| That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte. |
| Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke!" |
| And yet eftsoones I hitte hym on the cheke, |
| And seyde, "Theef, thus muchel am I wreke; |
| 810 | Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke." |
| But atte laste, with muchel care and wo, |
| We fille acorded by us selven two. |
| He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond, |
| To han the governance of hous and lond, |
| 815 | And of his tonge, and of his hond also; |
| And made hym brenne his book anon right tho. |
| And whan that I hadde geten unto me, |
| By maistrie, al the soveraynetee, |
| And that he seyde, "Myn owene trewe wyf, |
| 820 | Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf; |
| Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat" -- |
| After that day we hadden never debaat. |
| God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde |
| As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde, |
| 825 | And also trewe, and so was he to me. |
| I prey to God, that sit in magestee, |
| So blesse his soule for his mercy deere. |
| Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol heere." |
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