The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems Part 26

13. A manner Latin corrupt: a kind of b.a.s.t.a.r.d Latin.

14. Knave child: male child; German "Knabe".

15. Heried: honoured, praised; from Anglo-Saxon, "herian."

Compare German, "herrlich," glorious, honourable.

16. Beknow: confess; German, "bekennen."

17. The poet here refers to Gower's version of the story.

18. Stound: short time; German, "stunde", hour.

19. Gestes: histories, exploits; Latin, "res gestae".

THE WIFE OF BATH'S TALE.

THE PROLOGUE. <1>

Experience, though none authority* *authoritative texts Were in this world, is right enough for me To speak of woe that is in marriage: For, lordings, since I twelve year was of age, (Thanked be G.o.d that *is etern on live),* *lives eternally*

Husbands at the church door have I had five,<2> For I so often have y-wedded be, And all were worthy men in their degree.

But me was told, not longe time gone is That sithen* Christe went never but ones *since To wedding, in the Cane* of Galilee, *Cana That by that ilk* example taught he me, *same That I not wedded shoulde be but once.

Lo, hearken eke a sharp word for the nonce,* *occasion Beside a welle Jesus, G.o.d and man, Spake in reproof of the Samaritan: "Thou hast y-had five husbandes," said he; "And thilke* man, that now hath wedded thee, *that Is not thine husband:" <3> thus said he certain; What that he meant thereby, I cannot sayn.

But that I aske, why the fifthe man Was not husband to the Samaritan?

How many might she have in marriage?

Yet heard I never tellen *in mine age* *in my life*

Upon this number definitioun.

Men may divine, and glosen* up and down; *comment But well I wot, express without a lie, G.o.d bade us for to wax and multiply; That gentle text can I well understand.

Eke well I wot, he said, that mine husband Should leave father and mother, and take to me; But of no number mention made he, Of bigamy or of octogamy; Why then should men speak of it villainy?* *as if it were a disgrace

Lo here, the wise king Dan* Solomon, *Lord <4> I trow that he had wives more than one; As would to G.o.d it lawful were to me To be refreshed half so oft as he!

What gift* of G.o.d had he for all his wives? *special favour, licence No man hath such, that in this world alive is.

G.o.d wot, this n.o.ble king, *as to my wit,* *as I understand*

The first night had many a merry fit With each of them, so *well was him on live.* *so well he lived*

Blessed be G.o.d that I have wedded five!

Welcome the sixth whenever that he shall.

For since I will not keep me chaste in all, When mine husband is from the world y-gone, Some Christian man shall wedde me anon.

For then th' apostle saith that I am free To wed, *a' G.o.d's half,* where it liketh me. *on G.o.d's part*

He saith, that to be wedded is no sin; Better is to be wedded than to brin.* *burn What recketh* me though folk say villainy** *care **evil Of shrewed* Lamech, and his bigamy? *impious, wicked I wot well Abraham was a holy man, And Jacob eke, as far as ev'r I can.* *know And each of them had wives more than two; And many another holy man also.

Where can ye see, *in any manner age,* *in any period*

That highe G.o.d defended* marriage *forbade <5> By word express? I pray you tell it me; Or where commanded he virginity?

I wot as well as you, it is no dread,* *doubt Th' apostle, when he spake of maidenhead, He said, that precept thereof had he none: Men may counsel a woman to be one,* *a maid But counseling is no commandement; He put it in our owen judgement.

For, hadde G.o.d commanded maidenhead, Then had he d.a.m.ned* wedding out of dread;** *condemned **doubt And certes, if there were no seed y-sow,* *sown Virginity then whereof should it grow?

Paul durste not commanden, at the least, A thing of which his Master gave no hest.* *command The dart* is set up for virginity; *goal <6> Catch whoso may, who runneth best let see.

But this word is not ta'en of every wight, *But there as* G.o.d will give it of his might. *except where*

I wot well that th' apostle was a maid, But natheless, although he wrote and said, He would that every wight were such as he, All is but counsel to virginity.

And, since to be a wife he gave me leave Of indulgence, so is it no repreve* *scandal, reproach To wedde me, if that my make* should die, *mate, husband Without exception* of bigamy; *charge, reproach *All were it* good no woman for to touch *though it might be*

(He meant as in his bed or in his couch), For peril is both fire and tow t'a.s.semble Ye know what this example may resemble.

This is all and some, he held virginity More profit than wedding in frailty: (*Frailty clepe I, but if* that he and she *frailty I call it, Would lead their lives all in chast.i.ty), unless*

I grant it well, I have of none envy Who maidenhead prefer to bigamy; It liketh them t' be clean in body and ghost;* *soul Of mine estate* I will not make a boast. *condition

For, well ye know, a lord in his household Hath not every vessel all of gold; <7> Some are of tree, and do their lord service.

G.o.d calleth folk to him in sundry wise, And each one hath of G.o.d a proper gift, Some this, some that, as liketh him to s.h.i.+ft.* *appoint, distribute Virginity is great perfection, And continence eke with devotion: But Christ, that of perfection is the well,* *fountain Bade not every wight he should go sell All that he had, and give it to the poor, And in such wise follow him and his lore:* *doctrine He spake to them that would live perfectly, -- And, lordings, by your leave, that am not I; I will bestow the flower of mine age In th' acts and in the fruits of marriage.

Tell me also, to what conclusion* *end, purpose Were members made of generation, And of so perfect wise a wight* y-wrought? *being Trust me right well, they were not made for nought.

Glose whoso will, and say both up and down, That they were made for the purgatioun Of urine, and of other thinges smale, And eke to know a female from a male: And for none other cause? say ye no?

Experience wot well it is not so.

So that the clerkes* be not with me wroth, *scholars I say this, that they were made for both, That is to say, *for office, and for ease* *for duty and Of engendrure, there we G.o.d not displease. for pleasure*

Why should men elles in their bookes set, That man shall yield unto his wife her debt?

Now wherewith should he make his payement, If he us'd not his silly instrument?

Then were they made upon a creature To purge urine, and eke for engendrure.

But I say not that every wight is hold,* *obliged That hath such harness* as I to you told, *equipment To go and use them in engendrure; Then should men take of chast.i.ty no cure.* *care Christ was a maid, and shapen* as a man, *fas.h.i.+oned And many a saint, since that this world began, Yet ever liv'd in perfect chast.i.ty.

I will not vie* with no virginity. *contend Let them with bread of pured* wheat be fed, *purified And let us wives eat our barley bread.

And yet with barley bread, Mark tell us can,<8> Our Lord Jesus refreshed many a man.

In such estate as G.o.d hath *cleped us,* *called us to I'll persevere, I am not precious,* *over-dainty In wifehood I will use mine instrument As freely as my Maker hath it sent.

If I be dangerous* G.o.d give me sorrow; *sparing of my favours Mine husband shall it have, both eve and morrow, When that him list come forth and pay his debt.

A husband will I have, I *will no let,* *will bear no hindrance*

Which shall be both my debtor and my thrall,* *slave And have his tribulation withal Upon his flesh, while that I am his wife.

I have the power during all my life Upon his proper body, and not he; Right thus th' apostle told it unto me, And bade our husbands for to love us well; All this sentence me liketh every deal.* *whit

Up start the Pardoner, and that anon; "Now, Dame," quoth he, "by G.o.d and by Saint John, Ye are a n.o.ble preacher in this case.

I was about to wed a wife, alas!

What? should I bie* it on my flesh so dear? *suffer for Yet had I lever* wed no wife this year." *rather "Abide,"* quoth she; "my tale is not begun *wait in patience Nay, thou shalt drinken of another tun Ere that I go, shall savour worse than ale.

And when that I have told thee forth my tale Of tribulation in marriage, Of which I am expert in all mine age, (This is to say, myself hath been the whip), Then mayest thou choose whether thou wilt sip Of *thilke tunne,* that I now shall broach. *that tun*

Beware of it, ere thou too nigh approach, For I shall tell examples more than ten: Whoso will not beware by other men, By him shall other men corrected be: These same wordes writeth Ptolemy; Read in his Almagest, and take it there."

"Dame, I would pray you, if your will it were,"

Saide this Pardoner, "as ye began, Tell forth your tale, and spare for no man, And teach us younge men of your practique."

"Gladly," quoth she, "since that it may you like.

But that I pray to all this company, If that I speak after my fantasy, To take nought agrief* what I may say; *to heart For mine intent is only for to play.

Now, Sirs, then will I tell you forth my tale.

As ever may I drinke wine or ale I shall say sooth; the husbands that I had Three of them were good, and two were bad The three were goode men, and rich, and old *Unnethes mighte they the statute hold* *they could with difficulty In which that they were bounden unto me. obey the law*

Yet wot well what I mean of this, pardie.* *by G.o.d As G.o.d me help, I laugh when that I think How piteously at night I made them swink,* *labour But, *by my fay, I told of it no store:* *by my faith, I held it They had me giv'n their land and their treasor, of no account*

Me needed not do longer diligence To win their love, or do them reverence.

They loved me so well, by G.o.d above, That I *tolde no dainty* of their love. *cared nothing for*

A wise woman will busy her ever-in-one* *constantly To get their love, where that she hath none.

But, since I had them wholly in my hand, And that they had me given all their land, Why should I take keep* them for to please, *care But* it were for my profit, or mine ease? *unless I set them so a-worke, by my fay, That many a night they sange, well-away!

The bacon was not fetched for them, I trow, That some men have in Ess.e.x at Dunmow.<9> I govern'd them so well after my law, That each of them full blissful was and fawe* *fain To bringe me gay thinges from the fair.

They were full glad when that I spake them fair, For, G.o.d it wot, I *chid them spiteously.* *rebuked them angrily*

Now hearken how I bare me properly.

Ye wise wives, that can understand, Thus should ye speak, and *bear them wrong on hand,* *make them For half so boldely can there no man believe falsely*

Swearen and lien as a woman can.

(I say not this by wives that be wise, *But if* it be when they them misadvise.)* *unless* *act unadvisedly A wise wife, if that she can* her good, *knows Shall *beare them on hand* the cow is wood, *make them believe*

And take witness of her owen maid Of their a.s.sent: but hearken how I said.

"Sir olde kaynard,<10> is this thine array?

Why is my neigheboure's wife so gay?