The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems Part 40

6. Very: true; French "vrai".

7. Nouches: Ornaments of some kind not precisely known; some editions read "ouches," studs, brooches. (Transcriber's note: The OED gives "nouches" as a form of "ouches,"

buckles)

8. A furlong way or two: a short time; literally, as long as it takes to walk one or two furlongs (a furlong is 220 yards)

9. Lordes' hestes may not be y-feign'd: it will not do merely to feign compliance with a lord's commands.

10. Arace: tear; French, "arracher."

11. Fele: many; German, "viel."

12. Dear enough a jane: worth nothing. A jane was a small coin of little worth, so the meaning is "not worth a red cent".

13. Mo: me. "This is one of the most licentious corruptions of orthography," says Tyrwhitt, "that I remember to have observed in Chaucer;" but such liberties were common among the European poets of his time, when there was an extreme lack of certainty in orthography.

14. The fourteen lines that follow are translated almost literally from Petrarch's Latin.

15. For great skill is he proved that he wrought: for it is most reasonable that He should prove or test that which he made.

16. Chichevache, in old popular fable, was a monster that fed only on good women, and was always very thin from scarcity of such food; a corresponding monster, Bycorne, fed only on obedient and kind husbands, and was always fat. The origin of the fable was French; but Lydgate has a ballad on the subject.

"Chichevache" literally means "n.i.g.g.ardly" or "greedy cow."

17. Countertail: Counter-tally or counter-foil; something exactly corresponding.

18. Aventail: forepart of a helmet, vizor.

THE MERCHANT'S TALE.

THE PROLOGUE.

"Weeping and wailing, care and other sorrow, I have enough, on even and on morrow,"

Quoth the Merchant, "and so have other mo', That wedded be; I trow* that it be so; *believe For well I wot it fareth so by me.

I have a wife, the worste that may be, For though the fiend to her y-coupled were, She would him overmatch, I dare well swear.

Why should I you rehea.r.s.e in special Her high malice? she is *a shrew at all.* *thoroughly, in There is a long and large difference everything wicked*

Betwixt Griselda's greate patience, And of my wife the pa.s.sing cruelty.

Were I unbounden, all so may I the,* *thrive I woulde never eft* come in the snare. *again We wedded men live in sorrow and care; a.s.say it whoso will, and he shall find That I say sooth, by Saint Thomas of Ind,<2> As for the more part; I say not all, -- G.o.d s.h.i.+elde* that it shoulde so befall. *forbid Ah! good Sir Host, I have y-wedded be These moneths two, and more not, pardie; And yet I trow* that he that all his life *believe Wifeless hath been, though that men would him rive* *wound Into the hearte, could in no mannere Telle so much sorrow, as I you here Could tellen of my wife's cursedness."* *wickedness

"Now," quoth our Host, "Merchant, so G.o.d you bless, Since ye so muche knowen of that art, Full heartily I pray you tell us part."

"Gladly," quoth he; "but of mine owen sore, For sorry heart, I telle may no more."

Notes to the Prologue to the Merchant's Tale

1. Though the manner in which the Merchant takes up the closing words of the Envoy to the Clerk's Tale, and refers to the patience of Griselda, seems to prove beyond doubt that the order of the Tales in the text is the right one, yet in some ma.n.u.scripts of good authority the Franklin's Tale follows the Clerk's, and the Envoy is concluded by this stanza: -- "This worthy Clerk when ended was his tale, Our Hoste said, and swore by c.o.c.ke's bones 'Me lever were than a barrel of ale My wife at home had heard this legend once; This is a gentle tale for the nonce; As, to my purpose, wiste ye my will.

But thing that will not be, let it be still.'"

In other ma.n.u.scripts of less authority the Host proceeds, in two similar stanzas, to impose a Tale on the Franklin; but Tyrwhitt is probably right in setting them aside as spurious, and in admitting the genuineness of the first only, if it be supposed that Chaucer forgot to cancel it when he had decided on another mode of connecting the Merchant's with the Clerk's Tale.

2. Saint Thomas of Ind: St. Thomas the Apostle, who was believed to have travelled in India.

THE TALE.

Whilom there was dwelling in Lombardy A worthy knight, that born was at Pavie, In which he liv'd in great prosperity; And forty years a wifeless man was he, And follow'd aye his bodily delight On women, where as was his appet.i.te, As do these fooles that be seculeres.<2> And, when that he was pa.s.sed sixty years, Were it for holiness, or for dotage, I cannot say, but such a great corage* *inclination Hadde this knight to be a wedded man, That day and night he did all that he can To espy where that he might wedded be; Praying our Lord to grante him, that he Mighte once knowen of that blissful life That is betwixt a husband and his wife, And for to live under that holy bond With which G.o.d firste man and woman bond.

"None other life," said he, "is worth a bean; For wedlock is so easy, and so clean, That in this world it is a paradise."

Thus said this olde knight, that was so wise.

And certainly, as sooth* as G.o.d is king, *true To take a wife it is a glorious thing, And namely* when a man is old and h.o.a.r, *especially Then is a wife the fruit of his treasor; Then should he take a young wife and a fair, On which he might engender him an heir, And lead his life in joy and in solace;* *mirth, delight Whereas these bachelors singen "Alas!"

When that they find any adversity In love, which is but childish vanity.

And truely it sits* well to be so, *becomes, befits That bachelors have often pain and woe: On brittle ground they build, and brittleness They finde when they *weene sickerness:* *think that there They live but as a bird or as a beast, is security*

In liberty, and under no arrest;* *check, control Whereas a wedded man in his estate Liveth a life blissful and ordinate, Under the yoke of marriage y-bound; Well may his heart in joy and bliss abound.

For who can be so buxom* as a wife? *obedient Who is so true, and eke so attentive To keep* him, sick and whole, as is his make?** *care for **mate For weal or woe she will him not forsake: She is not weary him to love and serve, Though that he lie bedrid until he sterve.* *die And yet some clerkes say it is not so; Of which he, Theophrast, is one of tho:* *those *What force* though Theophrast list for to lie? *what matter*

"Take no wife," quoth he, <3> "for husbandry,* *thrift As for to spare in household thy dispence; A true servant doth more diligence Thy good to keep, than doth thine owen wife, For she will claim a half part all her life.

And if that thou be sick, so G.o.d me save, Thy very friendes, or a true knave,* *servant Will keep thee bet than she, that *waiteth aye *ahways waits to After thy good,* and hath done many a day." inherit your property*

This sentence, and a hundred times worse, Writeth this man, there G.o.d his bones curse.

But take no keep* of all such vanity, *notice Defy* Theophrast, and hearken to me. *distrust

A wife is G.o.dde's gifte verily; All other manner giftes hardily,* *truly As handes, rentes, pasture, or commune,* *common land Or mebles,* all be giftes of fortune, *furniture <4> That pa.s.sen as a shadow on the wall: But dread* thou not, if plainly speak I shall, *doubt A wife will last, and in thine house endure, Well longer than thee list, paraventure.* *perhaps Marriage is a full great sacrament; He which that hath no wife, I hold him shent;* *ruined He liveth helpless, and all desolate (I speak of folk *in secular estate*): *who are not And hearken why, I say not this for nought, -- of the clergy*

That woman is for manne's help y-wrought.

The highe G.o.d, when he had Adam maked, And saw him all alone belly naked, G.o.d of his greate goodness saide then, Let us now make a help unto this man Like to himself; and then he made him Eve.

Here may ye see, and hereby may ye preve,* *prove That a wife is man s help and his comfort, His paradise terrestre and his disport.

So buxom* and so virtuous is she, *obedient, complying They muste needes live in unity; One flesh they be, and one blood, as I guess, With but one heart in weal and in distress.

A wife? Ah! Saint Mary, ben'dicite, How might a man have any adversity That hath a wife? certes I cannot say The bliss the which that is betwixt them tway, There may no tongue it tell, or hearte think.

If he be poor, she helpeth him to swink;* *labour She keeps his good, and wasteth never a deal;* *whit All that her husband list, her liketh* well; *pleaseth She saith not ones Nay, when he saith Yea; "Do this," saith he; "All ready, Sir," saith she.

O blissful order, wedlock precious!

Thou art so merry, and eke so virtuous, And so commended and approved eke, That every man that holds him worth a leek Upon his bare knees ought all his life To thank his G.o.d, that him hath sent a wife; Or elles pray to G.o.d him for to send A wife, to last unto his life's end.

For then his life is set in sickerness,* *security He may not be deceived, as I guess, So that he work after his wife's rede;* *counsel Then may he boldely bear up his head, They be so true, and therewithal so wise.

For which, if thou wilt worken as the wise, Do alway so as women will thee rede. * *counsel Lo how that Jacob, as these clerkes read, By good counsel of his mother Rebecc'

Bounde the kiddes skin about his neck; For which his father's benison* he wan. *benediction Lo Judith, as the story telle can, By good counsel she G.o.dde's people kept, And slew him, Holofernes, while he slept.

Lo Abigail, by good counsel, how she Saved her husband Nabal, when that he Should have been slain. And lo, Esther also By counsel good deliver'd out of woe The people of G.o.d, and made him, Mardoche, Of a.s.suere enhanced* for to be. *advanced in dignity There is nothing *in gree superlative* *of higher esteem*

(As saith Senec) above a humble wife.

Suffer thy wife's tongue, as Cato bit;* *bid She shall command, and thou shalt suffer it, And yet she will obey of courtesy.

A wife is keeper of thine husbandry: Well may the sicke man bewail and weep, There as there is no wife the house to keep.

I warne thee, if wisely thou wilt wirch,* *work Love well thy wife, as Christ loveth his church: Thou lov'st thyself, if thou lovest thy wife.

No man hateth his flesh, but in his life He fost'reth it; and therefore bid I thee Cherish thy wife, or thou shalt never the.* *thrive Husband and wife, what *so men j.a.pe or play,* *although men joke Of worldly folk holde the sicker* way; and jeer* *certain They be so knit there may no harm betide, And namely* upon the wife's side. * especially

For which this January, of whom I told, Consider'd hath within his dayes old, The l.u.s.ty life, the virtuous quiet, That is in marriage honey-sweet.

And for his friends upon a day he sent To tell them the effect of his intent.

With face sad,* his tale he hath them told: *grave, earnest He saide, "Friendes, I am h.o.a.r and old, And almost (G.o.d wot) on my pitte's* brink, *grave's Upon my soule somewhat must I think.

I have my body foolishly dispended, Blessed be G.o.d that it shall be amended; For I will be certain a wedded man, And that anon in all the haste I can, Unto some maiden, fair and tender of age; I pray you shape* for my marriage * arrange, contrive All suddenly, for I will not abide: And I will fond* to espy, on my side, *try To whom I may be wedded hastily.

But forasmuch as ye be more than, Ye shalle rather* such a thing espy Than I, and where me best were to ally.