The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems Part 41

But one thing warn I you, my friendes dear, I will none old wife have in no mannere: She shall not pa.s.se sixteen year certain.

Old fish and younge flesh would I have fain.

Better," quoth he, "a pike than a pickerel,* *young pike And better than old beef is tender veal.

I will no woman thirty year of age, It is but beanestraw and great forage.

And eke these olde widows (G.o.d it wot) They conne* so much craft on Wade's boat,<5> *know *So muche brooke harm when that them lest,* *they can do so much That with them should I never live in rest. harm when they wish*

For sundry schooles make subtle clerkes; Woman of many schooles half a clerk is.

But certainly a young thing men may guy,* *guide Right as men may warm wax with handes ply.* *bend,mould Wherefore I say you plainly in a clause, I will none old wife have, right for this cause.

For if so were I hadde such mischance, That I in her could have no pleasance, Then should I lead my life in avoutrie,* *adultery And go straight to the devil when I die.

Nor children should I none upon her getten: Yet *were me lever* houndes had me eaten *I would rather*

Than that mine heritage shoulde fall In strange hands: and this I tell you all.

I doubte not I know the cause why Men shoulde wed: and farthermore know I There speaketh many a man of marriage That knows no more of it than doth my page, For what causes a man should take a wife.

If he ne may not live chaste his life, Take him a wife with great devotion, Because of lawful procreation Of children, to th' honour of G.o.d above, And not only for paramour or love; And for they shoulde lechery eschew, And yield their debte when that it is due: Or for that each of them should help the other In mischief,* as a sister shall the brother, *trouble And live in chast.i.ty full holily.

But, Sires, by your leave, that am not I, For, G.o.d be thanked, I dare make avaunt,* *boast I feel my limbes stark* and suffisant *strong To do all that a man belongeth to: I wot myselfe best what I may do.

Though I be h.o.a.r, I fare as doth a tree, That blossoms ere the fruit y-waxen* be; *grown The blossomy tree is neither dry nor dead; I feel me now here h.o.a.r but on my head.

Mine heart and all my limbes are as green As laurel through the year is for to seen.* *see And, since that ye have heard all mine intent, I pray you to my will ye would a.s.sent."

Diverse men diversely him told Of marriage many examples old; Some blamed it, some praised it, certain; But at the haste, shortly for to sayn (As all day* falleth altercation *constantly, every day Betwixte friends in disputation), There fell a strife betwixt his brethren two, Of which that one was called Placebo, Justinus soothly called was that other.

Placebo said; "O January, brother, Full little need have ye, my lord so dear, Counsel to ask of any that is here: But that ye be so full of sapience, That you not liketh, for your high prudence, To waive* from the word of Solomon. *depart, deviate This word said he unto us every one; Work alle thing by counsel, -- thus said he, -- And thenne shalt thou not repente thee But though that Solomon spake such a word, Mine owen deare brother and my lord, So wisly* G.o.d my soule bring at rest, *surely I hold your owen counsel is the best.

For, brother mine, take of me this motive; * *advice, encouragement I have now been a court-man all my life, And, G.o.d it wot, though I unworthy be, I have standen in full great degree Aboute lordes of full high estate; Yet had I ne'er with none of them debate; I never them contraried truely.

I know well that my lord can* more than I; *knows What that he saith I hold it firm and stable, I say the same, or else a thing semblable.

A full great fool is any counsellor That serveth any lord of high honour That dare presume, or ones thinken it; That his counsel should pa.s.s his lorde's wit.

Nay, lordes be no fooles by my fay.

Ye have yourselfe shewed here to day So high sentence,* so holily and well *judgment, sentiment That I consent, and confirm *every deal* *in every point*

Your wordes all, and your opinioun By G.o.d, there is no man in all this town Nor in Itale, could better have y-said.

Christ holds him of this counsel well apaid.* *satisfied And truely it is a high courage Of any man that stopen* is in age, *advanced <6> To take a young wife, by my father's kin; Your hearte hangeth on a jolly pin.

Do now in this matter right as you lest, For finally I hold it for the best."

Justinus, that aye stille sat and heard, Right in this wise to Placebo answer'd.

"Now, brother mine, be patient I pray, Since ye have said, and hearken what I say.

Senec, among his other wordes wise, Saith, that a man ought him right well advise,* *consider To whom he gives his hand or his chattel.

And since I ought advise me right well To whom I give my good away from me, Well more I ought advise me, pardie, To whom I give my body: for alway I warn you well it is no childe's play To take a wife without advis.e.m.e.nt.

Men must inquire (this is mine a.s.sent) Whe'er she be wise, or sober, or dronkelew,* *given to drink Or proud, or any other ways a shrew, A chidester,* or a waster of thy good, *a scold Or rich or poor; or else a man is wood.* *mad Albeit so, that no man finde shall None in this world, that *trotteth whole in all,* *is sound in No man, nor beast, such as men can devise,* every point* *describe But nathehess it ought enough suffice With any wife, if so were that she had More goode thewes* than her vices bad: * qualities And all this asketh leisure to inquere.

For, G.o.d it wot, I have wept many a tear Full privily, since I have had a wife.

Praise whoso will a wedded manne's life, Certes, I find in it but cost and care, And observances of all blisses bare.

And yet, G.o.d wot, my neighebours about, And namely* of women many a rout,** *especially **company Say that I have the moste steadfast wife, And eke the meekest one, that beareth life.

But I know best where wringeth* me my shoe, *pinches Ye may for me right as you like do Advise you, ye be a man of age, How that ye enter into marriage; And namely* with a young wife and a fair, * especially By him that made water, fire, earth, air, The youngest man that is in all this rout* *company Is busy enough to bringen it about To have his wife alone, truste me: Ye shall not please her fully yeares three, This is to say, to do her full pleasance.

A wife asketh full many an observance.

I pray you that ye be not *evil apaid."* *displeased*

"Well," quoth this January, "and hast thou said?

Straw for thy Senec, and for thy proverbs, I counte not a pannier full of herbs Of schoole termes; wiser men than thou, As thou hast heard, a.s.sented here right now To my purpose: Placebo, what say ye?"

"I say it is a cursed* man," quoth he, *ill-natured, wicked "That letteth* matrimony, sickerly." *hindereth And with that word they rise up suddenly, And be a.s.sented fully, that he should Be wedded when him list, and where he would.

High fantasy and curious business From day to day gan in the soul impress* *imprint themselves Of January about his marriage Many a fair shape, and many a fair visage There pa.s.sed through his hearte night by night.

As whoso took a mirror polish'd bright, And set it in a common market-place, Then should he see many a figure pace By his mirror; and in the same wise Gan January in his thought devise Of maidens, which that dwelte him beside: He wiste not where that he might abide.* *stay, fix his choice For if that one had beauty in her face, Another stood so in the people's grace For her sadness* and her benignity, *sedateness That of the people greatest voice had she: And some were rich and had a badde name.

But natheless, betwixt earnest and game, He at the last appointed him on one, And let all others from his hearte gon, And chose her of his own authority; For love is blind all day, and may not see.

And when that he was into bed y-brought, He pourtray'd in his heart and in his thought Her freshe beauty, and her age tender, Her middle small, her armes long and slender, Her wise governance, her gentleness, Her womanly bearing, and her sadness.* *sedateness And when that he *on her was condescended,* *had selected her*

He thought his choice might not be amended; For when that he himself concluded had, He thought each other manne' s wit so bad, That impossible it were to reply Against his choice; this was his fantasy.

His friendes sent he to, at his instance, And prayed them to do him that pleasance, That hastily they would unto him come; He would abridge their labour all and some: Needed no more for them to go nor ride,<7> *He was appointed where he would abide.* *he had definitively

Placebo came, and eke his friendes soon, made his choice*

And *alderfirst he bade them all a boon,* *first of all he asked That none of them no arguments would make a favour of them*

Against the purpose that he had y-take: Which purpose was pleasant to G.o.d, said he, And very ground of his prosperity.

He said, there was a maiden in the town, Which that of beauty hadde great renown; All* were it so she were of small degree, *although Sufficed him her youth and her beauty; Which maid, he said, he would have to his wife, To lead in ease and holiness his life; And thanked G.o.d, that he might have her all, That no wight with his blisse parte* shall; *have a share And prayed them to labour in this need, And shape that he faile not to speed: For then, he said, his spirit was at ease.

"Then is," quoth he, "nothing may me displease, Save one thing p.r.i.c.keth in my conscience, The which I will rehea.r.s.e in your presence.

I have," quoth he, "heard said, full yore* ago, *long There may no man have perfect blisses two, This is to say, on earth and eke in heaven.

For though he keep him from the sinne's seven, And eke from every branch of thilke tree,<8> Yet is there so perfect felicity, And so great *ease and l.u.s.t,* in marriage, *comfort and pleasure*

That ev'r I am aghast,* now in mine age *ashamed, afraid That I shall head now so merry a life, So delicate, withoute woe or strife, That I shall have mine heav'n on earthe here.

For since that very heav'n is bought so dear, With tribulation and great penance, How should I then, living in such pleasance As alle wedded men do with their wives, Come to the bliss where Christ *etern on live is?* *lives eternally*

This is my dread;* and ye, my brethren tway, *doubt a.s.soile* me this question, I you pray." *resolve, answer

Justinus, which that hated his folly, Answer'd anon right in his j.a.pery;* *mockery, jesting way And, for he would his longe tale abridge, He woulde no authority* allege, *written texts But saide; "Sir, so there be none obstacle Other than this, G.o.d of his high miracle, And of his mercy, may so for you wirch,* *work That, ere ye have your rights of holy church, Ye may repent of wedded manne's life, In which ye say there is no woe nor strife: And elles G.o.d forbid, *but if* he sent *unless A wedded man his grace him to repent Well often, rather than a single man.

And therefore, Sir, *the beste rede I can,* *this is the best counsel Despair you not, but have in your memory, that I know*

Paraventure she may be your purgatory; She may be G.o.dde's means, and G.o.dde's whip; And then your soul shall up to heaven skip Swifter than doth an arrow from a bow.

I hope to G.o.d hereafter ye shall know That there is none so great felicity In marriage, nor ever more shall be, That you shall let* of your salvation; *hinder So that ye use, as skill is and reason, The l.u.s.tes* of your wife attemperly,** *pleasures **moderately And that ye please her not too amorously, And that ye keep you eke from other sin.

My tale is done, for my wit is but thin.

Be not aghast* hereof, my brother dear, *aharmed, afraid But let us waden out of this mattere, The Wife of Bath, if ye have understand, Of marriage, which ye have now in hand, Declared hath full well in little s.p.a.ce; Fare ye now well, G.o.d have you in his grace."

And with this word this Justin' and his brother Have ta'en their leave, and each of them of other.

And when they saw that it must needes be, They wroughte so, by sleight and wise treaty, That she, this maiden, which that *Maius hight,* *was named May*

As hastily as ever that she might, Shall wedded be unto this January.

I trow it were too longe you to tarry, If I told you of every *script and band* *written bond*

By which she was feoffed in his hand; Or for to reckon of her rich array But finally y-comen is the day That to the churche bothe be they went, For to receive the holy sacrament, Forth came the priest, with stole about his neck, And bade her be like Sarah and Rebecc'

In wisdom and in truth of marriage; And said his orisons, as is usage, And crouched* them, and prayed G.o.d should them bless, *crossed And made all sicker* enough with holiness. *certain

Thus be they wedded with solemnity; And at the feaste sat both he and she, With other worthy folk, upon the dais.

All full of joy and bliss is the palace, And full of instruments, and of vitaille, * *victuals, food The moste dainteous* of all Itale. *delicate Before them stood such instruments of soun', That Orpheus, nor of Thebes Amphioun, Ne made never such a melody.

At every course came in loud minstrelsy, That never Joab trumped for to hear, Nor he, Theodomas, yet half so clear At Thebes, when the city was in doubt.

Bacchus the wine them skinked* all about. *poured <9> And Venus laughed upon every wight (For January was become her knight, And woulde both a.s.saye his courage In liberty, and eke in marriage), And with her firebrand in her hand about Danced before the bride and all the rout.

And certainly I dare right well say this, Hymeneus, that G.o.d of wedding is, Saw never his life so merry a wedded man.

Hold thou thy peace, thou poet Marcian,<10> That writest us that ilke* wedding merry *same Of her Philology and him Mercury, And of the songes that the Muses sung; Too small is both thy pen, and eke thy tongue For to describen of this marriage.

When tender youth hath wedded stooping age, There is such mirth that it may not be writ; a.s.say it youreself, then may ye wit* *know If that I lie or no in this mattere.

Maius, that sat with so benign a cheer,* *countenance Her to behold it seemed faerie; Queen Esther never look'd with such an eye On a.s.suere, so meek a look had she; I may you not devise all her beauty; But thus much of her beauty tell I may, That she was hike the bright morrow of May Full filled of all beauty and pleasance.

This January is ravish'd in a trance, At every time he looked in her face; But in his heart he gan her to menace, That he that night in armes would her strain Harder than ever Paris did Helene.

But natheless yet had he great pity That thilke night offende her must he, And thought, "Alas, O tender creature, Now woulde G.o.d ye mighte well endure All my courage, it is so sharp and keen; I am aghast* ye shall it not sustene. *afraid But G.o.d forbid that I did all my might.

Now woulde G.o.d that it were waxen night, And that the night would lasten evermo'.

I would that all this people were y-go."* *gone away And finally he did all his labour, As he best mighte, saving his honour, To haste them from the meat in subtle wise.

The time came that reason was to rise; And after that men dance, and drinke fast, And spices all about the house they cast, And full of joy and bliss is every man, All but a squire, that highte Damian, Who carv'd before the knight full many a day; He was so ravish'd on his lady May, That for the very pain he was nigh wood;* *mad Almost he swelt* and swooned where he stood, *fainted So sore had Venus hurt him with her brand, As that she bare it dancing in her hand.

And to his bed he went him hastily; No more of him as at this time speak I; But there I let him weep enough and plain,* *bewail Till freshe May will rue upon his pain.

O perilous fire, that in the bedstraw breedeth!

O foe familiar,* that his service bedeth!** *domestic <11> **offers O servant traitor, O false homely hewe,* *servant <12> Like to the adder in bosom shy untrue, G.o.d s.h.i.+eld us alle from your acquaintance!

O January, drunken in pleasance Of marriage, see how thy Damian, Thine owen squier and thy boren* man, *born <13> Intendeth for to do thee villainy:* *dishonour, outrage G.o.d grante thee thine *homehy foe* t' espy. *enemy in the household*

For in this world is no worse pestilence Than homely foe, all day in thy presence.

Performed hath the sun his arc diurn,* *daily No longer may the body of him sojourn On the horizon, in that lat.i.tude: Night with his mantle, that is dark and rude, Gan overspread the hemisphere about: For which departed is this *l.u.s.ty rout* *pleasant company*

From January, with thank on every side.

Home to their houses l.u.s.tily they ride, Where as they do their thinges as them lest, And when they see their time they go to rest.