Section 6:
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 God 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, God 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,

God 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 God it lawful were to me

To be refreshed half so oft as he!

What gift* of God had he for all his wives? *special favour, licence

No man hath such, that in this world alive is.

God wot, this noble 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 God 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' God's half,* where it liketh me. *on God'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 God 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 God commanded maidenhead,

Then had he damned* 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* God 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'assemble

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 chastity), 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.

God calleth folk to him in sundry wise,

And each one hath of God a proper gift,

Some this, some that, as liketh him to shift.* *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 God 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 chastity no cure.* *care

Christ was a maid, and shapen* as a man, *fashioned

And many a saint, since that this world began,

Yet ever liv'd in perfect chastity.

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 God 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* God 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 God and by Saint John,

Ye are a noble 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 God

As God 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 God 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 Essex 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, God 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 assent: but hearken how I said.

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

Why is my neigheboure's wife so gay?

She is honour'd *over all where* she go'th, *wheresoever

I sit at home, I have no *thrifty cloth.* *good clothes*

What dost thou at my neigheboure's house?

Is she so fair? art thou so amorous?

What rown'st* thou with our maid? benedicite, *whisperest

Sir olde lechour, let thy japes* be. *tricks

And if I have a gossip, or a friend

(Withoute guilt), thou chidest as a fiend,

If that I walk or play unto his house.

Thou comest home as drunken as a mouse,

And preachest on thy bench, with evil prefe:* *proof

Thou say'st to me, it is a great mischief

To wed a poore woman, for costage:* *expense

And if that she be rich, of high parage;* * birth <11>

Then say'st thou, that it is a tormentry

To suffer her pride and melancholy.

And if that she be fair, thou very knave,

Thou say'st that every holour* will her have; *whoremonger

She may no while in chastity abide,

That is assailed upon every side.

Thou say'st some folk desire us for richess,

Some for our shape, and some for our fairness,

And some, for she can either sing or dance,

And some for gentiless and dalliance,

Some for her handes and her armes smale:

Thus goes all to the devil, by thy tale;

Thou say'st, men may not keep a castle wall

That may be so assailed *over all.* *everywhere*

And if that she be foul, thou say'st that she

Coveteth every man that she may see;

For as a spaniel she will on him leap,

Till she may finde some man her to cheap;* *buy

And none so grey goose goes there in the lake,

(So say'st thou) that will be without a make.* *mate

And say'st, it is a hard thing for to weld *wield, govern

A thing that no man will, *his thankes, held.* *hold with his goodwill*

Thus say'st thou, lorel,* when thou go'st to bed, *good-for-nothing

And that no wise man needeth for to wed,

Nor no man that intendeth unto heaven.

With wilde thunder dint* and fiery leven** * stroke **lightning

Mote* thy wicked necke be to-broke. *may

Thou say'st, that dropping houses, and eke smoke,

And chiding wives, make men to flee

Out of their owne house; ah! ben'dicite,

What aileth such an old man for to chide?

Thou say'st, we wives will our vices hide,

Till we be fast,* and then we will them shew. *wedded

Well may that be a proverb of a shrew.* *ill-tempered wretch

Thou say'st, that oxen, asses, horses, hounds,

They be *assayed at diverse stounds,* *tested at various

Basons and lavers, ere that men them buy, seasons

Spoones, stooles, and all such husbandry,

And so be pots, and clothes, and array,* *raiment

But folk of wives make none assay,

Till they be wedded,—olde dotard shrew!—

And then, say'st thou, we will our vices shew.

Thou say'st also, that it displeaseth me,

But if * that thou wilt praise my beauty, *unless

And but* thou pore alway upon my face, *unless

And call me faire dame in every place;

And but* thou make a feast on thilke** day *unless **that

That I was born, and make me fresh and gay;

And but thou do to my norice* honour, *nurse <12>

And to my chamberere* within my bow'r, *chamber-maid

And to my father's folk, and mine allies;* *relations

Thus sayest thou, old barrel full of lies.

And yet also of our prentice Jenkin,

For his crisp hair, shining as gold so fine,

And for he squireth me both up and down,

Yet hast thou caught a false suspicioun:

I will him not, though thou wert dead to-morrow.

But tell me this, why hidest thou, *with sorrow,* *sorrow on thee!*

The keyes of thy chest away from me?

It is my good* as well as thine, pardie. *property

What, think'st to make an idiot of our dame?

Now, by that lord that called is Saint Jame,

Thou shalt not both, although that thou wert wood,* *furious

Be master of my body, and my good,* *property

The one thou shalt forego, maugre* thine eyen. *in spite of

What helpeth it of me t'inquire and spyen?

I trow thou wouldest lock me in thy chest.

Thou shouldest say, 'Fair wife, go where thee lest;

Take your disport; I will believe no tales;

I know you for a true wife, Dame Ales.'* *Alice

We love no man, that taketh keep* or charge *care

Where that we go; we will be at our large.

Of alle men most blessed may he be,

The wise astrologer Dan* Ptolemy, *Lord

That saith this proverb in his Almagest:<13>

'Of alle men his wisdom is highest,

That recketh not who hath the world in hand.

By this proverb thou shalt well understand,

Have thou enough, what thar* thee reck or care *needs, behoves

How merrily that other folkes fare?

For certes, olde dotard, by your leave,

Ye shall have [pleasure] <14> right enough at eve.

He is too great a niggard that will werne* *forbid

A man to light a candle at his lantern;

He shall have never the less light, pardie.

Have thou enough, thee thar* not plaine** thee *need **complain

Thou say'st also, if that we make us gay

With clothing and with precious array,

That it is peril of our chastity.

And yet,—with sorrow!—thou enforcest thee,

And say'st these words in the apostle's name:

'In habit made with chastity and shame* *modesty

Ye women shall apparel you,' quoth he,<15>

'And not in tressed hair and gay perrie,* *jewels

As pearles, nor with gold, nor clothes rich.'

After thy text nor after thy rubrich

I will not work as muchel as a gnat.

Thou say'st also, I walk out like a cat;

For whoso woulde singe the catte's skin

Then will the catte well dwell in her inn;* *house

And if the catte's skin be sleek and gay,

She will not dwell in house half a day,

But forth she will, ere any day be daw'd,

To shew her skin, and go a caterwaw'd.* *caterwauling

This is to say, if I be gay, sir shrew,

I will run out, my borel* for to shew. *apparel, fine clothes

Sir olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen?

Though thou pray Argus with his hundred eyen

To be my wardecorps,* as he can best *body-guard

In faith he shall not keep me, *but me lest:* *unless I please*

Yet could I *make his beard,* so may I the. *make a jest of him*

"Thou sayest eke, that there be thinges three, *thrive

Which thinges greatly trouble all this earth,

And that no wighte may endure the ferth:* *fourth

O lefe* sir shrew, may Jesus short** thy life. *pleasant **shorten

Yet preachest thou, and say'st, a hateful wife

Y-reckon'd is for one of these mischances.

Be there *none other manner resemblances* *no other kind of

That ye may liken your parables unto, comparison*

But if a silly wife be one of tho?* *those

Thou likenest a woman's love to hell;

To barren land where water may not dwell.

Thou likenest it also to wild fire;

The more it burns, the more it hath desire

To consume every thing that burnt will be.

Thou sayest, right as wormes shend* a tree, *destroy

Right so a wife destroyeth her husbond;

This know they well that be to wives bond."

Lordings, right thus, as ye have understand,

*Bare I stiffly mine old husbands on hand,* *made them believe*

That thus they saiden in their drunkenness;

And all was false, but that I took witness

On Jenkin, and upon my niece also.

O Lord! the pain I did them, and the woe,

'Full guilteless, by Godde's sweete pine;* *pain

For as a horse I coulde bite and whine;

I coulde plain,* an'** I was in the guilt, *complain **even though

Or elles oftentime I had been spilt* *ruined

Whoso first cometh to the nilll, first grint;* *is ground

I plained first, so was our war y-stint.* *stopped

They were full glad to excuse them full blive* *quickly

Of things that they never *aguilt their live.* *were guilty in their

lives*

Of wenches would I *beare them on hand,* *falsely accuse them*

When that for sickness scarcely might they stand,

Yet tickled I his hearte for that he

Ween'd* that I had of him so great cherte:** *though **affection<16>

I swore that all my walking out by night

Was for to espy wenches that he dight:* *adorned

Under that colour had I many a mirth.

For all such wit is given us at birth;

Deceit, weeping, and spinning, God doth give

To women kindly, while that they may live. *naturally

And thus of one thing I may vaunte me,

At th' end I had the better in each degree,

By sleight, or force, or by some manner thing,

As by continual murmur or grudging,* *complaining

Namely* a-bed, there hadde they mischance, *especially

There would I chide, and do them no pleasance:

I would no longer in the bed abide,

If that I felt his arm over my side,

Till he had made his ransom unto me,

Then would I suffer him do his nicety.* *folly <17>

And therefore every man this tale I tell,

Win whoso may, for all is for to sell;

With empty hand men may no hawkes lure;

For winning would I all his will endure,

And make me a feigned appetite,

And yet in bacon* had I never delight: *i.e. of Dunmow <9>

That made me that I ever would them chide.

For, though the Pope had sitten them beside,

I would not spare them at their owen board,

For, by my troth, I quit* them word for word *repaid

As help me very God omnipotent,

Though I right now should make my testament

I owe them not a word, that is not quit* *repaid

I brought it so aboute by my wit,

That they must give it up, as for the best

Or elles had we never been in rest.

For, though he looked as a wood* lion, *furious

Yet should he fail of his conclusion.

Then would I say, "Now, goode lefe* tak keep** *dear **heed

How meekly looketh Wilken oure sheep!

Come near, my spouse, and let me ba* thy cheek *kiss <18>

Ye shoulde be all patient and meek,

And have a *sweet y-spiced* conscience, *tender, nice*

Since ye so preach of Jobe's patience.

Suffer alway, since ye so well can preach,

And but* ye do, certain we shall you teach* *unless

That it is fair to have a wife in peace.

One of us two must bowe* doubteless: *give way

And since a man is more reasonable

Than woman is, ye must be suff'rable.

What aileth you to grudge* thus and groan? *complain

Is it for ye would have my [love] <14> alone?

Why, take it all: lo, have it every deal,* *whit

Peter! <19> shrew* you but ye love it well *curse

For if I woulde sell my *belle chose*, *beautiful thing*

I coulde walk as fresh as is a rose,

But I will keep it for your owen tooth.

Ye be to blame, by God, I say you sooth."

Such manner wordes hadde we on hand.

Now will I speaken of my fourth husband.

My fourthe husband was a revellour;

This is to say, he had a paramour,

And I was young and full of ragerie,* *wantonness

Stubborn and strong, and jolly as a pie.* *magpie

Then could I dance to a harpe smale,

And sing, y-wis,* as any nightingale, *certainly

When I had drunk a draught of sweete wine.

Metellius, the foule churl, the swine,

That with a staff bereft his wife of life

For she drank wine, though I had been his wife,

Never should he have daunted me from drink:

And, after wine, of Venus most I think.

For all so sure as cold engenders hail,

A liquorish mouth must have a liquorish tail.

In woman vinolent* is no defence,** *full of wine *resistance

This knowe lechours by experience.

But, lord Christ, when that it rememb'reth me

Upon my youth, and on my jollity,

It tickleth me about mine hearte-root;

Unto this day it doth mine hearte boot,* *good

That I have had my world as in my time.

But age, alas! that all will envenime,* *poison, embitter

Hath me bereft my beauty and my pith:* *vigour

Let go; farewell; the devil go therewith.

The flour is gon, there is no more to tell,

The bran, as I best may, now must I sell.

But yet to be right merry will I fand.* *try

Now forth to tell you of my fourth husband,

I say, I in my heart had great despite,

That he of any other had delight;

But he was quit,* by God and by Saint Joce:<21> *requited, paid back

I made for him of the same wood a cross;

Not of my body in no foul mannere,

But certainly I made folk such cheer,

That in his owen grease I made him fry

For anger, and for very jealousy.

By God, in earth I was his purgatory,

For which I hope his soul may be in glory.

For, God it wot, he sat full oft and sung,

When that his shoe full bitterly him wrung.* *pinched

There was no wight, save God and he, that wist

In many wise how sore I did him twist.<20>

He died when I came from Jerusalem,

And lies in grave under the *roode beam:* *cross*

Although his tomb is not so curious

As was the sepulchre of Darius,

Which that Apelles wrought so subtlely.

It is but waste to bury them preciously.

Let him fare well, God give his soule rest,

He is now in his grave and in his chest.

Now of my fifthe husband will I tell:

God let his soul never come into hell.

And yet was he to me the moste shrew;* *cruel, ill-tempered

That feel I on my ribbes all *by rew,* *in a row

And ever shall, until mine ending day.

But in our bed he was so fresh and gay,

And therewithal so well he could me glose,* *flatter

When that he woulde have my belle chose,

Though he had beaten me on every bone,

Yet could he win again my love anon.

I trow, I lov'd him better, for that he

Was of his love so dangerous* to me. *sparing, difficult

We women have, if that I shall not lie,

In this matter a quainte fantasy.

Whatever thing we may not lightly have,

Thereafter will we cry all day and crave.

Forbid us thing, and that desire we;

Press on us fast, and thenne will we flee.

With danger* utter we all our chaffare;** *difficulty **merchandise

Great press at market maketh deare ware,

And too great cheap is held at little price;

This knoweth every woman that is wise.

My fifthe husband, God his soule bless,

Which that I took for love and no richess,

He some time was *a clerk of Oxenford,* *a scholar of Oxford*

And had left school, and went at home to board

With my gossip,* dwelling in oure town: *godmother

God have her soul, her name was Alisoun.

She knew my heart, and all my privity,

Bet than our parish priest, so may I the.* *thrive

To her betrayed I my counsel all;

For had my husband pissed on a wall,

Or done a thing that should have cost his life,

To her, and to another worthy wife,

And to my niece, which that I loved well,

I would have told his counsel every deal.* *jot

And so I did full often, God it wot,

That made his face full often red and hot

For very shame, and blam'd himself, for he

Had told to me so great a privity.* *secret

And so befell that ones in a Lent

(So oftentimes I to my gossip went,

For ever yet I loved to be gay,

And for to walk in March, April, and May

From house to house, to heare sundry tales),

That Jenkin clerk, and my gossip, Dame Ales,

And I myself, into the fieldes went.

Mine husband was at London all that Lent;

I had the better leisure for to play,

And for to see, and eke for to be sey* *seen

Of lusty folk; what wist I where my grace* *favour

Was shapen for to be, or in what place? *appointed

Therefore made I my visitations

To vigilies,* and to processions, *festival-eves<22>

To preachings eke, and to these pilgrimages,

To plays of miracles, and marriages,

And weared upon me gay scarlet gites.* *gowns

These wormes, nor these mothes, nor these mites

On my apparel frett* them never a deal** *fed **whit

And know'st thou why? for they were used* well. *worn

Now will I telle forth what happen'd me:

I say, that in the fieldes walked we,

Till truely we had such dalliance,

This clerk and I, that of my purveyance* *foresight

I spake to him, and told him how that he,

If I were widow, shoulde wedde me.

For certainly, I say for no bobance,* *boasting<23>

Yet was I never without purveyance* *foresight

Of marriage, nor of other thinges eke:

I hold a mouse's wit not worth a leek,

That hath but one hole for to starte* to,<24> *escape

And if that faile, then is all y-do.* *done

[*I bare him on hand* he had enchanted me *falsely assured him*

(My dame taughte me that subtilty);

And eke I said, I mette* of him all night, *dreamed

He would have slain me, as I lay upright,

And all my bed was full of very blood;

But yet I hop'd that he should do me good;

For blood betoken'd gold, as me was taught.

And all was false, I dream'd of him right naught,

But as I follow'd aye my dame's lore,

As well of that as of other things more.] <25>

But now, sir, let me see, what shall I sayn?

Aha! by God, I have my tale again.

When that my fourthe husband was on bier,

I wept algate* and made a sorry cheer,** *always **countenance

As wives must, for it is the usage;

And with my kerchief covered my visage;

But, for I was provided with a make,* *mate

I wept but little, that I undertake* *promise

To churche was mine husband borne a-morrow

With neighebours that for him made sorrow,

And Jenkin, oure clerk, was one of tho:* *those

As help me God, when that I saw him go

After the bier, methought he had a pair

Of legges and of feet so clean and fair,

That all my heart I gave unto his hold.* *keeping

He was, I trow, a twenty winter old,

And I was forty, if I shall say sooth,

But yet I had always a colte's tooth.

Gat-toothed* I was, and that became me well, *see note <26>

I had the print of Sainte Venus' seal.

[As help me God, I was a lusty one,

And fair, and rich, and young, and *well begone:* *in a good way*

For certes I am all venerian* *under the influence of Venus

In feeling, and my heart is martian;* *under the influence of Mars

Venus me gave my lust and liquorishness,

And Mars gave me my sturdy hardiness.] <25>

Mine ascendant was Taure,* and Mars therein: *Taurus

Alas, alas, that ever love was sin!

I follow'd aye mine inclination

By virtue of my constellation:

That made me that I coulde not withdraw

My chamber of Venus from a good fellaw.

[Yet have I Marte's mark upon my face,

And also in another privy place.

For God so wisly* be my salvation, *certainly

I loved never by discretion,

But ever follow'd mine own appetite,

All* were he short, or long, or black, or white, *whether

I took no keep,* so that he liked me, *heed

How poor he was, neither of what degree.] <25>

What should I say? but that at the month's end

This jolly clerk Jenkin, that was so hend,* *courteous

Had wedded me with great solemnity,

And to him gave I all the land and fee

That ever was me given therebefore:

But afterward repented me full sore.

He woulde suffer nothing of my list.* *pleasure

By God, he smote me ones with his fist,

For that I rent out of his book a leaf,

That of the stroke mine eare wax'd all deaf.

Stubborn I was, as is a lioness,

And of my tongue a very jangleress,* *prater

And walk I would, as I had done beforn,

From house to house, although he had it sworn:* *had sworn to

For which he oftentimes woulde preach prevent it

And me of olde Roman gestes* teach *stories

How that Sulpitius Gallus left his wife

And her forsook for term of all his

For nought but open-headed* he her say** *bare-headed **saw

Looking out at his door upon a day.

Another Roman <27> told he me by name,

That, for his wife was at a summer game

Without his knowing, he forsook her eke.

And then would he upon his Bible seek

That ilke* proverb of Ecclesiast, *same

Where he commandeth, and forbiddeth fast,

Man shall not suffer his wife go roll about.

Then would he say right thus withoute doubt:

"Whoso that buildeth his house all of sallows,* *willows

And pricketh his blind horse over the fallows,

And suff'reth his wife to *go seeke hallows,* *make pilgrimages*

Is worthy to be hanged on the gallows."

But all for nought; I *sette not a haw* *cared nothing for*

Of his proverbs, nor of his olde saw;

Nor would I not of him corrected be.

I hate them that my vices telle me,

And so do more of us (God wot) than I.

This made him wood* with me all utterly; *furious

I woulde not forbear* him in no case. *endure

Now will I say you sooth, by Saint Thomas,

Why that I rent out of his book a leaf,

For which he smote me, so that I was deaf.

He had a book, that gladly night and day

For his disport he would it read alway;

He call'd it Valerie,<28> and Theophrast,

And with that book he laugh'd alway full fast.

And eke there was a clerk sometime at Rome,

A cardinal, that highte Saint Jerome,

That made a book against Jovinian,

Which book was there; and eke Tertullian,

Chrysippus, Trotula, and Heloise,

That was an abbess not far from Paris;

And eke the Parables* of Solomon, *Proverbs

Ovide's Art, <29> and bourdes* many one; *jests

And alle these were bound in one volume.

And every night and day was his custume

(When he had leisure and vacation

From other worldly occupation)

To readen in this book of wicked wives.

He knew of them more legends and more lives

Than be of goodde wives in the Bible.

For, trust me well, it is an impossible

That any clerk will speake good of wives,

(*But if* it be of holy saintes' lives) *unless

Nor of none other woman never the mo'.

Who painted the lion, tell it me, who?

By God, if women haddde written stories,

As clerkes have within their oratories,

They would have writ of men more wickedness

Than all the mark of Adam <30> may redress

The children of Mercury and of Venus,<31>

Be in their working full contrarious.

Mercury loveth wisdom and science,

And Venus loveth riot and dispence.* *extravagance

And for their diverse disposition,

Each falls in other's exaltation.

As thus, God wot, Mercury is desolate

In Pisces, where Venus is exaltate,

And Venus falls where Mercury is raised. <32>

Therefore no woman by no clerk is praised.

The clerk, when he is old, and may not do

Of Venus' works not worth his olde shoe,

Then sits he down, and writes in his dotage,

That women cannot keep their marriage.

But now to purpose, why I tolde thee

That I was beaten for a book, pardie.

Upon a night Jenkin, that was our sire,* *goodman

Read on his book, as he sat by the fire,

Of Eva first, that for her wickedness

Was all mankind brought into wretchedness,

For which that Jesus Christ himself was slain,

That bought us with his hearte-blood again.

Lo here express of women may ye find

That woman was the loss of all mankind.

Then read he me how Samson lost his hairs

Sleeping, his leman cut them with her shears,

Through whiche treason lost he both his eyen.

Then read he me, if that I shall not lien,

Of Hercules, and of his Dejanire,

That caused him to set himself on fire.

Nothing forgot he of the care and woe

That Socrates had with his wives two;

How Xantippe cast piss upon his head.

This silly man sat still, as he were dead,

He wip'd his head, and no more durst he sayn,

But, "Ere the thunder stint* there cometh rain." *ceases

Of Phasiphae, that was queen of Crete,

For shrewedness* he thought the tale sweet. *wickedness

Fy, speak no more, it is a grisly thing,

Of her horrible lust and her liking.

Of Clytemnestra, for her lechery

That falsely made her husband for to die,

He read it with full good devotion.

He told me eke, for what occasion

Amphiorax at Thebes lost his life:

My husband had a legend of his wife

Eryphile, that for an ouche* of gold *clasp, collar

Had privily unto the Greekes told,

Where that her husband hid him in a place,

For which he had at Thebes sorry grace.

Of Luna told he me, and of Lucie;

They bothe made their husbands for to die,

That one for love, that other was for hate.

Luna her husband on an ev'ning late

Empoison'd had, for that she was his foe:

Lucia liquorish lov'd her husband so,

That, for he should always upon her think,

She gave him such a manner* love-drink, *sort of

That he was dead before it were the morrow:

And thus algates* husbands hadde sorrow. *always

Then told he me how one Latumeus

Complained to his fellow Arius

That in his garden growed such a tree,

On which he said how that his wives three

Hanged themselves for heart dispiteous.

"O leve* brother," quoth this Arius, *dear

"Give me a plant of thilke* blessed tree, *that

And in my garden planted shall it be."

Of later date of wives hath he read,

That some have slain their husbands in their bed,

And let their *lechour dight them* all the night, *lover ride them*

While that the corpse lay on the floor upright:

And some have driven nails into their brain,

While that they slept, and thus they have them slain:

Some have them given poison in their drink:

He spake more harm than hearte may bethink.

And therewithal he knew of more proverbs,

Than in this world there groweth grass or herbs.

"Better (quoth he) thine habitation

Be with a lion, or a foul dragon,

Than with a woman using for to chide.

Better (quoth he) high in the roof abide,

Than with an angry woman in the house,

They be so wicked and contrarious:

They hate that their husbands loven aye."

He said, "A woman cast her shame away

When she cast off her smock;" and farthermo',

"A fair woman, but* she be chaste also, *except

Is like a gold ring in a sowe's nose.

Who coulde ween,* or who coulde suppose *think

The woe that in mine heart was, and the pine?* *pain

And when I saw that he would never fine* *finish

To readen on this cursed book all night,

All suddenly three leaves have I plight* *plucked

Out of his book, right as he read, and eke

I with my fist so took him on the cheek,

That in our fire he backward fell adown.

And he up start, as doth a wood* lion, *furious

And with his fist he smote me on the head,

That on the floor I lay as I were dead.

And when he saw how still that there I lay,

He was aghast, and would have fled away,

Till at the last out of my swoon I braid,* *woke

"Oh, hast thou slain me, thou false thief?" I said

"And for my land thus hast thou murder'd me?

Ere I be dead, yet will I kisse thee."

And near he came, and kneeled fair adown,

And saide", "Deare sister Alisoun,

As help me God, I shall thee never smite:

That I have done it is thyself to wite,* *blame

Forgive it me, and that I thee beseek."* *beseech

And yet eftsoons* I hit him on the cheek, *immediately; again

And saidde, "Thief, thus much am I awreak.* *avenged

Now will I die, I may no longer speak."

But at the last, with muche care and woe

We fell accorded* by ourselves two: *agreed

He gave me all the bridle in mine hand

To have the governance of house and land,

And of his tongue, and of his hand also.

I made him burn his book anon right tho.* *then

And when that I had gotten unto me

By mast'ry all the sovereignety,

And that he said, "Mine owen true wife,

Do *as thee list,* the term of all thy life, *as pleases thee*

Keep thine honour, and eke keep mine estate;

After that day we never had debate.

God help me so, I was to him as kind

As any wife from Denmark unto Ind,

And also true, and so was he to me:

I pray to God that sits in majesty

So bless his soule, for his mercy dear.

Now will I say my tale, if ye will hear.—

The Friar laugh'd when he had heard all this:

"Now, Dame," quoth he, "so have I joy and bliss,

This is a long preamble of a tale."

And when the Sompnour heard the Friar gale,* *speak

"Lo," quoth this Sompnour, "Godde's armes two,

A friar will intermete* him evermo': *interpose <33>

Lo, goode men, a fly and eke a frere

Will fall in ev'ry dish and eke mattere.

What speak'st thou of perambulation?* *preamble

What? amble or trot; or peace, or go sit down:

Thou lettest* our disport in this mattere." *hinderesst

"Yea, wilt thou so, Sir Sompnour?" quoth the Frere;

"Now by my faith I shall, ere that I go,

Tell of a Sompnour such a tale or two,

That all the folk shall laughen in this place."

"Now do, else, Friar, I beshrew* thy face," *curse

Quoth this Sompnour; "and I beshrewe me,

But if* I telle tales two or three *unless

Of friars, ere I come to Sittingbourne,

That I shall make thine hearte for to mourn:

For well I wot thy patience is gone."

Our Hoste cried, "Peace, and that anon;"

And saide, "Let the woman tell her tale.

Ye fare* as folk that drunken be of ale. *behave

Do, Dame, tell forth your tale, and that is best."

"All ready, sir," quoth she, "right as you lest,* *please

If I have licence of this worthy Frere."

"Yes, Dame," quoth he, "tell forth, and I will hear."

Notes to the Prologue to the Wife of Bath's Tale

1. Among the evidences that Chaucer's great work was left

incomplete, is the absence of any link of connexion between the

Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale, and what goes before. This

deficiency has in some editions caused the Squire's and the

Merchant's Tales to be interposed between those of the Man of

Law and the Wife of Bath; but in the Merchant's Tale there is

internal proof that it was told after the jolly Dame's. Several

manuscripts contain verses designed to serve as a connexion;

but they are evidently not Chaucer's, and it is unnecessary to

give them here. Of this Prologue, which may fairly be regarded

as a distinct autobiographical tale, Tyrwhitt says: "The

extraordinary length of it, as well as the vein of pleasantry that

runs through it, is very suitable to the character of the speaker.

The greatest part must have been of Chaucer's own invention,

though one may plainly see that he had been reading the popular

invectives against marriage and women in general; such as the

'Roman de la Rose,' 'Valerius ad Rufinum, De non Ducenda

Uxore,' ('Valerius to Rufinus, on not being ruled by one's wife')

and particularly 'Hieronymus contra Jovinianum.' ('Jerome

against Jovinianus') St Jerome, among other things designed to

discourage marriage, has inserted in his treatise a long passage

from 'Liber Aureolus Theophrasti de Nuptiis.' ('Theophrastus's

Golden Book of Marriage')."

2. A great part of the marriage service used to be performed in

the church-porch.

3. Jesus and the Samaritan woman: John iv. 13.

4. Dan: Lord; Latin, "dominus." Another reading is "the wise

man, King Solomon."

5. Defended: forbade; French, "defendre," to prohibit.

6. Dart: the goal; a spear or dart was set up to mark the point of

victory.

7. "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and

silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and

some to dishonour."—2 Tim. ii 20.

8. Jesus feeding the multitude with barley bread: Mark vi. 41,

42.

9. At Dunmow prevailed the custom of giving, amid much

merry making, a flitch of bacon to the married pair who had

lived together for a year without quarrel or regret. The same

custom prevailed of old in Bretagne.

10. "Cagnard," or "Caignard," a French term of reproach,

originally derived from "canis," a dog.

11. Parage: birth, kindred; from Latin, "pario," I beget.

12. Norice: nurse; French, "nourrice."

13. This and the previous quotation from Ptolemy are due to

the Dame's own fancy.

14. (Transcriber's note: Some Victorian censorship here. The

word given in [brackets] should be "queint" i.e. "cunt".)

15. Women should not adorn themselves: see I Tim. ii. 9.

16. Cherte: affection; from French, "cher," dear.

17. Nicety: folly; French, "niaiserie."

18. Ba