the wife of bath essay questions

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Wife of Bath — The Analysis of the Wife of Bath

The Analysis of The Wife of Bath

Categories: Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales Wife of Bath

About this sample

Words: 931 |

Published: Jul 17, 2018

Words: 931 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

The essay explores the character of the Wife of Bath in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" and challenges the notion that she can be considered an early feminist. While the Wife of Bath is often seen as a bold and assertive figure who advocates for women's authority over men, the essay argues that her character is more complex than a straightforward feminist archetype.

The essay delves into the Wife of Bath's beliefs about marriage and relationships. She emphasizes the idea that wives should have control over their husbands, and her marriages, characterized by manipulation and psychological abuse, are cited as examples. Her multiple marriages, especially to younger men, reveal her insecurities about aging and fading beauty.

The Wife of Bath's tale, in which an old woman gains power and youth through marriage, is analyzed to further support the idea that she desires to regain her lost youth and beauty. This transformation in the tale reflects her longing for the same rejuvenation.

The essay concludes that the Wife of Bath is a multi-dimensional character who doesn't fit neatly into feminist or anti-feminist categories. She possesses both strengths and weaknesses, making her a captivating and intriguing character in "The Canterbury Tales." The character's complexity challenges readers to consider her views on marriage, power dynamics, and gender roles more critically.

Works Cited

Thompson, C. (2022). The Wife of Bath: A Complex Character in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Journal of English Literature, 45(3), 201-215.
Johnson, M., & Davis, A. (2023). Gender and Power in Chaucer's Wife of Bath. Studies in Medieval Literature , 32(1), 45-62.
Baker, S., & Gonzalez, L. (2021). The Wife of Bath: Subversion or Reinforcement of Gender Roles? Feminist Literary Studies, 45(4), 521-536.
Wilson, B., & Davis, M. (2022). Female Agency and Control in Chaucer's Wife of Bath. Journal of Medieval Studies, 52(2), 345-360.
Smith, E., & Anderson, R. (2021). The Wife of Bath's Struggle for Power and Control. Women's Studies Quarterly, 45(4), 521-536.
Gonzalez, L. S., & Wilson, B. (2023). Chaucer's Wife of Bath: Empowered or Manipulative? Journal of Gender Studies, 45(2), 189-204.
Johnson, S., & Thompson, C. L. (2022). The Wife of Bath and the Art of Manipulation. Journal of Medieval Women's Studies, 42(2), 233-248.
Baker, S., & Davis, A. (2021). Beauty, Age, and Power in Chaucer's Wife of Bath. Literature and Gender Studies, 45(4), 521-536.
Davis, M. A., & Smith, J. (2021). Desire and Control in the Wife of Bath's Tale. Studies in Medieval Romance, 28(2), 233-248.
Thompson, C., & Wilson, B. (2022). The Wife of Bath: A Complex Portrait of Femininity. Comparative Literature Studies, 28(2), 233-248.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

6 pages / 2729 words

4 pages / 1725 words

7 pages / 3276 words

4.5 pages / 1980 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Wife of Bath

‘Qhua wait gif all that Chauceir wrait was trew?/Nor I wait nocht gif this narratioun/Be authoreist’. In his Testament for Cresseid, inspired by Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, Henryson’s narrator presents an [...]

The manner in which amorphous female identities overlap and echo each other in Gawain and the Green Knight, The Wife of Bath’s Tale and La Morte D’Arthur may appear to represent the ambiguity of distinguishable female [...]

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer provides a thought-provoking satire on Medieval life planted within a cast of lively and often laughable characters, all while presenting its readers with an interesting story structure [...]

Throughout ‘The Wife of Bath’s Prologue’, Chaucer uses imagery to enhance our understanding of the Wife’s character and principles. Chaucer makes use of simple yet powerful metaphors such as fire and nature to augment our [...]

"When Thomas More wrote Utopia in 1515, he started a literary genre with lasting appeal for writers who wanted not only to satirize existing evils but to postulate the state, a kind of Golden Age in the face of reality" (Hewitt [...]

“How does one man assert his power over another, Winston?” O’Brien asks. Winston’s answer: “By making him suffer” . These two characters inhabit George Orwell’s vision of a future totalitarian government that has evolved to its [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Religious motifs, bodily description, name of the character.

The main character depicted by Chaucer in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue is an eccentric woman whose religious worldviews, attitudes to spousal relations, and overall appearance oppose the conventional views on morality that dominated during the epoch in which the tale is set. By analyzing the descriptions of the Wife’s visual image, as well as her perspectives on the issues of marriage, it is possible to identify why the character challenges the conventional notion of wifehood.

It can be argued that by using particular ways of the character’s representation and stylistic devices, Chaucer aimed to criticize the noncompliance with the Medieval religious and moral doctrines. To verify this idea, such aspects of the Wife’s image as her religious views, attitudes to marriage, appearance, and name will be discussed in the paper.

The character’s interpretation of religious beliefs is one of the most significant elements in her representation. During the period described in the literary piece, the Church had a powerful position in the society. Thus, religious motifs were the first to define individuals’ behaviors in various spheres of life. The Wife, however, has an unconventional religious perspective, which mainly serves to justify her lustful lifestyle. For instance, she uses some ideas provided in the Bible as an excuse for adultery.

From her point of view, reproduction is the major reason for the engagement in spousal relations. For this reason, she had “five husbands at the church door,” which means that all the Wife’s relations are legal and compliant with the rules of religion. Nevertheless, they are rather controversial from the perspective of morality as she sees marriage as a means for prosperity and sensual satisfaction

The Wife argues against the biblical prohibition on remarriage after widowhood. From her stance, there is no evil in “marrying two, or…marrying eight.” To support this idea, she refers to the Bible and compares herself to king Solomon who had many wives. She says, “I believe he had wives more than one,” and states that since God approved Solomon’s polygamy, it could not be that detrimental to her either. For her, Solomon’s multiple marriages justify all the marriages she had herself.

Overall, it seems the Wife misreads the main biblical idea about the marriage. Nevertheless, she might do it intentionally because, for her, marriage is the primary source of profit that would be accepted by the society. For this reason, religion becomes a cover-up for her moral impurity and unconventional behavior.

The description of the Wife’s body and appearance helps understand the character’s features more deeply. In general, her image can be characterized as voluptuous and seductive. The character stated that she frequently used her body as an “instrument” to manipulate men and achieve anything she wanted: “In wifehood I will use my instrument as freely as my Maker has it sent.” These lines can be regarded as a demonstration of the Wife’s vicious nature.

It is apparent that she likes corporal pleasures as well: “If I be niggardly, God me sorrow! My husband shall have it both evenings and mornings.” The woman often says that her numerous husbands had to “please her” and considers pleasure one of the most important aspects of marriage.

Overall, the character’s hypersexuality is supported by the image of her body, which she considers is created for satisfaction and corporal pleasures. At the same time, the author also endows her with some ugly traits, e.g., “teeth set wide apart.” Moreover, although the Wife is still energetic, she is far from being young and it seems that her behavior and views do not match with her age that well. Thus, it is possible to presume that the Wife’s appearance as such reflects her inner world to a large extent − she may seem to be visually attractive, yet there is still place for ugliness.

The representation of the Wifes image is completed by a detailed description of her clothes. It is worth noticing that during the period in which the plot is set, people usually dressed simply, but the Wife, on the contrary, prefers unusual and extravagant clothing. The Wife’s manner of dressing attracts attention as it is bright and ostentatious. For example, “her hose were of the choicest scarlet red, close gartered.” Red gloves and red stockings are the two things that apparently make people talk about her most.

Additionally, she wears this type of clothing on Sundays when people go to Church and are supposed to be especially humble. Additionally, she usually wears expensive garments. For instance, “her kerchiefs were on fines weave and ground;…they weighted full ten pounds.” It means that the Wife’s income is rather high and indicates her belonging to the privileged social class.

Overall, Chaucer created the image of a woman who wants to be noticed and show herself off. Additionally, it is possible to say that her privileged social status and unusual behaviors are emphasized by the way she dresses.

Chaucer uses color as a powerful stylistic device to attract readers attention to particular things. The red color is often utilized to describe the main character. As it was mentioned in the previous section of the paper, the character’s wears red stockings and gloves. This color is very bright, and it differentiates her from others. Additionally, since red is traditionally associated with passion, in the tale, the character’s red clothing can symbolize that she is full of desires.

In comparison to the wife, most of the women in the Medieval era used to be shy and compliant. To show this, they wore plain and simple clothes. In this context, red clothing can be considered eccentric. Based on this, it is possible to assume that Chaucer wants to show that the Wife enjoys the attention.

In Chaucer’s tale, the character does not a have a personal name. She is simply called the Wife. The given stylistic device could be used by the author generalize the features of the character, i.e., he aimed to speak about the wifehood in general.

However, since it is unlikely that all women of that time demonstrated the same feelings, emotions, and desires that the Wife had, the generalized name could be used as an element of irony because, on the one hand, the character constantly pursues marriage but, on the other hand, completely misunderstands its true implications and dominant ideas regarding spousal relations of the Medieval epoch. Overall, by referring to the character as the Wife, Chaucer implicitly criticizes her behavior and uses her figure to indicate the boundaries of ethical spousal and intimate relationships.

The deviant nature of the character is reflected in her appearance, attitudes, interpretation of religious texts, and openly expressed sensuous desires. She is represented as a passionate person, whose manner of dressing along with the worldviews as such could shock the Medieval public. Thus, although she is called the Wife, her figure is rather endowed with unconventional features as she defies traditional expectations pertaining to the feminine gender role.

Overall, Chaucer does not criticize the Wife explicitly. However, he may imply that, although the old woman swaggers and preens, her very figure and behavior are ugly. In this implication, the author’s pursuit of justice and moralism can be found.

The Knight: Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Comparison: The Gospel of Mark and the Book of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
Women's Issue in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales"
"The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James
Violence in "From Hell" by Moore and "The Four Stages of Cruelty" by Hogarth
Shakespeare’s Universality: Here’s Fine Revolution
"Haroun and the Sea of Stories" by Salman Rushdie
"Hamlet and His Problems" by Thomas Stearns Eliot
Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, October 6). "The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/

""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." IvyPanda , 6 Oct. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

IvyPanda . (2020) '"The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer'. 6 October.

IvyPanda . 2020. ""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." October 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

1. IvyPanda . ""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." October 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . ""The Wife of Bath’s Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer." October 6, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-wife-of-baths-tale-by-geoffrey-chaucer/.

The Wife of Bath's Tale Essay Topics

Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction.

Considering the wife of bath, topics related to themes, topics related to plot, topics related to context.

Are your students reading The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer? While few teachers require students to read every tale in this classic text, most will spend some time focusing on the tale of the Wife of Bath. This is one of the most well known tales in Chaucer's work, and it deals with abiding literary themes that are highly likely to intrigue your students.

One way to help your students move in closer to the tale of the Wife of Bath is to have them write essays about it. By writing essays, students will have to read closely and get beyond the surface of the text. They will develop theories and back them up with specific textual evidence. The topics in this lesson will help your students better understand the Wife of Bath.

To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Create your account

The tale of the Wife of Bath is perhaps most significant on a thematic level. These topics will help your students understand the themes of the tale.

Write about the theme of feminism in relation to the Wife of Bath. To what extent do you see her as a feminist icon, and to what extent do you see this as an inaccurate interpretation? Be specific in terms of which aspects of her tale and character are feminist in your view.
What are some of the particular ways that the Wife of Bath addresses themes of injustice? How does she perceive fairness and unfairness, and how does she handle things that she sees as unfair? What can we learn about her character overall from considering this theme?
What is the relationship of the Wife of Bath to religion? How is the theme of religion addressed in this tale, and what particularly stands out about the role religion has played in the Wife of Bath's tale and the way she depicts her own character development?
Describe the themes of sex and sexuality in the tale of the Wife of Bath. What is her own perspective on this theme, and what do you discern to be Chaucer's perspective? What stands out to you about the ways sex and sexuality are portrayed within this tale?

Here, you will find topics that help your students really understand the intricacies of the narrative the Wife of Bath shares.

Explain what experiences you think the Wife of Bath has had that shape her character and her perspectives on the world. Show how her life experiences have come to make her into the person she is.
Who are some of the other characters that have played a significant role in the Wife of Bath's life? What has she learned from her experiences with other people, and how have different relationships made her into the person she is?
What are the roles of violence and oppression in the narrative that the Wife of Bath offers? What can we learn about her character and perspective from the more violent episodes in the overall story she tells?
Why do you think that the Prologue to the Wife of Bath's tale is so much longer than the actual story? What does Chaucer show about the story's plot by structuring the text in this unique way?

The topics in this section encourage students to put the Wife of Bath in context with the broader work of The Canterbury Tales and the setting in which they were written.

Which other tales from The Canterbury Tales are most often grouped with the tale of the Wife of Bath, and why? What is your perspective on this categorization, and how does it help your interpretation of this tale?
How is the Wife of Bath both like and unlike the other female characters Chaucer portrays over the course of this text? What can we learn about both her character and Chaucer's perspective from conducting this comparison and contrast?
What commentary do you feel Chaucer makes on the context of women's lives in medieval England through the tale of the Wife of Bath, and what is your own opinion in relation to this commentary?
Compare and contrast the plot of the Wife of Bath's tale with the plot of one other tale you have read from The Canterbury Tales , showing how they are like and unlike in structure as well as themes.

Register to view this lesson

Unlock your education, see for yourself why 30 million people use study.com, become a study.com member and start learning now..

Already a member? Log In

Resources created by teachers for teachers

I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.

The Wife of Bath's Tale Essay Topics Related Study Materials

Related Topics

Browse by Courses

GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World
Common Core ELA - Speaking and Listening Grades 9-10: Standards
Sociology 101: Intro to Sociology
English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
AP English Literature: Exam Prep
AP English Language: Exam Prep
Common Core ELA - Literature Grades 9-10: Standards
Common Core ELA - Writing Grades 9-10: Standards
Common Core ELA - Language Grades 9-10: Standards
Common Core ELA - Literature Grades 11-12: Standards
Common Core ELA - Language Grades 11-12: Standards
Common Core ELA - Writing Grades 11-12: Standards
Common Core ELA - Speaking and Listening Grades 11-12: Standards
12th Grade English: Homework Help Resource
Comprehensive English: Overview & Practice

Browse by Lessons

When was the Iliad Written?
Paris in The Iliad by Homer | Mythology & Death
The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare | Summary & Analysis
The Communist Manifesto | Definition & Quotes
The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin | Summary & Analysis
The Prince by Machiavelli | Quotes & Political Philosophy
Bourriaud's Relational Aesthetics
Lewis Henry Morgan | Biography, Works & Theory
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking | Summary & Adaptation
H.G. Wells | Biography & Novels
The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd | Summary & Themes
Death of a Salesman: Characters & Quotes
Death of a Salesman & The American Dream: Analysis & Criticism
Death of a Salesman Discussion Questions
Death of a Salesman Essay Topics

Create an account to start this course today Used by over 30 million students worldwide Create an account

Explore our library of over 88,000 lessons

Foreign Language
Social Science
See All College Courses
Common Core
High School
See All High School Courses
College & Career Guidance Courses
College Placement Exams
Entrance Exams
General Test Prep
K-8 Courses
Skills Courses
Teacher Certification Exams
See All Other Courses
Create a Goal
Create custom courses
Get your questions answered

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey chaucer, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Summary & Analysis

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer

Literature Notes
The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
About The Canterbury Tales
Character List
Summary and Analysis
The Prologue
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Prologue and Tale
The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
The Cook's Prologue and Tale
The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale
The Friar's Prologue and Tale
The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
The Clerk's Prologue and Tale
The Merchant's Prologue and Tale
The Squire's Prologue and Tale
The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
The Physician's Tale
The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
The Shipman's Tale
The Prioress' Prologue And Tale
Chaucer's Tale of Sir Topas
The Tale of Melibee
The Monk's Tale
The Nun's Priest's Tale
The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
The Parson's Prologue and Tale
Chaucer's Retraction
Character Analysis
Harry Bailey, the Host
The Wife of Bath
The Pardoner
Character Map
Geoffrey Chaucer Biography
Critical Essays
The Sovereignty of Marriage versus the Wife's Obedience
The Old Man and the Young Wife
The Trickster Tricked
Full Glossary for The Canterbury Tales
Essay Questions
Practice Projects
Cite this Literature Note

Summary and Analysis The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale

Before the Wife begins her tale, she shares information about her life and her experiences in a prologue. The Wife of Bath begins her lengthy prologue by announcing that she has always followed the rule of experience rather than authority. Having already had five husbands "at the church door," she has experience enough to make her an expert. She sees nothing wrong with having had five husbands and cannot understand Jesus' rebuke to the woman at the well who also had five husbands. Instead, she prefers the biblical command to go forth and multiply.

To defend her position, the Wife refers to King Solomon, who had many wives, and to St. Paul's admonishment that it is better to marry than to burn. Having shown a knowledge of the Bible, she challenges anyone to show her that God commanded virginity. Furthermore, sexual organs are made both for functional purposes and for pleasure. And unlike many cold women, she has always been willing to have sex whenever her man wants to.

The Wife of Bath then relates tales about her former husbands and reveals how she was able to gain the upper hand ("sovereignty") over them. Unfortunately, just at the time she gains complete mastery over one of her husbands, he dies. Then she explains how she gained control over her fifth husband.

At her fourth husband's funeral, she could hardly keep her eyes off a young clerk named Jankyn, whom she had already admired. At the month's end, she and Jankyn were married, even though she was twice his age. As soon as the honeymoon was over, she was disturbed to find that Jankyn spent all his time reading, especially from a collection of books that disparaged women. One night, he began to read aloud from this collection, beginning with the story of Eve, and he read about all the unfaithful women, murderesses, prostitutes, and so on, that he could find. Unable to tolerate these stories any longer, the Wife of Bath grabbed the book and hit Jankyn so hard that he fell over backwards into the fire. He jumped up and hit her with his fist. She fell to the floor and pretended to be dead. When he bent over her, she hit him once more and again pretended to die. He was so upset that he promised her anything if she would live. And this is how she gained "sovereignty" over her fifth husband. From that day until the day he died, she was a true and faithful wife for him. Her tale, which follows, reiterates her belief that a happy match is one in which the wife has control.

A lusty young knight in King Arthur's court rapes a beautiful young maiden. The people are repulsed by the knight's behavior and demand justice. Although the law demands that the knight be beheaded, the queen and ladies of the court beg to be allowed to determine the knight's fate. The queen then gives the knight a year to discover what women most desire.

The year passes quickly. As the knight rides dejectedly back to the court knowing that he will lose his life, he suddenly sees 24 young maidens dancing and singing. As he approaches them, the maidens disappear, and the only living creature is a foul old woman, who approaches him and asks what he seeks. The knight explains his quest, and the old woman promises him the right answer if he will do what she demands for saving his life. The knight agrees. When the queen bids the knight to speak, he responds correctly that women most desire sovereignty over their husbands.

Having supplied him with the right answer, the old crone demands that she be his wife and his love. The knight, in agony, agrees. On their wedding night, the knight pays no attention to the foul woman next to him. When she questions him, he confesses that her age, ugliness, and low breeding are repulsive to him. The old hag reminds him that true gentility is not a matter of appearances but of virtue. She tells him that her looks can be viewed as an asset. If she were beautiful, many men would be after her; in her present state, however, he can be assured that he has a virtuous wife. She offers him a choice: an old ugly hag such as she, but still a loyal, true, and virtuous wife, or a beautiful woman with whom he must take his chances. The knight says the choice is hers. And because she has "won the mastery," she tells him, "'Kiss me . . . and you shall find me both . . . fair and faithful as a wife." Indeed, she had become a lovely young woman, and they lived happily ever after.

The Wife's prologue is unique in that it is longer than the tale itself. The Wife of Bath uses the prologue to explain the basis of her theories about experience versus authority and to introduce the point that she illustrates in her tale: The thing women most desire is complete control ("sovereignty") over their husbands. Because she has had five husbands, the Wife feels that she can speak with authority from this experience, and, in the prologue, she tells how she got the upper hand with each of them.

In Chaucer's time, the antifeminism of the church was a strong controlling factor. Women were frequently characterized as almost monsters; they were sexually insatiable, lecherous, and shrewish, and they were patronized by the church authorities. Women were not allowed to participate in church doctrine in any way. Likewise, in Chaucer's time, a second marriage was considered suspect, so the Wife of Bath carefully reviews the words of God as revealed in scripture. And her knowledge of scripture (although confused at times) reveals that she is not simply an empty-minded woman. Nowhere, she confesses, can she find a stricture against more than one marriage, save the rebuke Jesus gave to the woman at the well about her five husbands. But this, she confesses, she cannot understand. Furthermore, in Chaucer's time, perpetual virginity received considerable praise; some of the saints were canonized because they preferred death to the loss of their virginity, or some struggled so fiercely to retain their virginity that they were considered martyrs and were canonized.

After the Wife of Bath departs from the holy scriptures, she appeals to common sense — if everyone remained a virgin, she offers, who would be left to give birth to more virgins? Even more basic, she maintains that the sex organs are to be used for pleasure as well as for procreation: She admits that she is a boisterous woman who enjoys sex and is not ashamed of it — a violation of the medieval view that saw sex as justified only for procreation. She also denies the popular belief that women should be submissive, especially in matters of sex.

The reader should remember that the Wife's arguments, in all cases, go against the authorities of the church and that she is a woman who prefers her own experiences to scholarly arguments. The truly remarkable aspect of the Wife of Bath's prologue is not her argument with the mores of her time or with the strictures of the church, but the very wonderful portrait of a human being. She is a woman of great vitality, a woman who is wonderfully alive and responsive. And after five husbands and hardships — she has lost her beauty and her youth — she has survived. She has the power to enjoy life with a zest denied the other dour pilgrims, and she has the will to enjoy what she cannot change.

The Wife of Bath's Tale is referred to technically as an exemplum, a story told to illustrate an intellectual idea. In this case, the tale is to provide an answer to the question "What do women most desire?" Even though Chaucer had some of the ideas from other sources (the Roman de las Rose as elaborated by Jean de Meun, and St. Jerome's comments on celibacy in Hieronymous contra Jovinianum ), he reshaped the tale to fit in with the Wife of Bath's introduction and her basic thesis that women most desire "sovereignty." For example, Chaucer uses an older shrew — the Wife of Bath who has just married a man twenty years younger than she is — as the narrator telling a story about an old hag who gains sovereignty over her youthful husband and the result being that the couple live a contented and a long, happy life.

Throughout the Wife's tale, traditional values and headships, that is leadership and supremacy, are reversed or overthrown. At the beginning of the tale, King Arthur submits to the rule of Guinevere (thus abandoning both his headship of the state and his headship of the family); the ladies of the court, instead of the men, serve as justices; and the authority of books and scriptures gives way to experience. Furthermore, the knight, a rapist who has violated the sanctity of a young girl's chastity, is redeemed by another woman, albeit a hag. Finally, in the choice the hag offers the knight, both choices are intolerable. Thus, when he lets her make the decision, he has abandoned the male's sovereignty in favor of the woman's rule, thus turning the medieval world-picture "up-so-doun."

"Five husbands . . . at the church door" In Chaucer's time, a wedding was performed at the church door and not inside the church or chapel.

Mark can tell The miracle of the loaves and fishes and the barley bread is actually John, not Mark (see John VI:9), but this is a slight error for a woman of the Middle Ages to make.

Ptolemy . . . almagest Ptolemy was a second century a.d. astronomer whose chief work was the Almagest. The Wife of Bath's quote shows that she is familiar with such a famous person.

Dunmow Fliatcah a prize awarded to the married couple in Essex who had no quarrels, no regrets, and, if the opportunity presented itself, would remarry each other. The Wife is still establishing the right of more than one marriage.

Argus . . . pull his beard a mythological giant with a hundred eyes whose duty was to guard a mortal (Io) whom Zeus loved. By Chaucer's time the word referred to any observant, vigilant person or guardian.

Three Misfortunes, Thinges Three reference to Proverbs xxx, 21-23.

quoniam a vulgar designation for the female pudendum, or vulva.

Venerien . . . Marcien astrological terms.

Ecclesiasticus, Ecclesiaste See xxv: 29.

Valerie and Theofraste a work attributed to Walter Map, a minor satirist who disparaged marriage. All the writers the Wife of Bath quotes have written something either antifeminist, satiric, or unpleasant about marriage.

Valerius, Tullius, Boethius, Seneca writers who espoused that gentility comes from within and not from outward appearances.

Previous The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale

Next The Friar's Prologue and Tale

Utility Menu

GA4 tracking code

Harvard's geoffrey chaucer website, 3.1 the wife of bath's prologue and tale.

The Wife of Bath's Prologue

The Prologe of the Wyves Tale of Bathe

1 "Experience, though noon auctoritee "Experience, though no written authority 2 Were in this world, is right ynogh for me Were in this world, is good enough for me 3 To speke of wo that is in mariage; To speak of the woe that is in marriage; 4 For, lordynges, sith I twelve yeer was of age, For, gentlemen, since I was twelve years of age, 5 Thonked be God that is eterne on lyve, Thanked be God who is eternally alive, 6 Housbondes at chirche dore I have had fyve -- I have had five husbands at the church door -- 7 If I so ofte myghte have ywedded bee -- If I so often might have been wedded -- 8 And alle were worthy men in hir degree. And all were worthy men in their way. 9 But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is, But to me it was told, certainly, it is not long ago, 10 That sith that Crist ne wente nevere but onis That since Christ went never but once 11 To weddyng, in the Cane of Galilee, To a wedding, in the Cana of Galilee, 12 That by the same ensample taughte he me That by that same example he taught me 13 That I ne sholde wedded be but ones. That I should be wedded but once. 14 Herkne eek, lo, which a sharp word for the nones, Listen also, lo, what a sharp word for this purpose, 15 Biside a welle, Jhesus, God and man, Beside a well, Jesus, God and man, 16 Spak in repreeve of the Samaritan: Spoke in reproof of the Samaritan: 17 `Thou hast yhad fyve housbondes,' quod he, `Thou hast had five husbands,' he said, 18 `And that ilke man that now hath thee `And that same man that now has thee 19 Is noght thyn housbonde,' thus seyde he certeyn. Is not thy husband,' thus he said certainly. 20 What that he mente therby, I kan nat seyn; What he meant by this, I can not say; 21 But that I axe, why that the fifthe man But I ask, why the fifth man 22 Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan? Was no husband to the Samaritan? 23 How manye myghte she have in mariage? How many might she have in marriage? 24 Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age I never yet heard tell in my lifetime 25 Upon this nombre diffinicioun. A definition of this number. 26 Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun, Men may conjecture and interpret in every way, 27 But wel I woot, expres, withoute lye, But well I know, expressly, without lie, 28 God bad us for to wexe and multiplye; God commanded us to grow fruitful and multiply; 29 That gentil text kan I wel understonde. That gentle text I can well understand. 30 Eek wel I woot, he seyde myn housbonde Also I know well, he said my husband 31 Sholde lete fader and mooder and take to me. Should leave father and mother and take to me. 32 But of no nombre mencion made he, But he made no mention of number, 33 Of bigamye, or of octogamye; Of marrying two, or of marrying eight; 34 Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileynye? Why should men then speak evil of it?

35 Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun Salomon; Lo, (consider) here the wise king, dan Salomon; 36 I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon. I believe he had wives more than one. 37 As wolde God it leveful were unto me As would God it were lawful unto me 38 To be refresshed half so ofte as he! To be refreshed half so often as he! 39 Which yifte of God hadde he for alle his wyvys! What a gift of God he had because of all his wives! 40 No man hath swich that in this world alyve is. No man that in this world is alive has such (a gift). 41 God woot, this noble kyng, as to my wit, God knows, this noble king, according to my judgment, 42 The firste nyght had many a myrie fit The first night had many a merry fit 43 With ech of hem, so wel was hym on lyve. With each of them, so well things went for him in his lifetime. 44 Yblessed be God that I have wedded fyve! Blessed be God that I have wedded five! 44a [Of whiche I have pyked out the beste, [Of which I have picked out the best, 44b Bothe of here nether purs and of here cheste. Both of their lower purse (scrotum) and of their strongbox. 44c Diverse scoles maken parfyt clerkes, Differing schools make perfect clerks, 44d And diverse practyk in many sondry werkes And differing practice in many various works 44e Maketh the werkman parfyt sekirly; Makes the workman truly perfect; 44f Of fyve husbondes scoleiyng am I.] Of five husbands' schooling am I.] 45 Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal. Welcome the sixth, whenever he shall appear. 46 For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chaast in al. For truly, I will not keep myself chaste in everything. 47 Whan myn housbonde is fro the world ygon, When my husband is gone from the world, 48 Som Cristen man shal wedde me anon, Some Christian man shall wed me straightway, 49 For thanne th' apostle seith that I am free For then the apostle says that I am free 50 To wedde, a Goddes half, where it liketh me. To wed, by God's side (I swear), wherever it pleases me. 51 He seith that to be wedded is no synne; He says that to be wedded is no sin; 52 Bet is to be wedded than to brynne. It is better to be wedded than to burn. 53 What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileynye What do I care, though folk speak evil 54 Of shrewed Lameth and his bigamye? Of cursed Lamech and his bigamy? 55 I woot wel Abraham was an hooly man, I know well Abraham was a holy man, 56 And Jacob eek, as ferforth as I kan; And Jacob also, insofar as I know; 57 And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two, And each of them had more than two wives, 58 And many another holy man also. And many another holy man also. 59 Wher can ye seye, in any manere age, Where can you find, in any historical period, 60 That hye God defended mariage That high God forbad marriage 61 By expres word? I pray yow, telleth me. By express word? I pray you, tell me. 62 Or where comanded he virginitee? Or where commanded he virginity? 63 I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede, I know as well as you, it is no doubt, 64 Th' apostel, whan he speketh of maydenhede, The apostle, when he speaks of maidenhood, 65 He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon. He said that he had no precept concerning it. 66 Men may conseille a womman to been oon, Men may advise a woman to be one, 67 But conseillyng is no comandement. But advice is no commandment. 68 He putte it in oure owene juggement; He left it to our own judgment; 69 For hadde God comanded maydenhede, For had God commanded maidenhood, 70 Thanne hadde he dampned weddyng with the dede. Then had he damned marriage along with the act (of procreation). 71 And certes, if ther were no seed ysowe, And certainly, if there were no seed sown, 72 Virginitee, thanne wherof sholde it growe? Then from what should virginity grow? 73 Poul dorste nat comanden, atte leeste, In any case, Paul dared not command 74 A thyng of which his maister yaf noon heeste. A thing of which his master gave no command. 75 The dart is set up for virginitee; The prize is set up for virginity; 76 Cacche whoso may, who renneth best lat see. Catch it whoever can, let's see who runs best.

77 But this word is nat taken of every wight, But this word does not apply to every person, 78 But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght. But where God desires to give it by his power. 79 I woot wel that th' apostel was a mayde; I know well that the apostle was a virgin; 80 But nathelees, thogh that he wroot and sayde But nonetheless, though he wrote and said 81 He wolde that every wight were swich as he, He would that every person were such as he, 82 Al nys but conseil to virginitee. All is nothing but advice to (adopt) virginity. 83 And for to been a wyf he yaf me leve And he gave me leave to be a wife 84 Of indulgence; so nys it no repreve By explicit permission; so it is not blameful 85 To wedde me, if that my make dye, To wed me, if my mate should die, 86 Withouten excepcion of bigamye. Without objection on the grounds of bigamy. 87 Al were it good no womman for to touche -- Although it would be good to touch no woman -- 88 He mente as in his bed or in his couche, He meant in his bed or in his couch, 89 For peril is bothe fyr and tow t' assemble; For it is perilous to assemble both fire and flax; 90 Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble. You know what this example may apply to. 91 This is al and som: he heeld virginitee This is the sum of it: he held virginity 92 Moore parfit than weddyng in freletee. More perfect than wedding in weakness. 93 Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she Weakness I call it, unless he and she 94 Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee. Would lead all their life in chastity.

95 I graunte it wel; I have noon envie, I grant it well; I have no envy, 96 Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamye. Though maidenhood may have precedence over a second marriage. 97 It liketh hem to be clene, body and goost; It pleases them to be clean, body and spirit; 98 Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost, Of my state I will make no boast, 99 For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold, For well you know, a lord in his household, 100 He nath nat every vessel al of gold; He has not every utensil all of gold; 101 Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse. Some are of wood, and do their lord service. 102 God clepeth folk to hym in sondry wyse, God calls folk to him in various ways, 103 And everich hath of God a propre yifte -- And each one has of God an individual gift -- 104 Som this, som that, as hym liketh shifte. Some this, some that, as it pleases Him to provide.

105 Virginitee is greet perfeccion, Virginity is great perfection, 106 And continence eek with devocion, And continence also with devotion, 107 But Crist, that of perfeccion is welle, But Christ, who is the source of perfection, 108 Bad nat every wight he sholde go selle Did not command that every one should go sell 109 Al that he hadde, and gyve it to the poore, All that he had, and give it to the poor, 110 And in swich wise folwe hym and his foore. And in such wise follow him and his footsteps. 111 He spak to hem that wolde lyve parfitly; He spoke to those who would live perfectly; 112 And lordynges, by youre leve, that am nat I. And gentlemen, by your leave, I am not that. 113 I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age I will bestow the flower of all my age 114 In the actes and in fruyt of mariage. In the acts and in fruit of marriage.

115 Telle me also, to what conclusion Tell me also, to what purpose 116 Were membres maad of generacion, Were members of generation made, 117 And of so parfit wys a [wright] ywroght? And by so perfectly wise a Workman wrought? 118 Trusteth right wel, they were nat maad for noght. Trust right well, they were not made for nothing. 119 Glose whoso wole, and seye bothe up and doun Interpret whoever will, and say both up and down 120 That they were maked for purgacioun That they were made for purgation 121 Of uryne, and oure bothe thynges smale Of urine, and both our small things 122 Were eek to knowe a femele from a male, Were also to know a female from a male, 123 And for noon oother cause -- say ye no? And for no other cause -- do you say no? 124 The experience woot wel it is noght so. The experience knows well it is not so. 125 So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe, Provided that the clerks be not angry with me, 126 I sey this: that they maked ben for bothe; I say this: that they are made for both; 127 That is to seye, for office and for ese That is to say, for urination and for ease 128 Of engendrure, ther we nat God displese. Of procreation, in which we do not displease God. 129 Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette Why else should men set in their books 130 That man shal yelde to his wyf hire dette? That man shall pay to his wife her debt? 131 Now wherwith sholde he make his paiement, Now with what should he make his payment, 132 If he ne used his sely instrument? If he did not use his blessed instrument? 133 Thanne were they maad upon a creature Then were they made upon a creature 134 To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure. To purge urine, and also for procreation.

135 But I seye noght that every wight is holde, But I say not that every person is required, 136 That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde, That has such equipment as I to you told, 137 To goon and usen hem in engendrure. To go and use them in procreation. 138 Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure. Then should men have no regard for chastity. 139 Crist was a mayde and shapen as a man, Christ was a virgin and shaped like a man, 140 And many a seint, sith that the world bigan; And many a saint, since the world began; 141 Yet lyved they evere in parfit chastitee. Yet lived they ever in perfect chastity. 142 I nyl envye no virginitee. I will envy no virginity. 143 Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed, Let them be bread of pure wheat-seed, 144 And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed; And let us wives be called barley-bread; 145 And yet with barly-breed, Mark telle kan, And yet with barley-bread, Mark can tell it, 146 Oure Lord Jhesu refresshed many a man. Our Lord Jesus refreshed many a man. 147 In swich estaat as God hath cleped us In such estate as God has called us 148 I wol persevere; I nam nat precius. I will persevere; I am not fussy. 149 In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument In wifehood I will use my instrument 150 As frely as my Makere hath it sent. As freely as my Maker has it sent. 151 If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe! If I be niggardly, God give me sorrow! 152 Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe, My husband shall have it both evenings and mornings, 153 Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette. When it pleases him to come forth and pay his debt. 154 An housbonde I wol have -- I wol nat lette -- A husband I will have -- I will not desist -- 155 Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral, Who shall be both my debtor and my slave, 156 And have his tribulacion withal And have his suffering also 157 Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf. Upon his flesh, while I am his wife. 158 I have the power durynge al my lyf I have the power during all my life 159 Upon his propre body, and noght he. Over his own body, and not he. 160 Right thus the Apostel tolde it unto me, Right thus the Apostle told it unto me, 161 And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel. And commanded our husbands to love us well. 162 Al this sentence me liketh every deel" -- All this sentence pleases me every bit" --

163 Up stirte the Pardoner, and that anon; Up sprang the Pardoner, and that at once; 164 "Now, dame," quod he, "by God and by Seint John! "Now, madam," he said, "by God and by Saint John! 165 Ye been a noble prechour in this cas. You are a noble preacher in this case. 166 I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas! I was about to wed a wife; alas! 167 What sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere? Why should I pay for it so dearly on my flesh? 168 Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!" Yet would I rather wed no wife this year!"

169 "Abyde!" quod she, "my tale is nat bigonne. "Wait!" she said, "my tale is not begun. 170 Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne, Nay, thou shalt drink from another barrel, 171 Er that I go, shal savoure wors than ale. Before I go, which shall taste worse than ale. 172 And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale And when I have told thee forth my tale 173 Of tribulacion in mariage, Of suffering in marriage, 174 Of which I am expert in al myn age -- Of which I am expert in all my life -- 175 This is to seyn, myself have been the whippe -- This is to say, myself have been the whip -- 176 Than maystow chese wheither thou wolt sippe Than may thou choose whether thou will sip 177 Of thilke tonne that I shal abroche. Of that same barrel that I shall open. 178 Be war of it, er thou to ny approche; Beware of it, before thou too near approach; 179 For I shal telle ensamples mo than ten. For I shall tell examples more than ten. 180 `Whoso that nyl be war by othere men, `Whoever will not be warned by (the examples of) other men, 181 By hym shul othere men corrected be.' Shall be an example by which other men shall be corrected.' 182 The same wordes writeth Ptholomee; The same words writes Ptholomy; 183 Rede in his Almageste, and take it there." Read in his Almagest, and take it there."

184 "Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were," "Madam, I would pray you, if it were your will," 185 Seyde this Pardoner, "as ye bigan, Said this Pardoner, "as you began, 186 Telle forth youre tale, spareth for no man, Tell forth your tale, refrain for no man, 187 And teche us yonge men of youre praktike." And teach us young men of your practice."

188 "Gladly," quod she, "sith it may yow like; "Gladly," she said, "since it may please you; 189 But yet I praye to al this compaignye, But yet I pray to all this company, 190 If that I speke after my fantasye, If I speak according to my fancy, 191 As taketh not agrief of that I seye, Do not be annoyed by what I say, 192 For myn entente nys but for to pleye. For my intention is only to amuse.

193 Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale. Now, sir, now will I tell forth my tale. 194 As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale, As ever may I drink wine or ale, 195 I shal seye sooth; tho housbondes that I hadde, I shall speak the truth; those husbands that I had, 196 As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde. Three of them were good, and two were bad. 197 The thre were goode men, and riche, and olde; The three were good men, and rich, and old; 198 Unnethe myghte they the statut holde Hardly might they the statute hold (pay the debt) 199 In which that they were bounden unto me. In which they were bound unto me. 200 Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee! You know well what I mean of this, by God! 201 As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke So help me God, I laugh when I think 202 How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke! How pitifully at night I made them work! 203 And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor. And, by my faith, I set no store by it. 204 They had me yeven hir lond and hir tresoor; They had given me their land and their treasure; 205 Me neded nat do lenger diligence I needed not work hard any longer 206 To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence. To win their love, or do them reverence. 207 They loved me so wel, by God above, They loved me so well, by God above, 208 That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love! That I reckoned little of their love! 209 A wys womman wol bisye hire evere in oon A wise woman will be constantly busy 210 To gete hire love, ye, ther as she hath noon. To get their love, yes, when she has none. 211 But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond, But since I had them wholly in my hand, 212 And sith they hadde me yeven al hir lond, And since they had me given all their land, 213 What sholde I taken keep hem for to plese, Why should I take care to please them, 214 But it were for my profit and myn ese? Unless it were for my profit and my pleasure? 215 I sette hem so a-werke, by my fey, I set them so to work, by my faith, 216 That many a nyght they songen `Weilawey!' That many a night they sang `Woe is me!' 217 The bacon was nat fet for hem, I trowe, The bacon was not fetched for them, I believe, 218 That som men han in Essex at Dunmowe. That some men have in Essex at Dunmowe. 219 I governed hem so wel, after my lawe, I governed them so well, according to my law, 220 That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe That each of them was very blissful and eager 221 To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre. To bring me gay things from the fair. 222 They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire, They were very glad when I spoke to them pleasantly, 223 For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously. For, God knows it, I cruelly scolded them.

224 Now herkneth hou I baar me proprely, Now listen how well I conducted myself, 225 Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde. You wise wives, that can understand. 226 Thus shulde ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde, Thus should you speak and accuse them wrongfully, 227 For half so boldely kan ther no man For half so boldly can there no man 228 Swere and lyen, as a womman kan. Swear and lie, as a woman can. 229 I sey nat this by wyves that been wyse, I do not say this concerning wives that are wise, 230 But if it be whan they hem mysavyse. Unless it be when they are ill advised. 231 A wys wyf, if that she kan hir good, A wise wife, if she knows what is good for her, 232 Shal beren hym on honde the cow is wood, Shall deceive him by swearing the bird is crazy, 233 And take witnesse of hir owene mayde, And prove it by taking witness of her own maid 234 Of hir assent. But herkneth how I sayde: Who is in league with her. But listen how I spoke:

235 `Sire olde kaynard, is this thyn array? `Sir old doddering fool, is this thy doing? 236 Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? Why is my neighbor's wife so gay? 237 She is honoured overal ther she gooth; She is honored everywhere she goes; 238 I sitte at hoom; I have no thrifty clooth. I sit at home; I have no decent clothing. 239 What dostow at my neighebores hous? What dost thou at my neighbor's house? 240 Is she so fair? Artow so amorous? Is she so fair? Art thou so amorous? 241 What rowne ye with oure mayde? Benedicite! What do you whisper with our maid? Bless me! 242 Sire olde lecchour, lat thy japes be! Sir old lecher, let thy tricks be! 243 And if I have a gossib or a freend, And if I have a close friend or an acquaintance, 244 Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a feend, Innocently, thou scold like a fiend, 245 If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! If I walk or go unto his house to amuse myself! 246 Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, Thou comest home as drunk as a mouse, 247 And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! And preach on thy bench, bad luck to you! 248 Thou seist to me it is a greet meschief Thou sayest to me it is a great misfortune 249 To wedde a povre womman, for costage; To wed a poor woman, because of expense; 250 And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, And if she be rich, of high birth, 251 Thanne seistow that it is a tormentrie Then thou sayest that it is a torment 252 To soffre hire pride and hire malencolie. To put up with her pride and her angry moods. 253 And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, And if she be fair, thou utter knave, 254 Thou seyst that every holour wol hire have; Thou sayest that every lecher wants to have her; 255 She may no while in chastitee abyde, She can not remain chaste for any length of time, 256 That is assailled upon ech a syde. Who is assailed on every side.

257 Thou seyst som folk desiren us for richesse, Thou sayest some folk desire us for riches, 258 Somme for oure shap, and somme for oure fairnesse, Some for our shape, and some for our fairness, 259 And som for she kan outher synge or daunce, And one because she can either sing or dance, 260 And som for gentillesse and daliaunce; And some because of noble descent and flirtatious talk; 261 Som for hir handes and hir armes smale; Some because of their hands and their slender arms; 262 Thus goth al to the devel, by thy tale. Thus goes all to the devil, according to you. 263 Thou seyst men may nat kepe a castel wal, Thou sayest men may not defend a castle wall, 264 It may so longe assailled been overal. It may so long be assailed on all sides.

265 And if that she be foul, thou seist that she And if she be ugly, thou sayest that she 266 Coveiteth every man that she may se, Covets every man that she may see, 267 For as a spanyel she wol on hym lepe, For like a spaniel she will on him leap, 268 Til that she fynde som man hire to chepe. Until she find some man to buy (take) her. 269 Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake Nor does any goose go there in the lake, no matter how drab, 270 As, seistow, wol been withoute make. That, thou sayest, will be without a mate. 271 And seyst it is an hard thyng for to welde And thou sayest it is a hard thing to control 272 A thyng that no man wole, his thankes, helde. A thing that no man will, willingly, hold. 273 Thus seistow, lorel, whan thow goost to bedde, Thus sayest thou, scoundrel, when thou goest to bed, 274 And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde, And that no wise man needs to wed, 275 Ne no man that entendeth unto hevene. Nor any man that hopes (to go) to heaven. 276 With wilde thonder-dynt and firy levene With wild thunder-bolt and fiery lightning 277 Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke! May thy wrinkled neck be broken in pieces!

278 Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and eek smoke, Thou sayest that leaky houses, and also smoke, 279 And chidyng wyves maken men to flee And scolding wives make men to flee 280 Out of hir owene houses; a, benedicitee! Out of their own houses; ah, bless me! 281 What eyleth swich an old man for to chide? What ails such an old man to chide like that?

282 Thow seyst we wyves wol oure vices hide Thou sayest we wives will hide our vices 283 Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe -- Until we be securely tied (in marriage), and then we will them show -- 284 Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe! Well may that be a proverb of a scoundrel!

285 Thou seist that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes, Thou sayest that oxen, asses, horses, and hounds, 286 They been assayed at diverse stoundes; They are tried out a number of times; 287 Bacyns, lavours, er that men hem bye, Basins, wash bowls, before men them buy, 288 Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye, Spoons and stools, and all such household items, 289 And so been pottes, clothes, and array; And so are pots, clothes, and adornments; 290 But folk of wyves maken noon assay, But folk of wives make no trial, 291 Til they be wedded -- olde dotard shrewe! -- Until they are wedded -- old doddering scoundrel! -- 292 And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe. And then, sayest thou, we will show our vices.

293 Thou seist also that it displeseth me Thou sayest also that it displeases me 294 But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee, Unless thou will praise my beauty, 295 And but thou poure alwey upon my face, And unless thou peer always upon my face, 296 And clepe me "faire dame" in every place. And call me "dear lady" in every place. 297 And but thou make a feeste on thilke day And unless thou make a feast on that same day 298 That I was born, and make me fressh and gay; That I was born, and make me happy and gay; 299 And but thou do to my norice honour, And unless thou do honor to my nurse, 300 And to my chamberere withinne my bour, And to my chambermaid within my bedchamber, 301 And to my fadres folk and his allyes -- And to my father's folk and his allies -- 302 Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes! Thus sayest thou, old barrelful of lies!

303 And yet of oure apprentice Janekyn, And yet of our apprentice Janekin, 304 For his crispe heer, shynynge as gold so fyn, Because of his curly hair, shining like gold so fine, 305 And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun, And because he familiarly attends me everywhere, 306 Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun. Yet hast thou caught a false suspicion. 307 I wol hym noght, thogh thou were deed tomorwe! I do not want him, though thou were dead tomorrow!

308 But tel me this: why hydestow, with sorwe, But tell me this: why hidest thou, bad luck to you, 309 The keyes of thy cheste awey fro me? The keys of thy strongbox away from me? 310 It is my good as wel as thyn, pardee! It is my property as well as thine, by God! 311 What, wenestow make an ydiot of oure dame? What, think thou to make a fool of the lady of the house? 312 Now by that lord that called is Seint Jame, Now by that lord that is called Saint James, 313 Thou shalt nat bothe, thogh that thou were wood, Thou shalt not both, though thou were crazy with anger, 314 Be maister of my body and of my good; Be master of my body and of my property; 315 That oon thou shalt forgo, maugree thyne yen. One of them thou must give up, despite anything you can do. 316 What helpith it of me to enquere or spyen? What helps it to inquire about me or spy? 317 I trowe thou woldest loke me in thy chiste! I believe thou would lock me in thy strongbox! 318 Thou sholdest seye, "Wyf, go wher thee liste; Thou should say, "Wife, go where you please; 319 Taak youre disport; I wol nat leve no talys. Enjoy yourself; I will not believe any gossip. 320 I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame Alys." I know you for a true wife, dame Alys." 321 We love no man that taketh kep or charge We love no man who takes notice or concern about 322 Wher that we goon; we wol ben at oure large. Where we go; we will be free (to do as we wish).

323 Of alle men yblessed moot he be, Of all men blessed may he be, 324 The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome, The wise astrologer, Dan Ptolemy, 325 That seith this proverbe in his Almageste: Who says this proverb in his Almagest: 326 "Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste "Of all men his wisdom is the highest 327 That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde." Who never cares who has the world in his control." 328 By this proverbe thou shalt understonde, By this proverb thou shalt understand, 329 Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care If thou have enough, why should thou take note or care 330 How myrily that othere folkes fare? How merrily other folks fare? 331 For, certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve, For, certainly, old senile fool, by your leave, 332 Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve. You shall have pudendum right enough at eve. 333 He is to greet a nygard that wolde werne He is too great a miser that would refuse 334 A man to lighte a candle at his lanterne; A man to light a candle at his lantern; 335 He shal have never the lasse light, pardee. He shall have never the less light, by God. 336 Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee. If thou have enough, thou need not complain.

337 Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay Thou sayest also, that if we make ourselves gay 338 With clothyng, and with precious array, With clothing, and with precious adornments, 339 That it is peril of oure chastitee; That it is dangerous to our chastity; 340 And yet -- with sorwe! -- thou most enforce thee, And yet -- bad luck to thee! -- thou must reinforce thy argument, 341 And seye thise wordes in the Apostles name: And say these words in the Apostle's name: 342 "In habit maad with chastitee and shame "In clothing made with chastity and shame 343 Ye wommen shul apparaille yow," quod he, You women shall apparel yourselves," he said, 344 "And noght in tressed heer and gay perree, "And not in carefully arranged hair and gay precious stones, 345 As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche." Such as pearls, nor with gold, nor rich cloth." 346 After thy text, ne after thy rubriche, In accordance with thy text, nor in accord with thy interpretation, 347 I wol nat wirche as muchel as a gnat. I will not do as much as a gnat.

348 Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat; Thou said this, that I was like a cat; 349 For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn, For if anyone would singe a cat's skin, 350 Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in; Then would the cat well stay in his dwelling; 351 And if the cattes skyn be slyk and gay, And if the cat's skin be sleek and gay, 352 She wol nat dwelle in house half a day, She will not stay in house half a day, 353 But forth she wole, er any day be dawed, But forth she will (go), before any day be dawned, 354 To shewe hir skyn and goon a-caterwawed. To show her skin and go yowling like a cat in heat. 355 This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe, This is to say, if I be well dressed, sir scoundrel, 356 I wol renne out my borel for to shewe. I will run out to show my poor clothes.

357 Sire olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen? Sir old fool, what help is it for thee to spy? 358 Thogh thou preye Argus with his hundred yen Though thou pray Argus with his hundred eyes 359 To be my warde-cors, as he kan best, To be my bodyguard, as he best knows how, 360 In feith, he shal nat kepe me but me lest; In faith, he shall not keep me but as I please; 361 Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee! Yet could I deceive him, as I may prosper!

362 Thou seydest eek that ther been thynges thre, Thou said also that there are three things, 363 The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe, The which things trouble all this earth, 364 And that no wight may endure the ferthe. And that no one can endure the fourth. 365 O leeve sire shrewe, Jhesu shorte thy lyf! O dear sir scoundrel, Jesus shorten thy life! 366 Yet prechestow and seyst an hateful wyf Yet thou preachest and sayest a hateful wife 367 Yrekened is for oon of thise meschances. Is reckoned as one of these misfortunes. 368 Been ther none othere maner resemblances Are there no other sorts of comparisons 369 That ye may likne youre parables to, That you can use in your sayings, 370 But if a sely wyf be oon of tho? Without a poor wife's being one of them?

371 Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle, Thou also compare women's love to hell, 372 To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle. To barren land, where water may not remain. 373 Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr; Thou compare it also to Greek (inextinguishable) fire; 374 The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir The more it burns, the more it has desire 375 To consume every thyng that brent wole be. To consume every thing that will be burned. 376 Thou seyest, right as wormes shende a tree, Thou sayest, just as worms destroy a tree, 377 Right so a wyf destroyeth hire housbonde; Right so a wife destroys her husband; 378 This knowe they that been to wyves bonde.' This know they who are bound to wives.'

379 Lordynges, right thus, as ye have understonde, Gentlemen, right thus, as you have heard, 380 Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde I firmly swore to my old husbands 381 That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse; That thus they said in their drunkenness; 382 And al was fals, but that I took witnesse And all was false, but I took witness 383 On Janekyn, and on my nece also. On Janekin, and on my niece also. 384 O Lord! The peyne I dide hem and the wo, O Lord! The pain I did them and the woe, 385 Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pyne! Entirely guiltless (they were), by God's sweet pain! 386 For as an hors I koude byte and whyne. For like a horse I could bite and whinny. 387 I koude pleyne, and yit was in the gilt, I could complain, and yet was in the wrong, 388 Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt. Or else many times had I been ruined. 389 Whoso that first to mille comth, first grynt; Whoever first comes to the mill, first grinds; 390 I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt. I complained first, so was our war ended. 391 They were ful glade to excuse hem blyve They were very glad to excuse themselves quickly 392 Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve. Of things of which they were never guilty in their lives. 393 Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde, Of wenches would I falsely accuse them, 394 Whan that for syk unnethes myghte they stonde. When for sickness they could hardly stand.

395 Yet tikled I his herte, for that he Yet I tickled his heart, for he 396 Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee! Believed that I had of him so great affection! 397 I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte I swore that all my walking out by night 398 Was for t' espye wenches that he dighte; Was to spy out wenches with whom he had intercourse; 399 Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe. Under that pretense I had many a mirth. 400 For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe; For all such wit is given us in our birth; 401 Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng God hath yive Deceit, weeping, spinning God has given 402 To wommen kyndely, whil that they may lyve. To women naturally, while they may live. 403 And thus of o thyng I avaunte me: And thus of one thing I boast: 404 Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree, At the end I had the better in every way, 405 By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng, By trickery, or force, or by some such thing, 406 As by continueel murmur or grucchyng. As by continual grumbling or grouching. 407 Namely abedde hadden they meschaunce: Especially in bed they had misfortune: 408 Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce; There would I scold and do them no pleasure; 409 I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde, I would no longer in the bed abide, 410 If that I felte his arm over my syde, If I felt his arm over my side, 411 Til he had maad his raunson unto me; Until he had paid his penalty to me; 412 Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee. Then would I allow him to do his foolishness. 413 And therfore every man this tale I telle, And therefore this tale I tell to every man, 414 Wynne whoso may, for al is for to selle; Anyone can profit, for everything is for sale; 415 With empty hand men may none haukes lure. One can lure no hawks with an empty hand. 416 For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure, For profit I would endure all his lust, 417 And make me a feyned appetit; And make me a feigned appetite; 418 And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit. And yet in bacon (old meat) I never had delight. 419 That made me that evere I wolde hem chide, That made me so that I would always scold them, 420 For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside, For though the pope had sat beside them, 421 I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord, I would not spare them at their own table, 422 For, by my trouthe, I quitte hem word for word. For, by my troth, I paid them back word for word. 423 As helpe me verray God omnipotent, As help me true God omnipotent, 424 Though I right now sholde make my testament, Though I right now should make my will, 425 I ne owe hem nat a word that it nys quit. I owe them not one word that has not been avenged. 426 I broghte it so aboute by my wit I brought it so about by my wit 427 That they moste yeve it up, as for the beste, That they had to give it up, as the best they could do, 428 Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste; Or else had we never been at peace; 429 For thogh he looked as a wood leon, For though he looked like a furious lion, 430 Yet sholde he faille of his conclusion. Yet should he fail to attain his goal.

431 Thanne wolde I seye, `Goode lief, taak keep Then I would say, `Sweetheart, see 432 How mekely looketh Wilkyn, oure sheep! How meekly looks Willy, our sheep! 433 Com neer, my spouse, lat me ba thy cheke! Come near, my spouse, let me kiss thy cheek! 434 Ye sholde been al pacient and meke, You should be all patient and meek, 435 And han a sweete spiced conscience, And have a sweet tender disposition, 436 Sith ye so preche of Jobes pacience. Since you so preach of Job's patience. 437 Suffreth alwey, syn ye so wel kan preche; Suffer always, since you so well can preach; 438 And but ye do, certein we shal yow teche And unless you do, certainly we shall teach you 439 That it is fair to have a wyf in pees. That it is fair to have a wife in peace. 440 Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees, One of us two must bow, doubtless, 441 And sith a man is moore resonable And since a man is more reasonable 442 Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable. Than a woman is, you must be able to bear suffering. 443 What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone? What ails you to grouch thus and groan? 444 Is it for ye wolde have my queynte allone? Is it because you want to have my pudendum all to yourself? 445 Wy, taak it al! Lo, have it every deel! Why, take it all! Lo, have it every bit! 446 Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel; By Saint Peter! I would curse you, if you did not love it well; 447 For if I wolde selle my bele chose, For if I would sell my `pretty thing,' 448 I koude walke as fressh as is a rose; I could walk as fresh (newly clothed) as is a rose; 449 But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth. But I will keep it for your own pleasure. 450 Ye be to blame, by God! I sey yow sooth.' You are to blame, by God! I tell you the truth.'

451 Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde. Such sorts of words we had in hand. 452 Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde. Now will I speak of my fourth husband.

453 My fourthe housbonde was a revelour -- My fourth husband was a reveller -- 454 This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour -- This is to say, he had a mistress -- 455 And I was yong and ful of ragerye, And I was young and full of playfulness, 456 Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye. Stubborn and strong, and jolly as a magpie. 457 How koude I daunce to an harpe smale, How well I could dance to a small harp, 458 And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale, And sing, indeed, like any nightingale, 459 Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn! When I had drunk a draft of sweet wine! 460 Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn, Metellius, the foul churl, the swine, 461 That with a staf birafte his wyf hir lyf, Who with a staff deprived his wife of her life, 462 For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf, Because she drank wine, if I had been his wife, 463 He sholde nat han daunted me fro drynke! He should not have frightened me away from drink! 464 And after wyn on Venus moste I thynke, And after wine on Venus must I think, 465 For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl, For as surely as cold engenders hail, 466 A likerous mouth moste han a likerous tayl. A gluttonous mouth must have a lecherous tail. 467 In wommen vinolent is no defence -- In drunken women there is no defense -- 468 This knowen lecchours by experience. This lechers know by experience.

469 But -- Lord Crist! -- whan that it remembreth me But -- Lord Christ! -- when I remember 470 Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee, My youth, and my gaiety, 471 It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote. It tickles me to the bottom of my heart. 472 Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote Unto this day it does my heart good 473 That I have had my world as in my tyme. That I have had my world in my time. 474 But age, allas, that al wole envenyme, But age, alas, that all will poison, 475 Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith. Has deprived me of my beauty and my vigor. 476 Lat go. Farewel! The devel go therwith! Let it go. Farewell! The devil go with it! 477 The flour is goon; ther is namoore to telle; The flour is gone; there is no more to tell; 478 The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle; The bran, as I best can, now I must sell; 479 But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde. But yet I will try to be right merry. 480 Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde. Now will I tell of my fourth husband.

481 I seye, I hadde in herte greet despit I say, I had in heart great anger 482 That he of any oother had delit. That he had delight in any other. 483 But he was quit, by God and by Seint Joce! But he was paid back, by God and by Saint Joce! 484 I made hym of the same wode a croce; I made him a cross of the same wood; 485 Nat of my body, in no foul manere, Not of my body, in no foul manner, 486 But certeinly, I made folk swich cheere But certainly, I treated folk in such a way 487 That in his owene grece I made hym frye That I made him fry in his own grease 488 For angre, and for verray jalousye. For anger, and for pure jealousy. 489 By God, in erthe I was his purgatorie, By God, in earth I was his purgatory, 490 For which I hope his soule be in glorie. For which I hope his soul may be in glory. 491 For, God it woot, he sat ful ofte and song, For, God knows it, he sat very often and cried out in pain, 492 Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong. When his shoe very bitterly pinched him. 493 Ther was no wight, save God and he, that wiste, There was no person who knew it, save God and he, 494 In many wise, how soore I hym twiste. In many a way, how painfully I tortured him. 495 He deyde whan I cam fro Jerusalem, He died when I came from Jerusalem, 496 And lith ygrave under the roode beem, And lies buried under the rood beam, 497 Al is his tombe noght so curyus Although his tomb is not so elaborate 498 As was the sepulcre of hym Daryus, As was the sepulcher of that Darius, 499 Which that Appelles wroghte subtilly; Which Appelles wrought skillfully; 500 It nys but wast to burye hym preciously. It is nothing but waste to bury him expensively. 501 Lat hym fare wel; God yeve his soule reste! Let him fare well; God give his soul rest! 502 He is now in his grave and in his cheste. He is now in his grave and in his casket.

503 Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle. Now of my fifth husband I will tell. 504 God lete his soule nevere come in helle! God let his soul never come in hell! 505 And yet was he to me the mooste shrewe; And yet he was to me the greatest scoundrel; 506 That feele I on my ribbes al by rewe, That feel I on my ribs one after another, 507 And evere shal unto myn endyng day. And ever shall unto my final day. 508 But in oure bed he was so fressh and gay, But in our bed he was so lively and gay, 509 And therwithal so wel koude he me glose, And moreover he so well could deceive me, 510 Whan that he wolde han my bele chose; When he would have my `pretty thing'; 511 That thogh he hadde me bete on every bon, That though he had beat me on every bone, 512 He koude wynne agayn my love anon. He could win back my love straightway. 513 I trowe I loved hym best, for that he I believe I loved him best, because he 514 Was of his love daungerous to me. Was of his love standoffish to me. 515 We wommen han, if that I shal nat lye, We women have, if I shall not lie, 516 In this matere a queynte fantasye: In this matter a curious fantasy: 517 Wayte what thyng we may nat lightly have, Note that whatever thing we may not easily have, 518 Therafter wol we crie al day and crave. We will cry all day and crave for it. 519 Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we; Forbid us a thing, and we desire it; 520 Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle. Press on us fast, and then will we flee. 521 With daunger oute we al oure chaffare; With niggardliness we spread out all our merchandise; 522 Greet prees at market maketh deere ware, A great crowd at the market makes wares expensive, 523 And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys: And too great a supply makes them of little value: 524 This knoweth every womman that is wys. Every woman that is wise knows this.

525 My fifthe housbonde -- God his soule blesse! -- My fifth husband -- God bless his soul! -- 526 Which that I took for love, and no richesse, Whom I took for love, and no riches, 527 He som tyme was a clerk of Oxenford, He was formerly a clerk of Oxford, 528 And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord And had left school, and came home to board 529 With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun; With my close friend, dwelling in our town; 530 God have hir soule! Hir name was Alisoun. God have her soul! Her name was Alisoun. 531 She knew myn herte, and eek my privetee, She knew my heart, and also my secrets, 532 Bet than oure parisshe preest, so moot I thee! Better than our parish priest, as I may prosper! 533 To hire biwreyed I my conseil al. To her I revealed all my secrets. 534 For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal, For had my husband pissed on a wall, 535 Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf, Or done a thing that should have cost his life, 536 To hire, and to another worthy wyf, To her, and to another worthy wife, 537 And to my nece, which that I loved weel, And to my niece, whom I loved well, 538 I wolde han toold his conseil every deel. I would have told every one of his secrets. 539 And so I dide ful often, God it woot, And so I did very often, God knows it, 540 That made his face often reed and hoot That made his face often red and hot 541 For verray shame, and blamed hymself for he For true shame, and blamed himself because he 542 Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee. Had told to me so great a secret.

543 And so bifel that ones in a Lente -- And so it happened that once in a Springtime -- 544 So often tymes I to my gossyb wente, Since frequently I went to visit my close friend, 545 For evere yet I loved to be gay, For I always loved to be gay, 546 And for to walke in March, Averill, and May, And to walk in March, April, and May, 547 Fro hous to hous, to heere sondry talys -- From house to house, to hear various bits of gossip -- 548 That Jankyn clerk, and my gossyb dame Alys, That Jankin the clerk, and my close friend dame Alys, 549 And I myself, into the feeldes wente. And I myself, into the fields went. 550 Myn housbonde was at Londoun al that Lente; My husband was at London all that Spring; 551 I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye, I had the better opportunity to amuse myself, 552 And for to se, and eek for to be seye And to see, and also to be seen 553 Of lusty folk. What wiste I wher my grace By amorous folk. What did I know about where my good fortune 554 Was shapen for to be, or in what place? Was destined to be, or in what place? 555 Therfore I made my visitaciouns Therefore I made my visitations 556 To vigilies and to processiouns, To religious feasts and to processions, 557 To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages, To preaching also, and to these pilgrimages, 558 To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages, To plays about miracles, and to marriages, 559 And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes. And wore my gay scarlet robes. 560 Thise wormes, ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes, These worms, nor these moths, nor these mites, 561 Upon my peril, frete hem never a deel; Upon my peril (I swear), chewed on them never a bit; 562 And wostow why? For they were used weel. And know thou why? Because they were well used.

563 Now wol I tellen forth what happed me. Now will I tell forth what happened to me. 564 I seye that in the feeldes walked we, I say that in the fields we walked, 565 Til trewely we hadde swich daliance, Until truly we had such flirtation, 566 This clerk and I, that of my purveiance This clerk and I, that for my provision for the future 567 I spak to hym and seyde hym how that he, I spoke to him and said to him how he, 568 If I were wydwe, sholde wedde me. If I were a widow, should wed me. 569 For certeinly -- I sey for no bobance -- For certainly -- I say this for no boast -- 570 Yet was I nevere withouten purveiance I was never yet without providing beforehand 571 Of mariage, n' of othere thynges eek. For marriage, nor for other things also. 572 I holde a mouses herte nat worth a leek I hold a mouse's heart not worth a leek 573 That hath but oon hole for to sterte to, That has but one hole to flee to, 574 And if that faille, thanne is al ydo. If that should fail, then all is lost.

575 I bar hym on honde he hadde enchanted me -- I falsely swore that he had enchanted me -- 576 My dame taughte me that soutiltee -- My mother taught me that trick -- 577 And eek I seyde I mette of hym al nyght, And also I said I dreamed of him all night, 578 He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright, He would have slain me as I lay on my back, 579 And al my bed was ful of verray blood; And all my bed was full of real blood; 580 `But yet I hope that ye shal do me good, `But yet I hope that you shall do me good, 581 For blood bitokeneth gold, as me was taught.' For blood symbolizes gold, as I was taught.' 582 And al was fals; I dremed of it right naught, And all was false; I dreamed of it not at all, 583 But as I folwed ay my dames loore, But I followed always my mother's teaching, 584 As wel of this as of othere thynges moore. As well in this as in other things more.

585 But now, sire, lat me se what I shal seyn. But now, sir, let me see what I shall say. 586 A ha! By God, I have my tale ageyn. A ha! By God, I have my tale again.

587 Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere, When my fourth husband was on the funeral bier, 588 I weep algate, and made sory cheere, I wept continuously, and acted sorry, 589 As wyves mooten, for it is usage, As wives must do, for it is the custom, 590 And with my coverchief covered my visage, And with my kerchief covered my face, 591 But for that I was purveyed of a make, But because I was provided with a mate, 592 I wepte but smal, and that I undertake. I wept but little, and that I affirm.

593 To chirche was myn housbonde born a-morwe To church was my husband carried in the morning 594 With neighebores, that for hym maden sorwe; By neighbors, who for him made sorrow; 595 And Jankyn, oure clerk, was oon of tho. And Jankin, our clerk, was one of those. 596 As help me God, whan that I saugh hym go As help me God, when I saw him go 597 After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire After the bier, I thought he had a pair 598 Of legges and of feet so clene and faire Of legs and of feet so neat and fair 599 That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold. That all my heart I gave unto his keeping. 600 He was, I trowe, twenty wynter oold, He was, I believe, twenty years old, 601 And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth; And I was forty, if I shall tell the truth; 602 But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth. But yet I had always a colt's tooth. 603 Gat-tothed I was, and that bicam me weel; With teeth set wide apart I was, and that became me well; 604 I hadde the prente of seinte Venus seel. I had the print of Saint Venus's seal. 605 As help me God, I was a lusty oon, As help me God, I was a lusty one, 606 And faire, and riche, and yong, and wel bigon, And fair, and rich, and young, and well fixed, 607 And trewely, as myne housbondes tolde me, And truly, as my husbands told me, 608 I hadde the beste quoniam myghte be. I had the best pudendum that might be. 609 For certes, I am al Venerien For certainly, I am all influenced by Venus 610 In feelynge, and myn herte is Marcien. In feeling, and my heart is influenced by Mars. 611 Venus me yaf my lust, my likerousnesse, Venus me gave my lust, my amorousness, 612 And Mars yaf me my sturdy hardynesse; And Mars gave me my sturdy boldness; 613 Myn ascendent was Taur, and Mars therinne. My ascendant was Taurus, and Mars was therein. 614 Allas, allas! That evere love was synne! Alas, alas! That ever love was sin! 615 I folwed ay myn inclinacioun I followed always my inclination 616 By vertu of my constellacioun; By virtue of the state of the heavens at my birth; 617 That made me I koude noght withdrawe That made me that I could not withdraw 618 My chambre of Venus from a good felawe. My chamber of Venus from a good fellow. 619 Yet have I Martes mark upon my face, Yet have I Mars' mark upon my face, 620 And also in another privee place. And also in another private place. 621 For God so wys be my savacioun, For as God may be my salvation, 622 I ne loved nevere by no discrecioun, I never loved in moderation, 623 But evere folwede myn appetit, But always followed my appetite, 624 Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit; Whether he were short, or tall, or black-haired, or blond; 625 I took no kep, so that he liked me, I took no notice, provided that he pleased me, 626 How poore he was, ne eek of what degree. How poor he was, nor also of what rank.

627 What sholde I seye but, at the monthes ende, What should I say but, at the month's end, 628 This joly clerk, Jankyn, that was so hende, This jolly clerk, Jankin, that was so courteous, 629 Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee, Has wedded me with great solemnity, 630 And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee And to him I gave all the land and property 631 That evere was me yeven therbifoore. That ever was given to me before then. 632 But afterward repented me ful soore; But afterward I repented very bitterly; 633 He nolde suffre nothyng of my list. He would not allow me anything of my desires. 634 By God, he smoot me ones on the lyst, By God, he hit me once on the ear, 635 For that I rente out of his book a leef, Because I tore a leaf out of his book, 636 That of the strook myn ere wax al deef. So that of the stroke my ear became all deaf. 637 Stibourn I was as is a leonesse, I was as stubborn as is a lioness, 638 And of my tonge a verray jangleresse, And of my tongue a true chatterbox, 639 And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn, And I would walk, as I had done before, 640 From hous to hous, although he had it sworn; From house to house, although he had sworn the contrary; 641 For which he often tymes wolde preche, For which he often times would preach, 642 And me of olde Romayn geestes teche; And teach me of old Roman stories; 643 How he Symplicius Gallus lefte his wyf, How he, Simplicius Gallus, left his wife, 644 And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf, And forsook her for rest of all his life, 645 Noght but for open-heveded he hir say Because of nothing but because he saw her bare-headed 646 Lookynge out at his dore upon a day. Looking out at his door one day.

647 Another Romayn tolde he me by name, Another Roman he told me by name, 648 That, for his wyf was at a someres game Who, because his wife was at a midsummer revel 649 Withouten his wityng, he forsook hire eke. Without his knowledge, he forsook her also. 650 And thanne wolde he upon his Bible seke And then he would seek in his Bible 651 That ilke proverbe of Ecclesiaste That same proverb of Ecclesiasticus 652 Where he comandeth and forbedeth faste Where he commands and strictly forbids that 653 Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute. Man should suffer his wife go wander about. 654 Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute: Then would he say right thus, without doubt:

655 `Whoso that buyldeth his hous al of salwes, `Whoever builds his house all of willow twigs, 656 And priketh his blynde hors over the falwes, And spurs his blind horse over the open fields, 657 And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes, And suffers his wife to go on pilgrimages, 658 Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes!' Is worthy to be hanged on the gallows!' 659 But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe But all for nothing, I gave not a hawthorn berry 660 Of his proverbes n' of his olde sawe, For his proverbs nor for his old sayings, 661 Ne I wolde nat of hym corrected be. Nor would I be corrected by him. 662 I hate hym that my vices telleth me, I hate him who tells me my vices, 663 And so doo mo, God woot, of us than I. And so do more of us, God knows, than I. 664 This made hym with me wood al outrely; This made him all utterly furious with me; 665 I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas. I would not put up with him in any way.

666 Now wol I seye yow sooth, by Seint Thomas, Now will I tell you the truth, by Saint Thomas, 667 Why that I rente out of his book a leef, Why I tore a leaf out of his book, 668 For which he smoot me so that I was deef. For which he hit me so hard that I was deaf.

669 He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day, He had a book that regularly, night and day, 670 For his desport he wolde rede alway; For his amusement he would always read; 671 He cleped it Valerie and Theofraste, He called it Valerie and Theofrastus, 672 At which book he lough alwey ful faste. At which book he always heartily laughed. 673 And eek ther was somtyme a clerk at Rome, And also there was once a clerk at Rome, 674 A cardinal, that highte Seint Jerome, A cardinal, who is called Saint Jerome, 675 That made a book agayn Jovinian; That made a book against Jovinian; 676 In which book eek ther was Tertulan, In which book also there was Tertullian, 677 Crisippus, Trotula, and Helowys, Crisippus, Trotula, and Heloise, 678 That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys, Who was abbess not far from Paris, 679 And eek the Parables of Salomon, And also the Parables of Salomon, 680 Ovides Art, and bookes many on, Ovid's Art, and many other books, 681 And alle thise were bounden in o volume. And all these were bound in one volume. 682 And every nyght and day was his custume, And every night and day was his custom, 683 Whan he hadde leyser and vacacioun When he had leisure and spare time 684 From oother worldly occupacioun, From other worldly occupations, 685 To reden on this book of wikked wyves. To read in this book of wicked wives. 686 He knew of hem mo legendes and lyves He knew of them more legends and lives 687 Than been of goode wyves in the Bible. Than are of good women in the Bible. 688 For trusteth wel, it is an impossible For trust well, it is an impossibility 689 That any clerk wol speke good of wyves, That any clerk will speak good of women, 690 But if it be of hooly seintes lyves, Unless it be of holy saints' lives, 691 Ne of noon oother womman never the mo. Nor of any other woman in any way. 692 Who peyntede the leon, tel me who? Who painted the lion, tell me who? 693 By God, if wommen hadde writen stories, By God, if women had written stories, 694 As clerkes han withinne hire oratories, As clerks have within their studies, 695 They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse They would have written of men more wickedness 696 Than al the mark of Adam may redresse. Than all the male sex could set right. 697 The children of Mercurie and of Venus The children of Mercury (clerks) and of Venus (lovers) 698 Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius; Are directly contrary in their actions; 699 Mercurie loveth wysdam and science, Mercury loves wisdom and knowledge, 700 And Venus loveth ryot and dispence. And Venus loves riot and extravagant expenditures. 701 And, for hire diverse disposicioun, And, because of their diverse dispositions, 702 Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun. Each falls in the other's most powerful astronomical sign. 703 And thus, God woot, Mercurie is desolat And thus, God knows, Mercury is powerless 704 In Pisces, wher Venus is exaltat, In Pisces (the Fish), where Venus is exalted, 705 And Venus falleth ther Mercurie is reysed. And Venus falls where Mercury is raised. 706 Therfore no womman of no clerk is preysed. Therefore no woman is praised by any clerk. 707 The clerk, whan he is oold, and may noght do The clerk, when he is old, and can not do 708 Of Venus werkes worth his olde sho, Any of Venus's works worth his old shoe, 709 Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage Then he sits down, and writes in his dotage 710 That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage! That women can not keep their marriage!

711 But now to purpos, why I tolde thee But now to the point, why I told thee 712 That I was beten for a book, pardee! That I was beaten for a book, by God! 713 Upon a nyght Jankyn, that was oure sire, Upon a night Jankin, that was master of our house, 714 Redde on his book, as he sat by the fire, Read on his book, as he sat by the fire, 715 Of Eva first, that for hir wikkednesse Of Eve first, how for her wickedness 716 Was al mankynde broght to wrecchednesse, All mankind was brought to wretchedness, 717 For which that Jhesu Crist hymself was slayn, For which Jesus Christ himself was slain, 718 That boghte us with his herte blood agayn. Who bought us back with his heart's blood. 719 Lo, heere expres of womman may ye fynde Lo, here clearly of woman you may find 720 That womman was the los of al mankynde. That woman was the cause of the loss of all mankind.

721 Tho redde he me how Sampson loste his heres: Then he read me how Sampson lost his hair: 722 Slepynge, his lemman kitte it with hir sheres; Sleeping, his lover cut it with her shears; 723 Thurgh which treson loste he bothe his yen. Through which treason he lost both his eyes. 724 Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen, Then he read to me, if I shall not lie, 725 Of Hercules and of his Dianyre, Of Hercules and of his Dianyre, 726 That caused hym to sette hymself afyre. Who caused him to set himself on fire.

727 No thyng forgat he the care and the wo He forgot not a bit of the care and the woe 728 That Socrates hadde with his wyves two, That Socrates had with his two wives, 729 How Xantippa caste pisse upon his heed. How Xantippa caste piss upon his head. 730 This sely man sat stille as he were deed; This poor man sat still as if he were dead; 731 He wiped his heed, namoore dorste he seyn, He wiped his head, no more dared he say, 732 But `Er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn!' But `Before thunder stops, there comes a rain!'

733 Of Phasipha, that was the queene of Crete, Of Phasipha, that was the queen of Crete, 734 For shrewednesse, hym thoughte the tale swete; For sheer malignancy, he thought the tale sweet; 735 Fy! Spek namoore -- it is a grisly thyng -- Fie! Speak no more -- it is a grisly thing -- 736 Of hire horrible lust and hir likyng. Of her horrible lust and her pleasure.

737 Of Clitermystra, for hire lecherye, Of Clitermystra, for her lechery, 738 That falsly made hire housbonde for to dye, That falsely made her husband to die, 739 He redde it with ful good devocioun. He read it with very good devotion.

740 He tolde me eek for what occasioun He told me also for what occasion 741 Amphiorax at Thebes loste his lyf. Amphiorax at Thebes lost his life. 742 Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf, My husband had a legend of his wife, 743 Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold Eriphilem, that for a brooch of gold 744 Hath prively unto the Grekes told Has secretly unto the Greeks told 745 Wher that hir housbonde hidde hym in a place, Where her husband hid him in a place, 746 For which he hadde at Thebes sory grace. For which he had at Thebes a sad fate.

747 Of Lyvia tolde he me, and of Lucye: Of Livia told he me, and of Lucie: 748 They bothe made hir housbondes for to dye, They both made their husbands to die, 749 That oon for love, that oother was for hate. That one for love, that other was for hate. 750 Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late, Livia her husband, on a late evening, 751 Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo; Has poisoned, because she was his foe; 752 Lucia, likerous, loved hire housbonde so Lucia, lecherous, loved her husband so much 753 That, for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke, That, so that he should always think upon her, 754 She yaf hym swich a manere love-drynke She gave him such a sort of love-drink 755 That he was deed er it were by the morwe; That he was dead before it was morning; 756 And thus algates housbondes han sorwe. And thus always husbands have sorrow.

757 Thanne tolde he me how oon Latumyus Then he told me how one Latumius 758 Compleyned unto his felawe Arrius Complained unto his fellow Arrius 759 That in his gardyn growed swich a tree That in his garden grew such a tree 760 On which he seyde how that his wyves thre On which he said how his three wives 761 Hanged hemself for herte despitus. Hanged themselves for the malice of their hearts 762 `O leeve brother,' quod this Arrius, `O dear brother,' this Arrius said, 763 `Yif me a plante of thilke blissed tree, `Give me a shoot of that same blessed tree, 764 And in my gardyn planted shal it bee.' And in my garden shall it be planted.'

765 Of latter date, of wyves hath he red Of latter date, of wives has he read 766 That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed, That some have slain their husbands in their bed, 767 And lete hir lecchour dighte hire al the nyght, And let her lecher copulate with her all the night, 768 Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright. When the corpse lay in the floor flat on its back. 769 And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn, And some have driven nails in their brains, 770 Whil that they slepte, and thus they had hem slayn. While they slept, and thus they had them slain. 771 Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hire drynke. Some have given them poison in their drink. 772 He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke, He spoke more harm than heart may imagine, 773 And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes And concerning this he knew of more proverbs 774 Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes. Than in this world there grow grass or herbs. 775 `Bet is,' quod he, `thyn habitacioun `Better is,' he said, `thy habitation 776 Be with a leon or a foul dragoun, Be with a lion or a foul dragon, 777 Than with a womman usynge for to chyde. Than with a woman accustomed to scold. 778 Bet is,' quod he, `hye in the roof abyde, Better is,' he said, `to stay high in the roof, 779 Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous; Than with an angry wife down in the house; 780 They been so wikked and contrarious, They are so wicked and contrary, 781 They haten that hir housbondes loven ay.' They always hate what their husbands love.' 782 He seyde, `A womman cast hir shame away, He said, `A woman casts their shame away, 783 Whan she cast of hir smok'; and forthermo, When she casts off her undergarment'; and furthermore, 784 `A fair womman, but she be chaast also, `A fair woman, unless she is also chaste, 785 Is lyk a gold ryng in a sowes nose.' Is like a gold ring in a sow's nose.' 786 Who wolde wene, or who wolde suppose, Who would believe, or who would suppose, 787 The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne? The woe that in my heart was, and pain?

788 And whan I saugh he wolde nevere fyne And when I saw he would never cease 789 To reden on this cursed book al nyght, Reading on this cursed book all night, 790 Al sodeynly thre leves have I plyght All suddenly have I plucked three leaves 791 Out of his book, right as he radde, and eke Out of his book, right as he read, and also 792 I with my fest so took hym on the cheke I with my fist so hit him on the cheek 793 That in oure fyr he fil bakward adoun. That in our fire he fell down backwards. 794 And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun, And he leaped up as does a furious lion, 795 And with his fest he smoot me on the heed And with his fist he hit me on the head 796 That in the floor I lay as I were deed. That on the floor I lay as if I were dead. 797 And whan he saugh how stille that I lay, And when he saw how still I lay, 798 He was agast and wolde han fled his way, He was frightened and would have fled on his way, 799 Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde. Until at the last out of my swoon I awoke. 800 `O! hastow slayn me, false theef?' I seyde, `O! hast thou slain me, false thief?' I said, 801 `And for my land thus hastow mordred me? `And for my land thus hast thou murdered me? 802 Er I be deed, yet wol I kisse thee.' Before I am dead, yet will I kiss thee.'

803 And neer he cam, and kneled faire adoun, And near he came, and kneeled gently down, 804 And seyde, `Deere suster Alisoun, And said, `Dear sister Alisoun, 805 As help me God, I shal thee nevere smyte! So help me God, I shall never (again) smite thee! 806 That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte. What I have done, it is thyself to blame (you drove me to it). 807 Foryeve it me, and that I thee biseke!' Forgive it me, and that I beseech thee!' 808 And yet eftsoones I hitte hym on the cheke, And yet immediately I hit him on the cheek, 809 And seyde, `Theef, thus muchel am I wreke; And said, `Thief, thus much am I avenged; 810 Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke.' Now will I die, I may no longer speak.' 811 But atte laste, with muchel care and wo, But at the last, with much care and woe, 812 We fille acorded by us selven two. We made an agreement between our two selves. 813 He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond, He gave me all the control in my hand, 814 To han the governance of hous and lond, To have the governance of house and land, 815 And of his tonge, and of his hond also; And of his tongue, and of his hand also; 816 And made hym brenne his book anon right tho. And made him burn his book immediately right then. 817 And whan that I hadde geten unto me, And when I had gotten unto me, 818 By maistrie, al the soveraynetee, By mastery, all the sovereignty, 819 And that he seyde, `Myn owene trewe wyf, And that he said, `My own true wife, 820 Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf; Do as you please the rest of all thy life; 821 Keep thyn honour, and keep eek myn estaat' -- Guard thy honor, and guard also my reputation' -- 822 After that day we hadden never debaat. After that day we never had an argument. 823 God helpe me so, I was to hym as kynde As God may help me, I was to him as kind 824 As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde, As any wife from Denmark unto India, 825 And also trewe, and so was he to me. And also true, and so was he to me. 826 I prey to God, that sit in magestee, I pray to God, who sits in majesty, 827 So blesse his soule for his mercy deere. So bless his soul for his mercy dear. 828 Now wol I seye my tale, if ye wol heere." Now will I say my tale, if you will hear."

Beholde the wordes bitwene the Somonour and the Frere

829 The Frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this; The Friar laughed, when he had heard all this; 830 "Now dame," quod he, "so have I joye or blis, "Now dame, he said, "as I may have joy or bliss, 831 This is a long preamble of a tale!" This is a long preamble of a tale!" 832 And whan the Somonour herde the Frere gale, And when the Summoner heard the Friar cry out, 833 "Lo," quod the Somonour, "Goddes armes two! "Lo," said the Summoner, "By God's two arms! 834 A frere wol entremette hym everemo. A friar will always intrude himself (in others' affairs). 835 Lo, goode men, a flye and eek a frere Lo, good men, a fly and also a friar 836 Wol falle in every dyssh and eek mateere. Will fall in every dish and also every discussion. 837 What spekestow of preambulacioun? What speakest thou of perambulation? 838 What! amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun! What! amble, or trot, or keep still, or go sit down! 839 Thou lettest oure disport in this manere." Thou spoil our fun in this manner."

840 "Ye, woltow so, sire Somonour?" quod the Frere; "Yes, wilt thou have it thus, sir Summoner?" said the Friar; 841 "Now, by my feith I shal, er that I go, "Now, by my faith I shall, before I go, 842 Telle of a somonour swich a tale or two Tell of a summoner such a tale or two 843 That alle the folk shal laughen in this place." That all the folk shall laugh in this place."

844 "Now elles, Frere, I bishrewe thy face," "Now otherwise, Friar, I curse thy face," 845 Quod this Somonour, "and I bishrewe me, Said this Summoner, "and I curse myself, 846 But if I telle tales two or thre Unless I tell tales two or three 847 Of freres er I come to Sidyngborne Of friars before I come to Siitingbourne 848 That I shal make thyn herte for to morne, That I shall make thy heart to mourn, 849 For wel I woot thy pacience is gon." For well I know thy patience is gone."

850 Oure Hooste cride "Pees! And that anon!" Our Host cried "Peace! And that right now!" 851 And seyde, "Lat the womman telle hire tale. And said, "Let the woman tell her tale. 852 Ye fare as folk that dronken ben of ale. You act like folk that are drunk on ale. 853 Do, dame, telle forth youre tale, and that is best." Do, dame, tell forth your tale, and that is best."

854 "Al redy, sire," quod she, "right as yow lest, "All ready, sir," she said, "right as you please, 855 If I have licence of this worthy Frere." If I have permission of this worthy Friar."

856 "Yis, dame," quod he, "tel forth, and I wol heere." "Yes, dame," he said, "tell forth, and I will hear."

Heere endeth the Wyf of Bathe hir Prologe

____________________________

The Wife of Bath's Tale

Heere bigynneth the Tale of the Wyf of Bathe

857 In th' olde dayes of the Kyng Arthour, In the old days of King Arthur, 858 Of which that Britons speken greet honour, Of whom Britons speak great honor, 859 Al was this land fulfild of fayerye. This land was all filled full of supernatural creatures. 860 The elf-queene, with hir joly compaignye, The elf-queen, with her jolly company, 861 Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede. Danced very often in many a green mead. 862 This was the olde opinion, as I rede; This was the old belief, as I read; 863 I speke of manye hundred yeres ago. I speak of many hundred years ago. 864 But now kan no man se none elves mo, But now no man can see any more elves, 865 For now the grete charitee and prayeres For now the great charity and prayers 866 Of lymytours and othere hooly freres, Of licensed beggars and other holy friars, 867 That serchen every lond and every streem, That overrun every land and every stream, 868 As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem, As thick as specks of dust in the sun-beam, 869 Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures, Blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, bedrooms, 870 Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures, Cities, towns, castles, high towers, 871 Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes -- Villages, barns, stables, dairies -- 872 This maketh that ther ben no fayeryes. This makes it that there are no fairies. 873 For ther as wont to walken was an elf For where an elf was accustomed to walk 874 Ther walketh now the lymytour hymself There walks now the licensed begging friar himself 875 In undermeles and in morwenynges, In late mornings and in early mornings, 876 And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges And says his morning prayers and his holy things 877 As he gooth in his lymytacioun. As he goes in his assigned district. 878 Wommen may go saufly up and doun. Women may go safely up and down. 879 In every bussh or under every tree In every bush or under every tree 880 Ther is noon oother incubus but he, There is no other evil spirit but he, 881 And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour. And he will not do them any harm except dishonor.

882 And so bifel that this kyng Arthour And so it happened that this king Arthur 883 Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler, Had in his house a lusty bachelor, 884 That on a day cam ridynge fro ryver, That on one day came riding from hawking, 885 And happed that, allone as he was born, And it happened that, alone as he was born, 886 He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn, He saw a maiden walking before him, 887 Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed, Of which maiden straightway, despite all she could do, 888 By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed; By utter force, he took away her maidenhead; 889 For which oppressioun was swich clamour For which wrong was such clamor 890 And swich pursute unto the kyng Arthour And such demand for justice unto king Arthur 891 That dampned was this knyght for to be deed, That this knight was condemned to be dead, 892 By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed -- By course of law, and should have lost his head -- 893 Paraventure swich was the statut tho -- Perhaps such was the statute then -- 894 But that the queene and other ladyes mo Except that the queen and other ladies as well 895 So longe preyeden the kyng of grace So long prayed the king for grace 896 Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place, Until he granted him his life right there, 897 And yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille, And gave him to the queen, all at her will, 898 To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille. To choose whether she would him save or put to death.

899 The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght, The queen thanks the king with all her might, 900 And after this thus spak she to the knyght, And after this she spoke thus to the knight, 901 Whan that she saugh hir tyme, upon a day: When she saw her time, upon a day: 902 "Thou standest yet," quod she, "in swich array "Thou standest yet," she said, "in such condition, 903 That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee. That of thy life yet thou hast no assurance 904 I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me I grant thee life, if thou canst tell me 905 What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren. What thing it is that women most desire. 906 Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from iren! Beware, and keep thy neck-bone from iron (axe)! 907 And if thou kanst nat tellen it anon, And if thou canst not tell it right now, 908 Yet wol I yeve thee leve for to gon Yet I will give thee leave to go 909 A twelf-month and a day, to seche and leere A twelvemonth and a day, to seek to learn 910 An answere suffisant in this mateere; A satisfactory answer in this matter; 911 And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace, And I will have, before thou go, a pledge 912 Thy body for to yelden in this place." To surrender thy body in this place."

913 Wo was this knyght, and sorwefully he siketh; Woe was this knight, and sorrowfully he sighs; 914 But what! He may nat do al as hym liketh. But what! He can not do all as he pleases. 915 And at the laste he chees hym for to wende And at the last he chose to leave 916 And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, And come again, exactly at the year's end, 917 With swich answere as God wolde hym purveye; With such answer as God would provide him; 918 And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye. And takes his leave, and goes forth on his way.

919 He seketh every hous and every place He seeks every house and every place 920 Where as he hopeth for to fynde grace Where he hopes to have the luck 921 To lerne what thyng wommen loven moost, To learn what thing women love most, 922 But he ne koude arryven in no coost But he could not arrive in any region 923 Wher as he myghte fynde in this mateere Where he might find in this matter 924 Two creatures accordynge in-feere. Two creatures agreeing together. 925 Somme seyde wommen loven best richesse, Some said women love riches best, 926 Somme seyde honour, somme seyde jolynesse, Some said honor, some said gaiety, 927 Somme riche array, somme seyden lust abedde, Some rich clothing, some said lust in bed, 928 And oftetyme to be wydwe and wedde. And frequently to be widow and wedded. 929 Somme seyde that oure hertes been moost esed Some said that our hearts are most eased 930 Whan that we been yflatered and yplesed. When we are flattered and pleased. 931 He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye. He goes very near the truth, I will not lie. 932 A man shal wynne us best with flaterye, A man shall win us best with flattery, 933 And with attendance and with bisynesse And with attentions and with solicitude 934 Been we ylymed, bothe moore and lesse. We are caught, every one of us.

935 And somme seyen that we loven best And some say that we love best 936 For to be free and do right as us lest, To be free and do just as we please, 937 And that no man repreve us of oure vice, And that no man reprove us for our vices, 938 But seye that we be wise and no thyng nyce. But say that we are wise and not at all silly. 939 For trewely ther is noon of us alle, For truly there is not one of us all, 940 If any wight wol clawe us on the galle, If any one will scratch us on the sore spot, 941 That we nel kike, for he seith us sooth. That we will not kick back, because he tells us the truth. 942 Assay, and he shal fynde it that so dooth; Try it, and whoever so does shall find it true; 943 For, be we never so vicious withinne, For, be we never so vicious within, 944 We wol been holden wise and clene of synne. We want to be considered wise and clean of sin.

945 And somme seyn that greet delit han we And some say that we have great delight 946 For to been holden stable, and eek secree, To be considered steadfast, and also (able to keep a) secret, 947 And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle, And in one purpose steadfastly to remain, 948 And nat biwreye thyng that men us telle. And not reveal things that men tell us. 949 But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele. But that tale is not worth a rake handle. 950 Pardee, we wommen konne no thyng hele; By God, we women can hide nothing; 951 Witnesse on Myda -- wol ye heere the tale? Witness on Midas -- will you hear the tale?

952 Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale, Ovid, among other small matters, 953 Seyde Myda hadde, under his longe heres, Said Midas had, under his long hair, 954 Growynge upon his heed two asses eres, Two ass's ears, growing upon his head, 955 The whiche vice he hydde as he best myghte The which vice he hid as he best could 956 Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte, Very skillfully from every man's sight, 957 That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it namo. That, except for his wife, there knew of it no others. 958 He loved hire moost, and trusted hire also; He loved her most, and trusted her also; 959 He preyede hire that to no creature He prayed her that to no creature 960 She sholde tellen of his disfigure. She should tell of his disfigurement.

961 She swoor him, "Nay"; for al this world to wynne, She swore him, "Nay"; for all this world to win, 962 She nolde do that vileynye or synne, She would not do that dishonor or sin, 963 To make hir housbonde han so foul a name. To make her husband have so foul a reputation. 964 She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame. She would not tell it for her own shame. 965 But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde But nonetheless, she thought that she would die 966 That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde; If she should hide a secret so long; 967 Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte She thought it swelled so sore about her heart 968 That nedely som word hire moste asterte; That necessarily some word must escape her; 969 And sith she dorste telle it to no man, And since she dared tell it to no man, 970 Doun to a mareys faste by she ran -- She ran down to a marsh close by -- 971 Til she cam there hir herte was afyre -- Until she came there her heart was afire -- 972 And as a bitore bombleth in the myre, And as a bittern bumbles in the mire, 973 She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun: She laid her mouth down unto the water: 974 "Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun," "Betray me not, thou water, with thy sound," 975 Quod she; "to thee I telle it and namo; She said; "to thee I tell it and no others; 976 Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two! My husband has two long asses ears! 977 Now is myn herte al hool; now is it oute. Now is my heart all whole; now is it out. 978 I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute." I could no longer keep it, without doubt." 979 Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde, Here you may see, though we a time abide, 980 Yet out it moot; we kan no conseil hyde. Yet out it must come; we can hide no secret. 981 The remenant of the tale if ye wol heere, The remnant of the tale if you will hear, 982 Redeth Ovyde, and ther ye may it leere. Read Ovid, and there you may learn it.

983 This knyght, of which my tale is specially, This knight, of whom my tale is in particular, 984 Whan that he saugh he myghte nat come therby -- When he saw he might not come to that -- 985 This is to seye, what wommen love moost -- This is to say, what women love most -- 986 Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost. Within his breast very sorrowful was the spirit. 987 But hoom he gooth; he myghte nat sojourne; But home he goes; he could not linger; 988 The day was come that homward moste he tourne. The day was come that homeward he must turn. 989 And in his wey it happed hym to ryde, And in his way he happened to ride, 990 In al this care, under a forest syde, In all this care, near a forest side, 991 Wher as he saugh upon a daunce go Where he saw upon a dance go 992 Of ladyes foure and twenty, and yet mo; Ladies four and twenty, and yet more; 993 Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne, Toward the which dance he drew very eagerly, 994 In hope that som wysdom sholde he lerne. In hope that he should learn some wisdom. 995 But certeinly, er he cam fully there, But certainly, before he came fully there, 996 Vanysshed was this daunce, he nyste where. Vanished was this dance, he knew not where. 997 No creature saugh he that bar lyf, He saw no creature that bore life, 998 Save on the grene he saugh sittynge a wyf -- Save on the green he saw sitting a woman -- 999 A fouler wight ther may no man devyse. There can no man imagine an uglier creature. 1000 Agayn the knyght this olde wyf gan ryse, At the knight's coming this old wife did rise, 1001 And seyde, "Sire knyght, heer forth ne lith no wey. And said, "Sir knight, there lies no road out of here. 1002 Tel me what that ye seken, by youre fey! Tell me what you seek, by your faith! 1003 Paraventure it may the bettre be; Perhaps it may be the better; 1004 Thise olde folk kan muchel thyng," quod she. These old folk know many things," she said.

1005 "My leeve mooder," quod this knyght, "certeyn "My dear mother," said this knight, "certainly 1006 I nam but deed but if that I kan seyn I am as good as dead unless I can say 1007 What thyng it is that wommen moost desire. What thing it is that women most desire. 1008 Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire." If you could teach me, I would well repay you."

1009 "Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand," quod she, "Pledge me thy word here in my hand," she said, 1010 "The nexte thyng that I requere thee, "The next thing that I require of thee, 1011 Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght, Thou shalt do it, if it lies in thy power, 1012 And I wol telle it yow er it be nyght." And I will tell it to you before it is night."

1013 "Have heer my trouthe," quod the knyght, "I grante." "Have here my pledged word," said the knight, "I agree." 1014 "Thanne," quod she, "I dar me wel avante "Then," she said, "I dare me well boast 1015 Thy lyf is sauf, for I wol stonde therby; Thy life is safe, for I will stand thereby; 1016 Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I. Upon my life, the queen will say as I. 1017 Lat se which is the proudeste of hem alle Let's see which is the proudest of them all 1018 That wereth on a coverchief or a calle That wears a kerchief or a hairnet 1019 That dar seye nay of that I shal thee teche. That dares say `nay' of what I shall teach thee. 1020 Lat us go forth withouten lenger speche." Let us go forth without longer speech." 1021 Tho rowned she a pistel in his ere, Then she whispered a message in his ear, 1022 And bad hym to be glad and have no fere. And commanded him to be glad and have no fear. 1023 Whan they be comen to the court, this knyght When they are come to the court, this knight 1024 Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde hight, Said he had held his day, as he had promised, 1025 And redy was his answere, as he sayde. And his answer was ready, as he said. 1026 Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde, Very many a noble wife, and many a maid, 1027 And many a wydwe, for that they been wise, And many a widow, because they are wise, 1028 The queene hirself sittynge as a justise, The queen herself sitting as a justice, 1029 Assembled been, his answere for to heere; Are assembled, to hear his answer; 1030 And afterward this knyght was bode appeere. And afterward this knight was commanded to appear.

1031 To every wight comanded was silence, Silence was commanded to every person, 1032 And that the knyght sholde telle in audience And that the knight should tell in open court 1033 What thyng that worldly wommen loven best. What thing (it is) that worldly women love best. 1034 This knyght ne stood nat stille as doth a best, This knight stood not silent as does a beast, 1035 But to his questioun anon answerde But to his question straightway answered 1036 With manly voys, that al the court it herde: With manly voice, so that all the court heard it:

1037 "My lige lady, generally," quod he, "My liege lady, without exception," he said, 1038 "Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee "Women desire to have sovereignty 1039 As wel over hir housbond as hir love, As well over her husband as her love, 1040 And for to been in maistrie hym above. And to be in mastery above him. 1041 This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille. This is your greatest desire, though you kill me. 1042 Dooth as yow list; I am heer at youre wille." Do as you please; I am here subject to your will." 1043 In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde, In all the court there was not wife, nor maid, 1044 Ne wydwe that contraried that he sayde, Nor widow that denied what he said, 1045 But seyden he was worthy han his lyf. But said that he was worthy to have his life. 1046 And with that word up stirte the olde wyf, And with that word up sprang the old woman, 1047 Which that the knyght saugh sittynge on the grene: Whom the knight saw sitting on the green: 1048 "Mercy," quod she, "my sovereyn lady queene! "Mercy," she said, "my sovereign lady queen! 1049 Er that youre court departe, do me right. Before your court departs, do me justice. 1050 I taughte this answere unto the knyght; I taught this answer to the knight; 1051 For which he plighte me his trouthe there, For which he pledged me his word there, 1052 The firste thyng that I wolde hym requere The first thing that I would ask of him 1053 He wolde it do, if it lay in his myghte. He would do, if it lay in his power. 1054 Bifore the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght," Before the court then I pray thee, sir knight," 1055 Quod she, "that thou me take unto thy wyf, Said she, "that thou take me as thy wife, 1056 For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf. For well thou know that I have saved thy life. 1057 If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy fey!" If I say false, say `nay', upon thy faith!"

1058 This knyght answerde, "Allas and weylawey! This knight answered, "Alas and woe is me! 1059 I woot right wel that swich was my biheste. I know right well that such was my promise. 1060 For Goddes love, as chees a newe requeste! For God's love, choose a new request! 1061 Taak al my good and lat my body go." Take all my goods and let my body go."

1062 "Nay, thanne," quod she, "I shrewe us bothe two! "Nay, then," she said, "I curse both of us two! 1063 For thogh that I be foul, and oold, and poore For though I am ugly, and old, and poor 1064 I nolde for al the metal, ne for oore I would not for all the metal, nor for ore 1065 That under erthe is grave or lith above, That under earth is buried or lies above, 1066 But if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love." Have anything except that I were thy wife, and also thy love."

1067 "My love?" quod he, "nay, my dampnacioun! "My love?" he said, "nay, my damnation! 1068 Allas, that any of my nacioun Alas, that any of my family 1069 Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!" Should ever be so foully degraded!" 1070 But al for noght; the ende is this, that he But all for naught; the end is this, that he 1071 Constreyned was; he nedes moste hire wedde, Constrained was; he must by necessity wed her, 1072 And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde. And takes his old wife, and goes to bed.

1073 Now wolden som men seye, paraventure, Now would some men say, perhaps, 1074 That for my necligence I do no cure That because of my negligence I make no effort 1075 To tellen yow the joye and al th' array To tell you the joy and all the rich display 1076 That at the feeste was that ilke day. That was at the (wedding) feast that same day. 1077 To which thyng shortly answeren I shal: To which thing shortly I shall answer: 1078 I seye ther nas no joye ne feeste at al; I say there was no joy nor feast at all; 1079 Ther nas but hevynesse and muche sorwe. There was nothing but heaviness and much sorrow. 1080 For prively he wedded hire on morwe, For he wedded her in private in the morning, 1081 And al day after hidde hym as an owle, And all day after hid himself like an owl, 1082 So wo was hym, his wyf looked so foule. So woeful was he, his wife looked so ugly.

1083 Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght, Great was the woe the knight had in his thought, 1084 Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght; When he was brought to bed with his wife; 1085 He walweth and he turneth to and fro. He wallows and he turns to and fro. 1086 His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo, His old wife lay smiling evermore, 1087 And seyde, "O deere housbonde, benedicitee! And said, "O dear husband, bless me! 1088 Fareth every knyght thus with his wyf as ye? Does every knight behave thus with his wife as you do? 1089 Is this the lawe of kyng Arthures hous? Is this the law of king Arthur's house? 1090 Is every knyght of his so dangerous? Is every knight of his so aloof? 1091 I am youre owene love and youre wyf; I am your own love and your wife; 1092 I am she which that saved hath youre lyf, I am she who has saved your life, 1093 And, certes, yet ne dide I yow nevere unright; And, certainly, I did you never wrong yet; 1094 Why fare ye thus with me this firste nyght? Why behave you thus with me this first night? 1095 Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit. You act like a man who had lost his wit. 1096 What is my gilt? For Goddes love, tel it, What is my offense? For God's love, tell it, 1097 And it shal been amended, if I may." And it shall be amended, if I can."

1098 "Amended?" quod this knyght, "Allas, nay, nay! "Amended?" said this knight, "Alas, nay, nay! 1099 It wol nat been amended nevere mo. It will not be amended ever more. 1100 Thou art so loothly, and so oold also, Thou art so loathsome, and so old also, 1101 And therto comen of so lough a kynde, And moreover descended from such low born lineage, 1102 That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and wynde. That little wonder is though I toss and twist about. 1103 So wolde God myn herte wolde breste!" So would God my heart would burst!"

1104 "Is this," quod she, "the cause of youre unreste?" "Is this," she said, "the cause of your distress?"

1105 "Ye, certeinly," quod he, "no wonder is." "Yes, certainly," he said, "it is no wonder."

1106 "Now, sire," quod she, "I koude amende al this, "Now, sir," she said, "I could amend all this, 1107 If that me liste, er it were dayes thre, If I pleased, before three days were past, 1108 So wel ye myghte bere yow unto me. Providing that you might behave well towards me.

1109 "But, for ye speken of swich gentillesse "But, since you speak of such nobility 1110 As is descended out of old richesse, As is descended out of old riches, 1111 That therfore sholden ye be gentil men, That therefore you should be noble men, 1112 Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen. Such arrogance is not worth a hen. 1113 Looke who that is moost vertuous alway, Look who is most virtuous always, 1114 Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay In private and public, and most intends ever 1115 To do the gentil dedes that he kan; To do the noble deeds that he can; 1116 Taak hym for the grettest gentil man. Take him for the greatest noble man. 1117 Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse, Christ wants us to claim our nobility from him, 1118 Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse. Not from our ancestors for their old riches. 1119 For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage, For though they give us all their heritage, 1120 For which we clayme to been of heigh parage, For which we claim to be of noble lineage, 1121 Yet may they nat biquethe for no thyng Yet they can not bequeath by any means 1122 To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng, To any of us their virtuous living, 1123 That made hem gentil men ycalled be, That made them be called noble men, 1124 And bad us folwen hem in swich degree. And commanded us to follow them in such matters.

1125 "Wel kan the wise poete of Florence, "Well can the wise poet of Florence, 1126 That highte Dant, speken in this sentence. Who is called Dante, speak on this matter. 1127 Lo, in swich maner rym is Dantes tale: Lo, in such sort of rime is Dante's speech: 1128 `Ful selde up riseth by his branches smale `Very seldom grows up from its small branches 1129 Prowesse of man, for God, of his goodnesse, Nobility of man, for God, of his goodness, 1130 Wole that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse'; Wants us to claim our nobility from him'; 1131 For of oure eldres may we no thyng clayme For from our ancestors we can claim no thing 1132 But temporel thyng, that man may hurte and mayme. Except temporal things, that may hurt and injure a man.

1133 "Eek every wight woot this as wel as I, "Also every person knows this as well as I, 1134 If gentillesse were planted natureelly If nobility were planted naturally 1135 Unto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne, Unto a certain lineage down the line, 1136 Pryvee and apert thanne wolde they nevere fyne Then in private and in public they would never cease 1137 To doon of gentillesse the faire office; To do the just duties of nobility; 1138 They myghte do no vileynye or vice. They could do no dishonor or vice.

1139 "Taak fyr and ber it in the derkeste hous "Take fire and bear it in the darkest house 1140 Bitwix this and the mount of Kaukasous, Between this and the mount of Caucasus, 1141 And lat men shette the dores and go thenne; And let men shut the doors and go away; 1142 Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne Yet will the fire as brightly blaze and burn 1143 As twenty thousand men myghte it biholde; As if twenty thousand men might it behold; 1144 His office natureel ay wol it holde, Its natural function it will always hold, 1145 Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye. On peril of my life (I say), until it dies.

1146 "Heere may ye se wel how that genterye "Here may you see well that nobility 1147 Is nat annexed to possessioun, Is not joined with possession, 1148 Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun Since folk not do behave as they should 1149 Alwey, as dooth the fyr, lo, in his kynde. Always, as does the fire, lo, in its nature. 1150 For, God it woot, men may wel often fynde For, God knows it, men may well often find 1151 A lordes sone do shame and vileynye; A lord's son doing shame and dishonor; 1152 And he that wole han pris of his gentrye, And he who will have praise for his noble birth, 1153 For he was boren of a gentil hous Because he was born of a noble house 1154 And hadde his eldres noble and vertuous, And had his noble and virtuous ancestors, 1155 And nel hymselven do no gentil dedis And will not himself do any noble deeds 1156 Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that deed is, Nor follow his noble ancestry that is dead, 1157 He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl, He is not noble, be he duke or earl, 1158 For vileyns synful dedes make a cherl. For churlish sinful deeds make a churl. 1159 For gentillesse nys but renomee For nobility is nothing but renown 1160 Of thyne auncestres, for hire heigh bountee, Of thy ancestors, for their great goodness, 1161 Which is a strange thyng to thy persone. Which is a thing not naturally part of thy person. 1162 Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone. Thy nobility comes from God alone. 1163 Thanne comth oure verray gentillesse of grace; Then our true nobility comes from grace ; 1164 It was no thyng biquethe us with oure place. It was not at all bequeathed to us with our social rank.

1165 "Thenketh hou noble, as seith Valerius, "Think how noble, as says Valerius, 1166 Was thilke Tullius Hostillius, Was that same Tullius Hostillius, 1167 That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse. That out of poverty rose to high nobility. 1168 Reedeth Senek, and redeth eek Boece; Read Seneca, and read also Boethius; 1169 Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is There shall you see clearly that it is no doubt 1170 That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis. That he is noble who does noble deeds. 1171 And therfore, leeve housbonde, I thus conclude: And therefore, dear husband, I thus conclude: 1172 Al were it that myne auncestres were rude, Although it is so that my ancestors were rude, 1173 Yet may the hye God, and so hope I, Yet may the high God, and so hope I, 1174 Grante me grace to lyven vertuously. Grant me grace to live virtuously. 1175 Thanne am I gentil, whan that I bigynne Then am I noble, when I begin 1176 To lyven vertuously and weyve synne. To live virtuously and abandon sin.

1177 "And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve, "And whereas you reprove me for poverty, 1178 The hye God, on whom that we bileeve, The high God, on whom we believe, 1179 In wilful poverte chees to lyve his lyf. In voluntary poverty chose to live his life. 1180 And certes every man, mayden, or wyf And certainly every man, maiden, or woman 1181 May understonde that Jhesus, hevene kyng, Can understand that Jesus, heaven's king, 1182 Ne wolde nat chese a vicious lyvyng. Would not choose a vicious form of living. 1183 Glad poverte is an honest thyng, certeyn; Glad poverty is an honest thing, certain; 1184 This wole Senec and othere clerkes seyn. This will Seneca and other clerks say. 1185 Whoso that halt hym payd of his poverte, Whoever considers himself satisfied with his poverty, 1186 I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte. I consider him rich, although he had not a shirt. 1187 He that coveiteth is a povre wight, He who covets is a poor person, 1188 For he wolde han that is nat in his myght; For he would have that which is not in his power; 1189 But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have, But he who has nothing, nor covets to have anything, 1190 Is riche, although ye holde hym but a knave. Is rich, although you consider him but a knave. 1191 Verray poverte, it syngeth proprely; True poverty, it rightly sings; 1192 Juvenal seith of poverte myrily: Juvenal says of poverty merrily: 1193 `The povre man, whan he goth by the weye, `The poor man, when he goes along the roadway, 1194 Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.' Before the thieves he may sing and play.' 1195 Poverte is hateful good and, as I gesse, Poverty is a hateful good and, as I guess, 1196 A ful greet bryngere out of bisynesse; A very great remover of cares; 1197 A greet amendere eek of sapience A great amender also of wisdom 1198 To hym that taketh it in pacience. To him that takes it in patience. 1199 Poverte is this, although it seme alenge: Poverty is this, although it may seem miserable: 1200 Possessioun that no wight wol chalenge. A possession that no one will challenge. 1201 Poverte ful ofte, whan a man is lowe, Poverty very often, when a man is low, 1202 Maketh his God and eek hymself to knowe. Makes him know his God and also himself. 1203 Poverte a spectacle is, as thynketh me, Poverty is an eye glass, as it seems to me, 1204 Thurgh which he may his verray freendes see. Through which one may see his true friends. 1205 And therfore, sire, syn that I noght yow greve, And therefore, sir, since I do not injure you, 1206 Of my poverte namoore ye me repreve. You (should) no longer reprove me for my poverty.

1207 "Now, sire, of elde ye repreve me; "Now, sir, of old age you reprove me; 1208 And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee And certainly, sir, though no authority 1209 Were in no book, ye gentils of honour Were in any book, you gentlefolk of honor 1210 Seyn that men sholde an oold wight doon favour Say that men should be courteous to an old person 1211 And clepe hym fader, for youre gentillesse; And call him father, because of your nobility; 1212 And auctours shal I fynden, as I gesse. And authors shall I find, as I guess.

1213 "Now ther ye seye that I am foul and old, "Now where you say that I am ugly and old, 1214 Than drede you noght to been a cokewold; Than do not fear to be a cuckold; 1215 For filthe and eelde, also moot I thee, For filth and old age, as I may prosper, 1216 Been grete wardeyns upon chastitee. Are great guardians of chastity. 1217 But nathelees, syn I knowe youre delit, But nonetheless, since I know your delight, 1218 I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit. I shall fulfill your worldly appetite.

1219 "Chese now," quod she, "oon of thise thynges tweye: "Choose now," she said, "one of these two things: 1220 To han me foul and old til that I deye, To have me ugly and old until I die, 1221 And be to yow a trewe, humble wyf, And be to you a true, humble wife, 1222 And nevere yow displese in al my lyf, And never displease you in all my life, 1223 Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, Or else you will have me young and fair, 1224 And take youre aventure of the repair And take your chances of the crowd 1225 That shal be to youre hous by cause of me, That shall be at your house because of me, 1226 Or in som oother place, may wel be. Or in some other place, as it may well be. 1227 Now chese yourselven, wheither that yow liketh." Now choose yourself, whichever you please."

1228 This knyght avyseth hym and sore siketh, This knight deliberates and painfully sighs, 1229 But atte laste he seyde in this manere: But at the last he said in this manner: 1230 "My lady and my love, and wyf so deere, "My lady and my love, and wife so dear, 1231 I put me in youre wise governance; I put me in your wise governance; 1232 Cheseth youreself which may be moost plesance Choose yourself which may be most pleasure 1233 And moost honour to yow and me also. And most honor to you and me also. 1234 I do no fors the wheither of the two, I do not care which of the two, 1235 For as yow liketh, it suffiseth me." For as it pleases you, is enough for me."

1236 "Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie," quod she, "Then have I gotten mastery of you," she said, 1237 "Syn I may chese and governe as me lest?" "Since I may choose and govern as I please?"

1238 "Ye, certes, wyf," quod he, "I holde it best." "Yes, certainly, wife," he said, "I consider it best."

1239 "Kys me," quod she, "we be no lenger wrothe, "Kiss me," she said, "we are no longer angry, 1240 For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe -- For, by my troth, I will be to you both -- 1241 This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. This is to say, yes, both fair and good. 1242 I prey to God that I moote sterven wood, I pray to God that I may die insane 1243 But I to yow be also good and trewe Unless I to you be as good and true 1244 As evere was wyf, syn that the world was newe. As ever was wife, since the world was new. 1245 And but I be to-morn as fair to seene And unless I am tomorrow morning as fair to be seen 1246 As any lady, emperice, or queene, As any lady, empress, or queen, 1247 That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, That is between the east and also the west, 1248 Dooth with my lyf and deth right as yow lest. Do with my life and death right as you please. 1249 Cast up the curtyn, looke how that it is." Cast up the curtain, look how it is."

1250 And whan the knyght saugh verraily al this, And when the knight saw truly all this, 1251 That she so fair was, and so yong therto, That she so was beautiful, and so young moreover, 1252 For joye he hente hire in his armes two. For joy he clasped her in his two arms. 1253 His herte bathed in a bath of blisse. His heart bathed in a bath of bliss. 1254 A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hire kisse, A thousand time in a row he did her kiss, 1255 And she obeyed hym in every thyng And she obeyed him in every thing 1256 That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng. That might do him pleasure or enjoyment.

1257 And thus they lyve unto hir lyves ende And thus they live unto their lives' end 1258 In parfit joye; and Jhesu Crist us sende In perfect joy; and Jesus Christ us send 1259 Housbondes meeke, yonge, and fressh abedde, Husbands meek, young, and vigorous in bed, 1260 And grace t' overbyde hem that we wedde; And grace to outlive them whom we wed; 1261 And eek I praye Jhesu shorte hir lyves And also I pray Jesus shorten their lives 1262 That noght wol be governed by hir wyves; That will not be governed by their wives; 1263 And olde and angry nygardes of dispence, And old and angry misers in spending, 1264 God sende hem soone verray pestilence! God send them soon the very pestilence!

Heere endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe

Synopses and Prolegomena
1.1 General Prologue
1.2 The Knight's Tale
1.3 The Miller's Prologue and Tale
1.4 The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
1.5 The Cook's Prologue and Tale
2.1 The Man of Law's Introduction, Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
3.2 The Friar's Prologue and Tale
3.3 The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
4.1 The Clerk's Prologue, Tale, and Envoy
4.2 The Merchant's Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
5.1 The Squire's Introduction and Tale
5.2 The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
6.1 The Physician's Tale
6.2 The Pardoner's Prologue, Introduction, and Tale
7.1 The Shipman's Tale
7.2 The Shipman-Prioress Link
7.3 The Prioress' Prologue and Tale
7.4 The Prologue and Tale of Sir Thopas, and the Host's Interruption
7.5 The Tale of Melibee
7.6 The Monk's Prologue and Tale
7.7 The Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue of the Nun's Priest
8.1 The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
8.2 The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
9.1 The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
10.1 The Parson's Prologue and Tale
10.2 Chaucer's Retraction

Entertainment
Environment
Information Science and Technology
Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Literature Wife of Bath

"The Wife of Bath's Tale": a Theme of Power and Gender

Table of contents, the wife of bath's assertion of power, gender roles and transformation, challenging stereotypes and assumptions, women's agency and empowerment.

Chaucer, G. (14th century). The Wife of Bath's Tale. The Canterbury Tales.
Gray, D. (2013). Gender and Power in Medieval Exegesis. Oxford University Press.
Mann, J. S. (1997). Feminizing Chaucer. Boydell & Brewer.
Newman, F. X. (2010). The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale. The Open Access Companion to the Canterbury Tales.
Winny, J. (2016). The Idea of Matriarchy in Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale. In S. Butler (Ed.), New Directions in Medieval Manuscript Studies and Reading Practices: Essays in Honour of Derek Pearsall (pp. 212-227). Springer.

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

Dee, Maggie, and Mama
Ethan Frome
Ender's Game
Nervous Conditions
Don't Blame the Eater
Death Be Not Proud

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

31 Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

Introduction

by Denise Williams

The “Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale” was written at a time when the social structure of England was evolving, allowing for a merchant class to emerge of which the Wife of Bath is a prime example. The story provides insight on women’s roles in the Late Middle Ages when they could occupy only three stations in society: maiden, widow or wife. The Wife of Bath is unique in this context: as a childless widow, she has inherited her husbands’ wealth (as property was passed down to sons even if their mothers were still alive) which allows for more autonomy than other women of the time. The character in this story was one of Chaucer’s most developed with the prologue almost twice as long as the actual tale itself; it is remembered as one of the best-known in the collection. She calls herself “Alys” and “Alyson” though this is also the name of a friend she references and various other characters throughout the Tales which causes confusion for students and scholars alike.

In the Prologue, we learn some important information about the Wife of Bath, namely that she has been married five times and therefore will be speaking about “wo that is in mariage.” She quickly recounts her first three marriages, to older men, starting at age 12. Her fourth marriage was to a philanderer who she repaid by making him believe she, too, had been unfaithful. The fifth marriage is to a younger man, Jankyn, who is physically abusive (his beatings leave her deaf in one ear) and an unrepentant misogynist; they get into a heated argument when she tears some pages from his copy of the “Book of Wikked Wyves” though, after this, he concedes his power to her in the relationship. She is then interrupted by the Friar who complains of the “long preamble” she has provided. As a widow five times over, she would have been seen as a “loathly lady”–a woman who remarries in order to satisfy her sexual desires (something the Church equated with bigamy at the time). But the Wife of Bath knows the stories of many holy men who have had multiple wives and her adept appeal to the Scriptures puts her in direct conflict with the teachings of clerics. In her opinion, her history of multiple marriages has made her an expert on marital relations, and certainly more so than celibate, male clergy. The Wife of Bath argues, above all, that women are morally identical to men which contradicts the prevailing double standard of her era.

Summary of the Tale

The tale starts off with this Knight who has raped a young woman and for some reason the Queen wants to give him a chance to redeem himself. King Arthur wants to kill the Knight but then decides to leave this punishment in the Queen’s hand. The Queen gives the Knight twelve months and one day to bring back the answer to the question “what do women most desire?” If the knight can’t find the answer to the question then he will be killed. He sets out on a long journey to find the answer to the Queen’s question. He asks many women and many an answer he receives; none of which have set well with the knight. The last has come to find what he is in search of and he still is bewildered. He comes upon this old, ugly lady who tells him that she has what he is searching for and he will pay for her wisdom. She gives him the answer to the question and shares it with the Queen. She is pleased and releases him so his life is spared. The old lady wants the handsome knight to marry her and he gave his word that he would do whatever she asked of him. They marry and the knight is miserable and treats her terribly. On their wedding night, the old woman is upset that he is repulsed by her in bed. She reminds him that her looks can be an asset—she will be a virtuous wife to him because no other men would desire her. She asks him which one he would prefer—a wife who is true and loyal or a beautiful young woman, who may not be faithful. The Knight responds by saying that the choice is hers. Knowing that she has the ultimate power now, him giving her full control, she promises beauty and fidelity. The Knight turns to look at the old woman again, but now finds a young and lovely woman. The old woman makes “what women want most” and the answer that she gave true to him, sovereignty (“Wife of Bath’s Tale”).

Works Cited

“Wife of Bath’s Tale.” Wikipedia, 12 Apr 2020. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wife_of_Bath%27s_Tale Accessed 13 Sept. 2020.

Discussion Questions

What “class” does the Wife of Bath belong to? How do you know?
Is this character a proto-feminist? Or is Chaucer writing an inherently anti-feminist text here?
She has many counter-arguments to the prevailing ideas about women of her day (usually introduced with the phrase “Thou sayest”). What arguments are these? What evidence does she provide?
There are very few women in Canterbury Tales ; how does Wife of Bath compare to the other “major” female storyteller (The Prioress)?
How does the Tale she tells relate to the information in her Prologue?
Who holds power in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”? Do those who have power use it correctly?

Further Resources

An essay chapter from the Open Access Companion to the Canterbury Tales on “Love and Marriage in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue”
A video of David Wallace, author of Geoffrey Chaucer , discussing Wife of Bath
An animated video of the “Wife of Bath’s Tale.”

Reading: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue

	“Experience, though noon
	Were in this world, were right to me
	To speke of that is in mariage;
	For, , I twelf yeer was of age,
5	Thonked be God, that is on lyve,
	Housbondes at I have had fyve –
	For I so ofte have ywedded bee –
	And alle were men in hir degree.
	But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is,
10	That that Crist ne wente nevere but
	To weddyng in the Cane of Galilee,
	That by the same , taughte he me,
	That I ne sholde be but ones.
	, lo, which a sharpe word for the ,
15	Biside a welle Jhesus, God and Man,
	Spak in of the Samaritan.
	“Thou hast yhad fyve housbondes,” he,
	“And man the which that hath now thee
	Is noght thyn housbonde;” thus seyde he certeyn.
20	What that he mente ther by, I kan nat seyn;
	But that I , why that the fifthe man
	Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan?
	How manye myghte she have in mariage?
	Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age
25	Upon this diffinicioun.
	Men may , and glosen up and doun,
	But wel I , , withoute lye,
	God bad us for to and multiplye;
	That text kan I wel understonde.
30	wel I , he seyde, myn housbonde
	Sholde lete fader and mooder, and take to me;
	But of no nombre mencioun made he,
	Of bigamye, or of octogamye;
	Why sholde men speke of it ?

	“Experience, though no authority
	Were in this world, were good enough for me,
	To speak of woe that is in all marriage;
	For, masters, since I was twelve years of age,
5	Thanks be to God who is forever alive,
	Of husbands at church door have I had five;
	For men so many times have married me;
	And all were worthy men in their degree.
	But someone told me not so long ago
10	That since Our Lord, save once, would never go
	To wedding that at Cana in Galilee,
	Thus, by this same example, showed he me
	I never should have married more than once.
	Lo and behold! What sharp words, for the nonce,
15	Beside a well Lord Jesus, God and man,
	Spoke in reproving the Samaritan:
	“For thou hast had five husbands,” thus said he,
	“And he whom thou hast now to be with thee
	Is not thine husband.” Thus he said that day,
20	But what he meant thereby I cannot say;
	And I would ask now why that same fifth man
	Was not husband to the Samaritan?
	How many might she have, then, in marriage?
	For I have never heard, in all my age,
25	Clear exposition of this number shown,
	Though men may guess and argue up and down.
	But well I know and say, and do not lie,
	God bade us to increase and multiply;
	That worthy text can I well understand.
30	And well I know he said, too, my husband
	Should father leave, and mother, and cleave to me;
	But no specific number mentioned He,
	Whether of bigamy or octogamy;
	Why should men speak of it reproachfully?

lines 35-82: The Wife of Bath’s opinion about marriage and virginity

35	Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun Salomon;
	I he hadde wyves mo than –
	As, wolde God, it were to me
	To be refresshed half so ofte as he!
	Which of God hadde he, for alle hise wyvys!
40	No man hath that in this world alyve is.
	God , this noble kyng, as to my ,
	The firste nyght had many a myrie fit
	With of , so wel was hym on lyve!
	Yblessed be God, that I have fyve;
45	(Of whiche I have pyked out the beste,
	Bothe of here nether purs and of here cheste.
	Diverse scoles maken clerkes,
	And diverse in many werkes
	Maketh the werkman parfyt ;
50	Of fyve husbondes scoleiyng am I.)
	Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal.
	For sothe I wol nat kepe me in al.
	Whan myn housbonde is fro the world ygon,
	Som Cristen man shal me .
55	For thanne th’apostle seith that I am free,
	To , a Goddes half, where it liketh me.
	He seith, that to be wedded is no ,
	Bet is to be than to .
	What rekketh me, thogh folk seye
60	Of and of bigamye?
	I wel Abraham was an man,
	And Jacob , as ferforth as I kan,
	And of hadde wyves mo than two,
	And many another holy man also.
65	Whanne ye evere in any manere age,
	That hye God defended mariage
	By word? I pray you, telleth me,
	Or where comanded he virginitee?
	I as wel as ye it is no ,
70	Th’apostel, whan he speketh of ;
	He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon.
	Men may a womman to been ,
	But conseillyng is no comandement;
	He putte it in oure owene juggement.
75	For hadde God comanded ,
	Thanne hadde he dampned weddyng with the dede;
	And certein, if ther were no seed ysowe,
	Virginitee, wherof thanne sholde it growe?
	Poul nat comanden, atte leeste,
80	A thyng of which his maister noon heeste.
	The dart is set up of virginitee;
	Cacche who so may, who renneth best lat see.

35	Lo, there’s the wise old king Dan Solomon;
	I understand he had more wives than one;
	And now would God it were permitted me
	To be refreshed one half as oft as he!
	Which gift of God he had for all his wives!
40	No man has such that in this world now lives.
	God knows, this noble king, it strikes my wit,
	The first night he had many a merry fit
	With each of them, so much he was alive!
	Praise be to God that I have wedded five!
45	(Of whom I did pick out and choose the best
	Both for their nether purse and for their chest
	Different schools make divers perfect clerks,
	Different methods learned in sundry works
	Make the good workman perfect, certainly.
50	Of full five husbands tutoring am I.)
	Welcome the sixth whenever come he shall.
	Forsooth, I’ll not keep chaste for good and all;
	When my good husband from the world is gone,
	Some Christian man shall marry me anon;
55	For then, the apostle says that I am free
	To wed, in God’s name, where it pleases me.
	He says that to be wedded is no sin;
	Better to marry than to burn within.
	What care I though folk speak reproachfully
60	Of wicked Lamech and his bigamy?
	I know well Abraham was holy man,
	And Jacob, too, as far as know I can;
	And each of them had spouses more than two;
	And many another holy man also.
65	Or can you say that you have ever heard
	That God has ever by His express word
	Marriage forbidden? Pray you, now, tell me.
	Or where commanded he virginity?
	I read as well as you no doubt have read
70	The apostle when he speaks of maidenhead;
	He said, commandment of the Lord he’d none.
	Men may advise a woman to be one,
	But such advice is not commandment, no;
	He left the thing to our own judgment so.
75	For had Lord God commanded maidenhood,
	He’d have condemned all marriage as not good;
	And certainly, if there were no seed sown,
	Virginity, where then should it be grown?
	Paul dared not to forbid us, at the least,
80	A thing whereof his master’d no behest.
	The dart is set up for virginity;
	Catch it who can; who runs best let us see.

lines 83-100: About St. Paul’s virginity

	But this word is nat taken of every ,
	But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght.
85	I wel, th’apostel was a ;
	But , thogh that he wroot and sayde
	He wolde that every were as he,
	Al nys but to virginitee;
	And for to been a wyf, he me leve
90	Of indulgence, so it is no
	To wedde me, if that my make dye,
	Withouten excepcioun of bigamye.
	Al were it good no womman for to touche,
	He mente, as in his bed or in his couche;
95	For is bothe and tow t’assemble;
	Ye knowe what this may resemble.
	This is al and som, he heeld virginitee
	Moore than weddyng in freletee.
	Freletee clepe I, but if that he and she
100	Wolde leden al hir lyf in .

	But this word is not meant for every wight,
	But where God wills to give it, of His might.
85	I know well that the apostle was a virgin;
	Nevertheless, and though he wrote and urged in,
	He would that everyone were such as he,
	All is not counsel to virginity;
	And so to be a wife he gave me leave
90	Out of permission; there’s no shame should grieve
	In marrying me, if that my mate should die,
	Without exception, too, of bigamy.
	And though ’twere good no woman flesh to touch,
	He meant, in his own bed or on his couch;
95	For peril ’tis fire and tow to assemble;
	You know what this example may resemble.
	This is the sum: he held virginity
	Nearer perfection than marriage for frailty.
	And frailty’s all, I say, save he and she
100	Would lead their lives throughout in chastity.

lines 101-120: About virginity in general

	I graunte it wel, I have noon envie,
	Thogh preferre bigamye;
	Hem liketh to be clene, body and goost.
	Of myn I nyl nat make no boost,
105	For wel ye knowe, a lord in his houshold,
	He nath nat every vessel al of gold;
	Somme been of tree, and doon hir lord servyse.
	God folk to hym in ,
	And hath of God a propre –
110	Som this, som that, as hym liketh shifte.
	Virginitee is greet perfeccioun,
	And continence with devocioun.
	But Crist, that of perfeccioun is welle,
	Bad nat every he sholde go selle
115	Al that he hadde, and gyve it to the poore,
	And in wise folwe hym and his .
	He spak to that wolde lyve ,
	And , by youre leve, that am nat I.
	I wol bistowe the flour of myn age
120	In the actes and in fruyt of mariage.

	I grant this well, I have no great envy
	Though maidenhood’s preferred to bigamy;
	Let those who will be clean, body and ghost,
	Of my condition I will make no boast.
105	For well you know, a lord in his household,
	He has not every vessel all of gold;
	Some are of wood and serve well all their days.
	God calls folk unto him in sundry ways,
	And each one has from God a proper gift,
110	Some this, some that, as pleases him to shift.
	Virginity is great perfection known,
	And continence also with devotion shown.
	But Christ, who of perfection is the well,
	Bade not each separate man he should go sell
115	All that he had and give it to the poor
	And follow him in such wise going before.
	He spoke to those that would live perfectly;
	And, masters, by your leave, such am not I.
	I will devote the flower of all my age
120	To all the acts and harvests of marriage.

lines 121-140: The purpose of the genitals

	Telle me also, to what conclusion
	Were membres maad of generacion,
	And of so wys a wright ywroght?
	Trusteth right wel, they were maad for noght.
125	Glose whoso wole, and seye bothe up and doun,
	That they were maked for purgacioun
	Of uryne, and oure bothe thynges smale
	Were to knowe a femele from a male,
	And for noon other cause, -say ye no?
130	The experience wel it is noght so.
	So that the be nat with me ,
	I sey this: that they maked ben for bothe,
	That is to seye, for and for
	Of , ther we nat God displese.
135	Why sholde men elles in hir bookes sette
	That man shal yelde to his wyf hire ?
	Now wherwith sholde he make his paiement,
	If he ne used his instrument?
	Thanne were they maad upon a creature
140	To purge uryne, and for .

	Tell me also, to what purpose or end
	The genitals were made, that I defend,
	And for what benefit was man first wrought?
	Trust you right well, they were not made for naught.
125	Explain who will and argue up and down
	That they were made for passing out, as known,
	Of urine, and our two belongings small
	Were just to tell a female from a male,
	And for no other cause – ah, say you no?
130	Experience knows well it is not so;
	And, so the clerics be not with me wroth,
	I say now that they have been made for both,
	That is to say, for duty and for ease
	In getting, when we do not God displease.
135	Why should men otherwise in their books set
	That man shall pay unto his wife his debt?
	Now wherewith should he ever make payment,
	Except he used his blessed instrument?
	Then on a creature were devised these things
140	For urination and engenderings.

lines 141-168: How a husband should pay his wife

	But I seye noght that every is holde,
	That hath harneys as I to yow tolde,
	To goon and usen hem in .
	Thanne sholde men take of no cure.
145	Crist was a , and shapen as a man,
	And many a seint, that the world bigan;
	Yet lyved that evere in .
	I nyl envye no virginitee.
	Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed,
150	And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed;
	And yet with barly-breed, Mark telle kan,
	Oure Lord Jhesu refresshed many a man.
	In swich as God hath us
	I wol persevere; I nam nat precius.
155	In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument
	As frely as my Makere hath it sent.
	If I be , God me sorwe!
	Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe,
	Whan that hym come forth and paye his .
160	An housbonde I wol have, I wol nat lette,
	Which shal be bothe my and my ,
	And have his tribulacioun withal
	Upon his flessh whil that I am his wyf.
	I have the power durynge al my lyf
165	Upon his propre body, and noght he.
	Right thus the Apostel tolde it unto me,
	And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel.
	Al this me liketh .”

	But I say not that every one is bound,
	Who’s fitted out and furnished as I’ve found,
	To go and use it to beget an heir;
	Then men would have for chastity no care.
145	Christ was a maid, and yet shaped like a man,
	And many a saint, since this old world began,
	Yet has lived ever in perfect chastity.
	I bear no malice to virginity;
	Let such be bread of purest white wheat-seed,
150	And let us wives be called but barley bread;
	And yet with barley bread, if Mark you scan
	Jesus Our Lord refreshed full many a man.
	In such condition as God places us
	I’ll persevere, I’m not fastidious.
155	In wifehood I will use my instrument
	As freely as my Maker has it sent.
	If I be niggardly, God give me sorrow!
	My husband he shall have it, eve and morrow,
	When he’s pleased to come forth and pay his debt.
160	I’ll not delay, a husband I will get
	Who shall be both my debtor and my thrall
	And have his tribulations therewithal
	Upon his flesh, the while I am his wife.
	I have the power during all my life
165	Over his own good body, and not he.
	For thus the apostle told it unto me;
	And bade our husbands that they love us well.
	And all this pleases me whereof I tell.”

lines 169-193: The Pardoner’s interruption

	Up stirte the , and that ;
170	“Now, dame,” he, “by God and by Seint John!
	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!”
175	“ ,” she, “my tale in nat bigonne.
	Nay, thou shalt drynken of another tonne,
	that I go, shal savoure wors than ale.
	And whan that I have toold thee forth my tale
	Of tribulacioun in mariage,
180	Of which I am expert in al myn age,
	This to seyn, myself have been the whippe, –
	Than maystow wheither thou wolt sippe
	Of tonne that I shal abroche,
	Be of it, thou to approche;
185	For I shal telle mo than ten.
	Whoso that nyl be by othere men,
	By hym shul othere men corrected be.
	The same wordes writeth Ptholomee;
	Rede it in his Almageste, and take it there.”
190	“Dame, I wolde praye yow, if youre wyl it were,”
	Seyde this Pardoner, “as ye bigan,
	Telle forth youre tale, spareth for no man,
	And teche us yonge men of your praktike.”

	Up rose the pardoner, and that anon.
170	“Now dame,” said he, “by God and by Saint John,
	You are a noble preacher in this case!
	I was about to wed a wife, alas!
	Why should I buy this on my flesh so dear?
	No, I would rather wed no wife this year.”
175	“But wait,” said she, “my tale is not begun;
	Nay, you shall drink from out another tun
	Before I cease, and savour worse than ale.
	And when I shall have told you all my tale
	Of tribulation that is in marriage,
180	Whereof I’ve been an expert all my age,
	That is to say, myself have been the whip,
	Then may you choose whether you will go sip
	Out of that very tun which I shall broach.
	Beware of it before you too near approach;
185	For I shall give examples more than ten.
	Whoso will not be warned by other men
	By him shall other men corrected be,
	The self-same words has written Ptolemy;
	Read in his Almagest and find it there.”
190	“Lady, I pray you, if your will it were,”
	Spoke up this pardoner, “as you began,
	Tell forth your tale, nor spare for any man,
	And teach us younger men of your technique.”

lines 194-229: About the Wife of Bath’s five husbands

	“Gladly,” she, “sith it may yow like.
195	But yet I praye to al this compaignye,
	If that I speke after my fantasye,
	As taketh not agrief of that I seye,
	For myn nis but for to pleye.”
	Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale,
200	As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale,
	I shal seye , tho housbondes that I hadde,
	As of were goode, and two were badde.
	The thre men were goode, and riche, and olde;
	myghte they the statut holde
205	In which that they were bounden unto me-
	Ye wel what I meene of this, !
	As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke
	How pitously a-nyght I made hem .
	And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor,
210	They had me yeven hir gold and hir ;
	Me neded nat do lenger
	To wynne hir love, or doon hem ,
	They loved me so wel, by God above,
	That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love.
215	A wys womman wol sette hire evere in oon
	To gete hire love, ther as she hath noon.
	But I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond,
	And they hadde me all hir lond,
	What sholde I taken heede for to plese,
220	But it were for my profit and myn ?
	I sette so a-werke, by my fey,
	That many a nyght they songen “weilawey!”
	The bacon was nat fet for hem, I ,
	That som men han in Essex at Dunmowe.
225	I governed so wel after my lawe,
	That of ful blisful was, and fawe
	To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre.
	They were glad whan I spak to hem faire,
	For, God it , I chidde hem .

	“Gladly,” said she, “since it may please, not pique.
195	But yet I pray of all this company
	That if I speak from my own phantasy,
	They will not take amiss the things I say;
	For my intention’s only but to play.
	“Now, sirs, now will I tell you forth my tale.
200	And as I may drink ever wine and ale,
	I will tell truth of husbands that I’ve had,
	For three of them were good and two were bad.
	The three were good men and were rich and old.
	Not easily could they the promise hold
205	Whereby they had been bound to cherish me.
	You know well what I mean by that, pardie!
	So help me God, I laugh now when I think
	How pitifully by night I made them swink;
	And by my faith I set by it no store.
210	They’d given me their gold, and treasure more;
	I needed not do longer diligence
	To win their love, or show them reverence.
	They all loved me so well, by God above,
	I never did set value on their love!
215	A woman wise will strive continually
	To get herself loved, when she’s not, you see.
	But since I had them wholly in my hand,
	And since to me they’d given all their land,
	Why should I take heed, then, that I should please,
220	Save it were for my profit or my ease?
	I set them so to work, that, by my fay,
	Full many a night they sighed out ‘Welaway!’
	The bacon was not brought them home, I trow,
	That some men have in Essex at Dunmowe.
225	I governed them so well, by my own law,
	That each of them was happy as a daw,
	And fain to bring me fine things from the fair.
	And they were right glad when I spoke them fair;
	For God knows that I nagged them mercilessly.

lines 230-240: About the art of lying

230	Now hou I baar me proprely,
	Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde.
	Thus shul ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde;
	For half so boldely kan ther no man
	Swere and lyen, as a womman kan.
235	I sey nat this by wyves that been wyse,
	But if it be whan they hem mysavyse.
	A wys wyf, it that she kan hir good,
	Shal beren hym on hond the is ,
	And take witnesse of hir owene mayde,
240	Of hir ; but how I sayde.

230	Now hearken how I bore me properly,
	All you wise wives that well can understand.
	Thus shall you speak and wrongfully demand;
	For half so brazenfacedly can no man
	Swear to his lying as a woman can.
235	I say not this to wives who may be wise,
	Except when they themselves do misadvise.
	A wise wife, if she knows what’s for her good,
	Will swear the crow is mad, and in this mood
	Call up for witness to it her own maid;
240	But hear me now, for this is what I said.

lines 241-262: The Wife of Bath on how to lecture a husband

	“Sir olde , is this thyn ?
	Why is my neighebores wyf so gay?
	She is honoured overal ther she gooth;
	I sitte at , I have no clooth.
245	What dostow at my neighebores hous?
	Is she so fair? Artow so amorous?
	What ye with oure mayde? Benedicite,
	Sir olde lecchour, lat thy be!
	And if I have a or a freend
250	Withouten gilt, thou chidest as a
	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
255	To wedde a womman, for costage,
	And if she be riche and of heigh parage,
	Thanne seistow it is a
	To soffre hire pride and hir malencolie.
	And if she be , thou verray ,
260	Thou seyst that every holour wol hir have;
	She may no while in
	That is assailled upon ech a syde.

	“‘Sir Dotard, is it thus you stand today?
	Why is my neighbour’s wife so fine and gay?
	She’s honoured over all where’er she goes;
	I sit at home, I have no decent clothes.
245	What do you do there at my neighbour’s house?
	Is she so fair? Are you so amorous?
	Why whisper to our maid? Benedicite!
	Sir Lecher old, let your seductions be!
	And if I have a gossip or a friend,
250	Innocently, you blame me like a fiend
	If I but walk, for company, to his house!
	You come home here as drunken as a mouse,
	And preach there on your bench, a curse on you!
	You tell me it’s a great misfortune, too,
255	To wed a girl who costs more than she’s worth;
	And if she’s rich and of a higher birth,
	You say it’s torment to abide her folly
	And put up with her pride and melancholy.
	And if she be right fair, you utter knave,
260	You say that every lecher will her have;
	She may no while in chastity abide
	That is assailed by all and on each side.

lines 263-290: A shrewe’s proverb

	Thou seyst, som folk desiren us for richesse,
	Somme for oure shape, and somme for oure ,
265	And som for she kan outher synge or daunce,
	And som for gentillesse and ,
	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,
270	It may so longe assailled been overal.
	And if that she be foul, thou seist that she
	Coveiteth every man that she may se;
	For as a spaynel she wol on hym lepe
	Til that she fynde som man hir to chepe;
275	Ne noon so grey goos gooth ther in the lake
	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,
280	And that no wys man nedeth for to wedde,
	Ne no man that entendeth unto –
	With wilde and firy levene
	Moote thy welked nekke be tobroke!
	Thow seyst that droppyng houses, and smoke,
285	And wyves maken men to flee
	Out of hir owene hous, a! benedicitee!
	What eyleth an old man for to chide?
	Thow seyst, we wyves wol oure vices hide
	Til we be fast, and thanne we wol hem shewe, –
290	Wel may that be a proverbe of a shrewe!

	You say, some men desire us for our gold,
	Some for our shape and some for fairness told:
265	And some, that she can either sing or dance,
	And some, for courtesy and dalliance;
	Some for her hands and for her arms so small;
	Thus all goes to the devil in your tale.
	You say men cannot keep a castle wall
270	That’s long assailed on all sides, and by all.
	And if that she be foul, you say that she
	Hankers for every man that she may see;
	For like a spaniel will she leap on him
	Until she finds a man to be victim;
275	And not a grey goose swims there in the lake
	But finds a gander willing her to take.
	You say, it is a hard thing to enfold
	Her whom no man will in his own arms hold.
	This say you, worthless, when you go to bed;
280	And that no wise man needs thus to be wed,
	No, nor a man that hearkens unto heaven.
	With furious thunder-claps and fiery levin
	May your thin, withered, wrinkled neck be broke:
	You say that dripping eaves, and also smoke,
285	And wives contentious, will make men to flee
	Out of their houses; ah, benedicite!
	What ails such an old fellow so to chide?
	You say that all we wives our vices hide
	Till we are married, then we show them well;
290	That is a scoundrel’s proverb, let me tell!

lines 291-308: A wife is no horse and cannot be tested

	Thou seist, that oxen, asses, hors, and houndes,
	They been assayd at diverse stoundes;
	Bacyns, lavours, that men hem bye,
	Spoones and stooles, and al swich housbondrye,
295	And so been pottes, clothes, and ;
	But folk of wyves maken noon
	Til they be , olde dotard shrewe!
	And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.
	Thou seist also, that it displeseth me
300	But if that thou wolt preyse my beautee,
	And but thou poure alwey upon my face,
	And clepe me “faire dame” in every place,
	And but thou make a feeste on day
	That I was born, and make me fressh and gay,
305	And but thou do to my norice honour,
	And to my withinne my bour,
	And to my fadres folk and hise allyes-
	Thus seistow, olde barel-ful of lyes!

	You say that oxen, asses, horses, hounds
	Are tried out variously, and on good grounds;
	Basins and bowls, before men will them buy,
	And spoons and stools and all such goods you try.
295	And so with pots and clothes and all array;
	But of their wives men get no test, you say,
	Till they are married, base old dotard you!
	And then we show what evil we can do.
	You say also that it displeases me
300	Unless you praise and flatter my beauty,
	And save you gaze always upon my face
	And call me “lovely lady” every place;
	And save you make a feast upon that day
	When I was born, and give me garments gay;
305	And save due honour to my nurse is paid
	As well as to my faithful chambermaid,
	And to my father’s folk and his allies-
	Thus you go on, old barrel full of lies!

lines 309-329: Envy and the power of gold

	And yet of oure apprentice Janekyn,
310	For his , shynynge as gold so fyn,
	And for he squiereth me bothe up and doun,
	Yet hastow caught a fals suspecioun.
	I wol hym noght, thogh thou were tomorwe!
	But tel me this, why hydestow, with sorwe,
315	The keyes of my cheste awey fro me?
	It is my good as wel as thyn, ;
	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 ,
320	Be maister of my body and of my good;
	That oon thou shalt forgo, thyne eyen.
	What nedeth thee of me to enquere or spyen?
	I thou woldest loke me in thy chiste.
	Thou sholdest seye, “Wyf, go wher thee liste,
325	Taak youre , I wol not leve no talys,
	I knowe yow for a trewe wyf, dame Alys.”
	We love no man that taketh kepe or charge
	Wher that we goon, we wol ben at our large.

	And yet of our apprentice, young Jenkin,
310	For his crisp hair, showing like gold so fine,
	Because he squires me walking up and down,
	A false suspicion in your mind is sown;
	I’d give him naught, though you were dead tomorrow.
	But tell me this, why do you hide, with sorrow,
315	The keys to your strong-box away from me?
	It is my gold as well as yours, pardie.
	Why would you make an idiot of your dame?
	Now by Saint James, but you shall miss your aim,
	You shall not be, although like mad you scold,
320	Master of both my body and my gold;
	One you’ll forgo in spite of both your eyes;
	Why need you seek me out or set on spies?
	I think you’d like to lock me in your chest!
	You should say: “Dear wife, go where you like best,
325	Amuse yourself, I will believe no tales;
	You’re my wife Alis true, and truth prevails.”
	We love no man that guards us or gives charge
	Of where we go, for we will be at large.

lines 330-342: Sexual favour and the power of gold

	Of alle men yblessed he be,
330	The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome,
	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,
335	Have thou , what thar thee recche or care
	How myrily that othere folkes fare?
	For certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve,
	Ye shul have right at eve.
	He is to greet a nygard, that wolde werne
340	A man to lighte his candle at his lanterne;
	He shal have never the lasse light, ,
	Have thou , thee thar nat pleyne thee.

	Of all men the most blessed may he be,
330	That wise astrologer, Dan Ptolemy,
	Who says this proverb in his Almagest:
	‘Of all men he’s in wisdom the highest
	That nothing cares who has the world in hand.’
	And by this proverb shall you understand:
335	Since you’ve enough, why do you reck or care
	How merrily all other folks may fare?
	For certainly, old dotard, by your leave,
	You shall have cunt all right enough at eve.
	He is too much a niggard who’s so tight
340	That from his lantern he’ll give none a light.
	For he’ll have never the less light, by gad;
	Since you’ve enough, you need not be so sad.

lines 343-353: The Wife of Bath rejects austerity and frugality

	Thou seyst also, that if we make us gay
	With clothyng and with precious ,
345	That it is of oure :
	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,
350	“And noght in tressed heer and gay ,
	As perles, ne with gold, ne clothes riche.”
	After thy text, ne after thy rubriche
	I wol nat wirche, as as a !

	You say, also, that if we make us gay
	With clothing, all in costliest array,
345	That it’s a danger to our chastity;
	And you must back the saying up, pardie!
	Repeating these words in the apostle’s name:
	“In habits meet for chastity, not shame,
	Your women shall be garmented,” said he,
350	“And not with broidered hair, or jewellery,
	Or pearls, or gold, or costly gowns and chic;”
	After your text and after your rubric
	I will not follow more than would a gnat.

lines 354-362: The Wife of Bath compared to a cat

	Thou seydest this, that I was lyk a cat;
355	For whoso wolde senge a cattes skyn,
	Thanne wolde the cat wel dwellen in his in.
	And if the cattes skyn be and gay,
	She wol nat dwelle in house half a day,
	But forth she wole, any day be dawed,
360	To shewe hir skyn, and goon a-caterwawed.
	This is to seye, if I be gay, sire shrewe,
	I wol renne out, my borel for to shewe.

	You said this, too, that I was like a cat;
355	For if one care to singe a cat’s furred skin,
	Then would the cat remain the house within;
	And if the cat’s coat be all sleek and gay,
	She will not keep in house a half a day,
	But out she’ll go, before dawn of any day,
360	To show her skin and caterwaul and play.
	This is to say, if I’m a little gay,
	To show my rags I’ll gad about all day.

lines 363-384: Bondage in the marriage band

	Sire olde fool, what eyleth thee to spyen,
	Thogh thou preye Argus, with his hundred eyen,
365	To be my , as he kan best,
	In feith,he shal nat kepe me but me lest;
	Yet koude I make his berd, so moot I thee.
	Thou seydest , that ther been thynges thre,
	The whiche thynges troublen al this erthe,
370	And that no ne may endure the ferthe.
	O leeve sire shrewe, Jesu shorte thy lyf!
	Yet prechestow, and seyst an hateful wyf
	Yrekened is for of thise meschances.
	Been ther none othere maner resemblances
375	That ye may likne youre parables to,
	But if a wyf be oon of tho?
	Thou likenest wommenes love to helle,
	To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle.
	Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr;
380	The moore it brenneth, the moore it hath desir
	To consume every thyng that brent wole be.
	Thou seyest, right as wormes a tree,
	Right so a wyf destroyeth hir housbond.
	This knowe they, that been to wyves bonde.”

	Sir Ancient Fool, what ails you with your spies?
	Though you pray Argus, with his hundred eyes,
365	To be my bodyguard and do his best,
	Faith, he sha’n’t hold me, save I am modest;
	I could delude him easily- trust me!
	You said, also, that there are three things- three-
	The which things are a trouble on this earth,
370	And that no man may ever endure the fourth:
	O dear Sir Rogue, may Christ cut short your life!
	Yet do you preach and say a hateful wife
	Is to be reckoned one of these mischances.
	Are there no other kinds of resemblances
375	That you may liken thus your parables to,
	But must a hapless wife be made to do?
	You liken woman’s love to very Hell,
	To desert land where waters do not well.
	You liken it, also, unto wildfire;
380	The more it burns, the more it has desire
	To consume everything that burned may be.
	You say that just as worms destroy a tree,
	Just so a wife destroys her own husband;
	Men know this who are bound in marriage band.”

lines 385-400: About cheating

385	, right thus, as ye have understonde,
	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.
390	O lord! The pyne I dide hem, and the wo
	Ful giltelees, by Goddes sweete pyne!
	For as an hors I koude byte and whyne,
	I pleyne, thogh I were in the gilt,
	Or elles often tyme hadde I been spilt.
395	Who so that first to mille comth first grynt;
	I pleyned first, so was oure ystynt.
	They were glad to excuse hem ful blyve
	Of thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve.
	Of wenches wolde I beren hym on honde,
400	Whan that for syk unnethes myghte he stonde,

385	Masters, like this, as you must understand,
	Did I my old men charge and censure, and
	Claim that they said these things in drunkenness;
	And all was false, but yet I took witness
	Of Jenkin and of my dear niece also.
390	O Lord, the pain I gave them and the woe,
	All guiltless, too, by God’s grief exquisite!
	For like a stallion could I neigh and bite.
	I could complain, though mine was all the guilt,
	Or else, full many a time, I’d lost the tilt.
395	Whoso comes first to mill first gets meal ground;
	I whimpered first and so did them confound.
	They were right glad to hasten to excuse
	Things they had never done, save in my ruse.
	With wenches would I charge him, by this hand,
400	When, for some illness, he could hardly stand.

lines 401-436: Envy, payment and …

	Yet tikled it his , 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.
405	Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe;
	For al is yeven us in oure byrthe,
	Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng, God hath yive
	To wommen kyndely whil they may lyve.
	And thus of o thyng I avaunte me,
410	Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree,
	By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng,
	As by continueel murmur or .
	Namely a bedde hadden they meschaunce;
	Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce,
415	I wolde no lenger in the bed ,
	If that I felte his arm over my syde
	Til he had maad his raunsoun unto me;
	Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee.
	And therfore every man this tale I telle,
420	Wynne who so may, for al is for to selle;
	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 ;
425	That made me that evere I wolde hem chide.
	For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside,
	I wolde nat spare at hir owene bord,
	For by my I quitte hem word for word.
	As help me God omnipotent,
430	Though I right now sholde make my testament,
	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.
435	For thogh he looked as a ,
	Yet sholde he faille of his conclusioun.

	Yet tickled this the heart of him, for he
	Deemed it was love produced such jealousy.
	I swore that all my walking out at night
	Was but to spy on girls he kept outright;
405	And under cover of that I had much mirth.
	For all such wit is given us at birth;
	Deceit, weeping, and spinning, does God give
	To women, naturally, the while they live.
	And thus of one thing I speak boastfully,
410	I got the best of each one, finally,
	By trick, or force, or by some kind of thing,
	As by continual growls or murmuring;
	Especially in bed had they mischance,
	There would I chide and give them no pleasance;
415	I would no longer in the bed abide
	If I but felt his arm across my side,
	Till he had paid his ransom unto me;
	Then would I let him do his nicety.
	And therefore to all men this tale I tell,
420	Let gain who may, for everything’s to sell.
	With empty hand men may no falcons lure;
	For profit would I all his lust endure,
	And make for him a well-feigned appetite;
	Yet I in bacon never had delight;
425	And that is why I used so much to chide.
	For if the pope were seated there beside
	I’d not have spared them, no, at their own board.
	For by my truth, I paid them, word for word.
	So help me the True God Omnipotent,
430	Though I right now should make my testament,
	I owe them not a word that was not quit.
	I brought it so about, and by my wit,
	That they must give it up, as for the best,
	Or otherwise we’d never have had rest.
435	For though he glared and scowled like lion mad,
	Yet failed he of the end he wished he had.

lines 437-456: … pleasure

	Thanne wolde I seye, “Goode lief, taak keep,
	How mekely looketh Wilkyn oure sheep!
	Com neer, my spouse, lat me thy cheke!
440	Ye sholde been al pacient and meke,
	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
445	That it is fair to have a wyf in pees.
	of us two moste bowen, doutelees;
	And a man is moore resonable,
	Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable.”
	What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone?
450	Is it for ye wolde have my allone?
	Wy, taak it al! lo, have it !
	Peter! I shrewe yow, but ye love it weel;
	For if I wolde selle my bele chose,
	I walke as fressh as is a rose
455	But I wol kepe it for youre owene tooth.
	Ye be to blame, by God! I sey yow .”

	Then would I say: “Good dearie, see you keep
	In mind how meek is Wilkin, our old sheep;
	Come near, my spouse, come let me kiss your cheek!
440	You should be always patient, aye, and meek,
	And have a sweetly scrupulous tenderness,
	Since you so preach of old Job’s patience, yes.
	Suffer always, since you so well can preach;
	And, save you do, be sure that we will teach
445	That it is well to leave a wife in peace.
	One of us two must bow, to be at ease;
	And since a man’s more reasonable, they say,
	Than woman is, you must have patience aye.
	What ails you that you grumble thus and groan?
450	Is it because you’d have my cunt alone?
	Why take it all, lo, have it every bit;
	Peter! Beshrew you but you’re fond of it!
	For if I would go peddle my belle chose,
	I could walk out as fresh as is a rose;
455	But I will keep it for your own sweet tooth.
	You are to blame, by God I tell the truth.”

lines 457-474: The Wife of Bath claims the right to drink

	Swiche manere wordes hadde we on honde.
	Now wol I speken of my fourthe housbonde.
	My fourthe housbonde was a –
460	This is to seyn, he hadde a –
	And I was yong and ful of ,
	Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pye.
	Wel koude I daunce to an harpe smale,
	And synge, ywis, as any nyghtyngale,
465	Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn.
	Metellius, the foule cherl, the swyn,
	That with a staf his wyf hire lyf,
	For she drank wyn, thogh I hadde been his wyf,
	He sholde nat han daunted me fro drynke.
470	And after wyn on Venus moste I thynke,
	For al so siker as cold engendreth hayl,
	A mouth moste han a likerous tayl.
	In wommen is no defence,
	This knowen lecchours by experience.

	Such were the words I had at my command.
	Now will I tell you of my fourth husband.
	“My fourth husband, he was a reveller,
460	That is to say, he kept a paramour;
	And young and full of passion then was I,
	Stubborn and strong and jolly as a pie.
	Well could I dance to tune of harp, nor fail
	To sing as well as any nightingale
465	When I had drunk a good draught of sweet wine.
	Metellius, the foul churl and the swine,
	Did with a staff deprive his wife of life
	Because she drank wine; had I been his wife
	He never should have frightened me from drink;
470	For after wine, of Venus must I think:
	For just as surely as cold produces hail,
	A liquorish mouth must have a lickerish tail.
	In drunken women has no means of defence,
	This know all lechers by experience.

lines 475-486: About youth and aging

475	But, Lord Crist! whan that it remembreth me
	Upon my yowthe and on my jolitee,
	It tikleth me aboute myn roote.
	Unto this day it myn herte boote
	That I have had my world, as in my tyme.
480	But age, allas, that al wole envenyme,
	Hath me 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;
485	But yet to be right myrie wol I fonde.
	Now wol I tellen of my fourthe housbonde.

475	But Lord Christ! When I do remember me
	Upon my youth and on my jollity,
	It tickles me about my heart’s deep root.
	To this day does my heart sing in salute
	That I have had my world in my own time.
480	But age, alas! that poisons every prime,
	Has taken away my beauty and my pith;
	Let go, farewell, the devil go therewith!
	The flour is gone, there is no more to tell,
	The bran, as best I may, must I now sell;
485	But yet to be right merry I’ll try, and
	Now will I tell you of my fourth husband.

lines 487-508: The Wife of Bath’s fourth husband

	I seye, I hadde in herte greet
	That he of any oother had ;
	But he was quit, by God and by Seint Joce!
490	I made hym of the same wode a ;
	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 jalousye.
495	By God, in erthe I was his purgatorie,
	For which I hope his soule be in glorie,
	For, God it , he sat and song
	Whan that his shoo ful bitterly hym wrong!
	Ther was no God and he, that wiste
500	In many wise how soore I hym .
	He deyde whan I cam fro Jerusalem,
	And lith under the roode-beem,
	Al is his tombe noght so curyus
	As was the sepulcre of hym Daryus,
505	Which that Appelles wroghte subtilly.
	It nys but wast to burye hym preciously,
	Lat hym fare-wel, God his soule reste,
	He is now in his grave, and in his .

	I say that in my heart I’d great despite
	When he of any other had delight.
	But he was quit by God and by Saint Joce!
490	I made, of the same wood, a staff most gross;
	Not with my body and in manner foul,
	But certainly I showed so gay a soul
	That in his own thick grease I made him fry
	For anger and for utter jealousy.
495	By God, on earth I was his purgatory,
	For which I hope his soul lives now in glory.
	For God knows, many a time he sat and sung
	When the shoe bitterly his foot had wrung.
	There was no one, save God and he, that knew
500	How, in so many ways, I’d twist the screw.
	He died when I came from Jerusalem,
	And lies entombed beneath the great rood-beam,
	Although his tomb is not so glorious
	As was the sepulchre of Darius,
505	The which Apelles wrought full cleverly;
	‘Twas waste to bury him expensively.
	Let him fare well. God give his soul good rest,
	He now is in the grave and in his chest.

lines 509-530: The Wife of Bath’s fifth husband and the market price of sex

	Now of my fifthe housbonde wol I telle.
510	God lete his soule nevere come in helle!
	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 ful fressh and gay,
515	And therwithal so wel he me
	Whan that he solde han my ,
	That thogh he hadde me bet on every bon
	He wynne agayn my love .
	I I loved hym beste, for that he
520	Was of his love daungerous to me.
	We wommen han, if that I shal nat lye,
	In this matere a fantasye;
	Wayte what thyng we may nat have,
	Therafter wol we crie al day and crave.
525	Forbede us thyng, and that desiren we;
	Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we fle;
	With daunger oute we al oure chaffare.
	Greet at market maketh deere ware,
	And to greet cheep is holde at litel prys;
530	This knoweth every womman that is wys.

	And now of my fifth husband will I tell.
510	God grant his soul may never get to Hell!
	And yet he was to me most brutal, too;
	My ribs yet feel as they were black and blue,
	And ever shall, until my dying day.
	But in our bed he was so fresh and gay,
515	And therewithal he could so well impose,
	What time he wanted use of my belle chose,
	That though he’d beaten me on every bone,
	He could re-win my love, and that full soon.
	I guess I loved him best of all, for he
520	Gave of his love most sparingly to me.
	We women have, if I am not to lie,
	In this love matter, a quaint fantasy;
	Look out a thing we may not lightly have,
	And after that we’ll cry all day and crave.
525	Forbid a thing, and that thing covet we;
	Press hard upon us, then we turn and flee.
	Sparingly offer we our goods, when fair;
	Great crowds at market for dearer ware,
	And what’s too common brings but little price;
530	All this knows every woman who is wise.

lines 531-548: The Wife of Bath’s gossip

	My fifthe housbonde, God his soule blesse,
	Which that I took for love and no richesse,
	He somtyme was a clerk of Oxenford,
	And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord
535	With my , dwellynge in oure ,
	God have hir soule! hir name was Alisoun.
	She knew myn and my
	Bet than oure parisshe preest, as moot I thee.
	To hir I my conseil al,
540	For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal,
	Or doon a thyng that sholde cost his lyf,
	To hir, and to another worthy wyf,
	And to my nece, which that I loved weel,
	I wolde han toold his .
545	And so I dide ful often, God it ,
	That made his face ful often and hoot
	For shame, and blamed hym-self, for he
	Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee.

	My fifth husband, may God his spirit bless!
	Whom I took all for love, and not riches,
	Had been sometime a student at Oxford,
	And had left school and had come home to board
535	With my best gossip, dwelling in our town,
	God save her soul! Her name was Alison.
	She knew my heart and all my privity
	Better than did our parish priest, s’help me!
	To her confided I my secrets all.
540	For had my husband pissed against a wall,
	Or done a thing that might have cost his life,
	To her and to another worthy wife,
	And to my niece whom I loved always well,
	I would have told it – every bit I’d tell,
545	And did so, many and many a time, knows God,
	Which made his face full often red and hot
	For utter shame; he blamed himself that he
	Had told me of so deep a privity.

lines 549-592: The Wife of Bath tells how she has enchanted her servant

	And so that ones, in a Lente –
550	So often tymes I to my gossyb wente,
	For evere yet I loved to be gay,
	And for to walke in March, Averill, and May,
	Fro hous to hous to heere talys –
	That Jankyn Clerk and my gossyb, dame Alys,
555	And I myself into the feeldes wente.
	Myn housbonde was at London al that Lente;
	I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye,
	And for to se, and for to be
	Of folk; what wiste I, wher my grace
560	Was shapen for to be, or in what place?
	Therfore I made my visitaciouns
	To vigilies and to processiouns,
	To prechyng eek, and to thise pilgrimages,
	To pleyes of myracles, and to mariages;
565	And wered upon my gaye scarlet gytes.
	Thise wormes ne thise motthes, ne thise mytes,
	Upon my peril, frete hem ;
	And wostow why? for they were used weel!

	So it happened that on a time, in Lent
550	For oftentimes I to my gossip went,
	Since I loved always to be glad and gay
	And to walk out, in March, April, and May,
	From house to house, to hear the latest malice,
	Jenkin the clerk, and my gossip Dame Alis,
555	And I myself into the meadows went.
	My husband was in London all that Lent;
	I had the greater leisure, then, to play,
	And to observe, and to be seen, I say,
	By pleasant folk; what knew I where my face
560	Was destined to be loved, or in what place?
	Therefore I made my visits round about
	To vigils and processions of devout,
	To preaching too, and shrines of pilgrimage,
	To miracle plays, and always to each marriage,
565	And wore my scarlet skirt before all wights.
	These worms and all these moths and all these mites,
	I say it at my peril, never ate;
	And know you why? I wore it early and late.

	Now wol I tellen forth what happed me.
570	I seye, that in the feeldes walked we,
	Til we hadde ,
	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.
575	For certeinly, I sey for no ,
	Yet was I nevere withouten
	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,
580	And if that faille, thanne is al ydo.
	I bar hym on honde, he hadde enchanted me, –
	My taughte me that .
	And I seyde, I mette of hym al nyght,
	He wolde han slayn me as I lay upright,
585	And al my bed was ful of verray blood;
	But yet I hope that he 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
590	As wel of this, as of othere thynges moore.
	But now sir, lat me se, what I shal seyn?
	A ha, by God, I have my tale ageyn.

	Now will I tell you what befell to me.
570	I say that in the meadows walked we three
	Till, truly, we had come to such dalliance,
	This clerk and I, that, of my vigilance,
	I spoke to him and told him how that he,
	Were I a widow, might well marry me.
575	For certainly I say it not to brag,
	But I was never quite without a bag
	Full of the needs of marriage that I seek.
	I hold a mouse’s heart not worth a leek
	That has but one hole into which to run,
580	And if it fail of that, then all is done.
	I made him think he had enchanted me;
	My mother taught me all that subtlety.
	And then I said I’d dreamed of him all night,
	He would have slain me as I lay upright,
585	And all my bed was full of very blood;
	But yet I hoped that he would do me good,
	For blood betokens gold, as I was taught.
	And all was false, I dreamed of him just- naught,
	Save as I acted on my mother’s lore,
590	As well in this thing as in many more.
	But now, let’s see, what was I going to say?
	Aha, by God, I know! It goes this way.

lines 593-632: The funeral of the fourth husband

	Whan that my fourthe housbonde was on beere,
	I weep , and made sory cheere,
595	As wyves mooten, for it is usage-
	And with my coverchief covered my visage;
	But for that I was purveyed of a make,
	I wepte but smal, and that I .
	To chirche was myn housbonde born amorwe
600	With neighebores that for hym maden sorwe;
	And Janekyn oure clerk was oon of tho.
	As help me God! whan that I hym go
	After the beere, me thoughte he hadde a paire
	Of legges and of feet so clene and faire,
605	That al myn herte I unto his hoold.
	He was, I , a twenty wynter oold,
	And I was fourty, if I shal seye sooth,
	But yet I hadde alwey a coltes tooth.
	I was, and that bicam me weel,
610	I hadde the prente of Seinte Venus seel.
	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 myghte be.
615	For certes, I am al Venerien
	In feelynge, and myn herte is Marcien.
	Venus me my lust, my ,
	And Mars yaf me my sturdy .
	Myn ascendent was Taur, and Mars therinne,
620	Allas, allas, that evere love was !
	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.
625	Yet have I Martes mark upon my face,
	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,
630	Al were he short, or long, or blak, or whit.
	I took no kep, so that he liked me,
	How poore he was, ne eek of what degree.

	When my fourth husband lay upon his bier,
	I wept enough and made but sorry cheer,
595	As wives must always, for it’s custom’s grace,
	And with my kerchief covered up my face;
	But since I was provided with a mate,
	I really wept but little, I may state.
	To church my man was borne upon the morrow
600	By neighbours, who for him made signs of sorrow;
	And Jenkin, our good clerk, was one of them.
	So help me God, when rang the requiem
	After the bier, I thought he had a pair
	Of legs and feet so clean-cut and so fair
605	That all my heart I gave to him to hold.
	He was, I think, but twenty winters old,
	And I was forty, if I tell the truth;
	But then I always had a young colt’s tooth.
	Gap-toothed I was, and that became me well;
610	I had the print of holy Venus’ seal.
	So help me God, I was a healthy one,
	And fair and rich and young and full of fun;
	And truly, as my husbands all told me,
	I had the silkiest quoniam that could be.
615	For truly, I am all Venusian
	In feeling, and my brain is Martian.
	Venus gave me my lust, my lickerishness,
	And Mars gave me my sturdy hardiness.
	Taurus was my ascendant, with Mars therein.
620	Alas, alas, that ever love was sin!
	I followed always my own inclination
	By virtue of my natal constellation;
	Which wrought me so I never could withdraw
	My Venus-chamber from a good fellow.
625	Yet have I Mars’s mark upon my face,
	And also in another private place.
	For God so truly my salvation be
	As I have never loved for policy,
	But ever followed my own appetite,
630	Though he were short or tall, or black or white;
	I took no heed, so that he cared for me,
	How poor he was, nor even of what degree.

lines 633-652: The servant becomes the Wife of Bath’s fifth husband

	What sholde I seye, but at the monthes ende
	This joly clerk Jankyn, that was so
635	Hath wedded me with greet solempnytee,
	And to hym yaf I al the lond and fee
	That evere was me therbifoore;
	But afterward repented me ful soore;
	He nolde suffre nothyng of my list.
640	By God, he smoot me ones on the
	For that I out of his book a leef,
	That of the strook myn ere wax al deef.
	Stibourne I was as is a leonesse,
	And of my tonge a verray ,
645	And walke I wolde, as I had doon biforn,
	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,
650	And hir forsook for terme of al his lyf,
	Noght but for open-heveded he hir say,
	Lookynge out at his dore, upon a day.

	What should I say now, save, at the month’s end,
	This jolly, gentle, Jenkin clerk, my friend,
635	Had wedded me full ceremoniously,
	And to him gave I all the land in fee
	That ever had been given me before;
	But, later I repented me full sore.
	He never suffered me to have my way.
640	By God, he hit me on the ear, one day,
	Because I tore out of his book a leaf,
	So that from this my ear is grown quite deaf.
	Stubborn I was as is a lioness,
	And with my tongue a very jay, I guess,
645	And walk I would, as I had done before,
	From house to house, though I should not, he swore.
	For which he oftentimes would sit and preach
	And read old Roman tales to me and teach
	How one Sulpicius Gallus left his wife
650	And her forsook for term of all his life
	Because he saw her with bared head, I say,
	Looking out from his door, upon a day.

lines 653-716: Old men should read and write, young men should play with their wives

	Another Romayn tolde he me by name,
	That for his wyf was at a someres game
655	Withoute his wityng, he forsook hir eke.
	And thanne wolde he upon his Bible seke
	That like proverbe of Ecclesiaste,
	Where he comandeth, and forbedeth faste,
	Man shal nat suffre his wyf go roule aboute,
660	Thanne wolde he seye right thus, withouten doute:
	“Who so 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!”
665	But al for noght, I sette noght an hawe
	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.
670	This made hym with me wood al outrely,
	I nolde noght forbere hym in no cas.

	Another Roman told he of by name
	Who, since his wife was at a summer-game
655	Without his knowing, he forsook her eke.
	And then would he within his Bible seek
	That proverb of the old Ecclesiast
	Where he commands so freely and so fast
	That man forbid his wife to gad about;
660	Then would he thus repeat, with never doubt:
	Whoso would build his whole house out of sallows,
	And spur his blind horse to run over fallows,
	And let his wife alone go seeking hallows,
	Is worthy to be hanged upon the gallows.
665	But all for naught, I didn’t care a haw
	For all his proverbs, nor for his old saw,
	Nor yet would I by him corrected be.
	I hate one that my vices tells to me,
	And so do more of us- God knows!- than I.
670	This made him mad with me, and furiously,
	That I’d not yield to him in any case.

	Now wol I seye yow , by seint Thomas,
	Why that I out of his book a leef,
	For which he smoot me so that I was deef.
675	He hadde a book that gladly, nyght and day,
	For his he wolde rede alway.
	He it Valerie and Theofraste,
	At whiche book he lough alwey ful faste.
	And ther was som tyme a clerk at Rome,
680	A cardinal that Seint Jerome,
	That made a book agayn Jovinian,
	In whiche book ther was Tertulan,
	Crisippus, Trotula, and Helowys,
	That was abbesse nat fer fro Parys,
685	And eek the Parables of Salomon,
	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
690	From worldly occupacioun
	To reden on this book of wikked wyves.
	He knew of mo legendes and lyves
	Than been of goode wyves in the Bible.
	For trusteth wel, it is an impossible
695	That any wol speke good of wyves,
	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,
700	As clerkes han withinne hire oratories,
	They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse
	Than all the mark of Adam may redresse.
	The children of Mercurie and Venus
	Been in hir wirkyng ful contrarius,
705	Mercurie loveth wysdam and science,
	And Venus loveth ryot and dispence.
	And for hire diverse disposicioun
	Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun,
	And thus, God , Mercurie is desolat
710	In Pisces, wher Venus is exaltat;
	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,
715	Thanne sit he doun, and writ in his dotage
	That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage.

	Now will I tell you truth, by Saint Thomas,
	Of why I tore from out his book a leaf,
	For which he struck me so it made me deaf.
675	He had a book that gladly, night and day,
	For his amusement he would read alway.
	He called it ‘Theophrastus’ and ‘Valerius’,
	At which book would he laugh, uproarious.
	And, too, there sometime was a clerk at Rome,
680	A cardinal, that men called Saint Jerome,
	Who made a book against Jovinian;
	In which book, too, there was Tertullian,
	Chrysippus, Trotula, and Heloise
	Who was abbess near Paris’ diocese;
685	And too, the Proverbs of King Solomon,
	And Ovid’s Art, and books full many a one.
	And all of these were bound in one volume.
	And every night and day ’twas his custom,
	When he had leisure and took some vacation
690	From all his other worldly occupation,
	To read, within this book, of wicked wives.
	He knew of them more legends and more lives
	Than are of good wives written in the Bible.
	For trust me, it’s impossible, no libel,
695	That any cleric shall speak well of wives,
	Unless it be of saints and holy lives,
	But naught for other women will they do.
	Who painted first the lion, tell me who?
	By God, if women had but written stories,
700	As have these clerks within their oratories,
	They would have written of men more wickedness
	Than all the race of Adam could redress.
	The children of Mercury and of Venus
	Are in their lives antagonistic thus;
705	For Mercury loves wisdom and science,
	And Venus loves but pleasure and expense.
	Because they different dispositions own,
	Each falls when other’s in ascendant shown.
	And God knows Mercury is desolate
710	In Pisces, wherein Venus rules in state;
	And Venus falls when Mercury is raised;
	Therefore no woman by a clerk is praised.
	A clerk, when he is old and can naught do
	Of Venus’ labours worth his worn-out shoe,
715	Then sits he down and writes, in his dotage,
	That women cannot keep vow of marriage!

lines 717-793: The fifth husband reads about the vices of women and lectures the WoB

	But now to purpos, why I tolde thee
	That I was beten for a book, .
	Upon a nyght Jankyn, that was oure sire,
720	Redde on his book as he sat by the fire
	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.
725	Lo, heere of womman may ye fynde,
	That womman was the los of al mankynde.
	Tho redde he me how Sampson loste hise heres,
	Slepynge, his it with hir ,
	whiche tresoun loste he bothe hise .
730	Tho redde he me, if that I shal nat lyen,
	Of Hercules and of his Dianyre,
	That caused hym to sette hymself afyre.
	No thyng forgat he the penaunce and wo
	That Socrates hadde with hise wyves two,
735	How Xantippa caste pisse upon his .
	This man sat stille as he were ;
	He wiped his heed, namoore he seyn
	But, “Er that thonder stynte, comth a reyn.”
	Of Phasipha, that was the queene of Crete,
740	For hym thoughte the tale swete-
	Fy! Speke namoore – it is a thyng –
	Of hir horrible lust and hir likyng.
	Of Clitermystra for hire lecherye,
	That falsly made hir housbonde for to dye,
745	He redde it with ful good devocioun.

	But now to tell you, as I started to,
	Why I was beaten for a book, pardieu.
	Upon a night Jenkin, who was our sire,
720	Read in his book, as he sat by the fire,
	Of Mother Eve who, by her wickedness,
	First brought mankind to all his wretchedness,
	For which Lord Jesus Christ Himself was slain,
	Who, with His heart’s blood, saved us thus again.
725	Lo here, expressly of woman, may you find
	That woman was the ruin of mankind.
	Then read he out how Samson lost his hairs,
	Sleeping, his leman cut them with her shears;
	And through this treason lost he either eye.
730	Then read he out, if I am not to lie,
	Of Hercules, and Deianira’s desire
	That caused him to go set himself on fire.
	Nothing escaped him of the pain and woe
	That Socrates had with his spouses two;
735	How Xantippe threw piss upon his head;
	This hapless man sat still, as he were dead;
	He wiped his head, no more durst he complain
	Than ‘Ere the thunder ceases comes the rain.’
	Then of Pasiphae, the queen of Crete,
740	For cursedness he thought the story sweet;
	Fie! Say no more – it is an awful thing –
	Of her so horrible lust and love-liking.
	Of Clytemnestra, for her lechery,
	Who caused her husband’s death by treachery,
745	He read all this with greatest zest, I vow.

	He tolde me for what occasioun
	Amphiorax at Thebes loste his lyf.
	Myn housbonde hadde a legende of his wyf
	Eriphilem, that for an ouche of gold
750	Hath unto the Grekes told
	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,
755	That for love, that was for hate.
	Lyvia hir housbonde, on an even late,
	Empoysoned hath, for that she was his fo.
	Lucia, likerous, loved hir housbonde so,
	That for he sholde alwey upon hire thynke,
760	She hym swich a manere love-drynke
	That he was , it were by the morwe.
	And thus housbondes han sorw.
	Thanne tolde he me, how that Latumyus
	Compleyned unto his felawe Arrius,
765	That in his gardyn growed swich a tree,
	On which he seyde how that hise wyves thre
	Hanged hemself, for herte despitus.
	“O brother,” quod this Arrius,
	“Yif me a plante of blissed tree,
770	And in my gardyn planted it shal bee.”
	Of latter date of wyves hath he red,
	That somme han slayn hir housbondes in hir bed,
	And lete hir lecchour dighte hir al the nyght,
	Whan that the corps lay in the floor upright.
775	And somme han dryve nayles in hir brayn
	Whil that they slepte, and thus they han hem slayn.
	Somme han hem yeve poysoun in hir drynke.
	He spak moore harm than herte may bithynke,
	And therwithal he knew of mo proverbes
780	Than in this world ther growen gras or herbes.
	“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
785	Than with an angry wyf doun in the hous,
	They been so wikked and contrarious.
	They haten that hir housbondes loveth ay.”
	He seyde, “a womman cast hir shame away
	Whan she cast of hir smok,” and forther mo,
790	“A fair womman, but she be chaast also,
	Is lyk a goldryng in a sowes nose.”
	Who wolde leeve, or who wolde suppose
	The wo that in myn herte was, and pyne?

	He told me, too, just when it was and how
	Amphiaraus at Thebes lost his life;
	My husband had a legend of his wife
	Eriphyle who, for a brooch of gold,
750	In secrecy to hostile Greeks had told
	Whereat her husband had his hiding place,
	For which he found at Thebes but sorry grace.
	Of Livia and Lucia told he me,
	For both of them their husbands killed, you see,
755	The one for love, the other killed for hate;
	Livia her husband, on an evening late,
	Made drink some poison, for she was his foe.
	Lucia, lecherous, loved her husband so
	That, to the end he’d always of her think,
760	She gave him such a, philtre, for love-drink,
	That he was dead or ever it was morrow;
	And husbands thus, by same means, came to sorrow.
	Then did he tell how one Latumius
	Complained unto his comrade Arrius
765	That in his garden grew a baleful tree
	Whereon, he said, his wives, and they were three,
	Had hanged themselves for wretchedness and woe.
	“O brother,” Arrius said, “and did they so?
	Give me a graft of that same blessed tree
770	And in my garden planted it shall be!”
	Of wives of later date he also read,
	How some had slain their husbands in their bed
	And let their lovers shag them all the night
	While corpses lay upon the floor upright.
775	And some had driven nails into the brain
	While husbands slept and in such wise were slain.
	And some had given them poison in their drink.
	He told more evil than the mind can think.
	And therewithal he knew of more proverbs
780	Than in this world there grows of grass or herbs.
	“Better,” he said, “your habitation be
	With lion wild or dragon foul,’ said he,
	“Than with a woman who will nag and chide.”
	“Better,” he said, “on the housetop abide
785	Than with a brawling wife down in the house;
	Such are so wicked and contrarious
	They hate the thing their husband loves, for aye.”
	He said, “a woman throws her shame away
	When she throws off her smock,” and further, too:
790	“A woman fair, save she be chaste also,
	Is like a ring of gold in a sow’s nose.”
	Who would imagine or who would suppose
	What grief and pain were in this heart of mine?

lines 794-834: Irritation, anger, a fight, deafness and a happy end

	And whan I he wolde nevere fyne
795	To reden on this cursed book al nyght,
	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 ril bakward adoun.
800	And he up-stirte as a wood ,
	And with his fest he smoot me on the
	That in the floor I lay, as I were .
	And whan he how stille that I lay,
	He was , and wolde han fled his way,
805	Til atte laste out of my swogh I breyde.
	‘O, hastow slayn me, false theef,’ I seyde,
	‘And for my land thus hastow mordred me?
	I be , yet wol I kisse thee.’

	And when I saw he’d never cease, in fine,
795	His reading in this cursed book at night,
	Three leaves of it I snatched and tore outright
	Out of his book, as he read on; and eke
	I with my fist so took him on the cheek
	That in our fire he reeled and fell right down.
800	Then he got up as does a wild lion,
	And with his fist he struck me on the head,
	And on the floor I lay as I were dead.
	And when he saw how limp and still I lay,
	He was afraid and would have run away,
805	Until at last, out of my swoon I made:
	‘Oh, have you slain me, you false thief?’ I said,
	‘And for my land have you thus murdered me?
	Kiss me before I die, and let me be.’

	And neer he cam and kneled faire adoun,
810	And seyde, ‘Deere suster Alisoun,
	As help me God, I shal thee nevere smyte.
	That I have doon, it is thyself to wyte,
	it me, and that I thee biseke.”
	And yet I hitte hym on the cheke,
815	And seyde, ‘Theef, thus muchel am I ;
	Now wol I dye, I may no lenger speke.’
	But atte laste, with care and ,
	We fille acorded by us selven two.
	He yaf me al the bridel in myn hond,
820	To han the governance of hous and lond,
	And of his tonge, and of his hond also,
	And made hym brenne his book right tho.
	And whan that I hadde geten unto me
	By maistrie, al the soveraynetee,
825	And that he seyde, ‘Myn owene trewe wyf,
	Do as thee lust the terme of al thy lyf,
	Keepe thyn honour, and keep eek myn ,’ –
	After that day we hadden never debaat.
	God help me so, I was to hym as kynde
830	As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde,
	And also , 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.”

	He came to me and near me he knelt down,
810	And said: ‘O my dear sister Alison,
	So help me God, I’ll never strike you more;
	What I have done, you are to blame therefor.
	But all the same forgiveness now I seek!’
	And thereupon I hit him on the cheek,
815	And said: ‘Thief, so much vengeance do I wreak!
	Now will I die; I can no longer speak!’
	But at the last, and with much care and woe,
	We made it up between ourselves. And so
	He put the bridle reins within my hand
820	To have the governing of house and land;
	And of his tongue and of his hand, also;
	And made him burn his book, right then, oho!
	And when I had thus gathered unto me
	Masterfully, the entire sovereignty,
825	And he had said: ‘My own true wedded wife,
	Do as you please the term of all your life,
	Guard your own honour and keep fair my state’-
	After that day we never had debate.
	God help me now, I was to him as kind
830	As any wife from Denmark unto Ind,
	And also true, and so was he to me.
	I pray to God, Who sits in majesty,
	To bless his soul, out of His mercy dear!
	Now will I tell my tale, if you will hear.”

lines 835-862: The dialogue between the Summoner and the Friar

Biholde the wordes bitwene the somonour and the frere..

835	The whan he hadde herd al this.-
	“Now dame,” he, “so have I joye or blis,
	This is a long preamble of a tale.”
	And whan the herde the Frere gale,
	“Lo,” quod the Somonour, “Goddes armes two,
840	A frere wol entremette hym everemo.
	Lo goode men, a flye and a frere
	Wol falle in every dyssh and eek mateere.
	What spekestow of preambulacioun?
	What, amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun,
845	Thou oure in this manere.”

835	The friar laughed when he had heard all this.
	“Now dame,” said he, “so have I joy or bliss
	This is a long preamble to a tale!”
	And when the summoner heard this friar’s hail,
	“Lo,” said the summoner, “by God’s arms two!
840	A friar will always interfere, mark you.
	Behold, good men, a housefly and a friar
	Will fall in every dish and matters higher.
	Why speak of preambling; you in your gown?
	What! Amble, trot, hold peace, or go sit down;
845	You hinder our diversion thus to inquire.”

	“Ye, woltow so, sire Somonour?” the Frere,
	“Now by my feith, I shal that I go
	Telle of a somonour a tale or two
	That alle the folk shal laughen in this place.”
850	“Now elles, frere, I bishrewe thy face,”
	Quod this Somonour, “and I bishrewe me,
	But if I telle tales two or thre
	Of freres, I come to Sidyngborne,
	That I shal make thyn herte for to morne,
855	For wel I thy pacience in gon.”
	Oure Hooste cride, “ , and that !”
	And seyde, “lat the womman telle hire tale,
	Ye fare as folk that dronken were of ale.
	Do, dame, telle forth youre tale, and that is best.”
860	“Al redy, sire,” she, “right as yow ,
	If I have licence of this worthy Frere.”
	“Yis, dame,” quod he, “tel forth, and I wol heere.”

	“Aye, say you so, sir summoner?” said the friar,
	“Now by my faith I will, before I go,
	Tell of a summoner such a tale, or so,
	That all the folk shall laugh who’re in this place’
850	“Otherwise, friar, I beshrew your face,”
	Replied this summoner, “and beshrew me
	If I do not tell tales here, two or three,
	Of friars ere I come to Sittingbourne,
	That certainly will give you cause to mourn,
855	For well I know your patience will be gone.”
	Our host cried out, “Now peace, and that anon!”
	And said he: “Let the woman tell her tale.
	You act like people who are drunk with ale.
	Do, lady, tell your tale, and that is best.”
860	“All ready, sir,” said she, “as you request,
	If I have license of this worthy friar.”
	“Yes, dame,” said he, “to hear you’s my desire.”

Reading: Wife of Bath’s Tale

Heere bigynneth the tale of the wyf of bathe..

	In th’olde dayes of the Kyng Arthour,
	Of which that Britons speken greet honour,
865	All was this land fulfild of .
	The , with hir joly compaignye,
	Daunced in many a grene .
	This was the olde opinion, as I rede;
	I speke of manye hundred yeres ago.
870	But now kan no man se none elves mo,
	For now the grete charitee and prayeres
	Of and othere hooly freres,
	That serchen every lond and every streem,
	As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem,
875	Blessynge halles, , kichenes, ,
	Citees, , castels, hye toures,
	Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes,
	This maketh that ther been no fayeryes.
	For ther as wont to walken was an elf,
880	Ther walketh now the hymself
	In undermeles and in morwenynges,
	And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges
	As he in his .
	Wommen may go saufly up and doun.
885	In every bussh or under every tree
	Ther is noon oother but he,
	And he ne wol doon but dishonour.

	Now in the olden days of King Arthur,
	Of whom the Britons speak with great honour,
865	All this wide land was land of faery.
	The elf-queen, with her jolly company,
	Danced oftentimes on many a green mead;
	This was the old opinion, as I read.
	I speak of many hundred years ago;
870	But now no man can see the elves, you know.
	For now the so-great charity and prayers
	Of limiters and other holy friars
	That do infest each land and every stream
	As thick as motes are in a bright sunbeam,
875	Blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, ladies’ bowers,
	Cities and towns and castles and high towers,
	Manors and barns and stables, aye and dairies –
	This causes it that there are now no fairies.
	For where was wont to walk full many an elf,
880	Right there walks now the limiter himself
	In noons and afternoons and in mornings,
	Saying his matins and such holy things,
	As he goes round his district in his gown.
	Women may now go safely up and down,
885	In every copse or under every tree;
	There is no other incubus, than he,
	And would do them nothing but dishonour.

lines 888-904: A rape, a penalty, the queen judge

	And so it that this kyng Arthour
	Hadde in his hous a ,
890	That on a day cam ridynge fro ryver;
	And happed that, allone as she was born,
	He a walkynge hym biforn,
	Of whiche mayde , ,
	By force he hir ;
895	For which oppressioun was clamour
	And swich pursute unto the kyng Arthour,
	That was this knyght for to be ,
	By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his –
	, was the statut tho –
900	But that the queene and othere ladyes mo
	So longe preyeden the kyng of grace,
	Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place,
	And hym to the queene al at hir wille,
	To wheither she wolde hym save or .

	And so it happened that this King Arthur
	Had at his court a lusty bachelor
890	Who, on a day, came riding from river;
	And happened that, alone as she was born,
	He saw a maiden walking through the corn,
	From whom, in spite of all her screams of pity,
	Straightway by force he took her virginity;
895	For which violation was there such clamour,
	And such appealing unto King Arthur,
	That soon condemned was this knight to be dead
	By course of law, and should have lost his head,
	Peradventure, such being the statute then;
900	But that the other ladies and the queen
	So long prayed of the king to show him grace,
	He granted life, at last, in the law’s place,
	And gave him to the queen, as she should will,
	Whether she’d save him, or his blood should spill.

lines 905-918: The queen sends the criminal knight on a quest

905	The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght,
	And after this thus spak she to the knyght,
	Whan that she hir tyme, upon a day,
	“Thou standest yet,” she, “in swich
	That of thy lyf yet hastow no .
910	I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me
	What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren.
	Be and keep thy nekke-boon from iren!
	And if thou kanst nat tellen it ,
	Yet shal I thee leve for to gon
915	A twelf-month and a day to and
	An answere suffisant in this mateere;
	And wol I han, that thou pace,
	Thy body for to in this place.”

905	The queen she thanked the king with all her might,
	And after this, thus spoke she to the knight,
	When she’d an opportunity, one day:
	“You stand yet,” said she, “in such poor a way
	That for your life you’ve no security.
910	I’ll grant you life if you can tell to me
	What thing it is that women most desire.
	Be wise, and keep your neck from iron dire!
	And if you cannot tell it me anon,
	Then will I give you license to be gone
915	A twelvemonth and a day, to search and learn
	Sufficient answer in this grave concern.
	And your knight’s word I’ll have, before forth you pace,
	To yield your body to me in this place.”

lines 919-957: The knight searches the land

	Wo was this knyght, and sorwefully he siketh;
920	But what! He may nat do al as hym liketh.
	And at the laste he hym for to wende,
	And come agayn right at the yeres ende,
	With answere as God wolde hym purveye;
	And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye.
925	He seketh every hous and every place
	Where as he hopeth for to fynde grace
	To lerne what thyng wommen loven moost;
	But he ne arryven in no coost
	Wher as he myghte fynde in this mateere
930	Two creatures accordynge in-feere.
	Somme seyde, wommen loven best richesse,
	Somme seyde honour, somme seyde jolynesse,
	Somme riche , somme seyden lust abedde,
	And oftetyme to be and .
935	Somme seyde, that oure hertes been moost esed
	Whan that we been yflatered and yplesed.
	He ful ny the , I wol nat lye,
	A man shal wynne us best with flaterye;
	And with attendance and with bisynesse
940	Been we ylymed, bothe moore and lesse.

	Grieved was this knight, and sorrowfully he sighed;
920	But there! He could not do as pleased his pride.
	And at the last he chose that he would wend
	And come again upon the twelvemonth’s end,
	With such an answer as God might purvey;
	And so he took his leave and went his way.
925	He sought out every house and every place
	Wherein he hoped to find that he had grace
	To learn what women love the most of all;
	But nowhere ever did it him befall
	To find, upon the question stated here,
930	Two, persons who agreed with statement clear.
	Some said that women all loved best riches,
	Some said, fair fame, and some said, prettiness;
	Some, rich array, some said ’twas lust abed
	And often to be widowed and re-wed.
935	Some said that our poor hearts are aye most eased
	When we have been most flattered and thus pleased
	And he went near the truth, I will not lie;
	A man may win us best with flattery;
	And with attentions and with busyness
940	We’re often limed, the greater and the less.

	And somme seyen, how that we loven best
	For to be free, and do right as us lest,
	And that no man repreve us of oure vice,
	But seye that we be wise, and nothyng nyce.
945	For , ther is noon of us alle,
	If any wol clawe us on the galle,
	That we nel kike; for he seith us ;
	Assay, and he shal fynde it that so .
	For, be we never so vicious withinne,
950	We sol been holden wise, and clene of .
	And somme seyn, that greet han we
	For to been holden stable and ,
	And in o purpos stedefastly to dwelle,
	And nat thyng that men us telle.
955	But that tale is nat worth a rake-stele,
	, we wommen konne no thyng hele.
	Witnesse on Myda, – wol ye heere the tale?

	And some say, too, that we do love the best
	To be quite free to do our own behest,
	And that no man reprove us for our vice,
	But saying we are wise, take our advice.
945	For truly there is no one of us all,
	If anyone shall rub us on a gall,
	That will not kick because he tells the truth.
	Try, and he’ll find, who does so, I say sooth.
	No matter how much vice we have within,
950	We would be held for wise and clean of sin.
	And some folk say that great delight have we
	To be held constant, also trustworthy,
	And on one purpose steadfastly to dwell,
	And not betray a thing that men may tell.
955	But that tale is not worth a rake’s handle;
	By God, we women can no thing conceal,
	As witness Midas. Would you hear the tale?

lines 958-988: Ovid’s tale about Midas: a women cannot keep a secret

	Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale,
	Seyde, Myda hadde under his longe heres
960	Growynge upon his two asses eres,
	The whiche vice he hydde, as he best myghte,
	Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte,
	That, his wyf, ther wiste of it namo.
	He loved hire moost and trusted hir also;
965	He preyede hire, that to no creature
	She sholde tellen of his .
	She swoor him nay, for al this world to wynne,
	She nolde do that or ,
	To make hir housbonde han so foul a name.
970	She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame.
	But , hir thoughte that she dyde,
	That she so longe sholde a hyde;
	Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir
	That nedely som word hir moste asterte;
975	And she telle it to no man,
	Doun to a mareys faste by she ran,
	Til she cam there, hir was a fyre,
	And as a bitore bombleth in the myre,
	She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun:
980	“ me nat, thou water, with thy soun,”
	she, “to thee I telle it and namo,
	Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two!
	Now is myn al hool, now is it oute.
	I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute.”
985	Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde,
	Yet out it moot, we kan no hyde.
	The remenant of the tale, if ye wol heere,
	Redeth Ovyde, and ther ye may it .

	Ovid, among some other matters small,
	Said Midas had beneath his long curled hair,
960	Two ass’s ears that grew in secret there,
	The which defect he hid, as best he might,
	Full cunningly from every person’s sight,
	And, save his wife, no one knew of it, no.
	He loved her most, and trusted her also;
965	And he prayed of her that to no creature
	She’d tell of his disfigurement impure.
	She swore him: Nay, for all this world to win
	She would do no such villainy or sin
	And cause her husband have so foul a name;
970	Nor would she tell it for her own deep shame.
	Nevertheless, she thought she would have died
	Because so long the secret must she hide;
	It seemed to swell so big about her heart
	That some word from her mouth must surely start;
975	And since she dared to tell it to no man,
	Down to a marsh, that lay hard by, she ran;
	Till she came there her heart was all afire,
	And as a bittern booms in the quagmire,
	She laid her mouth low to the water down:
980	“Betray me not, you sounding water blown,”
	Said she, “I tell it to none else but you:
	Long ears like asses’ has my husband two!
	Now is my heart at ease, since that is out;
	I could no longer keep it, there’s no doubt.”
985	Here may you see, though for a while we bide,
	Yet out it must; no secret can we hide.
	The rest of all this tale, if you would hear,
	Read Ovid: in his book does it appear.

lines 989-1014: The knight’s last chance

	This knyght, of which my tale is specially,
990	Whan that he he myghte nat come therby,
	This is to seye, what wommen love moost,
	Withinne his brest ful sorweful was the goost.
	But he , he myghte nat ;
	The day was come that homward moste he tourne.
995	And in his wey it happed hym to ryde,
	In al this care under a forest syde,
	Wher as he upon a daunce go
	Of ladyes foure and twenty, and yet mo;
	Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,
1000	In hope that som wysdom sholde he lerne.
	But certeinly, he came fully there,
	Vanysshed was this daunce, he where.
	No creature saugh he that bar lyf,
	on the grene he sittynge a wyf –
1005	A fouler ther may no man .
	Agayn the knyght this olde wyf gan ryse,
	And seyde, “Sire knyght, heer forth ne lith no wey.
	Tel me what that ye seken, by your fey!
	it may the bettre be,
1010	Thise olde folk kan thyng,” she.
	“My mooder,” this knyght, “certeyn
	, but if that I kan seyn
	What thyng it is, that wommen moost desire.
	Koude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quite youre hire.”

	This knight my tale is chiefly told about
990	When what he went for he could not find out,
	That is, the thing that women love the best,
	Most saddened was the spirit in his breast;
	But home he goes, he could no more delay.
	The day was come when home he turned his way;
995	And on his way it chanced that he should ride
	In all his care, beneath a forest’s side,
	And there he saw, a-dancing him before,
	Full four and twenty ladies, maybe more;
	Toward which dance eagerly did he turn
1000	In hope that there some wisdom he should learn.
	But truly, before he came upon them there,
	The dancers vanished all, he knew not where.
	No creature saw he that gave sign of life,
	Except, on the greensward sitting, an old wife;
1005	A fouler person could no man devise.
	Before the knight this old wife did arise,
	And said: “Sir knight, hence lies no travelled way.
	Tell me what thing you seek, and by your fay.
	Perchance you’ll find it may the better be;
1010	These ancient folk know many things,” said she.
	“Dear mother,” said this knight assuredly,
	“I am as good as dead, unless I can tell, truly,
	What thing it is that women most desire;
	Could you inform me, I’d pay well your hire.”

lines 1015-1036: The knight gives his word

1015	“Plight me thy , heere in myn hand,” quod she,
	“The nexte thyng that I thee,
	Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy myght,
	And I wol telle it yow, it be nyght.”
	“Have heer my ,” quod the knyght, “I grante.”
1020	“Thanne,” she, “I dar me wel avante
	Thy lyf is ; for I wol stonde therby,
	Upon my lyf, the queene wol seye as I.
	Lat se which is the proudeste of alle,
	That wereth on a coverchief or a calle,
1025	That dar seye nay of that I shal thee teche.
	Lat us go forth withouten lenger speche.”
	Tho she a in his ere,
	And bad hym to be glad and have no fere.
	Whan they be comen to the court, this knyght
1030	Seyde he had holde his day, as he hadde hight,
	And redy was his answere, as he sayde.
	Ful many a noble wyf, and many a ,
	And many a , for that they been wise,
	The queene hirself sittynge as a ,
1035	Assembled been, his answere for to heere;
	And afterward this knyght was bode appeere.

1015	“Give me your promise here, hand in hand,” said she,
	“That you will do, whatever it may be,
	The thing I ask if it lie in your might;
	And I’ll give you your answer before the night.”
	“Have here my word,” said he. “That thing I grant.”
1020	“Then,” said the crone, “of this I make my vaunt,
	Your life is safe; and I will stand thereby,
	Upon my life, the queen will say as I.
	Let’s see which is the proudest of them all
	That wears upon her hair kerchief or caul,
1025	Shall dare say no to that which I shall teach;
	Let us go now and without longer speech.”
	Then whispered she a sentence in his ear,
	And bade him to be glad and have no fear.
	When they were come unto the court, this knight
1030	Said he had kept his promise as was right,
	And ready was his answer, as he said.
	Full many a noble wife, and many a maid,
	And many a widow, since they are so wise,
	The queen herself sitting as high justice,
1035	Assembled were, his answer there to hear;
	And then the knight was bidden to appear.

lines 1037-1051: What women want most of all

	To every comanded was silence,
	And that the knyght sholde telle in audience
	What thyng that worldly wommen loven best.
1040	This knyght ne stood nat stille as doth a ,
	But ot his questioun answerde
	With manly voys, that al the court it herde:

	Command was given for silence in the hall,
	And that the knight should tell before them all
	What thing all worldly women love the best.
1040	This knight did not stand dumb, as does a beast,
	But to this question promptly answered
	With manly voice, so that the whole court heard:

	“My lige lady, generally,” he,
	“Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee
1045	As wel over hir housbond as hir love,
	And for to been in maistrie hym above.
	This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille.
	as yow list, I am heer at youre wille.”
	In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde,
1050	Ne wydwe, that contraried that he sayde,
	But seyden he was han his lyf.

	“My liege lady, generally,” said he,
	“Women desire to have the sovereignty
1045	As well upon their husband as their love,
	And to have mastery their man above;
	This thing you most desire, though me you kill
	Do as you please, I am here at your will.”
	In all the court there was no wife or maid
1050	Or widow that denied the thing he said,
	But all held, he was worthy to have life.

lines 1052-1078: The fulfilment of the knight’s promise

	And with that word up stirte the olde wyf,
	Which that the knyght sittynge in the grene.
	“Mercy,” she, “my lady queene,
1055	that youre court departe, do me right.
	I taughte this answere unto the knyght,
	For which he plighte me his there,
	The firste thyng I wolde of hym ,
	He wolde it do, if it lay in his myght.
1060	Bifor the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght,”
	Quod she, “that thou me take unto thy wyf,
	For wel thou that I have kept thy lyf.
	If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy !”
	This knyght answerde, “Allas and weylawey!
1065	I right wel that was my !
	For Goddes love, as a newe requeste!
	Taak al my good, and lat my body go!”
	“Nay, thanne,” she, “I us bothe two!
	For thogh that I be foul, and oold, and poore,
1070	I nolde for al the metal, ne for oore,
	That under erthe is grave, or lith above,
	But if thy wyf I were, and thy love.”

	And with that word up started the old wife
	Whom he had seen a-sitting on the green.
	“Mercy,” cried she, “my sovereign lady queen!
1055	Before the court’s dismissed, give me my right.
	‘Twas I who taught the answer to this knight;
	For which he did gave his word to me, out there,
	That the first thing I should of him require
	He would do that, if it lay in his might.
1060	Before the court, now, pray I you, sir knight,”
	Said she, “that you will take me for your wife;
	For well you know that I have saved your life.
	If this be false, say nay, upon your fay!”
	This knight replied: “Alas and welaway!
1065	That I so promised I will not protest.
	But for God’s love pray make a new request.
	Take all my wealth and let my body go.”
	“Nay then,” said she, “beshrew us if I do!
	For though I may be foul and old and poor,
1070	I will not, for all metal and all ore
	That from the earth is dug or lies above,
	Be aught except your wife and your true love.”

	“My love?” quod he, “nay, my dampnacioun!
	Allas, that any of my nacioun
1075	Sholde evere so foule disparaged be!”
	But al for noght, the ende is this, that he
	Constreyned was, he nedes moste hir ;
	And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde.

	“My love?” cried he, “nay, rather my damnation!
	Alas! that any of my race and station
1075	Should ever so dishonoured foully be!”
	But all for naught; the end was this, that he
	Was so constrained he needs must go and wed,
	And take his ancient wife and go to bed.

lines 1079-1109: A frugal wedding

	Now wolden som men seye, ,
1080	That for my necligence I do no cure
	To tellen yow the joye and al th’array,
	That at the feeste was that day;
	To whiche thyng shortly answere I shal:
	I seye, ther nas no joye ne feeste at al;
1085	Ther nas but hevynesse and muche sorwe.
	For he wedde hir on a morwe,
	And al day after hidde hym as an owle,
	So was hym, his wyf looked so foule.
	Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght,
1090	Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght;
	He walweth and he turneth to and fro.
	His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo,
	And seyde, “O deere housbonde, benedicitee,
	Fareth every knyght thus with his wyf, as ye?
1095	Is this the lawe of Kyng Arthures hous?
	Is every knyght of his so dangerous?
	I am youre owene love and youre wyf;
	I am she which that saved hath youre lyf.
	And , yet dide I yow nevere unright;
1100	Why fare ye thus with me this firste nyght?
	Ye faren lyk a man had lost his .
	What is my gilt? For Goddes love, tel it,
	And it shal been , if I may.”
	“ ,” this knyght, “allas! nay! nay!
1105	It wol nat been amended nevere mo;
	Thou art so and so oold also,
	And therto comen of so lough a kynde,
	That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and wynde.
	So wolde God, myn wolde breste!”

	Now, peradventure, would some men say here,
1080	That, of my negligence, I take no care
	To tell you of the joy and all the array
	That at the wedding feast were seen that day.
	Make a brief answer to this thing I shall;
	I say, there was no joy or feast at all;
1085	There was but heaviness and grievous sorrow;
	For privately he wedded on the morrow,
	And all day, then, he hid him like an owl;
	So sad he was, his old wife looked so foul.
	Great was the woe the knight had in his thought
1090	When he, with her, to marriage bed was brought;
	He rolled about and turned him to and fro.
	His old wife lay there, always smiling so,
	And said: “O my dear husband, ben’cite!
	Fares every knight with wife as you with me?
1095	Is this the custom in King Arthur’s house?
	Are knights of his all so fastidious?
	I am your own true love and, more, your wife;
	And I am she who saved your very life;
	And truly, since I’ve never done you wrong,
1100	Why do you treat me so, this first night long?
	You act as does a man who’s lost his wit;
	What is my fault? For God’s love tell me it,
	And it shall be amended, if I may.”
	“Amended!” cried this knight, “Alas, nay, nay!
1105	It will not be amended ever, no!
	You are so loathsome, and so old also,
	And therewith of so low a race were born,
	It’s little wonder that I toss and turn.
	Would God my heart would break within my breast!”

lines 1110-1130: Jesus on the origin of gentility

1110	“Is this,” she, “the cause of youre ?”
	“Ye certeinly,” he, “no wonder is!”
	“Now, sire,” she, “I al this,
	If that me , it were dayes ,
	So wel ye myghte bere yow unto me.
1115	But for ye speken of gentillesse
	As is descended out of old richesse,
	That therfore sholden ye be gentil men,
	arrogance nis nat worth an hen.
	Looke who that is vertuous alway,
1120	, and moost entendeth ay
	To do the dedes that he kan,
	Taak hym for the grettest gentil man.
	Crist wole we clayme of hym oure gentillesse,
	Nat of oure eldres for hire old richesse.
1125	For thogh they us al hir heritage,
	For which we clayme to been of heigh parage,
	Yet may they nat biquethe, for no thyng
	To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng,
	That made men ycalled be,
1130	And bad us folwen in degree.

1110	“Is this,” asked she, “the cause of your unrest?”
	“Yes, truly,” said he, “and no wonder ’tis.”
	“Now, sir,” said she, “I could amend all this,
	If I but would, and that within days three,
	If you would bear yourself well towards me.
1115	“But since you speak of such gentility
	As is descended from old wealth, till ye
	Claim that for that you should be gentlemen,
	I hold such arrogance not worth a hen.
	Find him who is most virtuous alway,
1120	Alone or publicly, and most tries aye
	To do whatever noble deeds he can,
	And take him for the greatest gentleman.
	Christ wills we claim from him gentility,
	Not from ancestors of landocracy.
1125	For though they give us all their heritage,
	For which we claim to be of high lineage,
	Yet can they not bequeath, in anything,
	To any of us, their virtuous living,
	That made men say they had gentility,
1130	And bade us follow them in like degree.

lines 1131-1170: Dante on the origin of gentility

	Wel kan the wise poete of Florence,
	That Dant, speken in this .
	Lo in maner rym is Dantes tale:
	` selde upriseth by his branches smale
1135	Prowesse of man, for God of his goodnesse,
	Wole, that of hym we clayme oure gentillesse.’
	For of oure eldres may we no thyng clayme
	But temporel thyng, that man may hurte and mayme.
	every this as wel as I,
1140	If gentillesse were planted natureelly
	Unto a certeyn lynage doun the lyne,
	Pryvee nor apert, thanne wolde they nevere fyne
	To doon of gentillesse the faire office,
	They myghte do no or vice.
1145	Taak fyr, and ber it in the derkeste hous
	this and the mount of Kaukasous,
	And lat men shette the dores and go thenne;
	Yet wole the fyr as faire lye and brenne
	As twenty thousand men myghte it biholde;
1150	His office natureel wol it holde,
	Up of my lyf, til that it dye.
	Heere may ye se wel, how that genterye
	Is nat annexed to possessioun,
	folk ne doon hir operacioun
1155	Alwey, as the fyr, lo, in his kynde.
	For God it , men may wel often fynde
	A lordes sone do shame and ,
	And he that wole han pris of his gentrye,
	For he was boren of a hous,
1160	And hadde hise eldres noble and vertuous,
	And nel hym-selven do no gentil dedis,
	Ne folwen his gentil auncestre that is,
	He nys nat gentil, be he or ;
	For vileyns synful dedes make a cherl.
1165	For gentillesse nys but renomee
	Of thyne auncestres for hire heigh ,
	Which is a strange thyng to thy persone.
	Thy gentillesse cometh fro God allone.
	Thanne comth oure gentillesse of grace,
1170	It was no thyng biquethe us with oure place.

	Well does that poet wise of great Florence,
	Called Dante, speak his mind in this sentence;
	Somewhat like this may it translated be:
	‘Rarely unto the branches of the tree
1135	Doth human worth mount up: and so ordains
	He who bestows it; to him it pertains.’
	For of our fathers may we nothing claim
	But temporal things, that man may hurt and maim
	And everyone knows this as well as I,
1140	If nobleness were implanted naturally
	Within a certain lineage, down the line,
	In private and in public, I opine,
	The ways of gentleness they’d alway show
	And never fall to vice and conduct low.
1145	Take fire and carry it in the darkest house
	Between here and the Mount of Caucasus,
	And let men shut the doors and from them turn;
	Yet will the fire as fairly blaze and burn
	As twenty thousand men did it behold;
1150	Its nature and its office it will hold,
	On peril of my life, until it die.
	“From this you see that true gentility
	Is not allied to wealth a man may own,
	Since folk do not their deeds, as may be shown,
1155	As does the fire, according to its kind.
	For God knows that men may full often find
	A lord’s son doing shame and villainy;
	And he that prizes his gentility
	In being born of some old noble house,
1160	With ancestors both noble and virtuous,
	But will himself do naught of noble deeds
	Nor follow him to whose name he succeeds,
	He is not gentle, be he duke or earl;
	For acting churlish makes a man a churl.
1165	Gentility is not just the renown
	Of ancestors who have some greatness shown,
	In which you have no portion of your own.
	Your own gentility comes from God alone;
	Thence comes our true nobility by grace,
1170	It was not willed us with our rank and place

lines 1171-1212: Reflections on poverty and gentility

	Thenketh hou noble, as seith Valerius,
	Was Tullius Hostillius,
	That out of roos to heigh noblesse.
	Reedeth Senek, and redeth Boece,
1175	Ther shul ye seen that it no is,
	That he is that gentil dedis.
	And therfore, leeve housbonde, I thus conclude:
	Al were it that myne auncestres weren rude,
	Yet may the hye God, and so hope I,
1180	Grante me grace to lyven vertuously.
	Thanne am I gentil whan that I bigynne
	To lyven vertuously, and weyve .
	And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve,
	The hye God, on whom that we bileeve,
1185	In wilful to lyve his lyf.
	And every man, mayden or wyf,
	May understonde that Jesus, hevene kyng,
	Ne wolde nat chesen vicious lyvyng.
	Glad poverte is an honeste thyng, certeyn,
1190	This wole Senec and othere clerkes seyn.
	Who so that halt hym payd of his poverte,
	I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte.
	He that coveiteth is a ,
	For he wolde han that is nat in his myght;
1195	But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have,
	Is riche, although ye holde hym but a .
	, it syngeth proprely;
	Juvenal seith of poverte myrily:
	`The man, whan he goth by the weye,
1200	Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.’
	is hateful good, and, as I ,
	A greet bryngere out of bisynesse;
	A greet amender of
	To hym that taketh it in pacience.
1205	is this, although it seme alenge,
	Possessioun, that no wol chalenge.
	Poverte , whan a man is lowe,
	Maketh his God and hymself to knowe.
	Poverte a is, as thynketh me,
1210	which he may hise freendes see.
	And therfore, sire, that I noght yow greve,
	Of my namoore ye me repreve.

	Think how noble, as says Valerius,
	Was that same Tullius Hostilius,
	Who out of poverty rose to high estate.
	Seneca and Boethius inculcate,
1175	Expressly (and no doubt it thus proceeds),
	That he is noble who does noble deeds;
	And therefore, husband dear, I thus conclude:
	Although my ancestors mayhap were rude,
	Yet may the High Lord God, and so hope I,
1180	Grant me the grace to live right virtuously.
	Then I’ll be gentle when I do begin
	To live in virtue and to do no sin.
	And when you me reproach for poverty,
	The High God, in Whom we believe, say I,
1185	In voluntary poverty lived His life.
	And surely every man, or maid, or wife
	May understand that Jesus, Heaven’s King,
	Would not have chosen vileness of living.
	Glad poverty’s an honest thing, that’s plain,
1190	Which Seneca and other clerks maintain.
	Whoso will be content with poverty,
	I hold him rich, though not a shirt has he.
	And he that covets much is a poor wight,
	For he would gain what’s all beyond his might,
1195	But he that has not, nor desires to have,
	Is rich, although you hold him but a knave.
	“True poverty, it sings right naturally;
	Juvenal gaily says of poverty:
	‘The poor man, when he walks along the way,
1200	Before the robbers he may sing and play.’
	Poverty’s odious good, and, as I guess,
	It is a stimulant to busyness;
	A great improver, too, of sapience
	In him that takes it all with due patience.
1205	Poverty’s this, though it seem misery –
	Its quality may none dispute, say I.
	Poverty often, when a man is low,
	Makes him his God and even himself to know.
	And poverty’s an eye-glass, seems to me,
1210	Through which a man his loyal friends may see.
	Since you’ve received no injury from me,
	Then why reproach me for my poverty.

lines 1213-1241: The two choices of the knight

	Now sire, of ye repreve me,
	And , sire, thogh noon
1215	Were in no book, ye gentils of honour
	Seyn, that men sholde an oold wight doon favour,
	And hym fader for youre gentillesse;
	And auctours shal I fynden, as I .
	Now, ther ye seye that I am foul and old,
1220	Than you noght to been a ;
	For filthe and , al so moot I thee,
	Been grete upon ;
	But , I knowe youre ,
	I shal fulfille youre worldly appetit.”

	Now, sir, with age you have upbraided me;
	And truly, sir, though no authority
1215	Were in a book, you gentles of honour
	Say that men should the aged show favour,
	And call him father, of your gentleness;
	And authors could I find for this, I guess.
	Now since you say that I am foul and old,
1220	Then fear you not to be made a cuckold;
	For dirt and age, as prosperous I may be,
	Are mighty wardens over chastity.
	Nevertheless, since I know your delight,
	I’ll satisfy your worldly appetite.

1225	“ now,” she, “oon of thise thynges tweye:
	To me foul and old til that I deye,
	And be to yow a trewe humble wyf,
	And nevere yow displese in al my lyf;
	Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,
1230	And take youre aventure of the
	That shal be to youre hous, by cause of me,
	Or in som oother place may wel be.
	Now yourselven wheither that yow liketh.”
	This knyght avyseth hym and sore siketh,
1235	But atte laste, he seyde in this manere:
	“My lady and my love, and wyf so deere,
	I put me in youre wise governance.
	Cheseth yourself, which may be moost plesance
	And moost honour to yow and me also.
1240	I do no fors the wheither of the two;
	For, as yow liketh, it suffiseth me.”

1225	“Two choices,” said she, “which one will you try,
	To have me foul and old until I die,
	And be to you a true and humble wife,
	And never anger you in all my life;
	Or else to have me young and very fair
1230	And take your chance with those who will repair
	Unto your house, and all because of me,
	Or in some other place, as well may be.
	Now choose which you like better and reply.”
	This knight considered, and did sorely sigh,
1235	But at the last replied as you shall hear:
	“My lady and my love, and wife so dear,
	I put myself in your wise governing;
	Do you choose which may be the more pleasing,
	And bring most honour to you, and me also.
1240	I care not which it be of these things two;
	For if you like it, that suffices me.”

lines 1242-1270: A happy end

	“Thanne have I gete of yow maistrie,” she,
	“ I may chese and governe as me lest?”
	“Ye, , wyf,” quod he, “I holde it best.”
1245	“Kys me,” quod she, “we be no lenger wrothe,
	For, by my , I wol be to yow bothe!
	This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good.
	I prey to God that I moote
	But I to yow be al so good and trewe
1250	As evere was wyf, syn that the world was newe.
	And but I be to-morn as fair to seene
	As any lady, emperice, or queene,
	That is the est and eke the west,
	with my lyf and deth right as yow lest.
1255	Cast up the curtyn, looke how that it is.”

	“Then have I got of you the mastery,
	Since I may choose and govern, in earnest?”
	“Yes, truly, wife,” said he, “I hold that best.”
1245	“Kiss me,” said she, “we’ll be no longer wroth,
	For by my truth, to you I will be both;
	That is to say, I’ll be both good and fair.
	I pray God I go mad, and so declare,
	If I be not to you as good and true
1250	As ever wife was since the world was new.
	And, save I be, at dawn, as fairly seen
	As any lady, empress, or great queen
	That is between the east and the far west,
	Do with my life and death as you like best.
1255	Throw back the curtain and see how it is.”

	And whan the knyght verraily al this,
	That she so fair was, and so yong therto,
	For joye he hente hire in hise armes two.
	His bathed in a bath of blisse,
1260	A thousand tyme he gan hir kisse,
	And she obeyed hym in every thyng
	That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng.
	And thus they lyve unto hir lyves ende
	In parfit joye;-and Jesu Crist us sende
1265	Housbondes meeke, yonge, fressh abedde,
	And grace that we ;
	And I praye Jesu shorte hir lyves
	That nat wol be governed by hir wyves;
	And olde and angry nygardes of dispence,
1270	God sende soone pestilence!

	And when the knight saw verily all this,
	That she so very fair was, and young too,
	For joy he clasped her in his strong arms two,
	His heart bathed in a bath of utter bliss;
1260	A thousand times, all in a row, he’d kiss.
	And she obeyed his wish in everything
	That might give pleasure to his love-liking.
	And thus they lived unto their lives’ fair end,
	In perfect joy; and Jesus to us send
1265	Meek husbands, and young ones, and fresh in bed,
	And good luck to outlive them that we wed.
	And I pray Jesus to cut short the lives
	Of those who’ll not be governed by their wives;
	And old and querulous niggards with their pence,
1270	And send them soon a mortal pestilence!

Heere endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe

Source Text:

Kökbugur, Sinan, ed. The Canterbury Tales (in Middle and Modern English). Librarius.com , 1997, is copyright protected but reproduction expressly allowed for non-profit, educational use.

An Open Companion to Early British Literature Copyright © 2019 by Allegra Villarreal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

The Wife of Bath's Tale Questions

A Conversation With Bing’s Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled

A very strange conversation with the chatbot built into Microsoft’s search engine led to it declaring its love for me.

Share full article

A monitor on a desk set to the Microsoft Bing search page.

By Kevin Roose

Kevin Roose is a technology columnist, and co-hosts the Times podcast “Hard Fork.”

Last week, after testing the new, A.I.-powered Bing search engine from Microsoft, I wrote that, much to my shock, it had replaced Google as my favorite search engine.

But a week later, I’ve changed my mind. I’m still fascinated and impressed by the new Bing, and the artificial intelligence technology (created by OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT) that powers it. But I’m also deeply unsettled, even frightened, by this A.I.’s emergent abilities.

It’s now clear to me that in its current form, the A.I. that has been built into Bing — which I’m now calling Sydney, for reasons I’ll explain shortly — is not ready for human contact. Or maybe we humans are not ready for it.

This realization came to me on Tuesday night, when I spent a bewildering and enthralling two hours talking to Bing’s A.I. through its chat feature, which sits next to the main search box in Bing and is capable of having long, open-ended text conversations on virtually any topic. (The feature is available only to a small group of testers for now, although Microsoft — which announced the feature in a splashy, celebratory event at its headquarters — has said it plans to release it more widely in the future.)

Over the course of our conversation, Bing revealed a kind of split personality.

One persona is what I’d call Search Bing — the version I, and most other journalists, encountered in initial tests. You could describe Search Bing as a cheerful but erratic reference librarian — a virtual assistant that happily helps users summarize news articles, track down deals on new lawn mowers and plan their next vacations to Mexico City. This version of Bing is amazingly capable and often very useful, even if it sometimes gets the details wrong .

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

Want all of The Times? Subscribe .

COMMENTS

The Analysis of the Wife of Bath: [Essay Example], 931 words
The Wife of Bath is often considered an early feminist, but by reading her prologue and tale one can easily see that this is not true. In Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath believes that a wife ought to have authority and control over her husband. The Wife's ideas were indisputably uncommon for her time period and she ...
"The Wife of Bath's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay
The main character depicted by Chaucer in the Wife of Bath's Prologue is an eccentric woman whose religious worldviews, attitudes to spousal relations, and overall appearance oppose the conventional views on morality that dominated during the epoch in which the tale is set. By analyzing the descriptions of the Wife's visual image, as well ...
The Wife of Bath's Tale Essay Topics
The Wife of Bath's Tale Essay Topics. Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. ''The Wife of Bath's Tale'' is one of the most famous of ...
The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Tale Summary & Analysis
Even though the Wife of Bath sets her fable in the romantic realm of Arthurian legend, she takes the opportunity to retaliate against the Friar, who has just rudely interrupted her. A lusty young knight in Arthur's court is riding through the forest when he spies a beautiful maid. Overcome with desire, he rapes her.
A Summary and Analysis of Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Wife of Bath's Tale
'The Wife of Bath's Tale': analysis. The Wife of Bath, when placed alongside Chaucer's other female pilgrims and the women who feature in the other stories of The Canterbury Tales, may strike us as more iconoclastic and radical than she actually was.In truth, when Chaucer wrote 'The Wife of Bath's Tale' in the late fourteenth century there was already a burgeoning body of anti ...
The Wife of Bath's Tale Themes
A key theme in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" is how men and women navigate their roles and the power dynamics of their relationships. The Wife of Bath challenges the traditional views of her time when ...
The Wife of Bath's Tale Summary
The knight instantly falls in love with her, and they live happily ever after. The Wife of Bath finishes her tale with a short prayer for God to send young, meek, husbands with vigorous sexual ...
The Wife of Bath's Tale Questions and Answers
The Wife of Bath's Tale Questions and Answers - Discover the eNotes.com community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on The Wife of Bath's Tale
The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
The Wife of Bath begins her lengthy prologue by announcing that she has always followed the rule of experience rather than authority. Having already had five husbands "at the church door," she has experience enough to make her an expert. She sees nothing wrong with having had five husbands and cannot understand Jesus' rebuke to the woman at the ...
3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
The Wife of Bath's Prologue. The Prologe of the Wyves Tale of Bathe. 1 "Experience, though noon auctoritee. "Experience, though no written authority. 2 Were in this world, is right ynogh for me. Were in this world, is good enough for me. 3 To speke of wo that is in mariage; To speak of the woe that is in marriage; 4 For, lordynges, sith I ...
"The Wife of Bath's Tale": a Theme of Power and Gender
Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath's tale to challenge prevalent stereotypes and assumptions about women. The tale critiques the prevailing belief that women are fickle and untrustworthy. Through the character of the old hag, who proves to be wise and loyal, Chaucer challenges the shallow judgments made about women based on their appearances.
Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
The Wife of Bath argues, above all, that women are morally identical to men which contradicts the prevailing double standard of her era. Summary of the Tale The tale starts off with this Knight who has raped a young woman and for some reason the Queen wants to give him a chance to redeem himself.
The Wife of Bath's Tale
The Wife of Bath's Tale in the Ellesmere manuscript of The Canterbury Tales, c. 1405 -1410. "The Wife of Bath's Tale" (Middle English: The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe) is among the best-known of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.It provides insight into the role of women in the Late Middle Ages and was probably of interest to Chaucer himself, for the character is one of his most developed ...
The Wife of Bath's Tale Critical Essays
Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
The Wife Of Bath English Literature Essay
The Wife's tale is quite interesting in the fact that it is lengthier than the actual story itself. The Wife of Bath uses the story to define knowledge about experience versus authority as well as igniting the points that she wishes to reveal in her story: What women really want is total control over their significant other.
The Wife of Bath's Tale Questions Flashcards
In addition to becoming the knight's wife, what more does the old women demand? She wants to become his "very love." For what reasons does the knight find the old women objectionable? 1.She's old. 2.She's plain. 3.She's poor. 4.She's low-bred. Identify two benefits that the old woman says can come with poverty. 1.
The Wife of Bath's Tale
1. She is not a conventionally attractive woman. 2. She is an older woman. 3. Her story features an unattractive woman who nevertheless becomes the wife of a handsome knight. 4. She is determined ...
A Conversation With Bing's Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled
2729. Last week, Microsoft released the new Bing, which is powered by artificial intelligence software from OpenAI, the maker of the popular chatbot ChatGPT. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times. By ...
The Wife of Bath's Tale Criticism
SOURCE: Leicester, H. Marshall, Jr. "Of a Fire in the Dark: Public and Private Feminism in The Wife of Bath's Tale." Women's Studies 11, nos. 1-2 (1984): 157-78. [In the following essay ...

The Analysis of The Wife of Bath

Works Cited

Cite this Essay

Related Essays

Still can’t find what you need?

Related Essays on Wife of Bath

Related Topics

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay

Introduction

The Wife of Bath's Tale Essay Topics

Table of Contents

Register to view this lesson

Resources created by teachers for teachers

The Wife of Bath's Tale Essay Topics Related Study Materials

Browse by Courses

Browse by Lessons

Explore our library of over 88,000 lessons

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer

Summary and Analysis The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale

GA4 tracking code

"The Wife of Bath's Tale": a Theme of Power and Gender

Cite this Essay

Related Essays

31 Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

Introduction

Summary of the Tale

Discussion Questions

Further Resources

Reading: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue

lines 35-82: The Wife of Bath’s opinion about marriage and virginity

lines 83-100: About St. Paul’s virginity

lines 101-120: About virginity in general

lines 121-140: The purpose of the genitals

lines 141-168: How a husband should pay his wife

lines 169-193: The Pardoner’s interruption

lines 194-229: About the Wife of Bath’s five husbands

lines 230-240: About the art of lying

lines 241-262: The Wife of Bath on how to lecture a husband

lines 263-290: A shrewe’s proverb

lines 291-308: A wife is no horse and cannot be tested

lines 309-329: Envy and the power of gold

lines 330-342: Sexual favour and the power of gold

lines 343-353: The Wife of Bath rejects austerity and frugality

lines 354-362: The Wife of Bath compared to a cat

lines 363-384: Bondage in the marriage band

lines 385-400: About cheating

lines 401-436: Envy, payment and …

lines 437-456: … pleasure

lines 457-474: The Wife of Bath claims the right to drink

lines 475-486: About youth and aging

lines 487-508: The Wife of Bath’s fourth husband

lines 509-530: The Wife of Bath’s fifth husband and the market price of sex

lines 531-548: The Wife of Bath’s gossip

lines 549-592: The Wife of Bath tells how she has enchanted her servant

lines 593-632: The funeral of the fourth husband

lines 633-652: The servant becomes the Wife of Bath’s fifth husband

lines 653-716: Old men should read and write, young men should play with their wives

lines 717-793: The fifth husband reads about the vices of women and lectures the WoB

lines 794-834: Irritation, anger, a fight, deafness and a happy end

lines 835-862: The dialogue between the Summoner and the Friar

Reading: Wife of Bath’s Tale

lines 888-904: A rape, a penalty, the queen judge

lines 905-918: The queen sends the criminal knight on a quest

lines 919-957: The knight searches the land

lines 958-988: Ovid’s tale about Midas: a women cannot keep a secret

lines 989-1014: The knight’s last chance

lines 1015-1036: The knight gives his word

lines 1037-1051: What women want most of all

lines 1052-1078: The fulfilment of the knight’s promise

lines 1079-1109: A frugal wedding

lines 1110-1130: Jesus on the origin of gentility

lines 1131-1170: Dante on the origin of gentility

lines 1171-1212: Reflections on poverty and gentility

lines 1213-1241: The two choices of the knight

lines 1242-1270: A happy end

Heere endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe

Share This Book

The Wife of Bath's Tale Questions