This knight, of which my tale is specially,
Whan that he saugh he mighte nat come therby,
This is to seye, what wommen loven moost, 985
With-inne his brest ful sorweful was the goost; (130)
But hoom he gooth, he mighte nat soiourne.
The day was come, that hoomward moste he tourne,
And in his wey it happed him to ryde,
In al this care, under a forest-syde, 990
[349: T. 6573-6609.]
Wher-as he saugh up-on a daunce go
Of ladies foure and twenty, and yet mo;
Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,
In hope that som wisdom sholde he lerne.
But certeinly, er he came fully there, 995
Vanisshed was this daunce, he niste where. (140)
No creature saugh he that bar lyf,
Save on the grene he saugh sittinge a wyf;
A fouler wight ther may no man devyse.
Agayn the knight this olde wyf gan ryse, 1000
And seyde, ‘sir knight, heer-forth ne lyth no wey.
Tel me, what that ye seken, by your fey?
Paraventure it may the bettre be;
Thise olde folk can muchel thing,’ quod she.
985. E. loue. 990. E. Hn. this; _rest_ his. 993. Hn. whiche; E.
which; _rest vary_.
‘My leve mooder,’ quod this knight certeyn, 1005
‘I nam but deed, but-if that I can seyn (150)
What thing it is that wommen most desyre;
Coude ye me wisse, I wolde wel quyte your hyre.’
‘Plighte me thy trouthe, heer in myn hand,’ quod she,
‘The nexte thing that I requere thee, 1010
Thou shalt it do, if it lye in thy might;
And I wol telle it yow er it be night.’
‘Have heer my trouthe,’ quod the knight, ‘I grante.’
‘Thanne,’ quod she, ‘I dar me wel avante,
Thy lyf is sauf, for I wol stonde therby, 1015
Up-on my lyf, the queen wol seye as I. (160)
Lat see which is the proudeste of hem alle,
That wereth on a coverchief or a calle,
That dar seye nay, of that I shal thee teche;
Lat us go forth with-outen lenger speche.’ 1020
Tho rouned she a pistel in his ere,
And bad him to be glad, and have no fere.
1016. E. queene.
Whan they be comen to the court, this knight
Seyde, ‘he had holde his day, as he hadde hight,
And redy was his answere,’ as he sayde. 1025
Ful many a noble wyf, and many a mayde, (170)
And many a widwe, for that they ben wyse,
[350: T. 6610-6645.]
The quene hir-self sittinge as a Iustyse,
Assembled been, his answere for to here;
And afterward this knight was bode appere. 1030
1028. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. _om._ a.
To every wight comanded was silence,
And that the knight sholde telle in audience,
What thing that worldly wommen loven best.
This knight ne stood nat stille as doth a best,
But to his questioun anon answerde 1035
With manly voys, that al the court it herde: (180)
‘My lige lady, generally,’ quod he,
‘Wommen desyren to have sovereyntee
As wel over hir housbond as hir love,
And for to been in maistrie him above; 1040
This is your moste desyr, thogh ye me kille,
Doth as yow list, I am heer at your wille.’
1038. E. _om._ to. 1042. E. _om._ heer; Cm. al.
In al the court ne was ther wyf ne mayde,
Ne widwe, that contraried that he sayde,
But seyden, ‘he was worthy han his lyf.’ 1045
And with that word up stirte the olde wyf, (190)
Which that the knight saugh sittinge in the grene:
‘Mercy,’ quod she, ‘my sovereyn lady quene!
Er that your court departe, do me right.
I taughte this answere un-to the knight; 1050
For which he plighte me his trouthe there,
The firste thing I wolde of him requere,
He wolde it do, if it lay in his might.
Bifore the court than preye I thee, sir knight,’
Quod she, ‘that thou me take un-to thy wyf; 1055
For wel thou wost that I have kept thy lyf. (200)
If I sey fals, sey nay, up-on thy fey!’
1052. E. Hn. Cm. Hl. _om._ of. 1054. E. thanne.
This knight answerde, ‘allas! and weylawey!
I woot right wel that swich was my biheste.
For goddes love, as chees a newe requeste; 1060
Tak al my good, and lat my body go.’
1061. E. Hn. Taak.
‘Nay than,’ quod she, ‘I shrewe us bothe two!
For thogh that I be foul, and old, and pore,
[351: T. 6646-6682.]
I nolde for al the metal, ne for ore,
That under erthe is grave, or lyth above, 1065
But-if thy wyf I were, and eek thy love.’ (210)
1062. E. thanne. 1063. _All but_ Cp. Pt. _om. 1st_ and. E. oold,
poore. 1064. Hl. the oure; E. Hn. oore; Cm. Pt. ore; Cp. oure; Ln.
oer.
‘My love?’ quod he; ‘nay, my dampnacioun!
Allas! that any of my nacioun
Sholde ever so foule disparaged be!’
But al for noght, the ende is this, that he 1070
Constreyned was, he nedes moste hir wedde;
And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde.
1070. E. Hn. thende.
Now wolden som men seye, paraventure,
That, for my necligence, I do no cure
To tellen yow the Ioye and al tharray 1075
That at the feste was that ilke day. (220)
To whiche thing shortly answere I shal;
I seye, ther nas no Ioye ne feste at al,
Ther nas but hevinesse and muche sorwe;
For prively he wedded hir on a morwe, 1080
And al day after hidde him as an oule;
So wo was him, his wyf looked so foule.
Greet was the wo the knight hadde in his thoght,
Whan he was with his wyf a-bedde y-broght;
He walweth, and he turneth to and fro. 1085
His olde wyf lay smylinge evermo, (230)
And seyde, ‘o dere housbond, _benedicite_!
Fareth every knight thus with his wyf as ye?
Is this the lawe of king Arthures hous?
Is every knight of his so dangerous? 1090
I am your owene love and eek your wyf;
I am she, which that saved hath your lyf;
And certes, yet dide I yow never unright;
Why fare ye thus with me this firste night?
Ye faren lyk a man had lost his wit; 1095
What is my gilt? for goddes love, tel me it, (240)
And it shal been amended, if I may.’
1091. Cp. Pt. Ln. eek; _rest om._ 1093. E. Hn. yet ne dide. 1096.
Cm. Hl. me; _rest om._ (_Read_ goddes _as_ god’s).
‘Amended?’ quod this knight, ‘allas! nay, nay!
It wol nat been amended never mo!
Thou art so loothly, and so old also, 1100
[352: T. 6683-6718.]
And ther-to comen of so lowe a kinde,
That litel wonder is, thogh I walwe and winde.
So wolde god myn herte wolde breste!’
1101. E. lough. 1102. Pt. no (_for_ litel). _Read_ wonder’s.
‘Is this,’ quod she, ‘the cause of your unreste?’
‘Ye, certainly,’ quod he, ‘no wonder is.’ 1105
‘Now, sire,’ quod she, ‘I coude amende al this, (250)
If that me liste, er it were dayes three,
So wel ye mighte here yow un-to me.
But for ye speken of swich gentillesse
As is descended out of old richesse, 1110
That therfore sholden ye be gentil men,
Swich arrogance is nat worth an hen.
Loke who that is most vertuous alway,
Privee and apert, and most entendeth ay
To do the gentil dedes that he can, 1115
And tak him for the grettest gentil man. (260)
Crist wol, we clayme of him our gentillesse,
Nat of our eldres for hir old richesse.
For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage,
For which we clayme to been of heigh parage, 1120
Yet may they nat biquethe, for no-thing,
To noon of us hir vertuous living,
That made hem gentil men y-called be;
And bad us folwen hem in swich degree.
1112. Cp. Pt. nys (_for_ is). 1116. Cp. Pt. Ln. And take; _rest om._
And.
Wel can the wyse poete of Florence, 1125
That highte Dant, speken in this sentence; (270)
Lo in swich maner rym is Dantes tale:
“Ful selde up ryseth by his branches smale
Prowesse of man, for god, of his goodnesse,
Wol that of him we clayme our gentillesse;” 1130
For of our eldres may we no-thing clayme
But temporel thing, that man may hurte and mayme.
1126. Hl. of (_for_ in). Cm. declare (_for_ speken in). 1129. E.
goodnesse; _rest_ prowesse.
Eek every wight wot this as wel as I,
If gentillesse were planted naturelly
Un-to a certeyn linage, doun the lyne, 1135
Privee ne apert, than wolde they never fyne (280)
[353: T. 6719-6753.]
To doon of gentillesse the faire offyce;
They mighte do no vileinye or vyce.
1134. E. natureelly. 1136. E. Cm. nor; Hl. ne; _rest_ and. E. thanne.
Tak fyr, and ber it in the derkeste hous
Bitwix this and the mount of Caucasus, 1140
And lat men shette the dores and go thenne;
Yet wol the fyr as faire lye and brenne,
As twenty thousand men mighte it biholde;
His office naturel ay wol it holde,
Up peril of my lyf, til that it dye. 1145
1139. E. Taak. 1140. E. Kaukasous. 1144. E. natureel.
Heer may ye see wel, how that genterye (290)
Is nat annexed to possessioun,
Sith folk ne doon hir operacioun
Alwey, as dooth the fyr, lo! in his kinde.
For, god it woot, men may wel often finde 1150
A lordes sone do shame and vileinye;
And he that wol han prys of his gentrye
For he was boren of a gentil hous,
And hadde hise eldres noble and vertuous,
And nil him-selven do no gentil dedis, 1155
Ne folwe his gentil auncestre that deed is, (300)
He nis nat gentil, be he duk or erl;
For vileyns sinful dedes make a cherl.
For gentillesse nis but renomee
Of thyne auncestres, for hir heigh bountee, 1160
Which is a strange thing to thy persone.
Thy gentillesse cometh fro god allone;
Than comth our verray gentillesse of grace,
It was no-thing biquethe us with our place.
1153. Cp. Hl. boren; Cm. bore; _rest_ born. 1155. E. nel; _rest_
nyl. 1156. E. Hn. folwen. 1162. _Read_ comth; _see_ 1163. 1163.
E. Thanne.
Thenketh how noble, as seith Valerius, 1165
Was thilke Tullius Hostilius, (310)
That out of povert roos to heigh noblesse.
Redeth Senek, and redeth eek Boëce,
Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is,
That he is gentil that doth gentil dedis; 1170
And therfore, leve housbond, I thus conclude,
[354: T. 6754-6788.]
Al were it that myne auncestres were rude,
Yet may the hye god, and so hope I,
Grante me grace to liven vertuously.
Thanne am I gentil, whan that I biginne 1175
To liven vertuously and weyve sinne. (320)
1166. E. Hn. Hostillius. 1167. Cm. Cp. Ln. Hl. pouert; _rest_
pouerte. 1168. E. Reed; _rest_ Redeth. 1169. Cp. Pt. Ln. it; _rest
om._ 1172. E. Hn. weren (_2nd_). 1176. Cm. leuyn; Pt. leuen; _rest_
weyue (weyuen).
And ther-as ye of povert me repreve,
The hye god, on whom that we bileve,
In wilful povert chees to live his lyf.
And certes every man, mayden, or wyf, 1180
May understonde that Iesus, hevene king,
Ne wolde nat chese a vicious living.
Glad povert is an honest thing, certeyn;
This wol Senek and othere clerkes seyn.
Who-so that halt him payd of his poverte, 1185
I holde him riche, al hadde he nat a sherte. (330)
He that coveyteth is a povre wight,
For he wolde han that is nat in his might.
But he that noght hath, ne coveyteth have,
Is riche, al-though ye holde him but a knave. 1190
1177. E. Hn. pouerte; _rest_ pouert. 1179. E. Hn. Pt. pouerte; _rest_
pouert; _so in_ 1183, 1191. 1182. E. chesen; E. _om._ a. 1183. E.
Hn. honeste; Cm. oneste.
Verray povert, it singeth proprely;
Iuvenal seith of povert merily:
“The povre man, whan he goth by the weye,
Bifore the theves he may singe and pleye.”
Povert is hateful good, and, as I gesse, 1195
A ful greet bringer out of bisinesse; (340)
A greet amender eek of sapience
To him that taketh it in pacience.
Povert is this, al-though it seme elenge:
Possessioun, that no wight wol chalenge. 1200
Povert ful ofte, whan a man is lowe,
Maketh his god and eek him-self to knowe.
Povert a spectacle is, as thinketh me,
Thurgh which he may his verray frendes see.
And therfore, sire, sin that I noght yow greve, 1205
Of my povert na-more ye me repreve. (350)
1191. E. Cm. it syngeth; _rest_ is sinne (!). 1192. E. Hn. Cp.
myrily. 1195. Cp. Pt. Ln. hatel. 1199. Hn. Hl. elenge; Ln. alinge;
_rest_ alenge. 1205. E. hise.
[355: T. 6789-6826.]
Now, sire, of elde ye repreve me;
And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee
Were in no book, ye gentils of honour
Seyn that men sholde an old wight doon favour, 1210
And clepe him fader, for your gentillesse;
And auctours shal I finden, as I gesse.
Now ther ye seye, that I am foul and old,
Than drede you noght to been a cokewold;
For filthe and elde, al-so moot I thee, 1215
Been grete wardeyns up-on chastitee. (360)
But nathelees, sin I knowe your delyt,
I shal fulfille your worldly appetyt.
Chese now,’ quod she, ‘oon of thise thinges tweye,
To han me foul and old til that I deye, 1220
And be to yow a trewe humble wyf,
And never yow displese in al my lyf,
Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,
And take your aventure of the repair
That shal be to your hous, by-cause of me, 1225
Or in som other place, may wel be. (370)
Now chese your-selven, whether that yow lyketh.’
1227. E. wheither.
This knight avyseth him and sore syketh,
But atte laste he seyde in this manere,
‘My lady and my love, and wyf so dere, 1230
I put me in your wyse governance;
Cheseth your-self, which may be most plesance,
And most honour to yow and me also.
I do no fors the whether of the two;
For as yow lyketh, it suffiseth me.’ 1235
‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrye,’ quod she, (380)
‘Sin I may chese, and governe as me lest?’
1234. E. wheither. 1236. of—maistrye] Cm. the maysterye.
‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’
‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe;
For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe, 1240
This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good.
I prey to god that I mot sterven wood,
But I to yow be al-so good and trewe
As ever was wyf, sin that the world was newe.
[356: T. 6827-6846.]
And, but I be to-morn as fair to sene 1245
As any lady, emperyce, or quene, (390)
That is bitwixe the est and eke the west,
Doth with my lyf and deeth right as yow lest.
Cast up the curtin, loke how that it is.’
And whan the knight saugh verraily al this, 1250
That she so fair was, and so yong ther-to,
For Ioye he hente hir in his armes two,
His herte bathed in a bath of blisse;
A thousand tyme a-rewe he gan hir kisse.
And she obeyed him in every thing 1255
That mighte doon him plesance or lyking. (400)
1254. E. Hn. Ln. a rewe; Hl. on rowe; _rest_ a rowe.
And thus they live, un-to hir lyves ende,
In parfit Ioye; and Iesu Crist us sende
Housbondes meke, yonge, and fresshe a-bedde,
And grace toverbyde hem that we wedde. 1260
And eek I preye Iesu shorte hir lyves
That wol nat be governed by hir wyves;
And olde and angry nigardes of dispence,
God sende hem sone verray pestilence.
=Here endeth the Wyves Tale of Bathe.=
1259. E. _om._ and Ln. fresshe; E. fressh. 1260. E. Hn. touerbyde;
Cm. Hl. to ouerbyde; Cp. Pt. Ln. to ouerlede (!). 1261. Cm. preye;
Hn. praye; E. pray. 1262. E. Hn. nat wol; _rest transpose_.
COLOPHON. _So_ E. Hn.
[357: T. 6847-6868.]
* * * * *