Had at his court a lusty bachelor

A clerk, when he is old and can naught do Of Venus’ labours worth his worn-out shoe,

worn-out shoe,

Of why I tore from out his book a leaf, For which he struck me so it made me deaf.

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.

a young colt’s tooth.

But since I was provided with a mate, I really wept but little, I may state.

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,

But age, alas! that poisons every prime,

jolly as a pie.

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!

Job’s patience

Yet tickled this the heart of him, for he Deemed it was love produced such jealousy.

Especially in bed had they mischance, There would I chide and give them no pleasance;

And all was false, but yet I took witness Of Jenkin and of my dear niece also.

You liken woman’s love to very Hell, To desert land where waters do not well. You liken it, also, unto wildfire;

Sir Ancient Fool, what ails you with your spies?

 You say, also, that if we make us gay With clothing, all in costliest array, 345 That it’s a danger to our chastity

You shall not be, although like mad you scold, 320 Master of both my body and my gold;

benedicite

A woman wise will strive continually To get herself loved, when she’s not, you see.

I will devote the flower of all my age 120 To all the acts and harvests of marriage.

God calls folk unto him in sundry ways, And each one has from God a proper gift,

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.

ce!

I care not which it be of these things two; For if you like it, that suffices me.”

Dante

There was but heaviness and grievous sorrow;

“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.”

 “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.”

Except, on the greensward sitting, an old wife; 1005 A fouler person could no man devise.

ll loved best riches, Some said, fair fame, and some said, prettiness;

But that the other ladies and the queen So long prayed of the king to show him grace,

What I have done, you are to blame therefor. But all the same forgiveness now I seek!’

Lo here, expressly of woman, may you find That woman was the ruin of mankind.

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.

I wept enough and made but sorry cheer, 595 As wives must always, for it’s custom’s grace,

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.

brutal, too; My ribs yet feel as they were black and blue,

reveller,

And since a man’s more reasonable, they say, Than woman is

For if one care to singe a cat’s furred skin, Then would the cat remain the house within;

I think you’d like to lock me in your chest!

wives our vices hide Till we are married, then we show them well; 290 That is a scoundrel’s proverb, let me tell!

engendred

Whan

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE;

ARRAS-MAKER

we

FRANKLIN

.

The Squire

Full worthy was he in his sovereign’s war,

And even what clothes they were dressed in; And with a knight thus will I first begin.

offertory

mare

gelding

.

Who had a fiery-red, cherubic face, All pimpled it was

.

hindmost

Yet no man ever found him in arrears.

Well could he manage granary and bin; No auditor could ever find anything. He could foretell, by drought and by the rain, The yielding of his seed and of his grain.

foretell

pulpiteer

slender

choleric

victuals

MANCIPLE

But mostly all of sin and obscenity. He could steal corn and three times charge his fee;

.

But Christ’s own law, and His apostles’ twelve 530 He taught, but first he followed it himselve.

mercenary.

MILLER

haughty

COUNTRY PARSON

Here in this inn, fitter for sport than now. Fain I’d make you happy, if I’d knew how. And of a game have I this moment thought 770 To give you joy, and it shall cost you not.

And as to manhood, lacking there was not. Moreover, he’s a very merry man,

defamation

The Prologue of the Freres Tale

.

.

“Hold! No more! For it is done! Now will I prove true judge, of no party. 1800 Theban Arcita shall have Emily, Who, by his fortune, has her fairly won.”

Has power more than any man may know

But thereupon such quarrelling was begun, From this same granting, in the heaven above

Give me the victory. I ask no more.”

pious

My daughter, leave this heaviness. Among the high gods it has been affirmed, And by eternal written word confirmed, That you shall be the wife of one of those Who bear for you so many cares and woes; 1495 But unto which of them may not tell. I can no longer tarry, so farewell.

For I do not care, when I have lost my life 1400 That Arcita may win her for his wife. This the effect and end of all my prayer, Give me my love, thou blissful lady fair.”

fane

chastity

oratory

I speak now of my sister Emily

repentant

ire

assuaged

ado

And to the grove of trees that grew hard by, In which there was a hart, as men had told, Duke Theseus the shortest way did hold.

A battle in the field between the twain

in May

There was no man that Theseus loved more

visage

Wailing the whole night long, making his moan. And if he heard a song or instrument, 510 Then he would weep ungoverned and lament; So feeble were his spirits, and so low, And so changed was he, that no man could know Him by his words or voice, whoever heard. And in this change, for all the world he fared 515 As if not troubled by malady of love, But by that humor dark and grim, whereof Springs melancholy madness in the brain

shaft

Bereft he was of sleep and meat and drink

languished

anguish

desolated

by gad

I’m in worse prison, now, and more forlorn; Now am I doomed eternally to dwell

You shall yet have that lady to your wife

The very fetters on his legs were yet Again with all his bitter salt tears wet.

In prison? Never, but in Paradise!

 The agreement was, to set it plainly down, As made between those two of great renown: That if Arcita, any time, were found, Ever in life, by day or night, on ground 355 Of any country of this Theseus, And he were caught, it was concerted thus, That by the sword he straight should lose his head.

Pirithous

‘Who shall give a lover any law?’ Love is a greater law, aye by my pan, Than man has ever given to earthly man.

Nay, false Arcita, it shall not be so. I loved her first, and told you all my woe,

transfigured

ails

He cast his eyes upon Emilia, 220 And thereupon he blenched and cried out “Ah!” As if he had been beaten to the heart.

sauntered

Emily

sluggards

passed by year by year and day by day,

That Theseus, the noble conqueror, Paid to the ladies when from him they went;

And of those two Arcita was the one, The other knight was known as Palamon

clamour

slain

Minotaur

pennon

red Mars,

Thebes

respite

iniquity

.

lamentation

Theseus

Hippolyta

Scythia

clamorous

dolorous

Some would be armoured in a habergeon And in a breastplate, under light jupon; And some wore breast-and back-plates thick and large; And some would have a Prussian shield, or targe; 1265 Some on their very legs were armoured well, And carried axe, and some a mace of steel. There is no new thing, now, that is not old. And so they all were armed, as I have told, To his own liking and design, each one.

The tyrant, with the spoils of violent theft; The town destroyed, in ruins, nothing left. And saw I burnt the ships that dance by phares,

There was a duke whose name was Theseus: Of Athens he was lord and governor

Was ever made in so small space of time;

Then he shall have Emilia to wive

You know yourselves she may not marry two,

Who to go hunting is so desirous, And specially of the hart of ten, in May,

Either I shall be dead or you shall die. 730 You shall not love my lady Emily, But I will love her, and none other, no; For I am Palamon, your mortal foe. And though I have no weapon in this place, Being but out of prison by God’s grace, 735 I say again, that either you shall die Or else forgo your love for Emily. Choose which you will, for you shall not depart.”

As he were mad, with face gone deathly pale,

leaping high like fire,

Or else win Emily to be his wife; This is the gist of his intention plain.

And at once he altered his array, Like a poor labourer in mean attire

Had never any man so much torture, No, nor shall have while this world may endure.

You lovers, now I ask you this question: 490 Who has the worse, Arcita or Palamon? The one may see his lady day by day, But yet in prison must he dwell for aye. The other, where he wishes, he may go, But never see his lady more, ah no. 495

Stripped of all hope and in so deep despair That there’s no earth nor water, fire nor air, Nor any creature made of them there is 390 To help or give me comfort, now, in this – Surely I’ll die of sorrow and distress; Farewell, my life, my love, my joyousness!

No more in Purgatory, but in Hell.

It’s each man for himself and not for other. 325 Love if you like; for I love and aye shall;

But I was wounded lately through the eye Down to my heart, and that my bane will be. 240 The beauty of the lady that I see There in that garden, pacing to and fro, Is cause of all my crying and my woe.

Her yellow hair was braided in one tress Behind her back, a full yard long, I guess.

That Emily, far fairer to be seen Than is the lily on its stalk of green,

Palamon and Arcita, day and night, Dwelt whence no gold might help them to take flight.

restored

And in his arms he took them tenderly,

To do the dead a shame and villainy, 85 Of all our husbands, lying among the slain, Has piled the bodies in a heap, amain, And will not suffer them, nor give consent, To buried be, or burned, nor will relent, But sets his dogs to eat them, out of spite.”

All we have lost our husbands at that town During the siege that round about it lay.

Thanks be to Fortune and her treacherous wheel,

But we beseech your aid and pity thus.

Or who has wronged you now, or who offended? Come, tell me whether it may be amended; And tell me, why are you clothed thus, in black?”

hat with his wisdom and his chivalry He gained the realm of Femininity,

y!

Water!” cried as madman would,

 This Nicholas just then let fly a fart As loud as it had been a thunder-clap,

A beard! A beard!

“For, s’help me God, it is not ‘come kiss me.’ I love another, or to blame I’d be, Better than you, by Jesus, Absalom!

There was the revel and the melody! 545 And thus lie Alison and Nicholas,

This foolish carpenter went on his way

Noah

For it is Christ’s own word that I will say, And if you tell a man, you’re ruined quite; This punishment shall come to you, of right, That if you’re traitor you’ll go mad- and should!”

This Nicholas sat there as still as stone, 365 Gazing, with gaping mouth, straight up in air.

house cat had been wont to creep;

For all day she’d not seen him, far or nigh;

Alison!

She was so pretty, sweet, and lickerous.

All in a coat of blue,

He kissed her sweetly, took his psaltery, And played it fast and made a melody.

Why, let go,” cried she, “let go, Nicholas! Or I will call for help and cry ‘alas!’ Do take your hands away, for courtesy!”

White

For she was wild and young, and he was old,

    This carpenter had recently married a wife Whom he loved more than he loved his life;

And lived alone there, without company,

A wealthy man who took in guests to board, And of his craft he was a carpenter. A poor scholar was lodging with him there,

Men should not be too serious at a game.

I will believe full well that I am none. 55 A husband must not be inquisitive Of God, nor of his wife, while she’s alive. So long as he may find God’s plenty there, For all the rest he need not greatly care.”

“Oh, shut your tap, Let be your ignorant drunken ribaldry!

Wade in that water · and wash you well there

For to wend with them · to Truth’s dwelling-place

lowly as a lamb

sepulchre

vernicle