And that anon in all the haste I can.
Unto some maid fair and tender of age,
I pray you, plan for my marriage
All suddenly, for I will not abide;
And I will try to discover, on my side,
To whom I may be wedded hastily.
But inasmuch as you be more than I,
You shall rather such a thing espy
Than I, who I were best to ally.
“But one thing I warn you, my friends dear,
I will no old wife have in any manner.
She shall not have passed twenty years, certainly;
Old fish and young flesh would I have gladly.
Better is,” said he, “a pike than a pickerel,
And better than old beef is the tender veal.
I want no woman thirty years of age;
It is but dried beanstalks and rough forage.
And also these old wives, God knows,
They know so much craft on Wade’s boat,
So much mischief, when they wish,
That with them should I never lie in rest.
For sundry schools make clever scholars;
Woman of many schools half a scholar is.
But certainly, a young thing may men guide,
Right as men may warm wax with hands ply.
Wherefore I say to you plainly, in a clause,
I will no old wife have right for this cause.
For if I had such mischance
That in her could I have no pleasure,
Then should I lead my life in adultery
And go straight to the devil when I die.
Nor children should I any upon her beget;
Yet were me lever houndes had me eten,
Than that myn heritage sholde falle
In straunge hand, and this I tell yow alle.
I dote nat, I woot the cause why
Men sholde wedde, and forthermore wot I,
Ther speketh many a man of mariage,
That woot na-more of it than woot my page,
For whiche causes man sholde take a wyf.
If he ne may nat liven chast his lyf,
Take him a wyf with greet devocioun,
By-cause of leveful procreacioun
Of children, to th‘onour of god above,
And nat only for paramour or love;
And for they sholde lecherye eschue,
And yelde hir dettes whan that they ben due;
Or for that ech of hem sholde helpen other
In meschief, as a suster shal the brother;
And live in chastitee ful holily.
But sires, by your leve, that am nat I.
For god be thanked, I dar make avaunt,
I fele my limes stark and suffisaunt
To do al that a man bilongeth to;
I woot my-selven best what I may do.
Though I be hoor, I fare as dooth a tree
That blosmeth er that fruyt y-woxen be;
A blosmy tree nis neither drye ne deed.
I fele me nowher hoor but on myn heed;
Myn herte and alle my limes been as grene
As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene.
And sin that ye han herd al myn entente,
I prey yow to my wil ye wole assente.”
Diverse men diversely him tolde
Of mariage manye ensamples olde.
Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn;
But atte laste, shortly for to seyn,
As al day falleth altercacioun
Bitwixen freendes in disputisoun,
Ther fil a stryf bitwixe his bretheren two,
Of whiche that oon was cleped Placebo,
I would rather that hounds had me eaten
Than my heritage should fall
Into a stranger’s hands, and this I tell you all.
I dote not; I know the causes why
Men should wed, and furthermore I know
There speaks many a man of marriage
Who knows no more of it than knows my page
For what reasons a man should take a wife.
If he may not live chaste his life,
He should take him a wife in holy devotion,
And for lawful procreation
Of children, to the honor of God above,
Not as a paramour or lover;
And by so doing they would lechery eschew,
And yield their debt when it is due;
And each of them might help the other
In mischance, as a sister shall the brother,
And live in chastity full holily.
But sires, by your leave, that am not I.
For—God be thanked!—I dare make boast
I feel my limbs strong and sufficient
To do all that a man needs to do;
I know myself best what I may do.
Though I be white-haired, I fare as does a tree
That blooms before the fruit grown be;
And a blossoming tree is neither dry nor dead.
I feel myself nowhere hoary but on my head;
My heart and all my limbs be as green
As laurel through the year is to be seen.
And since that you have heard all my intent,
I pray you to my will you will assent.”
Diverse men diversely him told
Of marriage many examples old.
Some blamed it, some praised it, certainly,
But at last, shortly to say,
As every day fall into altercation
Friends in disputation,
There fell a strife between his brothers two,
Of which one was called Placebo;7
Justinus soothly called was that other.
Placebo seyde, “o Januarie, brother,
Ful litel nede had ye, my lord so dere,
Conseil to axe of any that is here;
But that ye been so ful of sapience,
That yow ne lyketh, for your heighe prudence,
To weyven fro the word of Salomon.
This word seyde he un-to us everichon:
‘Wirk alle thing by conseil,’ thus seyde he,
‘And thanne shaltow nat repente thee.’
But though that Salomon spak swich a word,
Myn owene dere brother and my lord,
So wisly god my soule bringe at reste,
I hold your owene conseil is the beste.
For brother myn, of me tak this motyf,
I have now been a court-man al my lyf.
And god it woot, though I unworthy be,
I have stonden in ful greet degree
Abouten lordes of ful heigh estaat;
Yet hadde I never with noon of hem debaat.
I never hem contraried, trewely;
I woot wel that my lord can more than I.
What that he seith, I holde it ferme and stable;
I seye the same, or elles thing semblable.
A ful gret fool is any conseillour,
That serveth any lord of heigh honour,
That dar presume, or elles thenken it,
That his conseil sholde passe his lordes wit.
Nay, lordes been no foles, by my fay;
Ye han your-selven shewed heer to-day
So heigh sentence, so holily and weel,
That I consente and conferme every-deel
Your wordes alle, and your opinioun.
By god, ther nis no man in al this toun
N‘in al Itaille, that coude bet han sayd;
Crist halt him of this conseil wel apayd.
And trewely, it is an heigh corage
Of any man, that stapen is in age,
To take a yong wyf; by my fader kin,
Justinus truly was called the other.
Placebo said, “Oh January, brother,
Full little need have you, my lord so dear,
Counsel to ask of any who is here,
But you are so full of wisdom
That you do not like, for your high pru
dence,
To waiver from the word of Solomon.8
This word said he to every one:
‘Do all things by counsel,’ thus said he,
‘And you shall not repentant be.’
But though Solomon spoke such a word,
My own dear brother and my lord,
So wisely God my soul brings to rest,
I hold your own counsel is the best.
For, brother mine, of me take this advice:
I have now been a courtier all my life,
And, God knows, though I unworthy be,
I have stood in full great degree
With lords of full high estate;
Yet had I never with them any debate.
I never them contraried, truly;
I know well that my lord knows more than I.
What he says, I hold it truth unshakable;
I say the same, or else something it resembles.
A full great fool is any counselor
Who serves any lord of high honor,
Who dares presume, or else thinks it,
That his counsel should exceed his lord’s wit.
Nay, lords be no fools, by my faith!
You have yourself shown here today
Such good judgement, so holily and well,
That I consent and confirm everything
Your words all and your opinion.
By God, there is no man in all this town,
Nor in Italy, who could have better spoken!
Christ considers himself of this counsel full well satisfied.
And truly, it is a bold thing
For any man who is advanced in years
To take a young wife; by my father’s kin,
Your herte hangeth on a joly pin.
Doth now in this matere right as yow leste,
For finally I holde it for the beste.”
Justinus, that ay stille sat and herde,
Right in this wyse to Placebo answerde:
“Now brother myn, be pacient, I preye,
Sin ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye.
Senek among his othere wordes wyse
Seith, that a man oghte him right wel avyse,
To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel.
And sin I oghte avyse me right wel
To whom I yeve my good awey fro me,
Wel muchel more I oghte avysed be
To whom I yeve my body; for alwey
I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley
To take a wyf with-outen avysement.
Men moste enquere, this is myn assent,
Wher she be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe,
Or proud, or elles other-weys a shrewe;
A chydester, or wastour of thy good,
Or riche, or poore, or elles mannish wood.
Al-be-it so that no man finden shal
Noon in this world that trotteth hool in al,
Ne man ne beest, swich as men coude devyse;
But nathelees, it oghte y-nough suffise
With any wyf, if so were that she hadde
Mo gode thewes than hir vyces badde:
And al this axeth leyser for t‘enquere.
For god it woot, I have wept many a tere
Ful prively, sin I have had a wyf.
Preyse who-so wole a wedded mannes lyf,
Certein, I finde in it but cost and care,
And observances, of alle blisses bare.
And yet, god woot, my neighebores aboute,
And namely of wommen many a route,
Seyn that I have the moste stedefast wyf,
And eek the mekeste oon that bereth lyf.
But I wot best wher wringeth me my sho.
Ye mowe, for me, right as yow lyketh do;
Your heart hangs on a jolly pin!
Do now in this matter right as you wish,
For finally I hold it for the best.”
Justinus, who ever sat still and heard,
Right in this way he to Placebo answered:
“Now brother mine, be patient, I pray,
Since you have spoken, listen to what I say.
Seneca, among other words wise,
Says that a man ought him consider well
To whom he gives his land or his goods.9
And since I ought consider right well
To whom I give my property,
So much more ought I thoughtful be
With regard to whom I give my body.
I warn you well, it is no child’s play
To take a wife without deliberation.
Men must inquire—this is my opinion—
Whether she be wise, or sober, or a drinker,
Or proud, or else otherwise a shrew,
A scold or a waster of your goods,
Or fierce, or poor, or else man-crazy.
Albeit that no man shall find
One in this world who is without fault,
Neither man, nor beast, such as man can imagine;
But nevertheless it ought enough suffice
With any wife, if she has
More virtues good than vices bad;
And all this requires leisure for to inquire.
For, God knows, I have wept many a tear
Full privately, since I have had a wife.
Praise whoso will a wedded man’s life,
Certainly in it I find but cost and care
And duties, of all blisses bare.
And yet, God knows, my neighbors nearabout,
And namely of women many a crowd,
Say that I have the most steadfast wife,
And also the meekest one alive;
But I know best where pinches me my shoe.
You may, so far as I care, do as you choose;
Avyseth yow, ye been a man of age,
How that ye entren in-to mariage,
And namely with a yong wyf and a fair.
By him that made water, erthe, and air,
The yongest man that is in al this route
Is bisy y-nogh to bringen it aboute
To han his wyf allone, trusteth me.
Ye shul nat plese hir fully yeres three,
This is to seyn, to doon hir ful plesaunce.
A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce.
I prey yow that ye be nat yvel apayd.”
“Wel,” quod this Januarie, “and hastow sayd?
Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes,
I counte nat a panier ful of herbes
Of scole-termes; wyser men than thow,
As thou hast herd, assenteden right now
To my purpos; Placebo, what sey ye?”
“I seye, it is a cursed man,” quod he,
“That letteth matrimoine, sikerly.”
And with that word they rysen sodeynly,
And been assented fully, that he sholde
Be wedded whanne him list and wher he wolde.
Heigh fantasye and curious bisinesse
Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
Of Januarie aboute his mariage.
Many fair shap, and many a fair visage
Ther passeth thurgh his herte, night by night.
As who-so toke a mirour polished bright,
And sette it in a commune market-place,
Than sholde he see many a figure pace
By his mirour; and, in the same wyse,
Gan Januarie inwith his thoght devyse
Of maydens, whiche that dwelten him bisyde.
He wiste nat wher that he mighte abyde.
For if that oon have beautee in hir face,
Another stant so in the peples grace
For hir sadnesse, and hir benignitee,
That of the peple grettest voys hath she.
And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
Take heed—you be a man of age—
How you enter into marriage,
And namely a young wife and fair.
By him who made water, earth and air,
The youngest man
who is in all this company
Is busy enough to bring it about
To have his wife to himself alone. Trust me,
You shall not please her fully years three—
This is to say, to do her full pleasure.
A wife asks full many a duty.
I pray you that you be not displeased.”
“Well,” said this January, “and are you finished?
Straw for your Seneca, and for your proverbs!
I give not a basket full of herbs
For a scholar’s words. Wiser men than you,
As you may have heard, agree right now
To my purpose. Placebo, what say you?”
“I say it is a cursed man,” said he,
“Who hinders matrimony, certainly.”
And with that word they rose suddenly,
And were agreed fully that he should
Be wedded when he wanted and where he would.
High imagination and long thought
From day to day began to fasten the mind
Of January about his marriage.
Many a fair shape and many a fair visage
There passed through his heart night by night,
And whoso took a mirror, polished bright,
And set it in a common market-place,
Then should he see many a visage pace
By his mirror; and in the same way
Began January within his thought to imagine
Maidens who dwelt him nearby.
He knew not where or how he might decide.
For if one had beauty in her face,
Another stood so in the people’s grace
For her seriousness and her benignity
That of the people greatest praise had she;
And some were rich and had bad names.
But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game,
He atte laste apoynted him on oon,
And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
And chees hir of his owene auctoritee;
For love is blind al day, and may nat see.
And whan that he was in his bed y-broght,
He purtreyed, in his herte and in his thoght,
Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
Hir myddel smal, hir armes longe and sclendre,
Hir wyse governaunce, hir gentillesse,
Hir wommanly beringe and hir sadnesse.
And whan that he on hir was condescended,
Him thoughte his chois mighte nat ben amended.
For whan that he him-self concluded hadde,
Him thoughte ech other mannes wit so badde,
That impossible it were to replye
Agayn his chois, this was his fantasye.
His freendes sente he to at his instaunce,
And preyed hem to doon him that plesaunce,
That hastily they wolden to him come;
He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some.
Nedeth na-more for him to go ne ryde,
He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
Placebo cam, and eek his freendes sone,
Canterbury Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Page 45