Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50)

by Homer

  Nor bread nor ale, till he came to the sell1, 1threshold

  Upon the floor, and there in swoon he lay.

  Up started Alison and Nicholay,

  And cried out an “harow!” in the street.

  The neighbours alle, bothe small and great

  In ranne, for to gauren1 on this man, 1stare

  That yet in swoone lay, both pale and wan:

  For with the fall he broken had his arm.

  But stand he must unto his owen harm,

  For when he spake, he was anon borne down

  With Hendy Nicholas and Alisoun.

  They told to every man that he was wood1; 1mad

  He was aghaste1 so of Noe’s flood, 1afraid

  Through phantasy, that of his vanity

  He had y-bought him kneading-tubbes three,

  And had them hanged in the roof above;

  And that he prayed them for Godde’s love

  To sitten in the roof for company.

  The folk gan laughen at his phantasy.

  Into the roof they kyken1 and they gape, 1peep, look.

  And turned all his harm into a jape1. 1jest

  For whatsoe’er this carpenter answer’d,

  It was for nought, no man his reason heard.

  With oathes great he was so sworn adown,

  That he was holden wood in all the town.

  For every clerk anon right held with other;

  They said, “The man was wood, my leve1 brother;” 1dear

  And every wight gan laughen at his strife.

  Thus swived1 was the carpentere’s wife, 1enjoyed

  For all his keeping1 and his jealousy; 1care

  And Absolon hath kiss’d her nether eye;

  And Nicholas is scalded in the tout.

  This tale is done, and God save all the rout1. 1company

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  The Wife of Bath’s Tale

  THE PROLOGUE.

  Experience, though none authority1 1authoritative texts

  Were in this world, is right enough for me

  To speak of woe that is in marriage:

  For, lordings, since I twelve year was of age,

  (Thanked be God that 1is etern on live),1 1lives eternally1

  Husbands at the church door have I had five,

  For I so often have y-wedded be,

  And all were worthy men in their degree.

  But me was told, not longe time gone is

  That sithen1 Christe went never but ones 1since

  To wedding, in the Cane1 of Galilee, 1Cana

  That by that ilk1 example taught he me, 1same

  That I not wedded shoulde be but once.

  Lo, hearken eke a sharp word for the nonce,1 1occasion

  Beside a welle Jesus, God and man,

  Spake in reproof of the Samaritan:

  “Thou hast y-had five husbandes,” said he;

  “And thilke1 man, that now hath wedded thee, 1that

  Is not thine husband:” thus said he certain;

  What that he meant thereby, I cannot sayn.

  But that I aske, why the fifthe man

  Was not husband to the Samaritan?

  How many might she have in marriage?

  Yet heard I never tellen 1in mine age1 1in my life1

  Upon this number definitioun.

  Men may divine, and glosen1 up and down; 1comment

  But well I wot, express without a lie,

  God bade us for to wax and multiply;

  That gentle text can I well understand.

  Eke well I wot, he said, that mine husband

  Should leave father and mother, and take to me;

  But of no number mention made he,

  Of bigamy or of octogamy;

  Why then should men speak of it villainy?1 1as if it were a disgrace

  Lo here, the wise king Dan1 Solomon, 1Lord

  I trow that he had wives more than one;

  As would to God it lawful were to me

  To be refreshed half so oft as he!

  What gift1 of God had he for all his wives? 1special favour, licence

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

  God wot, this noble king, 1as to my wit,1 1as I understand1

  The first night had many a merry fit

  With each of them, so 1well was him on live.1 1so well he lived1

  Blessed be God that I have wedded five!

  Welcome the sixth whenever that he shall.

  For since I will not keep me chaste in all,

  When mine husband is from the world y-gone,

  Some Christian man shall wedde me anon.

  For then th’ apostle saith that I am free

  To wed, 1a’ God’s half,1 where it liketh me. 1on God’s part1

  He saith, that to be wedded is no sin;

  Better is to be wedded than to brin.1 1burn

  What recketh1 me though folk say villainy2 1care 2evil

  Of shrewed1 Lamech, and his bigamy? 1impious, wicked

  I wot well Abraham was a holy man,

  And Jacob eke, as far as ev’r I can.1 1know

  And each of them had wives more than two;

  And many another holy man also.

  Where can ye see, 1in any manner age,1 1in any period1

  That highe God defended1 marriage 1forbade

  By word express? I pray you tell it me;

  Or where commanded he virginity?

  I wot as well as you, it is no dread,1 1doubt

  Th’ apostle, when he spake of maidenhead,

  He said, that precept thereof had he none:

  Men may counsel a woman to be one,1 1a maid

  But counseling is no commandement;

  He put it in our owen judgement.

  For, hadde God commanded maidenhead,

  Then had he damned1 wedding out of dread;2 1condemned 2doubt

  And certes, if there were no seed y-sow,1 1sown

  Virginity then whereof should it grow?

  Paul durste not commanden, at the least,

  A thing of which his Master gave no hest.1 1command

  The dart1 is set up for virginity; 1goal

  Catch whoso may, who runneth best let see.

  But this word is not ta’en of every wight,

  1But there as1 God will give it of his might. 1except where1

  I wot well that th’ apostle was a maid,

  But natheless, although he wrote and said,

  He would that every wight were such as he,

  All is but counsel to virginity.

  And, since to be a wife he gave me leave

  Of indulgence, so is it no repreve1 1scandal, reproach

  To wedde me, if that my make1 should die, 1mate, husband

  Without exception1 of bigamy; 1charge, reproach

  1All were it1 good no woman for to touch 1though it might be1

  (He meant as in his bed or in his couch),

  For peril is both fire and tow t’assemble

  Ye know what this example may resemble.

  This is all and some, he held virginity

  More profit than wedding in frailty:

  (1Frailty clepe I, but if1 that he and she 1frailty I call it,

  Would lead their lives all in chastity), unless1

  I grant it well, I have of none envy

  Who maidenhead prefer to bigamy;

  It liketh them t’ be clean in body and ghost;1 1soul

  Of mine estate1 I will not make a boast. 1condition

  For, well ye know, a lord in his household

  Hath not every vessel all of gold;

  Some are of tree, and do their lord service.

  God calleth folk to him in sundry wise,

  And each one hath of God a proper gift,

  Some this, some that, as liketh him to shift.1 1appoint, distribute

  Virginity is great perfection,

  And continence eke with devotion:

  But Christ, t
hat of perfection is the well,1 1fountain

  Bade not every wight he should go sell

  All that he had, and give it to the poor,

  And in such wise follow him and his lore:1 1doctrine

  He spake to them that would live perfectly, —

  And, lordings, by your leave, that am not I;

  I will bestow the flower of mine age

  In th’ acts and in the fruits of marriage.

  Tell me also, to what conclusion1 1end, purpose

  Were members made of generation,

  And of so perfect wise a wight1 y-wrought? 1being

  Trust me right well, they were not made for nought.

  Glose whoso will, and say both up and down,

  That they were made for the purgatioun

  Of urine, and of other thinges smale,

  And eke to know a female from a male:

  And for none other cause? say ye no?

  Experience wot well it is not so.

  So that the clerkes1 be not with me wroth, 1scholars

  I say this, that they were made for both,

  That is to say, 1for office, and for ease1 1for duty and

  Of engendrure, there we God not displease. for pleasure1

  Why should men elles in their bookes set,

  That man shall yield unto his wife her debt?

  Now wherewith should he make his payement,

  If he us’d not his silly instrument?

  Then were they made upon a creature

  To purge urine, and eke for engendrure.

  But I say not that every wight is hold,1 1obliged

  That hath such harness1 as I to you told, 1equipment

  To go and use them in engendrure;

  Then should men take of chastity no cure.1 1care

  Christ was a maid, and shapen1 as a man, 1fashioned

  And many a saint, since that this world began,

  Yet ever liv’d in perfect chastity.

  I will not vie1 with no virginity. 1contend

  Let them with bread of pured1 wheat be fed, 1purified

  And let us wives eat our barley bread.

  And yet with barley bread, Mark tell us can,

  Our Lord Jesus refreshed many a man.

  In such estate as God hath 1cleped us,1 1called us to

  I’ll persevere, I am not precious,1 1over-dainty

  In wifehood I will use mine instrument

  As freely as my Maker hath it sent.

  If I be dangerous1 God give me sorrow; 1sparing of my favours

  Mine husband shall it have, both eve and morrow,

  When that him list come forth and pay his debt.

  A husband will I have, I 1will no let,1 1will bear no hindrance1

  Which shall be both my debtor and my thrall,1 1slave

  And have his tribulation withal

  Upon his flesh, while that I am his wife.

  I have the power during all my life

  Upon his proper body, and not he;

  Right thus th’ apostle told it unto me,

  And bade our husbands for to love us well;

  All this sentence me liketh every deal.1 1whit

  Up start the Pardoner, and that anon;

  “Now, Dame,” quoth he, “by God and by Saint John,

  Ye are a noble preacher in this case.

  I was about to wed a wife, alas!

  What? should I bie1 it on my flesh so dear? 1suffer for

  Yet had I lever1 wed no wife this year.” 1rather

  “Abide,”1 quoth she; “my tale is not begun 1wait in patience

  Nay, thou shalt drinken of another tun

  Ere that I go, shall savour worse than ale.

  And when that I have told thee forth my tale

  Of tribulation in marriage,

  Of which I am expert in all mine age,

  (This is to say, myself hath been the whip),

  Then mayest thou choose whether thou wilt sip

  Of 1thilke tunne,1 that I now shall broach. 1that tun1

  Beware of it, ere thou too nigh approach,

  For I shall tell examples more than ten:

  Whoso will not beware by other men,

  By him shall other men corrected be:

  These same wordes writeth Ptolemy;

  Read in his Almagest, and take it there.”

  “Dame, I would pray you, if your will it were,”

  Saide this Pardoner, “as ye began,

  Tell forth your tale, and spare for no man,

  And teach us younge men of your practique.”

  “Gladly,” quoth she, “since that it may you like.

  But that I pray to all this company,

  If that I speak after my fantasy,

  To take nought agrief1 what I may say; 1to heart

  For mine intent is only for to play.

  Now, Sirs, then will I tell you forth my tale.

  As ever may I drinke wine or ale

  I shall say sooth; the husbands that I had

  Three of them were good, and two were bad

  The three were goode men, and rich, and old

  1Unnethes mighte they the statute hold1 1they could with difficulty

  In which that they were bounden unto me. obey the law1

  Yet wot well what I mean of this, pardie.1 1by God

  As God me help, I laugh when that I think

  How piteously at night I made them swink,1 1labour

  But, 1by my fay, I told of it no store:1 1by my faith, I held it

  They had me giv’n their land and their treasor, of no account1

  Me needed not do longer diligence

  To win their love, or do them reverence.

  They loved me so well, by God above,

  That I 1tolde no dainty1 of their love. 1cared nothing for1

  A wise woman will busy her ever-in-one1 1constantly

  To get their love, where that she hath none.

  But, since I had them wholly in my hand,

  And that they had me given all their land,

  Why should I take keep1 them for to please, 1care

  But1 it were for my profit, or mine ease? 1unless

  I set them so a-worke, by my fay,

  That many a night they sange, well-away!

  The bacon was not fetched for them, I trow,

  That some men have in Essex at Dunmow.

  I govern’d them so well after my law,

  That each of them full blissful was and fawe1 1fain

  To bringe me gay thinges from the fair.

  They were full glad when that I spake them fair,

  For, God it wot, I 1chid them spiteously.1 1rebuked them angrily1

  Now hearken how I bare me properly.

  Ye wise wives, that can understand,

  Thus should ye speak, and 1bear them wrong on hand,1 1make them

  For half so boldely can there no man believe falsely1

  Swearen and lien as a woman can.

  (I say not this by wives that be wise,

  1But if1 it be when they them misadvise.)1 1unless1 1act unadvisedly

  A wise wife, if that she can1 her good, 1knows

  Shall 1beare them on hand1 the cow is wood, 1make them believe1

  And take witness of her owen maid

  Of their assent: but hearken how I said.

  “Sir olde kaynard, is this thine array?

  Why is my neigheboure’s wife so gay?

  She is honour’d 1over all where1 she go’th, 1wheresoever

  I sit at home, I have no 1thrifty cloth.1 1good clothes1

  What dost thou at my neigheboure’s house?

  Is she so fair? art thou so amorous?

  What rown’st1 thou with our maid? benedicite, 1whisperest

  Sir olde lechour, let thy japes1 be. 1tricks

  And if I have a gossip, or a friend

  (Withoute guilt), thou chidest as a fiend,

  If that I walk or play unto his house.

  Thou comest home as drunken as a mouse,

  And preachest on
thy bench, with evil prefe:1 1proof

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

  To wed a poore woman, for costage:1 1expense

  And if that she be rich, of high parage;1 1 birth

  Then say’st thou, that it is a tormentry

  To suffer her pride and melancholy.

  And if that she be fair, thou very knave,

  Thou say’st that every holour1 will her have; 1whoremonger

  She may no while in chastity abide,

  That is assailed upon every side.

  Thou say’st some folk desire us for richess,

  Some for our shape, and some for our fairness,

  And some, for she can either sing or dance,

  And some for gentiless and dalliance,

  Some for her handes and her armes smale:

  Thus goes all to the devil, by thy tale;

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

  That may be so assailed 1over all.1 1everywhere1

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

  Coveteth every man that she may see;

  For as a spaniel she will on him leap,

  Till she may finde some man her to cheap;1 1buy

  And none so grey goose goes there in the lake,

  (So say’st thou) that will be without a make.1 1mate

  And say’st, it is a hard thing for to weld 1wield, govern

  A thing that no man will, 1his thankes, held.1 1hold with his goodwill1

  Thus say’st thou, lorel,1 when thou go’st to bed, 1good-for-nothing

  And that no wise man needeth for to wed,

  Nor no man that intendeth unto heaven.

  With wilde thunder dint1 and fiery leven2 1 stroke 2lightning

  Mote1 thy wicked necke be to-broke. 1may

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

  And chiding wives, make men to flee

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

  What aileth such an old man for to chide?

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

  Till we be fast,1 and then we will them shew. 1wedded

  Well may that be a proverb of a shrew.1 1ill-tempered wretch

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

  They be 1assayed at diverse stounds,1 1tested at various

  Basons and lavers, ere that men them buy, seasons

  Spoones, stooles, and all such husbandry,

  And so be pots, and clothes, and array,1 1raiment

  But folk of wives make none assay,

  Till they be wedded, — olde dotard shrew! —

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

  Thou say’st also, that it displeaseth me,

  But if 1 that thou wilt praise my beauty, 1unless