The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 359]

Incipit fabula vxoris de Bathonia.

IN þe olde daies of þe kinge Arthoure Of whiche þat bretons speken grete honoure. All was þis land fulfilled of faire The Elphe queene wiþ hir Ioly compaignie Line 860 Daunced withe-oute in mony a grene mede Þis was þe olde opinion þat .I. rede .I. speke of mony a .C. ȝere a-go Bot now can no man see none elues mo Line 864 For þe grete charite and þe preiers Of lymytours and of oþer pouere frers Þat serchen euery lande and euery streme As þikke as motes in þe sonne beme Line 868 Blissinge halles chambres bowres Citees burghes Castels hihe towres Thorpes bernes schipnes dayeries þis makeþ þat þere be no fairies Line 872 For þere as was wonte to walke an elfe [folio 97b] Þer walkeþ nowe þe limitour him selfe In vndermeles and in morneynges And seiþe his Matines and his holy þinges Line 876 As he goþ in his visitacioune Wemmen maie go nowe sauely vpe and doune In euery bossche or vnder euere-y tre There is none oþer Incubus bot he Line 880 And he wil do hem bot disonoure And so fel it þat þis kinge Arþoure Had in his house a lusty bachellier Þat on a daie cam rideinge fro þe reuere Line 884

[6-text p 360] Line 884 And happed a-lone as sche was borne He sawhe a maiden walkinge him be-forne Of whiche maiden maugreue hire hede be verrei force he raft hir hir maidenhede Line 888 For wiche oppression was suche clamoure And suche pursuyt vnto kinge Arthoure That dampned was þis knyht for to be dede Be cours of lawe and scholde haue lost his hede Line 892 Parauenture suche was þe statute þo Bot þat þe queene and oþer ladies mo So longe preide þe kinge of grace Til he his him graunted in þe place Line 896 And ȝaue to þe qwene al att hir will To chese weþer sche wolde him saue or spill The queen þonked þe kinge wiþ al here myht And after þis þus spak sche to þe knyht Line 900 Whan þat sche seihe her time vpon a daye Thou stondest ȝit quod sche in suche araye þat of þi lyf ȝit hast þou no surte .I. graunte þe lif; if þu canst tel me Line 904 what þinge is þat wemmen moste desiren Be war and kepe þi nekke bone from yren And if þou can nouȝt tel it me anone Ȝit wil .I. ȝeue þe leue for to gone Line 908 A twelmoþ and a daie to seke and lere An ansewere sufficiant in þis matier And surte wil .I. haue ar þat þou pace Thi body for to ȝelden in þis place Line 912 Woo was þis knyht and sorwful he sikeþ Bot whate he may nouht do al as him likeþ And att þe last he chase him for to wende [folio 98a] An com aȝeine riht att þe ȝeres ende Line 916 With suche answere as god wold him purueye And takeþ his leue and wendeþ forþ his weye He sekeþe euery house and euery place Where as hopeþ for to finde grace Line 920

[6-text p 361] Line 920 To leren whatt þinge wemmen louen most Bot he nowe couþe riden in no cost Where as he myht finde in þis matier Two creatures accordinge in fere Line 924 Some seide wemmen louen best riches Some seide honour some seid Iolynes Some seide Riche araye and lust abedde And oft tim to be wedowe and wedde Line 928 Some seide þat we be most esede Whan þat we bene flaterde and yplesede He goþ ful nyhe þe soþe .I. wil nouht lye A man schal wynne vs best wiþ flaterye Line 932 And wiþ attendance and wiþ besines Bene we y-lymede boþ more and les And som men sein howe þat we louen best For to bue fre and do riht as vs lest Line 936 And þat no man repreue vs of oure vice Bot sei þat we bue wise and noþinge nice For trewly þare is none of vs al If any wight wil clowe vs on þe gal Line 940 Þat we nyl loke or he seie þe soþe Assaie and he schal finde it þat he doþe For be we neuere so vicious with-inne we wil be holden wise and clene of sinne Line 944 And summen seine þat grete delite haue we For to be holden stable and eke secre And in o purpos stedfastly to dwell And nouht be-wrye þinge þat men vs tell Line 948 Bot þat tale is nouȝt worþ a rake stele Parde we wemmen kan no þinge hele Wittenesse of myda wil ȝe here þe tale Ouide a-monges oþer þinges smale Line 952 Seiþ Mida ha vndre his longe heres Growinge vpon his tuo asse eres The whiche vice he hidde as he best myht Ful subtily from eueryche mannes siht Line 956

[6-text p 362] Line 956 That saue his wif þer wist þere-of no mo [folio 98b] He loued hir most and trist to hir also He praide hir most þat vnto no creature sche schold nouȝt tel of his disfigure Line 960 Sche swore him naye for al þis werld to wynne Sche nold do; þat velany or þat synne To make hir husbonde haue so foule a name For reproueinge of him and fowle schame Line 964 Bot Naþeles hir þouht þat sche deide þat sche so longe scholde a counsel hide Hir þouht it satt so sore aboute hir hert Þat nedely sum worde hir mot a-stert Line 968 And seþ sche dorste tel it to no man Doune to a marese fast sche ranne Til sche came þer hire hert was a fire And as betoure bebleþ in þe myre Line 972 Sche laide hir mouþe in-to þe water downe Be-wrye me nouht þou water wiþ þi soune Quod sche . to þe .I. tel it and no mo Myne husbonde haþe longe asses eres tuo Line 976 Nowe is myne hert al hole now it is owte .I. myht no longer kep it oute of doute Here mai ȝe see þouhe we a time abide Ȝit oute it mot we mowe no counsel hide Line 980 Þe remenant of þe tale if ȝe wil here Redeþ ovide and ȝe maie it lere This knyht of wiche mi tale is speciali Whan þat he sauh he miht nouht com þere bye Line 984 This to seie what wemmen louen most Wiþ-inne his hert sorweful was þe goste Bot home he goþe he miht nouht soiorne The daie was come þat homward most he torne Line 988 And in his wei it happed him to ride In all his care vnder a forest side Where he sawhe on o daunce go Of ladys foure and twenty and ȝit moo Line 992

[6-text p 363] Line 992 Towarde þe dawnce he drowhe him ȝerne In hope þat som wisdome scholde he lerene Bot certeinly ar he came fully þere Vanyssched was þe daunce he wist nouht where. Line 996 No creature sawe he þat bare lif Saue in þe grene he sawhe sittinge a wif A fowler wight þei may no man devise [folio 99a] A-ȝein þe knyht þe olde wif gan arise Line 1000 And seid sir knyht here forþe liþe no weye Tel me what þat ȝe seken be ȝoure feye Parauentur it maie þe better be This olde folke can muche þinge quod sche Line 1004 My leue quod þis knyht serteine .I. am bot dede bot if þat .I. can seine Whatt þinge it is þat wemmen most desire Couþe ȝe me wise .I. wold wele white ȝowre hire Line 1008 Plyht me þi trouþe here in my honde quod sche The next þinge þat .I. require þe Thowe schalt it do if it ly in þi myht And .I. wil tel it ȝowe ar it he nyht Line 1012 Haue here my trouþe quod knyht .I. graunt Þat quod sche .I. maye me wele auant Thi lif is saue for .I. wil stonde þer bye Vpon my lif þe qweene wil saie as .I. Line 1016 Latt see whiche is þe proddest of hem al That wereþ on a kercheue or a cal þat dar sey nay of þat .I. schal ȝow teche Lat vs go forþe wiþ-oute longer speche Line 1020 Tho rouned sche a pistel in his ere And bad him to be gladde and haue no fere Whann þei be commen to þe courte þis knyht Seid he had holde his daie as he had hiht Line 1024 And redy was his ansewere as he seide Foll mony a noble wif and mony a maide And mony a wedew for þat þei bu wise The queene hire seluen sitt Iuge as Iustise Line 1028

[6-text p 364] Line 1028 Assemblede ben his answere for to here And afterwarde þis knyht was bode a-piere And þat þe knyht schold tel in audience To euery. wight commanded was silence Line 1032 What þinge þat werldly wemmen louen mest þis knyht ne stode nouȝt stil as doþe a beste Bo to þis questione a-none he ansewerde Wiþ manly voyce þat al þe court it herde Line 1036 My liege lady lady general quod he. Womman desiret to haue souereynte As wele ouer hir husbonde as hir loue And for to be in maistre him a-boue Line 1040 This ȝowre most desire þouhe ȝe me kill [folio 99b] Doþe as ȝowe list .I. am here att ȝoure will In al þe courte ne was þer wif ne maide Ne wedowe þat contraried þat he seide Line 1044 Bot seyden he was worþi to haue his lyf And wiþ þat worde vpstert þis olde wif Whiche þat þe knyht sawe sittinge on þe grene Mercie quod sche Mi souereine ladi qweene Line 1048 Ar þat ȝoure Court depart do me riht .I. tauht þis ansewer vn-to þis knyht For whiche he pliht me his trouþe þere The first þinge .I. wolde of him require Line 1052 He wolde it do if it lei in his myhte Be-for þe Court þan praie .I. þe sir knyht Quod sche þat þu me tak vnto þi wif For wele þu woste þat .I. haue kepped þi lif Line 1056 If .I. saye fals seye soþe vpon þi fey This knyht ansewerd alas and walawaie .I. wote riht wele þat suche was my beheste For goddes loue chese a newe requeste Line 1060 Tak al my goode and lat my body go Nay þan quod sche .I. schrewe vs boþe tuo For þat .I. be foule olde and pouer .I. nolde for al þe metal ne for Oer Line 1064

[6-text p 365] Line 1064 þat vnder erþe is graue or liþe aboue Bot if þat .I. þi wif were and þi loue Mi loue quod he nay my . dampnacione Alas þat any of my nacione Line 1068 Schold euere so foule disparaged bue Bot al for nouht þe ende is þis þat he Constreigned was he nedes most he hir wedde And takeþ þis olde wif and goþ to bedde Line 1072 Now wold sum men seine parauenture Þat for my necligence .I. do no cure To tel ȝowe þe Ioye and þe arraye Þat att þe feste was þilke daye Line 1076 To whiche þinge schortely ansewere .I. schal. .I. seie þer was no ioye ne fest att al Þer nas bot heuynes and muche sorwe For priuely he wede hire on morwe Line 1080 And al daie after hidde him as an owle So woo was him his wif loked so foule. Grete was þe sorwe þe knyht had in his þouht [folio 100a] Whan he was wiþ his wyf ybedde brouht Line 1084 He waloweþ and torneþ to and fro His olde [wyf] laye smyleinge euermo And seide Dere husbonde o benedicite Fareþ euery knyht þus wiþ his wif as ȝe Line 1088 Is þis þe lawe of kinge Arþors house Is euery knyht of his þus daungerous .I. am ȝoure loue and eke ȝoure wif .I. am sche whiche saued haþ ȝoure lif Line 1092 And sertes ȝit dide .I. ȝowe neuer vnriht Whi fare ȝe þus wiþ me þe first niht Ȝe faren like a man þat had lost his witte Fy what is my gilte for goddes loue tell itte Line 1096 And it schal bue amended if .I. maie Amend quod þis knyht nay naye That wil nouht bue amendede neuere mo Þou ert so loþely and so olde also Line 1100

[6-text p 366] Line 1100 And þer-to comen of so lowe a kinde þat litel wonder is þouhe .I. walow and winde So wolde god myne herte wolde to-breste Is þis quod sche þe cause of ȝoure vnreste Line 1104 Ȝe certeinly quod he no wonder is Nowe sir quod sche .I. couþe amende al þis If þat me list ar it were daies þre So well ȝe myhtte bere ȝowe vn-to me Line 1108 Bot for ȝe speken of suche gentillese As is descended oute of al richesse þat þere-for scholden ȝe be gentil men Suche errogance is nouht worþe an hen Line 1112 Lo who þat most is vertuous alweie Preue and a-pert and most endeþ aie To do gentil dedes þat he can And take him for þe grettest gentil man Line 1116 Crist will we cleime of him oure gentilnes Not of oure eldres for here olde reches For þouhe þei ȝeue vs al her Heritage For whiche we cleime to be of hihe parage Line 1120 Ȝit may þei nouht be-queþe for no þinge To none of vs her vertuous leueinge That maad hem gentil men y-called be And bad vs folowen hem in suche degre. Line 1124 Wele can þe wise Poet of fflorens [folio 100b] Þat hiht Dante spekeþ in þis sentens Lo in Suche maner rim is dantes tale Ful selde vp riseþ be his braunches smale Line 1128 Prowes of man for god of his prouesse Wil þat we of cleime oure gentillesse For of oure helders maie we no þinge cleime Bot temperal þinge þat man maie hirte and maheime Line 1132 Eke euery white wote þis as wele as .I. If gentillesse were planted naturalye Into a certeine lignage doune þe line Preue and aperte þan wold hey neuer fyne Line 1136

[6-text p 367] Line 1136 To done of gentillesse þe faire ofice Thei myhten do no velany nor vice Tak fire and bere it in þe derkest house Be-twex þis and þe mount of Caucasouse Line 1140 And let men schette þe dore and go þeṇne Ȝit wil þe fire ly as fair and brenne As þouh a .M. men myht it be-holde His office naturele ay wil it holde Line 1144 Vp peril of lif til þat it deie Here maie ȝe se wele howe þat genterye Is nouht anexed to possession Seþ folke doþ nouht her operacion Line 1148 Alweie as doþe þe fire lo in his kinde For god it wote men maie ful often finde A lorde sone do schame and velanye And he þat wil haue prise of his gentirye Line 1152 For he was borne of a gentil hous And hadde his heldres noble and vertuous And nyl him-seluen do no gentil dedes Ne folowe his gentill ancestre þat dedes Line 1156 He is nouht gentil be he duc or Erle For veleyns sinful dede mak a cherle For gentillesse ne is bot reuente Of þine Auncestres for hire bente Line 1160 Whiche is a stronge þinge for þi persone The gentilles comeþ fro god alone Than comeþ oure verraie gentilles of grace He was noþinge be-queþe vs wiþ oure place Line 1164 Thinkeþ howe noble as seiþ valerius Was þilke tullius hostilius. That oute of pouert ros to hihe noblesse [folio 101a] Redeþ Senec and rede eke Boesse Line 1168 There schold ȝe seen expresse þat it no drede is That is gentil þat doþe gentil dedes And þer-fore dere husbonde .I. þus conclude Al were þat myne Ancestres were so rude Line 1172

[6-text p 368] Line 1172 Ȝit maie þat hihe god and so hope .I. Graunt me grace to leue vertuously Than am .I. gentil whan þat .I. be-ginne To leuen vertuously and weuen sinne Line 1176 ¶ And þare as ȝe of pouert me repreue The hihe god on whom þat we beleue In wilful pouert ches to leue his lif And certes euery man and maide and wif Line 1180 Maie vnder-stonde ihesu heuen kinge Ne wold nouȝt chese a vicious leueinge Glad pouert is an honest þinge certeigne This wil senec an[d] oþere clerkes seine Line 1184 Who so þat holde him paide of his pouert .I. holde him riche al had he nouht sert He þat coueteþ is a pouer wight For he wold haue þat is nouht in his myht Line 1188 Bot þat nouht haþe ne coueteþ to haue Is riche al-þouhe men holde him bot a knaue Verray pouert is sinne propurly Iuuenal seiþe of pouert merely Line 1192 The pore man whan he goþ be þe waye Be-for þe þeues he maie singe and pleye Pouert is hatel good and as .I. gesse A ful grete bringer oute of besinesse Line 1196 A gre amender eke of Sapience To him þat lakkeþ it in pacience Pouer is þis al þouhe it seme Alinge Possessione þat no wyht wil chalinge. Line 1200 Pouert ful oft whan a ma[n] is lowe Makeþ his and eke him self to knowe Pouert in spektacle is as þenkeþ me Þourhe whiche he maie his verray frende se Line 1204 And þere sen þat .I. ȝowe nouȝt greue Of my pouert no more me repreue Nowe sire of elde ȝe preue me And certes sir þoruhe none auctorite Line 1208

[6-text p 369] Line 1208 Wher in no boke ȝe gentil of honoure [folio 101b] Seine þat men scholde an olde wife do fauoure And clepe her moder for her gentillesse An Auctours schal .I. finde as .I. gesse Line 1212 Nowe þere ȝe seine þat .I. am foule and olde Þan drede ȝowe nouht to be no cokewolde For filþe and helþe as mot .I. þe Bene grete werdeins vpon chastite Line 1216 Bot naþeles sen .I. knowe ȝoure delite .I. scha[l] ful-fill ȝoure werly appetite Chese nowe quod sche one of þis þinges tweye To haue me foule and olde til þat .I. deie Line 1220 And be to ȝowe a trewe humble wif And neuer ȝoue displese in al my lif Or elles ȝe wil haue me ȝonge and faire And take ȝoure auenture of þe repaire Line 1224 That schal com to ȝoure house be cause of me Or in sume oþere place wel maie be Nowe chese ȝoure seluen wheþer þat ȝou likeþ This knyht a-vised him and sore he sikeþ Line 1228 Bot att þe last he seide in þis manere My lady and my loue and wife so dere .I. putte me in ȝoure wise gouernaunce Gesseþ ȝoure self whiche maie be most plesaunce Line 1232 And most honour to ȝowe and me also .I. do no force wheþer of þe tue For as ȝowe likeþ it sufficet me Than haue .I. gete of ȝowe þe maistre quod sche Line 1236 Sen .I. may chese and gouerne as me lest Ȝe sertes wif quod he .I. holde it for þe best Kisse me quod sche we be no longer wroþe For be my trowþe .I. will be to ȝowe boþe Line 1240 Þis is seine to be to ȝowe boþe feire and goode .I. praie to god þat .I. mot steruen woode Bot .I. to ȝowe be also sadde and trewe As euer was wif sen þat þe werlde was newe Line 1244

[6-text p 370] Line 1244 And bot .I. be to morwe also faire to seen As any lady Emperes or qween Þat is be-twene þe est and eke þe west Do wiþ my lif and deþe riht as ȝow lest Line 1248 Kast vp þe kurteyne and loke how it is And whan þe knyht sauhe al þis Þat sche so faire was and so ȝonge þer-to [folio 102a] For ioy he hent hir in his armes tuo Line 1252 His hert baþed in a baþþe of blisse A. M. time a rewe he gan hir kisse And sche obeide him in euery þinge Þat myht done him plesans or likeinge Line 1256 And þus þei leued vnto her lyues hende In parfite Ioye and ihesu criste vs sende Hosbonde meke ȝonge and fresshe y bedde And grace to ouer-lede hame þat we wedde Line 1260 And eke .I. praie to ihesu schort her lyues Þat wil nouht be gouernd be hir wyues And olde and Angrye Nigard in dispence God send hem sone a verrei Pestelence Line 1264

Explicit fabula Matrone vxoris de Bathonia.

Notes

• [bue, with u scratcht out]
• [? MS Fo or Fv]
• ¶ Nota de Senectute