The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 359]

IN olde dayes of þe kyng arthour [folio 97b] [¶ Narrat] Of which þat britouns speken gret honour Al was þis lond fulfilled of fayrie The elf queen wiþ hir ioly compaignye Line 860 Daunced fuloft in many a grene mede This was þe old oppynyoun as I rede I speke of many hundrid ȝer ago But now can no man see noon elues mo Line 864 For now þe grete charite and prayeres Of lymytours and oþer holy freres That sechen euery lond and euery streem As thik as motis in þe sonne beem Line 868 Blessynge halles . chambres . kichenes . boures Citees . burghes . castels . hihe and toures . Thropes . bernes . schepnes . and dayeries That makith þat þer ben no fayeries Line 872 For þer as wont was to walken an elf Ther walkith noon . but þe lymytour himself In vndermeles and in morwenynges And saith his matyns and his holy þinges Line 876 As he goþ in his lymytacioun wommen may go saufly vp and doun In euery bussch or vnder euery tre Þer is non oþer incumbent but/ he / Line 880 And ne wol but doon hem dishonour And so bifel it / þat þis king arthour had in his hous a lusty bacheler That on a day com rydyng fro ryuer Line 884

[6-text p 360] Line 884 And happed al alone as sche was born he saugh a mayde walkyng him byforn Of which mayden anoon maugre hir heed By verray fors byraft hir maydenhed Line 888 For such oppressioun was such clamour And such pursuyte vnto kyng arthour That dampned was þe knight and schuld be ded By cours of lawe and schuld haue lost his heed Line 892 Parauenture such was þe statut þo But þat þe queen and oþer ladys mo So longe preyeden þay þe kyng of grace [folio 98a] Til he his lif haþ graunted in þe place Line 896 And ȝaf him to þe queen al at hir wille To chese wethir sche wolde him saue or spille The queen thanked þe kyng wiþ al hir might And after þus sche spak vnto þe knight Line 900 whan þat sche saugh hir tyme vpon a day Thow stondest ȝet quod he in such array Þat of þy lyf hastow no sewerte I graunte þy lif if þou canst telle me Line 904 what þing is it þat wommen most desiren Be war and keep þy nek bon fro þe Iren And if þou canst not tellen it anoon Ȝet wol I ȝiue þe leue for to goon Line 908 A twelf month and a day it for to lere An answar suffisaunt in þis matiere And seurte wol I haue er þat þou pace Thy body for to ȝelden in þis place Line 912 wo was þis knight and sorwfully he siked But what. he may not doon al as him liked And atte last he ches him for to wende And cam aȝein right at þe ȝeres ende Line 916 wiþ swich answer as god him wolde purueye And takith his leue and wendith forþ his weye He sekith euery hous and euery place wher-so he hopith for to fynde grace Line 920

[6-text p 361] Line 920 To lerne what þing wommen louen most But he ne couþe arryuen in no cost wher as he mighte fynde þis matiere To þese þinges accordyng in fere Line 924 Somme sayden womme louen best richesse Somme sayde honour and some sayde iolynesse Somme sayde riche array some sayden lust on bedde And ofte tyme to be wydow and wedde Line 928 Somme sayden oure herte is most I-eased whan we ben y-flaterid and y-pleased He goþ ful neigh þe soth I wil not lye A man schal wynne vs best wiþ flaterye Line 932 And with attendaunce and busynesse [folio 98b] Ben we y-limed boþe more and lesse / And somme sayen þat we louen best For to be fre and to doon as vs lest Line 936 And þat no man repreue vs of oure vice But say þat we ben wys and no þing nyce For trewely þer is noon of vs alle If eny wight wold claw vs on þe galle / Line 940 That we nyl like for he saith vs soþ Assay and he schal fynd it þat so doþ For be we neuer so vicious wiþinne we schuln be holde wys and clene of synne Line 944 And somme sayn þat gret delit han we For to be holden stabil and secre / And in oon purpos stedfastly to duelle / And nought bywreye þing þat men vs telle / Line 948 But þat tale is not . worth a rakes stele Par dy we wymmen . can right no þing hele witnes on myda wil ȝe here þe tale / Ouyd among his oþer þinges smale Line 952 Sayde Myda had . vnder his lange heris Growyng vpon his heed tuo asses eeris The whiche vice he hid as he best might Ful subtilly fro euery mannes sight Line 956

[6-text p 362] Line 956 That saue his wyf þer wist of þat no mo he loued hir most . and trusted hir also / he prayed hir . þat to no creature sche schulde tellen . of his disfigure / Line 960 Sche swor him nay for al þis world to wynne Sche nolde do þat vilony or synne To make hir housbond haue so foul a name Sche wold not tel it for hir oughne schame Line 964 But natheles hir þoughte þat sche dyde That sche so long a counseil scholde hyde hir þought it swal . so sore about / hir hert That needely som word hir most astert Line 968 And sins sche dorst not tel it vn-to man Doun to a marreys faste by sche ran Til sche cam þer hir herte was on fuyre [folio 99a] And as a bytoure bumblith in þe myre Line 972 Sche layd hir mouth vnto þe water doun Bywrey me not þou watir with þi soun Quod sche to þe I telle it and no mo Myn housbond haþ long asse eeris tuo Line 976 Now is myn hert al hool now is it oute I might no lenger kepe it out of doute Her may ȝe se þeigh we a tyme abyde Ȝet out it moot we can no counseil hyde Line 980 The remenaunt of þe tale if ȝe wil here / Redith ovid . and þer ȝe mow it leere ¶ This knight of which my tale is specially whan þat he saugh he might nouȝt come þerby Line 984 This is to say what wommen louen most wiþinne his brest ful sorwful was þe gost/ But hom he goþ . he might no lenger soiourne The day was come þat homward most he torne Line 988 And in his way it hapnyd him to ride In al his care vnder a forest side wher as he saugh vpon a daunce go Of ladys four and twenty and ȝit mo Line 992

[6-text p 363] Line 992 Toward þis ilke daunce I drough ful ȝerne / In hope þat som wisdom schuld I lerne / But certeynly er I com fully þere Vanysshid was þis daunce he nyste where / Line 996 No creature saugh he þat bar lif Sauf on þe greene he saugh sittyng a wyf / A fouler wight þer may no man deuyse Aȝens þe knight þis olde wyf gan ryse Line 1000 And sayder sir knight heer forth lith no way Tel me what . ȝe seekyn by ȝour fay Par aduenture . it may þe better be / Thise olde folk can mochil þing quod sche Line 1004 My lieue modir quod þis knight certayn I am but ded but if þat I can sayn what þing is it . þat wommen most desire Couþe ȝe me wisse . I wold wel quyt ȝour huyre / Line 1008 Plight me þy trouth . her in myn hond quod sche [folio 99b] The nexte þing þat I require þe Thou schalt it doo if it be in þy might And I wol telle it þe er it be night Line 1012 haue her my trouþe quod þe knight I graunte Thanne quod sche I dar me wel auaunte Þy lif is sauf for I wol stonde þer by vpon my lif þe queen wol say as I Line 1016 let se which is þe proudest of hem alle Þat werith on a couerchief or a calle Þat dar say nay of þing I schal þe teche let vs go forth wiþouten more speche Line 1020 Tho rowned sche a pistil in his eere And bad him to be glad and haue no fere whan þay ben comen to þe court þis knight Sayd he had holde . þat day þat he hight Line 1024 Al redy was his answer as he sayde Ful many a noble wyf and many a mayde And many a wydow for þat þay ben wyse The queen hirself sittyng as a Iustise Line 1028

[6-text p 364] Line 1028 Assemblid ben his answer for to hiere And afterward þis knight was bode appiere To euery wight comaundid was cilence And þat þe knight schuld telle in audience Line 1032 what þing þat worldly wommen louen best ¶ Þe knight ne stood not stille as doþ a best But to þe questioun anoon answerde wiþ manly voys þat al the court it herde Line 1036 My liege lady generally quod he wommen desiren to haue soueraynte As wel ouer hir housbond as ouer hir loue And for to be in maystry him aboue Line 1040 This is þe most desir þough ȝe me kille / Doþ as ȝow list I am heer at ȝour wille In al þe court ne was þer wyf ne mayde Ne wydow þat contraried þat he sayde Line 1044 But sayden he . was worþy haue his lif And wiþ þat word vp start þat olde wif which þat þe knight saugh sittyng on þe grene [folio 100a] Mercy quod sche my soueraigne lady queene Line 1048 Er þat ȝour court departe doþ me right I taughte þis answer vnto þe knight For which he plighte me his trouþe there The firste þing þat I wold him requere Line 1052 he wold it do if it lay in his might Bifore þe court þen pray I þe sir knight Quod sche þat þou me take vnto þy wif For wel þou wost þat I haue kept þy lif Line 1056 If I say fals sey nay vpon þy fey This knight answerd allas and waylawey I wot right wel þat such was my byhest For goddes loue as chese a ne request Line 1060 Tak al my good and let my body go Nay quod sche þan I schrew vs boþe tuo For þough þat I be foule old and poure I nolde for al þe metal ne for þe oure Line 1064

[6-text p 365] Line 1064 That vnder erthe is graue or lith aboue But I þy wife . were and eek þy loue My loue quod he . nay nay . my dampnacioun Allas þat eny of my nacioun Line 1068 Schuld euer so foule disparagid be But/ al for nought . þe ende is þis þat he Constreigned was . he needes most hir wedde And takith his wyf and goþ wiþ hir to bedde Line 1072 ¶ Now wolden som men say par aduenture That for my necgligence I do no cure To telle ȝow þe ioye and tharray That at þat fest was maad þat ilke day Line 1076 To which þing schortly answeren I schal And say þer nas feste ne ioy at al Ther nas but heuynes and mochil sorwe For priuely he weddyd hir in a morwe Line 1080 And alday hudde him . as doþ an oule So wo was him his wyf loked so foule Gret was þe wo . þe knight had in his þought whan he was with his wyf on bedde brought Line 1084 He walwith and he torneth to and fro [folio 100b] his olde wyf lay smylyng euer mo And sayd o deere housbond benedicite [[MS. bndicite]] Fareth euery knight wiþ his wyf as ȝe / Line 1088 Is þis þe lawe of king arthures hous Is euery knight of his þus daungerous I am ȝour oughne loue / and ȝour wyf I am sche þat hath sauyd ȝour lyf Line 1092 And certes ne dede I ȝow neuer vnright why fare ȝe þus with me þe firste night ȝe fare lik a man þat had left his wit/ what is my gult . for godes loue tel me it Line 1096 And it schal be amendid if þat I may Amendid quod þis knight allas nay nay It wol nought ben amendid neuer mo Thow art so loþly and so old also Line 1100

[6-text p 366] Line 1100 And þerto comen of so lowh a kynde That litil wonder is þough I walwe and wynde So wolde god myn herte wolde brest Is þis quod sche þe cause of ȝour vnrest; Line 1104 Ȝe certeynly quod he no wonder is Now sire quod sche I couþe amende al þis If þat me list er it were dayes þre / So wel ȝe mighte bere ȝow to me Line 1108 But for ȝe speken of such gentilesse As is descendit out of old richesse Therfor schuld ȝe . ben holden gentil men Such arrogaunce . is not worth an hen Line 1112 lok who þat is most vertuous alway Priue and pert and most entendiþ ay To do þe gentil dedes þat he can Tak him for þe grettest gentil man Line 1116 Crist wol we clayme of him oure gentilesse Nought of oure eldres for our gret richesse For þough þey ȝiue vs al her heritage For which we clayme to be of high parage Line 1120 Ȝit may þay not biqueþe for no þing To noon of vs so vertuous lyuyng That made hem gentil men y-callid be [folio 101a] And bad vs folwe hem in such degre Line 1124 wel can þe wyse poet of Florence That hatte Daunt speke of þis sentence / Lo in such maner of rym is Dauntes tale Ful seeld vprisith by his braunchis smale / Line 1128 Prowes of man . for god of his prowesse wol þat we clayme of him our gentilesse For of our auncestres . we no þing clayme But temporal þing þat men may hurt and mayme Line 1132 Ek euery wight wot þis as wel as I If gentiles were plaunted naturelly Vnto a certayn lignage doun þe line Priue ne apert/. þay wolde neuer fine Line 1136

[6-text p 367] Line 1136 To don of gentilesce þe fair office Thay might nought doon no vileny or vice Tak fuyr and ber it in þe derkest hous Bitwixe þis . and þe mount Cankasous Line 1140 And let men schit . þe dores and go þenne Ȝit wol þe fuyr as fair and lighte brenne As twenty þousand men might it biholde his office naturel ay wol it holde Line 1144 vp peril on my lif til þat it dye her / may ȝe se wel how þat genterye Is nought annexid to possessioun Sithins folk ne doon her operacioun Line 1148 Alway as doth þe fuyr lo in his kynde For god it wot men may ful often fynde A lordes sone do schame and vilonye And he þat wol haue pris of his gentrie Line 1152 For he was boren of a gentil hous And had his eldres noble and vertuous And nyl himselue . doo no gentil dedis Ne folw his gentil aunceter þat deed is Line 1156 he is nought gentil be he duk or erl . For vileyn synful deedes makeþ a cherl . For gentilnesse nys but renome Of þin auncestres for her heigh bounte Line 1160 which is a straunge þing to þy persone [folio 101b] Thy gentilesce comeþ fro god alloone Than comþ oure verray gentilesse of grace It was no þing biquethe vs wiþ oure place Line 1164 Thinkeþ how nobil as saith valerius was þilke tullius hostilius That out of pouert / ros to high noblesse Redith Senek/. and redith eek/ Boece . Line 1168 Ther schuln ȝe se expresse þat no dred is Þat he is gentil þat doþ gentil dedis And þerfor lieue housbond I conclude Al were it that myn auncetres wer rude Line 1172

[6-text p 368] Line 1172 Ȝit may þe highe god and so hope I Graunte me grace to lyue vertuously Than am I gentil whan þat I bygynne To lyue vertuously and weyuen synne Line 1176 And þer as ȝe of povert me repreue The heighe god on whom þat we bilieue In wilful pouert ches to lese his lif And certes euery man . mayden or wif Line 1180 May vnderstonde þat Ihc heuen king Ne wold not chese . a vicious lyuyng Glad pouert is an honest þing certayn This wol Senek and oþer clerkes sayn Line 1184 who þat holt him payd of his pouert I hold him riche . al had he nouȝt a schert he þat coueitith is a pore wight For he wold haue þat is not in his might Line 1188 But he þat nouȝt haþ . ne coueyteth nouȝt/ to haue Is riche al þough ȝe hold him but a knaue Verray pouert is synne proprely Iuuenal saith of pouert merily Line 1192 ¶ The pore man whan he goþ by þe way Bifore þe theues he may synge and play Pouert is hateful and as I gesse / A ful gret brynger out of busynesse / Line 1196 A gret amender eek of Sapiens To him þat takith it in paciens Pouert is þis al þough it seme elenge [folio 102a] Possessioun þat no wight wil chalenge Line 1200 ∴ Pouert ful often whan a man is lowe Makith him his god and eek himself/ to knowe ∴ Pouert a spectacle is as þinkith me Þurgh which he may his verray frendes se Line 1204 And þerfor sir syth þat I ȝow nought greue Of my pouert no more ȝe me repreue // Now sir of elde ȝe repreue me And certes sir þough noon auctorite Line 1208

[6-text p 369] Line 1208 were in no book ȝe gentils of honour Sayn þat men schuld an old wight doon fauour And clepe him fader for ȝour gentilesse And certes I schal fynden as I gesse Line 1212 Than drede ȝou nought to ben a cokewold Now þer þat ȝe sayn I am foul and old For filthe and elde also mot I the Ben grete wardeyns vpon chastite / Line 1216 But natheles sith I knowe ȝour delyt I schal fulfille ȝoure worldly appetyt Chese now quod sche oon of þese þinges tweye To haue me foul and old til þat I deye Line 1220 And be to ȝow a trewe humble wyf And neuer ȝow displease in al my lyf Or elles ȝe wol haue me ȝong and fair And take ȝour auenture of þe repair Line 1224 Þat schal be to ȝour hous by cause of me Or in som oþer place may wel be Now chese ȝour seluen whethir þat ȝow likith This knight auysith him and sore sikith Line 1228 But atte last he sayd in þis manere My lady and my loue . and my wif so deere I putte me in ȝour wyse gouernaunce Chesith ȝour self which may be most pleasaunce Line 1232 And most honour to ȝow and me also I do no fors þe wheþer of þe tuo For as ȝow likith it suffisith me Than haue I gete of ȝow þe maystry quod sche / Line 1236 Sith I may gouern and chese as me list/ [folio 102b] Ȝe certis wyf quod he I hold it best kys me quod sche we ben no lenger wroþe For by my trouþe . I wol be to ȝow boþe Line 1240 This is to say ȝe boþe fair and good I pray to god þat I mot sterue wood But/ I be to ȝow also good and trewe As euer was wyf siþþen þe world was newe Line 1244

[6-text p 370] Line 1244 And but/ I be to morow as fair to seen As eny lady emperesse or queen That is bitwixe thest and eek þe west Doth by my lyf . right euen as ȝow lest Line 1248 Cast vp þe cortyns and look what þis is And whan þe knyght saugh verrayly al þis That sche so fair was and so ȝong þer to For ioye he hent hir in hir armes tuo Line 1252 his herte bathid in a bath of blisse A thousand tyme on rowe he gan hir kisse And sche obeyed him in euery þing That mighte doon him pleisauns or likyng Line 1256 And þus þay lyue vnto her lyues end In parfyt ioye and ihū crist vs sende housbondes meke ȝonge and freissche on bedde And grace to ouerbyde hem þat we wedde Line 1260 And eek I pray to Ihū schort her lyues That wil nought be gouerned after her wyues And old and angry nygardes of despense God send hem sone verray pestilence / Line 1264

¶ Here endith þe wif of Bathe hire tale [[No break in the MS.]]