The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

I06 THE CANTERBUR Y TALES.
By counsel good deliver'd out of woe Woman of many schooles half a clerk is.
The people of God, and made him, Mardoche, But certainly a young thing men may guy,l9
Of Assuere enhanced1 for to be. Right as men may warm wax with handes
There is nothing in gree superlative2 ply.20
(As saith Senec) above a humble wife. Wherefore I say you plainly in a clause,
Suffer thy wife's tongue, as Cato bit; 3 I will none old wife have, right for this cause.
She shall command, and thou shalt suffer it, For if so were I hadde such mischance,
And yet she will obey of courtesy. That I in her could have no pleasance,
A wife is keeper of thine husbandry: Then should I lead my life in avoutrie,21
Well may the sicke man bewail and weep, And go straight to the devil when I die.
There as there is no wife the' house to keep. NTor children should I none upon her getten:
I warne thee, if wisely thou wilt wirch,4 Yet were me lever 22 houndes.,had me eaten
Love well thy wife, as Christ loveth his church: Than that mine heritag shoulde fall
Thou lov'st thyself, if thou lovest thy wife. In strange hands: and this I tell you all.
No man hateth his flesh, but in his life I doubte not I know the cause why
He fost'reth it; and therefore bid I thee Men shoulde wed: and farthermore know I
Cherish thy wife, or thou shalt never the.5 There speaketh many a man.of marriage
Husband and wife, what so men jape or play,6 That knows no more of it than doth my page,
Of worldly folk holde the sicker7 way; For what causes a man should take a wife.
They be so knit, there may no harm betide, If he he may not live chaste his life,
And namely 8 upon the wife's side. Take him a wife with great devoti6n,
For which this January, of whom I told, Because of lawful procreati6n
Consider'd hath, within his dayes old, Of children, to th' honofr of God above,
The lusty life, the virtuous quiet, And not only for paramour or love;
That is in marriage honey-sweet. And for they shoulde lechery eschew,
And for his friends upon a day he sent And yield their debte when that it is due:
To tell them the effect of his intent. Or for tlat each of them should help the other
With face sad,9 his tale he hath them told: In mischief,23 as a sister shall the brother,
He saide, " Friendes, I am hoar and old, And live in chastity full holily.
And almost (God wot) on my pitte's 10 brink, But, Sires, by your leave, that am not I,
Upon my soule somewhat must I think. For, God be thanked, I dare make avaunt,24
I have my body foolishly dispended,I feel my limbes stark 5 and suffisant
Blessed be God that it shall be amended; To do all that a man belongeth to:
For I will be certain a wedded man, I wot myselfe best what I may do.
And that anon in all the haste I can, Though I be hoar, I fare as doth a tree,
Unto some maiden, fair and tender of age; That blossoms ere the fruit y-waxen26 be;
I pray you shape 11 for my marri/age The blossomy tree is neither dry nor dead;
All suddenly, for I will not abide: I feel me nowhere hoar but on my head.
And I will fond12 to espy, on my side, Mine heart and all my limbes are as green
To whom I may be wedded hastily. As laurel through the year is for to seen.27
But forasmuch as ye be more than I, And, since that ye have heard all mine intent,
Ye shalle rather 13 such a thing espy I pray you to my will ye would assent."
Than I, and where me best were to ally. Diverse men diversely him told
But one thing warn I you, my friendies dear, Of marriage many examples old;
I will none old wife have in no mann6re: Some blamed it, some praised it, certain;
She shall not passe sixteen year certain. But at the laste, shortly for to sayn
Old fish and younge flesh would I have fain. (As all day 28 falleth altercation
Better," quoth he, " a pike than a pickerel,l4 Betwixte friends in disputati6n),
And better than old beef is tender veal. There fell a strife betwixt his brethren two,
I will no woman thirty year of age, Of which that one was called Placebo,
It is but beanestraw and great forage. Justinus soothly called was that other.
And eke these oldi widows (God it wot) Placebo said; " O January, brother,
They conne 15 so much craft on Wade's boat,16 Full little need have ye, my lord so dear,
So muche brooke harm 17 when that them lest,l8 Counsel to ask of any that is here:
That with them should I never live in rest. But that ye be so full of sapience,
For sundry schoolis make subtle clerkes; That you not liketh, for your high prudence,
1 Advanced in dignity. but Mr Wright seems to be warranted in supposing
2 To be esteemed in the highest degree. that Wade's adventures were cited as examples of craft
3 Bade. 4 Work. 5 Thrive. and cunning-that the hero, in fact, was a kind of
6 Let men jest and laugh as they will. Northern Ulysses. It is possible that to the same
7 Sure. 8 Especially. 9 Grave, earnest, source we may trace the proverbial phrase, found in
10 Grave's. 11 Arrange, contrive. 12 Try. Chaucer's " Remedy of Love," to " bear Watti's pack"
13 Sooner. 14 Young pike. 15 Know. -signifying to be duped or beguiled.
16 "Wade's boat" was called Guingelot; and in it, 17 So much mischief can they perform, employ.
according to the old romance, the owner underwent a 18 Pleases. 19 Guide. 20 Bend, mould.
long series of wild adventures, and performed many 21 Adultery. 22 I would rather. 23 Trouble.
strange exploits. The romance is lost, and therefore 24 Boast. 25 Strong. 26 Grown.
the exact force of the phrase in the text is uncertain; 27 See. 28 Constantly, every day.