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The Wife Of Bath's
Prologue Modern
English
1 Experience,
though no authority
11 To wedding (that at Cana in Galilee), 12 Thus, by this same example, showed He me 13 I never should have married more than
once. 14 Lo and behold! What sharp words, for the
nonce, 15 Beside a well Lord Jesus, God and man, 16 Spoke in reproving the Samaritan:
17 'For thou hast had five husbands,' thus
said He, 18 'And he whom thou hast now to be with thee
19 Is not thine
husband.' Thus He said that day, 20 But what He meant thereby I cannot say; 21 And I would ask now why that same fifth
man 22 Was not husband to the Samaritan?
23 How many might she have, then, in
marriage? 24 For I have never heard, in all my age,
25 Clear exposition of this number shown, 26 Though
men may guess and argue up and down. 27 But well I know and say, and do not lie, 28 God bade us to increase and multiply;
29 That worthy text can I well understand. 30 And well I know He said, too, my
husband 31 Should father leave, and mother, and
cleave to me; 32 But no specific
number mentioned He, 33 Whether
of bigamy or octogamy;
34 Why should men speak of it reproachfully? 35 Lo, there's the wise old king Dan
Solomon; 36 I understand he had more wives than one;
37 And now would God it were permitted me 38 To be refreshed one half as oft as he!
39 Which
gift of God he had for all his wives! 40 No man has such that in this world now
lives. 41 God knows, this noble king, it strikes my
wit, 42 The first night he had many a merry fit
43 With each of them, so much he was
alive! 44 Praise be to God
that I have wedded five! 45 Welcome the sixth whenever come he shall. 46 Forsooth, I'll not
keep chaste for good and all; 47 When
my good husband from the world is gone, 48 Some Christian man shall marry me anon; 49 For then, the apostle says that I am free 50 To wed, in God's name, where it pleases
me. 51 He says that to be wedded is no sin;
52 Better to marry than to burn within. 53 What care I though folk speak
reproachfully 54 Of wicked Lamech
and his bigamy?
55 I know well Abraham was holy man,
56 And Jacob, too, as far as know I
can;
57 And each of them had spouses more than
two; 58 And many another holy man also.
59 Or can you say that you have ever heard 60 That God has ever by His express word 61 Marriage forbidden? Pray you, now, tell
me. 62 Or where commanded He virginity? 63 I
read as well as you no doubt have read 64 The apostle when he speaks of maidenhead;
65 He said, commandment of the Lord he'd
none. 66 Men may advise a woman to be one,
67 But such advice is not commandment, no; 68 He left the thing to our own judgment so. 69 For had Lord God commanded maidenhood, 70 He'd have condemned all marriage as not
good; 71 And certainly, if there were no seed
sown, 72 Virginity- where then should it be grown?
73 Paul dared not to forbid us, at
the least, 74 A thing whereof his Master'd
no behest. 75 The dart is set up for virginity;
76 Catch it who can; who runs best let us
see. 77 But this word is not meant for every wight, 78 But where God wills to give it, of His
might. 79 I know well that the apostle was a maid; 80 Nevertheless, and though he wrote and said
81 He would that everyone were such as he, 82 All is not counsel to virginity;
83 And so to be a
wife he gave me leave 84 Out of permission; there's no shame should
grieve 85 In marrying me, if that my mate should
die, 86 Without exception, too, of bigamy.
87 And though ‘twere
good no woman flesh to touch, 88 He meant, in his own bed or on his couch; 89 For peril ‘tis fire and tow to assemble;
90 You know what this example may resemble. 91 This is the sum: he held virginity
92 Nearer perfection than marriage for frailty.
93 And frailty's all, I say, save he and she 94 Would lead their lives throughout in
chastity. 95 I grant this well, I have no great envy
96 Though maidenhood's preferred to bigamy; 97 Let those who will be clean, body and
ghost, 98 Of my condition I will make no boast. 99 For well you know, a lord in his
household, 100 He has not every vessel all of gold;
101 Some are of wood and serve well all their
days. 102 God calls folk unto Him in sundry ways, 103 And each one has
from God a proper gift, 104 Some this, some that, as pleases Him to
shift. 105 Virginity is great perfection known,
106 And continence e'en
with devotion shown. 107 But Christ, Who of perfection is the
well, 108 Bade not each separate man he should go sell
109 All that he had and give it to the poor 110 And follow Him in such wise going before. 111 He spoke to those that would live perfectly;
112 And, masters, by your leave, such am not I.
113 I will devote the flower of all my age
114 To all the acts and harvests of marriage. 115 Tell me also, to what purpose or end 116 The genitals were
made, that I defend, 117 And for what benefit was man first wrought?118
Trust you right well, they were not made for naught. 119 Explain who will and argue up and down 120 That they were made for passing out, as
known, 121 Of urine, and our two belongings small 122 Were just to tell a female from a male, 123 And for no other cause- ah, say you no? 124 Experience knows well it is not so;
125 And, so the clerics be not with me wroth,
126 I say now that they have been made for both,
127 That is to say, for duty and for ease
128 In getting, when we do not God displease. 129 Why should men otherwise in their books set 130 That man shall pay unto his wife his debt? 131 Now wherewith should he ever make payment, 132 Except he used his
blessed instrument? 133 Then on a creature were devised these things
134
For urination and engenderings.
135 But I say not that every
one is bound,
136 Who's fitted out and furnished as I've
found, 137 To go and use it to beget an heir;
138 Then men would have for chastity no care. 139 Christ was a maid, and yet shaped like a
man, 140 And many a saint, since this old world
began, 141 Yet has lived ever in perfect chastity.
142 I bear no malice to virginity;
143 Let such be bread of purest white
wheat-seed, 144 And let us wives be called but barley
bread; 145 And yet with barley bread (if Mark you
scan) 146 Jesus Our Lord refreshed full many a man.
147 In such condition as God places us
148 I'll persevere, I'm not fastidious.
149 In wifehood I will use my instrument 150 As freely as my Maker has it sent.
151 If I be niggardly, God give me sorrow! 152 My husband he shall have it, eve and morrow,
153 When he’s pleased to come forth and pay his
debt. 154 I'll
not delay, a husband I will get
155 Who shall be both my debtor and my thrall 156 And have his tribulations therewithal
157 Upon his flesh, the while I am his wife. 158 I have the power during all my life
159 Over his own good body, and not he. 160 For thus the apostle told it unto me;
161 And bade our husbands that they love us
well. 162 And all this pleases me whereof I tell.
163 Up rose the pardoner, and that anon. 164 Now dame, said he, by God and by Saint John,
165 You are a noble preacher in this case!
166 I was about to wed a wife, alas!
167 Why should I buy this on my flesh so dear? 168 No, I would rather wed no wife this year.
169 But wait, said she, my tale is not begun; 170 Nay, you shall drink from out another tun 171 Before I cease, and savour
worse than ale. 172 And when I shall have told you all my tale 173 Of tribulation that is in marriage,
174 Whereof I've been an expert all my age, 175 That is to say, myself have been the whip, 176 Then may you choose whether you will go sip 177 Out of that very tun
which I shall broach. 178 Beware of it ere you too near approach; 179 For I shall give examples more than ten. 180 Whoso will not be warned by other men 181 By him shall other men corrected be,
182 The self-same words has written Ptolemy; 183 Read in his Almagest and find it there. 184 Lady, I pray you, if your will it were, 185 Spoke up this pardoner, as you began, 186 Tell forth your tale, nor spare for any man,
187 And teach us younger men of your technique. 188 Gladly, said she, since it may please, not
pique. 189 But yet I pray of all this company
190 That if I speak from my own phantasy, 191 They will not take amiss the things I say; 192 For my intention's only but to play.
193 Now, sirs, now will I tell you forth my tale. 194 And
as I may drink ever wine and ale, 195 I will tell truth of husbands that I've
had, 196 For three of them were good and two were
bad. 197 The
three were good men and were rich and old. 198 Not easily could they the promise hold 199 Whereby they had been bound to cherish me. 200 You know well what I mean by that, pardie! 201 So help me God, I laugh now when I think 202
How pitifully by night I made them swink; 203 And by my faith I set by it no store.
204 They'd given me their gold, and treasure
more; 205 I needed not do longer diligence
206 To win their love, or show them reverence. 207 They all loved me so well, by God above, 208 I never did set value on their love!
209 A woman wise will strive continually
210 To get herself
loved, when she's not, you see. 211 But since I had them wholly in my hand, 212 And since to me they'd given all their
land, 213 Why should I take heed, then, that I should
please,
214 Save it were for my
profit or my ease? 215 I set them so to work, that, by my fay, 216 Full many a night they sighed out 'Welaway!' 217 The bacon was not brought them home, I trow, 218 That some men have in Essex at Dunmowe. 219 I governed them so well, by my own law, 220 That each of them was happy as a daw, 221 And fain to bring me fine things from the
fair. 222 And they were right glad when I spoke them
fair; 223 For God knows that I nagged them
mercilessly. 224 Now hearken how I bore me properly, 225 All you wise wives that well can understand.
226 Thus shall you speak and wrongfully demand; 227 For half so brazenfacedly
can no man 228 Swear to his lying as a woman can.
229 I say not this to wives who may be wise, 230 Except when they themselves do misadvise. 231 A wise wife, if she knows what's for her
good, 232 Will swear the crow is mad, and in this mood
233 Call up for witness to it her own maid; 234 But hear me now, for this is what I said. 235 'Sir Dotard, is it thus you stand today? 236 Why is my neighbour's
wife so fine and gay? 237 She's honoured over all where'er she goes; 238 I sit at home, I have no decent clo’es. 239 What do you do there at my neighbour's house? 240 Is she so fair? Are you so amorous?
241 Why whisper to our maid? Benedicite! 242 Sir Lecher old, let your seductions be! 243 And if I have a gossip or a friend,
244 Innocently, you blame me like a fiend
245 If I but walk, for company, to his house! 246 You come home here as drunken as a mouse, 247 And preach there on your bench, a curse on
you! 248 You tell me it's a great misfortune, too, 249 To wed a girl who costs more than she's
worth; 250 And if she's rich and of a higher birth, 251 You say it's torment to abide her folly
252 And put up with her pride and melancholy. 253 And if she be right fair, you utter knave, 254 You say that every lecher will her have; 255 She may no while
in chastity abide
256 That is assailed by all and on each side. 257 'You say, some men desire us for our gold, 258 Some for our shape and some for fairness
told: 259 And some, that she can either sing or dance,
260 And some, for courtesy and dalliance; 261 Some for her hands and for her arms so
small; 262 Thus
all goes to the devil in your tale. 263 You say men
cannot keep a castle wall 264 That's
long assailed on all sides, and by all. 265 'And if that
she be foul, you say that she 266 Hankers
for every man that she may see; 267 For like a spaniel will she leap on him
268 Until she finds a man to be victim;
269 And not a grey goose swims there in the lake
270 But finds a gander willing her to take. 271 You say, it is a hard thing to enfold
272 Her whom no man will in his own arms hold. 273 This say you, worthless, when you go to bed;
274 And that no wise man needs thus to be wed, 275 No, nor a man that hearkens unto Heaven. 276
With furious thunder-claps and fiery levin 277 May your thin, withered, wrinkled neck be
broke:
278 'You say that dripping eaves, and also
smoke, 279 And
wives contentious, will make men to flee 280 Out of their houses; ah, benedicite!
281 What ails such an old fellow so to chide? 282 'You say that all we wives our vices hide 283 Till we are married, then we show them
well; 284 That is a scoundrel's proverb,
let me tell! 285 'You say that oxen, asses, horses, hounds 286 Are tried out variously, and on good
grounds; 287 Basins and bowls, before men will them buy, 288 And spoons and stools and all such goods you
try. 289 And so with pots and clothes and all array; 290 But of their wives men get no trial, you say, 291 Till they are married, base old dotard you! 292 And then we show what evil we can do. 293 'You say also that it displeases me
294 Unless you praise and flatter my beauty, 295 And save you gaze always upon my face 296 And call me lovely lady every place;
297 And save you make a feast upon that day 298 When I was born, and give me garments gay; 299 And save due honour to my nurse is paid 300 As well as to my faithful chambermaid, 301 And to my father's folk and his allies-
302 Thus you go on, old barrel full of lies!
303 'And yet of our apprentice, young Jenkin, 304 For his crisp hair, showing like gold so
fine, 305 Because he squires me walking up and down, 306 A false suspicion in your mind is sown; 307 I'd give him
naught, though you were dead tomorrow.
308 'But tell me this, why do you hide, with
sorrow, 309 The keys to your strong-box away from me? 310 It is my gold as well as yours, pardie.
311 Why would you make an idiot of your dame? 312 Now by Saint James, but you shall miss your
aim, 313 You
shall not be, although like mad you scold, 314 Master of both my body and my gold; 315 One you'll forgo in spite of both your eyes;
316 Why need you seek me out or set on spies? 317 I think you'd like to lock me in your chest! 318 You should say: Dear wife, go
where you like best, 319 Amuse yourself, I will believe no tales; 320 You're my wife Alis
true, and truth prevails. 321 We love no man that guards us or gives
charge 322 Of where we go, for we will be at large. 323 'Of all men the most blessed may he be, 324 That wise astrologer, Dan Ptolemy, 325 Who says this proverb in his Almagest: 326 Of
all men he's in wisdom the highest 327 That
nothing cares who has the world in hand. 328 And by
this proverb shall you understand: 329 Since
you've enough, why do you reck or care 330 How
merrily all other folks may fare? 331 He is
too much a niggard who's so tight 332 That
from his lantern he'll give none a light. 333 For
he'll have never the less light, by gad; 334 Since
you've enough, you need not be so sad. 335 'You say, also, that if we make us gay
336 With clothing, all in costliest array,
337 That it's a danger to our chastity;
338 And you must back the saying up, pardie! 339 Repeating these words in the apostle's name:
340 In habits meet for chastity, not shame, 341 Your women shall be garmented, said he, 342 And not with broidered hair, or jewellery, 343 Or pearls, or gold, or costly gowns and
chic; 344 After your text and after your rubric 345 I will not follow more than would a
gnat. 346 You said this, too, that I was like a cat;
347 For if one care to singe a cat's furred
skin, 348 Then would the cat remain the house within; 349 And if the cat's coat be all sleek and gay, 350 She will not keep in house a half a day, 351 But out she'll go, ere dawn of any day, 352 To show her skin and caterwaul and play. 353 This is to say, if I'm a little gay,
354 To show my rags I'll gad about all day. 355 'Sir Ancient Fool, what ails you with your
spies? 356 Though you pray Argus, with his hundred
eyes, 357 To be my body-guard and do his best, 358 Faith, he sha'n't
hold me, save I am modest; 359 I could delude him easily- trust me!
360 'You said, also, that there are three
things- three- 361 The which things are a trouble on this
earth, 362 And that no man may ever endure the fourth: 363 O dear Sir Rogue, may Christ cut short your
life! 364 Yet
do you preach and say a hateful wife 365 Is to be reckoned one of these mischances. 366 Are there no other kinds of resemblances 367 That you may liken thus your parables to, 368 But must a hapless wife be made to do? 369 'You liken woman's love to very Hell,
370 To desert land where waters do not well. 371 You liken it, also, unto wildfire;
372 The more it burns, the more it has desire 373 To consume everything that burned may be. 374 You say that just as worms destroy a tree, 375 Just so a wife destroys her own husband; 376 Men know this who
are bound in marriage band.' 377 Masters, like this, as you must understand, 378 Did I my old men charge and censure, and 379 Claim that they said these things in
drunkenness; 380 And all was false, but yet I took witness 381 Of Jenkin and of my dear niece also. 382 O Lord, the pain I gave them and the woe,
383 All guiltless, too, by God's grief
exquisite! 384 For like a stallion could I neigh and bite. 385 I could complain, though mine was all the
guilt, 386 Or else, full many a time, I'd lost the
tilt. 387 Whoso comes first to mill first gets meal
ground; 388 I whimpered first and so did them confound. 389 They were right glad to hasten to excuse 390 Things they had never done,
save in my ruse. 391 With wenches would I charge him, by this
hand, 392 When, for some illness, he could hardly
stand. 393 Yet tickled this the heart of him, for he
394 Deemed it was love produced such jealousy.
395 I swore that all my walking out at night 396 Was but to spy on girls he kept outright; 397 And under cover of that I had much mirth. 398 For all such wit is given us at birth;
399 Deceit, weeping, and spinning, does God
give 400 To women, naturally, the while they live.
401 And thus of one thing I speak boastfully, 402 I got the best of each one, finally,
403 By trick, or force, or by some kind of
thing, 404 As by continual growls or murmuring; 405 Especially in bed had they mischance,
406 There would I chide and give them no
pleasance; 407 I would no longer in the bed abide 408 If I but felt his arm across my side,
409 Till he had paid his ransom unto me; 410 Then would I let him do his nicety.
411 And therefore to all men this tale I tell, 412 Let gain who may,
for everything's to sell. 413 With empty hand men may no falcons lure; 414 For profit would I all his lust endure,
415 And make for him a well-feigned appetite; 416 Yet I in bacon never had delight;
417 And that is why I used so much to chide. 418 For if the pope were seated there beside 419 I'd not have spared them, no, at their own
board. 420 For by my truth, I paid them, word for word.
421 So help me the True God Omnipotent, 422 Though I right now should make my testament,
423 I owe them not a word that was not quit. 424 I brought it so about, and by my wit, 425 That they must give it up, as for the best, 426 Or otherwise we'd never have had rest. 427 For though he glared and scowled like lion
mad, 428 Yet failed he of
the end he wished he had. 429 Then would I say: 'Good dearie, see you keep
430 In mind how meek is Wilkin, our old sheep; 431 Come near, my spouse,
come let me kiss your cheek!
432 You should be always patient, aye, and meek,
433 And have a sweetly scrupulous tenderness,
434 Since you so preach of old Job's
patience, yes. 435 Suffer always, since you so well can preach;
436 And, save you do, be sure that we will teach
437 That it is well to leave a wife in peace.
438 One of us two must bow, to be at ease; 439 And since a man's more reasonable, they say,
440 Than woman is, you must have patience aye. 441 Such
were the words I had at my command. 442 Now will I tell you of .
443 My fourth husband, he was a reveller, 444 That is to say, he kept a paramour;
445 And young and full of passion then was I, 446 Stubborn and strong and jolly as a pie. 447 Well could I dance to tune of harp, nor fail
448 To sing as well as any nightingale
449 When I had drunk a good draught of sweet
wine. 450 Metellius, the
foul churl and the swine, 451 Did with a staff deprive his wife of life 452 Because she drank wine; had I been his wife 453 He never should have frightened me from
drink; 454 For after wine, of Venus must I think: 455 For just as surely as cold produces hail, 456 A liquorish mouth must have a lickerish
tail. 457 In women wine's no bar of impotence, 458 This know all
lechers by experience. 459 But Lord Christ! When I do remember me 460 Upon my youth and on my jollity,
461 It tickles me about my heart's deep root. 462 To this day does my heart sing in salute 463 That I have had my world in my own time. 464 But age, alas! that poisons every prime, 465 Has taken away my beauty and my pith; 466 Let go, farewell, the devil go therewith! 467 The flour is gone, there is no more to tell,
468 The bran, as best I may, must I now sell; 469 But yet to be right merry I'll try, and
470 Now will I tell you of my fourth husband. 471 I say that in my heart I'd great despite 472 When he of any other had delight.
473 But he was quit by God and by Saint Joce! 474 I made,
of the same wood, a staff most gross; 475 Not with
my body and in manner foul, 476 But
certainly I showed so gay a soul
477 That in
his own thick grease I made him fry 478 For
anger and for utter jealousy.
479 By God, on earth I was his purgatory, 480 For which I hope his soul lives now in
glory. 481 For God knows, many a time he sat and sung 482 When the shoe bitterly his foot had wrung. 483 There was no one, save God and he, that knew
484 How, in so many ways, I'd twist the screw. 485 He died when I came from Jerusalem, 486 And lies entombed beneath the great
rood-beam, 487 Although his tomb is not so glorious
488 As was the sepulchre of Darius,
489 The which Apelles wrought full cleverly; 490 'Twas waste to
bury him expensively.
491 Let him fare well. God give his soul good
rest, 492 He now is in the grave and in his chest. 493 And now of my
fifth husband will I tell. 494 God grant his soul may never get to Hell! 495 And yet he was to me most brutal, too; 496 My ribs yet feel as they were black and
blue, 497 And ever shall, until my dying day.
498 But in our bed he was so fresh and gay, 499 And therewithal he could so well impose, 500 What time he wanted use of my belle chose,
501 That though he'd beaten me on every bone, 502 He could re-win my love, and that
full soon. 503 I guess I loved him best of all, for he 504 Gave of his love most sparingly to me. 505 We women have, if I am not to lie,
506 In this love matter, a quaint
fantasy;
507 Look out a thing we may not lightly have, 508 And after that we'll cry all day and crave. 509 Forbid a thing,
and that thing covet we; 510 Press hard upon us, then
we turn and flee. 511 Sparingly offer we our goods, when fair; 512 Great crowds at market for dearer ware, 513 And what's too common brings but little
price; 514 All this knows every woman who is wise. 515 My fifth husband, may God his spirit bless! 516 Whom I took all for love, and not riches,
517 Had been sometime a student at Oxford,
518 And had left school and had come home to
board 519 With my best gossip, dwelling in our town, 520 God save her soul! Her name was Alison. 521 She knew my heart and all my privity
522 Better than did our parish priest, s'help me! 523 To her confided I my secrets all.
524 For had my husband pissed against a wall, 525 Or done a thing that might have cost his life, 526 To her and to another worthy wife,
527 And to my niece whom I loved always well, 528 I would have told it- every bit I'd tell,
529 And did so, many and many a time, God wot, 530 Which made his face full often red and hot 531 For utter shame; he blamed himself that he 532 Had told me of so deep a privity.
533 So it befell that on a time, in Lent
534 (For oftentimes I to my gossip went,
535 Since I loved always to be glad and gay 536 And to walk out, in March, April, and May, 537 From house to house, to hear the latest
malice), 538 Jenkin the clerk,
and my gossip Dame Alis, 539 And I myself into the meadows went. 540 My husband was in London all that Lent; 541 I had the greater leisure, then, to play, 542 And to observe, and to be seen, I say,
543 By pleasant folk; what knew I where my face 544 Was destined to be loved, or in what place? 545 Therefore I made my visits round about 546 To vigils and processions of devout,
547 To preaching too, and shrines of pilgrimage,
548 To miracle plays, and always to each
marriage, 549 And wore my scarlet
skirt before all wights. 550 These worms and all these moths and all
these mites, 551 I
say it at my peril, never ate;
552 And know you why? I wore it early and late. 553 Now will I tell you what befell to me.
554 I say that in the meadows walked we three 555 Till, truly, we had come to such dalliance, 556 This clerk and I, that, of my vigilance, 557 I spoke to him and told him how that he, 558 Were I a widow, might well marry me. 559 For certainly I say it not to brag,
560 But I was never quite without a bag
561 Full of the needs of marriage that I seek. 562 I hold a mouse's heart not worth a leek 563 That has but one hole into which to run, 564 And if it fail of
that, then all is done. 565 I made
him think he had enchanted me; 566 My
mother taught me all that subtlety. 567 And then I said I'd dreamed of him all night, 568 He
would have slain me as I lay upright, 569 And all
my bed was full of very blood; 570 But yet I hoped that he would do me good, 571 For blood betokens
gold, as I was taught. 572 And all was false, I dreamed of him just- naught, 573 Save as I acted on my mother's lore,
574 As well in this thing as in many more.
575 But now, let's see, what was I going to say?
576 Aha, by God, I know! It goes this way. 577 When my fourth husband lay upon his bier, 578 I wept enough and made but sorry cheer, 579 As wives must always, for it's custom's grace, 580 And with my kerchief covered up my face; 581 But since I was provided with a mate, 582 I really wept but little, I may state.
583 To church my man was borne upon the morrow 584 By neighbours, who
for him made signs of sorrow; 585 And Jenkin, our good clerk, was one of them. 586 So help me God, when rang the requiem 587 After the bier, I thought he had a pair
588 Of legs and feet so clean-cut and so fair 589 That all my heart I gave to him to hold. 590 He was, I think, but twenty winters old, 591 And I was forty, if I tell the truth;
592 But then I always had a young colt's tooth. 593 I was, and that became me well;
594 I had the print of holy Venus' seal.
595 So help me God, I was a healthy one,
596 And fair and rich and young and full of fun;
597 And truly, as my husbands all told me, 598 I had the silkiest quoniam
that could be. 599 For truly, I am all Venusian
600 In feeling,
and my brain is Martian.
601 Venus gave me my lust, my lickerishness, 602 And Mars gave me my sturdy hardiness. 603 Taurus was my ascendant, with Mars therein. 604 Alas, alas, that ever love was sin!
605 I followed always my own inclination 606 By virtue of my natal constellation;
607 Which wrought me so I never could
withdraw 608 My Venus-chamber from a good fellow. 609 Yet have I Mars's mark upon my face, 610 And also in another private place.
611 For God
so truly my salvation be
612 As I
have never loved for policy,
613 But ever
followed my own appetite,
614 Though
he were short or tall, or black or white; 615 I took
no heed, so that he cared for me, 616 How poor
he was, nor even of what degree. 617 What
should I say now, save, at the month's end, 618 This jolly, gentle, Jenkin
clerk, my friend, 619 Had wedded me full ceremoniously,
620 And to him gave I all the land in fee
621 That ever had been given me before;
622 But, later I repented me full sore. 623 He never suffered me to have my way. 624 By God, he smote me on the ear, one day, 625 Because I tore out of his book a leaf, 626 So that from this my ear is grown quite
deaf. 627 Stubborn I was as is a lioness,
628 And with my tongue a very jay, I guess, 629 And walk I would, as I had done before, 630 From house to house, though I should not, he
swore. 631 For
which he oftentimes would sit and preach 632 And read old Roman tales to me and
teach 633 How one Sulpicius
Gallus left his wife 634 And her forsook for term of all his life 635 Because he saw her with bared head, I say, 636 Looking out from his door, upon a day. 637 Another Roman told he of by name
638 Who, since his wife was at a summer-game 639 Without his knowing, he forsook her eke. 640 And then would he within his Bible seek 641 That proverb of the old Ecclesiast
642 Where he commands so freely and so fast 643 That man forbid his wife to gad about; 644 Then would he thus repeat, with never doubt:
645 'Whoso would build his whole house out of sallows, 646 And
spur his blind horse to run over fallows, 647 And let his wife alone go seeking hallows, 648 Is worthy to be hanged upon the gallows.' 649 But all for naught, I didn't care a haw
650 For all his proverbs, nor for his old saw, 651 Nor yet would I by him corrected be.
652 I hate one that my vices tells to me,
653 And so do more of us- God knows!- than I. 654 This made him mad with me, and furiously, 655 That I'd not yield to him in any case. 656 Now will I tell you truth, by Saint Thomas, 657 Of why I tore from out his book a leaf,
658 For which he struck me so it made me deaf. 659 He had a book that gladly, night and day, 660 For his amusement he would read alway. 661 He called it 'Theophrastus' and 'Valerius', 662 At which book would he laugh, uproarious. 663 And, too, there sometime was a clerk at
Rome, 664 A cardinal, that men called Saint Jerome,
665 Who made a book against Jovinian;
666 In which book, too, there was Tertullian, 667 Chrysippus, Trotula, and Heloise
668 Who was abbess near Paris' diocese;
669 And too, the Proverbs of King Solomon,
670 And Ovid's Art, and books full many a
one. 671 And all of these were bound in one volume. 672 And every night and day 'twas his custom, 673 When he had leisure and took some vacation 674 From all his other worldly occupation, 675 To read, within this book, of wicked wives. 676 He knew of them more legends and more lives 677 Than are of good wives written in the Bible.
678 For trust me, it's impossible, no libel,
679 That any cleric shall speak well of wives, 680 Unless it be of saints and holy lives,
681 But naught for other women will they do. 682 Who painted first the lion, tell me who? 683 By God, if women had but written stories, 684 As have these clerks within their oratories,
685 They would have written of men more
wickedness 686 Than all the race of Adam could redress. 687 The children of Mercury and of Venus 688 Are in their lives antagonistic thus;
689 For Mercury loves wisdom and science, 690 And Venus loves but pleasure and expense. 691 Because they different dispositions own, 692 Each falls when other's in ascendant shown. 693 And God knows Mercury is desolate
694 In Pisces, wherein Venus rules in state; 695 And Venus falls when Mercury is raised; 696 Therefore no woman by a clerk is praised. 697 A clerk, when he is old and can naught do 698 Of Venus' labours worth his worn-out shoe, 699 Then sits he down and writes, in his dotage,
700 That women cannot keep vow of marriage! 701 But now to tell you, as I started to,
702 Why I was beaten for a book, pardieu. 703 Upon a night Jenkin,
who was our sire, 704 Read in his book, as he sat by the fire, 705 Of Mother Eve who, by her wickedness,
706 First brought mankind to all his
wretchedness, 707 For which Lord Jesus Christ Himself was
slain, 708 Who, with His heart's blood, saved us thus again. 709 Lo here, expressly of woman, may you find 710 That woman was the ruin of mankind. 711 Then read he out how Samson lost his
hairs, 712 Sleeping, his leman cut them with her
shears; 713 And through this treason lost he either eye. 714 Then read he out, if I am not to lie,
715 Of Hercules, and Deianira's
desire
716 That caused him to go set himself on fire. 717 Nothing escaped him of the pain and woe 718 That Socrates had with his spouses
two; 719 How Xantippe threw piss upon his head; 720 This hapless man sat still, as he were dead;
721 He wiped his head, no more durst he complain
722 Than 'Ere the thunder ceases comes the
rain.' 723 Then of Pasiphae, the queen of Crete,
724 For cursedness he thought the story sweet; 725 Fie! Say no more- it is an awful thing-
726 Of her so horrible lust and love-liking. 727 Of Clytemnestra, for her lechery,
728 Who caused her husband's death by treachery,
729 He read all this with greatest zest, I vow. 730 He told me, too, just when it was and how 731 Amphiaraus
at Thebes lost his life;
732 My husband had a legend of his wife
733 Eriphyle
who, for a brooch of gold,
734 In secrecy to hostile Greeks had told
735 Whereat her husband had his hiding place, 736 For which he found at Thebes but sorry
grace. 737 Of Livia and Lucia
told he me,
738 For both of them their husbands killed, you
see, 739 The one for love, the other killed for hate;
740 Livia her
husband, on an evening late, 741 Made drink some poison, for she was his foe.
742 Lucia, lecherous, loved her husband
so 743 That, to the end he'd always of her think, 744 She gave him such a, philtre,
for love-drink, 745 That he was dead or ever it was morrow; 746 And husbands thus, by same means, came to
sorrow. 747 Then
did he tell how one Latumius
748 Complained unto his comrade Arrius
749 That in his garden grew a baleful tree
750 Whereon, he said, his wives, and they were
three, 751 Had hanged themselves for wretchedness and
woe. 752 'O brother,' Arrius
said, 'and did they so? 753 Give me a graft of that same blessed tree 754 And in my garden planted it shall be!'
755 Of wives of later date he also read,
756 How some had slain their husbands in their
bed 757 And let their lovers shag them all the night
758 While corpses lay upon the floor upright. 759 And some had driven nails into the brain 760 While husbands slept and in such wise were
slain. 761 And
some had given them poison in their drink. 762 He
told more evil than the mind can think. 763 And
therewithal he knew of more proverbs 764 Than
in this world there grows of grass or herbs. 765 'Better,'
he said, 'your habitation be
766 With
lion wild or dragon foul,' said he, 767 'Than
with a woman who will nag and chide.' 768 'Better,'
he said, 'on the housetop abide 769 Than
with a brawling wife down in the house; 770 Such
are so wicked and contrarious
771 They
hate the thing their husband loves, for aye.' 772 He
said, 'a woman throws her shame away 773 When
she throws off her smock,' and further, too: 774 'A
woman fair, save she be chaste also, 775 Is
like a ring of gold in a sow's nose.'
776 Who
would imagine or who would suppose 777 What
grief and pain were in this heart of mine? 778 And
when I saw he'd never cease, in fine, 779 His
reading in this cursed book at night, 780 Three
leaves of it I snatched and tore outright 781 Out
of his book, as he read on; and eke 782 I
with my fist so took him on the cheek 783 That
in our fire he reeled and fell right down. 784 Then
he got up as does a wild lion,
785 And
with his fist he struck me on the head, 786 And
on the floor I lay as I were dead.
787 And
when he saw how limp and still I lay, 788 He
was afraid and would have run away, 789 Until
at last, out of my swoon I made: 790 'Oh,
have you slain me, you false thief?' I said, 791 'And
for my land have you thus murdered me? 792 Kiss
me before I die, and let me be.'
793 He
came to me and near me he knelt down, 794 And
said: 'O my dear sister Alison,
795 So
help me God, I'll never strike you more; 796 What
I have done, you are to blame therefor. 797 But
all the same forgiveness now I seek!' 798 And
thereupon I hit him on the cheek, 799 And
said: 'Thief, so much vengeance do I wreak! 800 Now
will I die; I can no longer speak!' 801 But
at the last, and with much care and woe, 802 We
made it up between ourselves. And so 803 He
put the bridle reins within my hand 804 To
have the governing of house and land; 805 And
of his tongue and of his hand, also; 806 And
made him burn his book, right then, oho! 807 And
when I had thus gathered unto me 808 Masterfully,
the entire sovereignty,
809 And
he had said: 'My own true wedded wife, 810 Do as
you please the term of all your life, |
The Wife of Bath Defends Her Rights to Re-Marriage and to the
Enjoyment of Her Sexuality The church teaches that re-marriage is forbidden, and it
cites Scripture to defend its teaching. Jesus only went to one wedding, the one at Cana in
Galilee. (Therefore, one should only marry once?) Also, Jesus reproved the Samaritan for having had five
husbands: the one to whom she was married was not her real husband. (By
implication, only the first was legitimate. Any more would be bigamous.) However, The Wife of Bath can cite scripture in defense of
remarriage: : Be fruitful and multiply. : Men should leave mother and father and cleave unto a
wife (no number specifically mentioned.) : Wise old King Solomon had several wives, and he enjoyed them all. The Wife suggests that chastity need not apply to all
women, particularly to those whose husbands have died. Church law defined
re-marriage as bigamy because the sacrament of marriage united a man and a
woman for eternity. The wife argues that she never seeks to marry more than
one man at any one time (serial monogamy). Although the Wife never broaches
the subject of divorce (that would have been beyond the pale in medieval
culture), she would have readily embraced the idea. However, she will draw
the line at redefining adultery. Did Jesus ever command virginity? Where would we be without sown seeds? Virginity is lauded, but was it intended for all people? No. It was fine for Paul the apostle, but even he admitted that he wouldn’t want everyone to be a virgin. God did not create all vessels in his house out of gold.
Wood serves important purposes as well. God has given each person a proper gift. Jesus called out to people to give up everything and
follow him, but did he intend everyone to live perfectly? No. And “such am not I” For what purpose were genitals made? duty and ease in getting, “when
we do not God displease.” This ‘blessed instrument’ is not just for urination
but also for engendering, and it is also not used solely for getting an heir. So, I’ll bear
no malice to virginity, but In wifehood I
will use my instrument/ As freely as my Maker has it sent. And she won’t be
selfish about it either. She’ll make love as often as she can. Furthermore,
she considers her husband to be in debt to her, and the only way he can pay
that debt is through making love. Until that debt is payed,
she possesses his own good body. The Pardoner’s Interruption: Mock Outrage: “I knew it! Now I’ll never marry!” What makes this line so funny? The Wife responds that she will tell of her experience in marriage, and then he can decide for himself whether marriage should be for him. The Wife’s Tale of Her Five Husbands: How does she teach her first three husbands to be happy? The first three were old and rich, and they loved her
madly. Therefore, they should live happily ever after. Right? No? What will
each of these three husbands fear? (Typically, the
medieval woman surrendered all power once she had married. Why? How did the
Wife maintain influence on her husbands even after
marriage?) In return for her love, she demanded payment. She reasons
that she already had their love. That is not enough. Why? They would not
value her properly if she did not demand something more. “Fine things from
the fair.” By forcing these men to
woo her continually, she makes them happy. Why is that? Is she interested in the “fine things”? What other strategies would she use to demand equality? She lied to them regularly, guiltlessly, and brazenfacedly: “You like the neighbor’s wife more than you like me! Why?
She’s better dressed! Therefore, you must be cheating on me.” “Ha! I caught you whispering with our maid! You lecher!” How Husbands Treat Their Wives
in Typical Marriages Why? She would turn the typical husband’s complaints against
him: If I have a friend, you accuse me of gossiping. If I go
for a walk, you accuse me of infidelity. And then you come home drunk and
abuse me. Either you complain that you married beneath yourself and
your wife is not worth the money you have to spend on her, or you say that
you have to put up with a rich wife’s pride. If she’s pretty, you assail her faithfulness. If she’s
ugly, you say that she hankers after every man. Husbands argue that only three things can drive men from
their homes: a leaky roof, fire and a contentious wife. Men say that since women hide their vices until married, they should be tried out, like oxen, to make sure they are not broken or damaged- like a horse or a pot or a set of clothes. Men say that women are unhappy unless constantly
flattered, given gifts, and made the object of undivided attention; women are
unhappy unless our families, even our servants receive endless praise. You say we shouldn’t go out walking with young and
handsome men—like Young Jenkin (incidentally, her
next husband.) You say that you must hide the keys to your strong box from
me. Isn’t it my gold just the same as yours? How Husbands Should Treat Their
Wives. Instead, you should give us the freedom to spend what we
want and to go where we wish when we wish. Key Idea: The wise
man does not care what others think of him: he also is not jealous of another’s happiness.
Only this man will have the confidence to earn a woman’s fidelity! You say we should not get dressed up in costly array
because that endangers our chastity (ie 'our
fidelity') You said I was like a cat who needed to have her fur singed rather than sleek and gay. FOOL! None of this could prevent me from cheating on you
if I wished. Furthermore, I could delude you EASILY if I wished. The ONLY thing
that prevents me
from doing so is….? Her strategy: (concocted with her buddies: Alison and Jenkin) I would accuse them of infidelity (even though I knew it
was not true), and this accusation tickled them because the man figures that
only love could produce such jealousy. (Reverse psychology) So….. My walks with Jenkin? Spying on my husband! Her strategy: Ransom her love: Everything is for sale. They surrendered to my domination; otherwise, I made their
lives hell. And the outcome? He growled like a lion, but was obedient as a sheep. He learned to treat me with patience, meekness and
tenderness. He suffered like old Job and learned to leave his wife in
peace. Since a man is more reasonable, he must display patience. My fourth husband,
he was a reveler and he cheated on me, and I was young and full
of passion… I showed these weaknesses… and he controlled me… For a while… Even though I knew he was unfaithful to me, he knew how to
get what he wanted from me: WINE. MY VENGEANCE: He cheated on me, so by God, I... I... made him believe
the same thing about me (even though I never cheated on him.) If the shoe fits, wear it…. And by God I twisted it onto
his foot! My fifth husband: Nicholas from Oxford (and The
Miller’s Tale) “He beat me, yet I loved him best.” He was the best in bed... or so she says….
later she admits that she married him for love. Why did she love him best? Women love best what life denies them, and the Wife was
growing older…. Nicholas and Alsioun, from the
Miller’s Tale, reappear? (Is it Nicholas that she married? Wasn’t Alsioun her best friend!) I’d tell her anything my fourth husband told me, no matter
how private, ie personal. Husband #4 went up to London, so I lined up my next
husband while he was gone... to Alsion’s lusty,
young friend. Hey, I didn’t cheat on him. What’s wrong with my being
practical? It was at this point that I found religion! My friends and I went to vigils, processions, shrines,
pilgrimages, miracle plays, marriages! And I always wore my favorite scarlet
skirt! While the cat was away, the mouse played, partied, and
danced and I went wherever I wanted. But did I cheat on him? No, but I did line up a new husband: heck, my mother
taught me that one. I told him that he had enchanted me, that I had dreamed
that he had murdered me! KEY MOMENT
The Wife interrupts herself, loses the train of her story,
and then remembers that she had just dreamed of him the night before. She
never won Nicholas. Chaucer’s point? ACTING THE ROLE can take on a life of its
own! (Shakespeare would remember this lesson well!) When we play a role in marriage, the mask can become our face. When Husband #4 died, I was married within a month. She marries Jenkin, the nice looking guy. Yeah, so he was twenty years younger than I was CHAUCER’S NEW
MORALITY:
His Point? How is the WIFE’s willingness to follow appetite rather
than policy evidence of the HOLINESS of her LOVE? I’ll tell you about the fight we had which left me deaf. My LEARNED husband #5 wanted to EDUCATE me! So every night
he would read me all the great works about women from classical
literature—and GUESS WHAT? They are all SEXIST! How did he get away with torturing me so for as long as he
did? HE HAD THE UPPER HAND! Being twenty years younger than me, being the cutest
man….. I took it for as long as I could stand it and then I
snapped! She starts to tear up his book (Remember that books were
very rare and therefore prized possessions before the invention of the
printing press.) CHAUCER’S POINT?
You won’t find the WIFE’s role model in classical or in
sacred literature! She’s BRAND NEW! (at the
very least unseen on earth for a good three thousand years!) THE LIBERATED WOMAN The Fight! We made up, and we are still married, but I do what I
wish. And I never cheated on him! I’m on this pilgrimage to find a new husband. |