Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 35

But fynally, when that the sooth is wist That Alla giltelees was of hir wo, I trowe an hundred tymes been they kist, And swich a blisse is ther bitwix hem two 1075 That, save the Ioye that lasteth evermo, Ther is non lyk, that any creature Hath seyn or shal, whyl that the world may dure. (980)

1074. Hl. they ben.

Tho preyde she hir housbond mekely, In relief of hir longe pitous pyne, 1080 That he wold preye hir fader specially That, of his magestee, he wolde enclyne To vouche-sauf som day with him to dyne; She preyde him eek, he sholde by no weye Un-to hir fader no word of hir seye. 1085

1084. E. wolde; _rest_ sholde.

[162: T. 5506-5540.]

Som men wold seyn, how that the child Maurice Doth this message un-to this emperour; But, as I gesse, Alla was nat so nyce (990) To him, that was of so sovereyn honour As he that is of cristen folk the flour, 1090 Sente any child, but it is bet to deme He wente him-self, and so it may wel seme.

This emperour hath graunted gentilly To come to diner, as he him bisoghte; And wel rede I, he loked bisily 1095 Up-on this child, and on his doghter thoghte.

Alla goth to his in, and, as him oghte, Arrayed for this feste in every wyse (1000) As ferforth as his conning may suffyse.

The morwe cam, and Alla gan him dresse, 1100 And eek his wyf, this emperour to mete; And forth they ryde in Ioye and in gladnesse.

And whan she saugh hir fader in the strete, She lighte doun, and falleth him to fete.

'Fader,' quod she, 'your yonge child Custance 1105 Is now ful clene out of your remembrance.

I am your doghter Custance,' quod she, 'That whylom ye han sent un-to Surrye. (1010) It am I, fader, that in the salte see Was put allone and dampned for to dye. 1110 Now, G.o.de fader, mercy I yow crye, Send me namore un-to non hethenesse, But thonketh my lord heer of his kindenesse.'

1107. _So in all the MSS.; to be read as_ Custance (_three syllables_).

Who can the pitous Ioye tellen al Bitwix hem three, sin they ben thus y-mette? 1115 But of my tale make an ende I shal; The day goth faste, I wol no lenger lette.

This glade folk to diner they hem sette; (1020) In Ioye and blisse at mete I lete hem dwelle A thousand fold wel more than I can telle. 1120

[163: T. 5541-5573.]

This child Maurice was sithen emperour Maad by the pope, and lived cristenly.

To Cristes chirche he dide greet honour; But I lete al his storie pa.s.sen by, Of Custance is my tale specially. 1125 In olde Romayn gestes may men finde Maurices lyf; I bere it noght in minde.

1126. E. Hn. Cm. In the; _rest om._ the.

This king Alla, whan he his tyme sey, (1030) With his Custance, his holy wyf so swete, To Engelond been they come the righte wey, 1130 Wher-as they live in Ioye and in quiete.

But litel whyl it lasteth, I yow hete, Ioye of this world, for tyme wol nat abyde; Fro day to night it changeth as the tyde.

Who lived ever in swich delyt o day 1135 That him ne moeved outher conscience, Or ire, or talent, or som kin affray, Envye, or pryde, or pa.s.sion, or offence? (1040) I ne seye but for this ende this sentence, That litel whyl in Ioye or in plesance 1140 Lasteth the blisse of Alla with Custance.

1137. E. som kynnes; Cm. su_m_kenys; Hl. som maner; Hn. Cp. Pt. som kyn; Ln. sumkin.

For deeth, that taketh of heigh and low his rente, When pa.s.sed was a yeer, even as I gesse, Out of this world this king Alla he hente, For whom Custance hath ful gret hevinesse. 1145 Now lat us preyen G.o.d his soule blesse!

And dame Custance; fynally to seye, Towards the toun of Rome gooth hir weye. (1050)

1146. E. praye to; Hl. pray that; _rest_ preyen, prayen, preien, _or_ preyne.

To Rome is come this holy creature, And fyndeth ther hir frendes hole and sounde: 1150 Now is she scaped al hir aventure; And whan that she hir fader hath y-founde, Doun on hir knees falleth she to grounde; [164: T. 5574-5582.]

Weping for tendrenesse in herte blythe, She herieth G.o.d an hundred thousand sythe. 1155

1150. Hl. And fynt hir freendes ther bothe hool and sound. _The rest omit_ ther.

In vertu and in holy almes-dede They liven alle, and never a-sonder wende; Til deeth departed hem, this lyf they lede. (1060) And fareth now weel, my tale is at an ende.

Now Iesu Crist, that of his might may sende 1160 Ioye after wo, governe us in his grace, And kepe us alle that ben in this place! Amen.

HERE ENDETH THE TALE OF THE MAN OF LAWE; AND NEXT FOLWETH THE SHIPMANNES PROLOG.

*** For l. 5583 _in_ Tyrwhitt's Text, _see_ Group D, l. 1.

COLOPHON. _The latter part is from_ MS. Arch. Selden B. 14. _Many MSS.

have_ The prolog of the squyers tale, _or_ the prolog of the Squier.

_The_ Petworth MS. _and some others have here an ill-written and spurious_ Prologue to the Shipman's Tale, _which is here subjoined:_

'Now freendes,' seide our Hoost so dere, 'How lyketh you by Iohn the Pardonere?

For he hath unbokeled wel the male; He hath us told right a thrifty tale As touching of misgovernaunce-- I preye to G.o.d, yeve him good chaunce!-- As ye han herd of thise riotoures three.

Now, gentil Mariner, hertely I preye thee, Telle us a good tale, and that right anon.'

'It shall be doon, by G.o.d and by seint Iohn,'

Seyde this Mariner, 'as wel as ever I can,'

And right anon his tale he bigan.

[165: T. 12903-12924.]

THE SHIPMAN'S PROLOGUE.

HERE BIGINNETH THE SHIPMANNES PROLOG.

Our hoste up-on his stiropes stood anon, And seyde, 'good men, herkneth everich on; This was a thrifty tale for the nones! 1165 Sir parish prest,' quod he, 'for G.o.ddes bones, Tel us a tale, as was thy forward yore.

I see wel that ye lerned men in lore Can moche good, by G.o.ddes dignitee!'

1163-1190. _From_ Cp., _collated with_ Hl. Pt. Ln. Seld. Royal, _and_ Sloane; E. Hn. Cm. _omit_. 1164. Cp. herkeneth; Hl. herkneth.

The Persone him answerde, '_benedicite_! 1170 What eyleth the man, so sinfully to swere?'

Our hoste answerde, 'O Iankin, be ye there? (10) I smelle a loller in the wind,' quod he.

'How! good men,' quod our hoste, 'herkneth me; Abydeth, for G.o.ddes digne pa.s.sioun, 1175 For we shal han a predicacioun; This loller heer wil prechen us som-what.'

1174. Cp. herkeneth; Hl. herkneth. 1174. Hl. Now; _rest_ How (Howe). 1175. Hl. _omits_.

'Nay, by my fader soule! that shal be nat,'

Seyde the Shipman; 'heer he shal nat preche, He shal no gospel glosen heer ne teche. 1180 We leve alle in the grete G.o.d,' quod he, 'He wolde sowen som difficultee, (20) Or springen c.o.kkel in our clene corn; And therfor, hoste, I warne thee biforn, [166: T. 12925-12930.]

My Ioly body shal a tale telle, 1185 And I shal clinken yow so mery a belle, That I shal waken al this companye; But it shal nat ben of philosophye, Ne _physices_, ne termes queinte of lawe; (27) Ther is but litel Latin in my mawe.' 1190

HERE ENDETH THE SHIPMAN HIS PROLOG.

1179. Seld. _has_ Shipman; Roy. Slo. Cp. Pt. Ln. squier; Hl.

sompnour. 1181. Seld. Hl. We leuen; Roy. Cp. Pt. Ln. He leueth.

1182. Seld. Hl. quod, _which_ Cp. Pt. Ln. Roy. Slo. _omit_. 1186-90.

Hl. omits. 1189. Tyrwhitt _has_ of physike; _the_ MSS. _have the unmeaning word_ phislyas (Sloane phillyas; Ln. fisleas); _read_ physices; see note. COLOPHON. _From_ Seld.