Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 59

This cursed man hath in his hond y-hent (540) This poyson in a box, and sith he ran In-to the nexte strete, un-to a man, 870 And borwed [of] him large botels three; And in the two his poyson poured he; The thridde he kepte clene for his drinke.

For al the night he shoop him for to swinke In caryinge of the gold out of that place. 875 And whan this ryotour, with sory grace, Had filled with wyn his grete botels three, To his felawes agayn repaireth he. (550)

871. _All_ omit of. 873. E. his owene; _rest omit_ owene.

What nedeth it to sermone of it more?

For right as they had cast his deeth bifore, 880 Right so they han him slayn, and that anon.

And whan that this was doon, thus spak that oon, 'Now lat us sitte and drinke, and make us merie, And afterward we wol his body berie.'

And with that word it happed him, par cas, 885 To take the botel ther the poyson was, And drank, and yaf his felawe drinke also, For which anon they storven bothe two. (560)

880. E. so as; _rest omit_ so.

But, certes, I suppose that Avicen Wroot never in no canon, ne in no fen, 890 Mo wonder signes of empoisoning Than hadde thise wrecches two, er hir ending.

[317: T. 12827-12861.]

Thus ended been thise homicydes two, And eek the false empoysoner also.

891. E. Hn. Cm. signes; Cp. Ln. Hl. sorwes; Pt. sorowes.

O cursed sinne, ful of cursednesse! 895 O traytours homicyde, o wikkednesse!

O glotonye, luxurie, and hasardrye!

Thou blasphemour of Crist with vileinye (570) And othes grete, of usage and of pryde!

Allas! mankinde, how may it bityde, 900 That to thy creatour which that thee wroghte, And with his precious herte-blood thee boghte, Thou art so fals and so unkinde, allas!

895. E. Hn. Cm. of alle; Cp. Ln. Hl. ful of; Pt. ful of al.

Now, goode men, G.o.d forgeve yow your trespas, And ware yow fro the sinne of avaryce. 905 Myn holy pardoun may yow alle waryce, So that ye offre n.o.bles or sterlinges, Or elles silver broches, spones, ringes. (580) Boweth your heed under this holy bulle!

Cometh up, ye wyves, offreth of your wolle! 910 Your name I entre heer in my rolle anon; In-to the blisse of hevene shul ye gon; I yow a.s.soile, by myn heigh power, Yow that wol offre, as clene and eek as cleer As ye were born; and, lo, sirs, thus I preche. 915 And Iesu Crist, that is our soules leche, So graunte yow his pardon to receyve; For that is best; I wol yow nat deceyve. (590)

910. E. Com; _rest_ Cometh, Comyth. 911. E. Hl. names; _rest_ name.

But sirs, o word forgat I in my tale, I have relikes and pardon in my male, 920 As faire as any man in Engelond, Whiche were me yeven by the popes hond.

If any of yow wol, of devocioun, Offren, and han myn absolucioun, Cometh forth anon, and kneleth heer adoun, 925 And mekely receyveth my pardoun: Or elles, taketh pardon as ye wende, [318: T. 12862-12897.]

Al newe and fresh, at every tounes ende, (600) So that ye offren alwey newe and newe n.o.bles and pens, which that be G.o.de and trewe. 930 It is an honour to everich that is heer, That ye mowe have a suffisant pardoneer Ta.s.soille yow, in contree as ye ryde, For aventures which that may bityde.

Peraventure ther may falle oon or two 935 Doun of his hors, and breke his nekke atwo.

Look which a seuretee is it to yow alle That I am in your felaweship y-falle, (610) That may a.s.soille yow, bothe more and la.s.se, Whan that the soule shal fro the body pa.s.se, 940 I rede that our hoste heer shal biginne, For he is most envoluped in sinne.

Com forth, sir hoste, and offre first anon, And thou shalt kisse the reliks everichon, Ye, for a grote! unbokel anon thy purs.' 945

925. E. Hn. Com; _rest_ Cometh, Comyth. 928. E. Hn. Cm. myles; _rest_ tounes. 930. E. Hn. or; _rest_ and. 935. E. fallen. 941. E. Cm.

heere; _rest om._ 944. E. my; Cm. myne; _rest_ the.

'Nay, nay,' quod he, 'than have I Cristes curs!

Lat be,' quod he, 'it shal nat be, so theech!

Thou woldest make me kisse thyn old breech, (620) And swere it were a relik of a seint, Thogh it were with thy fundement depeint! 950 But by the croys which that seint Eleyne fond, I wolde I hadde thy coillons in myn hond In stede of relikes or of seintuarie; Lat cutte hem of, I wol thee helpe hem carie; Thay shul be shryned in an hogges tord.' 955

947. Hn. thee ich; _rest_ theech. 954. Cp. Ln. the helpe; Pt. Hl.

helpe; E. with thee; Cm. from the; Hn. thee.

This pardoner answerde nat a word; So wrooth he was, no word ne wolde he seye.

'Now,' quod our host, 'I wol no lenger pleye (630) With thee, ne with noon other angry man.'

But right anon the worthy knight bigan, 960 Whan that he saugh that al the peple lough, 'Na-more of this, for it is right y-nough; Sir pardoner, be glad and mery of chere; [319: T. 12898-12902.]

And ye, sir host, that been to me so dere, I prey yow that ye kisse the pardoner. 965 And pardoner, I prey thee, drawe thee neer, And, as we diden, lat us laughe and pleye.' (639) Anon they kiste, and riden forth hir weye. [T. 12902.

HERE IS ENDED THE PARDONERS TALE.

(_For_ T. 12903, _see_ p. 165).

COLOPHON. _From_ E. Hn.; Hl. Here endeth the pardoneres tale.

[320: T. 5583-5602.]

GROUP D.

THE WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE.

T. 5583 sqq.; _for_ T. 5582, _see_ p. 164.)

THE PROLOGE OF THE WYVES TALE OF BATHE.

'Experience, though noon auctoritee Were in this world, were right y-nough to me To speke of wo that is in mariage; For, lordinges, sith I twelf yeer was of age, Thonked be G.o.d that is eterne on lyve, 5 Housbondes at chirche-dore I have had fyve; For I so ofte have y-wedded be; And alle were worthy men in hir degree.

But me was told certeyn, nat longe agon is, That sith that Crist ne wente never but onis 10 To wedding in the Cane of Galilee, That by the same ensample taughte he me That I ne sholde wedded be but ones.

Herke eek, lo! which a sharp word for the nones Besyde a welle Iesus, G.o.d and man, 15 Spak in repreve of the Samaritan: "Thou hast y-had fyve housbondes," quod he, "And thilke man, the which that hath now thee, Is noght thyn housbond;" thus seyde he certeyn; What that he mente ther-by, I can nat seyn; 20 [321: T. 5603-5636.]

But that I axe, why that the fifthe man Was noon housbond to the Samaritan?

How manye mighte she have in mariage?

Yet herde I never tellen in myn age Upon this nombre diffinicioun; 25 Men may devyne and glosen up and doun.

But wel I woot expres, with-oute lye, G.o.d bad us for to wexe and multiplye; That gentil text can I wel understonde.

Eek wel I woot he seyde, myn housbonde 30 Sholde lete fader and moder, and take me; But of no nombre mencioun made he, Of bigamye or of octogamye; Why sholde men speke of it vileinye?

HEADING. _So_ E.; Hn. Here bigynneth the prologe of the tale of the Wyf of Bathe; Hl. Here bygynneth the prologe of the wyf of Bathe. 5. Hn.

Pt. Ln. Thonked; E. Ythonked. 7. _So_ E.; _rest_ If (Hl. For) I so ofte myghte haue wedded be. 12. E. _om._ That. E. thoughte; _rest_ taughte he. 14. E. Herkne; Hl. Herken; _rest_ Herke (Herk). E. Hl.

_om._ lo. 18. E. And that; _rest_ And that ilke (_read_ thilke).

29. E. _om._ wel. 31. E. take; Hl. folwe; _rest_ take to.

Lo, here the wyse king, dan Salomon; 35 I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon; As, wolde G.o.d, it leveful were to me To be refresshed half so ofte as he!

Which yifte of G.o.d hadde he for alle his wyvis!

No man hath swich, that in this world alyve is. 40 G.o.d woot, this n.o.ble king, as to my wit, The firste night had many a mery fit With ech of hem, so wel was him on lyve!

Blessed be G.o.d that I have wedded fyve!

Welcome the sixte, whan that ever he shal. 45 For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chast in al; Whan myn housbond is fro the world y-gon, Som Cristen man shal wedde me anon; For thanne thapostle seith, that I am free To wedde, a G.o.ddes half, wher it lyketh me. 50 He seith that to be wedded is no sinne; Bet is to be wedded than to brinne.

What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileinye Of shrewed Lameth and his bigamye?

[322: T. 5637-5672.]

I woot wel Abraham was an holy man, 55 And Iacob eek, as ferforth as I can; And ech of hem hadde wyves mo than two; And many another holy man also.

Whan saugh ye ever, in any maner age, That hye G.o.d defended mariage 60 By expres word? I pray you, telleth me; Or wher comanded he virginitee?

I woot as wel as ye, it is no drede, Thapostel, whan he speketh of maydenhede; He seyde, that precept ther-of hadde he noon. 65 Men may conseille a womman to been oon, But conseilling is no comandement; He putte it in our owene Iugement.

For hadde G.o.d comanded maydenhede, Thanne hadde he dampned wedding with the dede; 70 And certes, if ther were no seed y-sowe, Virginitee, wher-of than sholde it growe?

Poul dorste nat comanden atte leste A thing of which his maister yaf noon heste.

The dart is set up for virginitee; 75 Cacche who so may, who renneth best lat see.