The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems Part 22

The same accord is sworn on either side; Now, fair Constance, Almighty G.o.d thee guide!

Now woulde some men waiten, as I guess, That I should tellen all the purveyance*, *provision The which the emperor of his n.o.blesse Hath shapen* for his daughter, Dame Constance. *prepared Well may men know that so great ordinance May no man tellen in a little clause, As was arrayed for so high a cause.

Bishops be shapen with her for to wend, Lordes, ladies, and knightes of renown, And other folk enough, this is the end.

And notified is throughout all the town, That every wight with great devotioun Should pray to Christ, that he this marriage Receive *in gree*, and speede this voyage. *with good will, favour*

The day is comen of her departing, -- I say the woful fatal day is come, That there may be no longer tarrying, But forward they them dressen* all and some. *prepare to set out*

Constance, that was with sorrow all o'ercome, Full pale arose, and dressed her to wend, For well she saw there was no other end.

Alas! what wonder is it though she wept, That shall be sent to a strange nation From friendes, that so tenderly her kept, And to be bound under subjection of one, she knew not his condition?

Husbands be all good, and have been *of yore*, *of old*

That knowe wives; I dare say no more.

"Father," she said, "thy wretched child Constance, Thy younge daughter, foster'd up so soft, And you, my mother, my sov'reign pleasance Over all thing, out-taken* Christ *on loft*, *except *on high*

Constance your child her recommendeth oft Unto your grace; for I shall to Syrie, Nor shall I ever see you more with eye.

"Alas! unto the barbarous nation I must anon, since that it is your will: But Christ, that starf* for our redemption, *died So give me grace his hestes* to fulfil. *commands I, wretched woman, *no force though I spill!* *no matter though Women are born to thraldom and penance, I perish*

And to be under mannes governance."

I trow at Troy when Pyrrhus brake the wall, Or Ilion burnt, or Thebes the city, Nor at Rome for the harm through Hannibal, That Romans hath y-vanquish'd times three, Was heard such tender weeping for pity, As in the chamber was for her parting; But forth she must, whether she weep or sing.

O firste moving cruel Firmament,<5> With thy diurnal sway that crowdest* aye, *pushest together, drivest And hurtlest all from East till Occident That naturally would hold another way; Thy crowding set the heav'n in such array At the beginning of this fierce voyage, That cruel Mars hath slain this marriage.

Unfortunate ascendant tortuous, Of which the lord is helpless fall'n, alas!

Out of his angle into the darkest house; O Mars, O Atyzar,<6> as in this case; O feeble Moon, unhappy is thy pace.* *progress Thou knittest thee where thou art not receiv'd, Where thou wert well, from thennes art thou weiv'd. <7>

Imprudent emperor of Rome, alas!

Was there no philosopher in all thy town?

Is no time bet* than other in such case? *better Of voyage is there none election, Namely* to folk of high condition, *especially Not *when a root is of a birth y-know?* *when the nativity is known*

Alas! we be too lewed*, or too slow. *ignorant

To ship was brought this woeful faire maid Solemnely, with every circ.u.mstance: "Now Jesus Christ be with you all," she said.

There is no more,but "Farewell, fair Constance."

She *pained her* to make good countenance. *made an effort*

And forth I let her sail in this manner, And turn I will again to my matter.

The mother of the Soudan, well of vices, Espied hath her sone's plain intent, How he will leave his olde sacrifices: And right anon she for her council sent, And they be come, to knowe what she meant, And when a.s.sembled was this folk *in fere*, *together*

She sat her down, and said as ye shall hear.

"Lordes," she said, "ye knowen every one, How that my son in point is for to lete* *forsake The holy lawes of our Alkaron*, *Koran Given by G.o.d's messenger Mahomete: But one avow to greate G.o.d I hete*, *promise Life shall rather out of my body start, Than Mahomet's law go out of mine heart.

"What should us tiden* of this newe law, *betide, befall But thraldom to our bodies, and penance, And afterward in h.e.l.l to be y-draw, For we *renied Mahound our creance?* *denied Mahomet our belief*

But, lordes, will ye maken a.s.surance, As I shall say, a.s.senting to my lore*? *advice And I shall make us safe for evermore."

They sworen and a.s.sented every man To live with her and die, and by her stand: And every one, in the best wise he can, To strengthen her shall all his friendes fand.* *endeavour<8> And she hath this emprise taken in hand, Which ye shall heare that I shall devise*; *relate And to them all she spake right in this wise.

"We shall first feign us *Christendom to take*; *embrace Christianity*

Cold water shall not grieve us but a lite*: *little And I shall such a feast and revel make, That, as I trow, I shall the Soudan quite.* *requite, match For though his wife be christen'd ne'er so white, She shall have need to wash away the red, Though she a fount of water with her led."

O Soudaness*, root of iniquity, *Sultaness Virago thou, Semiramis the second!

O serpent under femininity, Like to the serpent deep in h.e.l.l y-bound!

O feigned woman, all that may confound Virtue and innocence, through thy malice, Is bred in thee, as nest of every vice!

O Satan envious! since thilke day That thou wert chased from our heritage, Well knowest thou to woman th' olde way.

Thou madest Eve to bring us in servage*: *bondage Thou wilt fordo* this Christian marriage: *ruin Thine instrument so (well-away the while!) Mak'st thou of women when thou wilt beguile.

This Soudaness, whom I thus blame and warray*, *oppose, censure Let privily her council go their way: Why should I in this tale longer tarry?

She rode unto the Soudan on a day, And said him, that she would *reny her lay,* *renounce her creed*

And Christendom of priestes' handes fong*, *take<9> Repenting her she heathen was so long;

Beseeching him to do her that honour, That she might have the Christian folk to feast: "To please them I will do my labour."

The Soudan said, "I will do at your hest,*" *desire And kneeling, thanked her for that request; So glad he was, he wist* not what to say. *knew She kiss'd her son, and home she went her way.

Arrived be these Christian folk to land In Syria, with a great solemne rout, And hastily this Soudan sent his sond,* *message First to his mother, and all the realm about, And said, his wife was comen out of doubt, And pray'd them for to ride again* the queen, *to meet The honour of his regne* to sustene. *realm

Great was the press, and rich was the array Of Syrians and Romans met *in fere*. *in company*

The mother of the Soudan rich and gay Received her with all so glad a cheer* *face As any mother might her daughter dear And to the nexte city there beside A softe pace solemnely they ride.

Nought, trow I, the triumph of Julius Of which that Lucan maketh such a boast, Was royaller, or more curious, Than was th' a.s.sembly of this blissful host But O this scorpion, this wicked ghost,* *spirit The Soudaness, for all her flattering Cast* under this full mortally to sting. *contrived

The Soudan came himself soon after this, So royally, that wonder is to tell, And welcomed her with all joy and bliss.

And thus in mirth and joy I let them dwell.

The fruit of his matter is that I tell; When the time came, men thought it for the best That revel stint,* and men go to their rest. *cease

The time is come that this old Soudaness Ordained hath the feast of which I told, And to the feast the Christian folk them dress In general, yea, bothe young and old.

There may men feast and royalty behold, And dainties more than I can you devise; But all too dear they bought it ere they rise.

O sudden woe, that ev'r art successour To worldly bliss! sprent* is with bitterness *sprinkled Th' end of our joy, of our worldly labour; Woe *occupies the fine* of our gladness. *seizes the end*

Hearken this counsel, for thy sickerness*: *security Upon thy glade days have in thy mind The unware* woe of harm, that comes behind. *unforeseen

For, shortly for to tell it at a word, The Soudan and the Christians every one Were all *to-hewn and sticked* at the board, *cut to pieces*

But it were only Dame Constance alone.

This olde Soudaness, this cursed crone, Had with her friendes done this cursed deed, For she herself would all the country lead.

Nor there was Syrian that was converted, That of the counsel of the Soudan wot*, *knew That was not all to-hewn, ere he asterted*: *escaped And Constance have they ta'en anon foot-hot*, *immediately And in a ship all steereless,* G.o.d wot, *without rudder They have her set, and bid her learn to sail Out of Syria *again-ward to Itale.* *back to Italy*

A certain treasure that she thither lad,* *took And, sooth to say, of victual great plenty, They have her giv'n, and clothes eke she had And forth she sailed in the salte sea: O my Constance, full of benignity, O emperores younge daughter dear, He that is lord of fortune be thy steer*! *rudder, guide

She bless'd herself, and with full piteous voice Unto the cross of Christ thus saide she; "O dear, O wealful* altar, holy cross, *blessed, beneficent Red of the Lambes blood, full of pity, That wash'd the world from old iniquity, Me from the fiend and from his clawes keep, That day that I shall drenchen* in the deepe. *drown

"Victorious tree, protection of the true, That only worthy were for to bear The King of Heaven, with his woundes new, The white Lamb, that hurt was with a spear; Flemer* of fiendes out of him and her *banisher, driver out On which thy limbes faithfully extend,<10> Me keep, and give me might my life to mend."

Yeares and days floated this creature Throughout the sea of Greece, unto the strait Of Maroc*, as it was her a venture: *Morocco; Gibraltar On many a sorry meal now may she bait, After her death full often may she wait*, *expect Ere that the wilde waves will her drive Unto the place *there as* she shall arrive. *where

Men mighten aske, why she was not slain?

Eke at the feast who might her body save?

And I answer to that demand again, Who saved Daniel in the horrible cave, Where every wight, save he, master or knave*, *servant Was with the lion frett*, ere he astart?** *devoured ** escaped No wight but G.o.d, that he bare in his heart.

G.o.d list* to shew his wonderful miracle *it pleased In her, that we should see his mighty workes: Christ, which that is to every harm triacle*, *remedy, salve By certain meanes oft, as knowe clerkes*, *scholars Doth thing for certain ende, that full derk is To manne's wit, that for our, ignorance Ne cannot know his prudent purveyance*. *foresight