The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Introduction
• Errata.
• Additions to ‘the Minor Poems’ In Vol. I.
• XXIV.: Womanly Noblesse.
• XXV.: Complaint to My Mortal Foe.
• XXVI.: Complaint to My Lode-sterre.
• Notes to the Preceding Poems.
• The Canterbury Tales. Group A.
• The Prologue.
• The Knightes Tale.
• The Miller’s Prologue.
• The Milleres Tale.
• The Reeve’s Prologue.
• The Reves Tale.
• The Cook’s Prologue.
• The Cokes Tale.
• Group B.
• Introduction to the Man of Law’s Prologue. (t. 4421-4446.)
• The Tale of the Man of Lawe.
• The Shipman’s Prologue.
• The Shipmannes Tale.
• The Prioress’s Prologue. (t. 13365-13382.)
• The Prioresses Tale.
• Prologue to Sir Thopas. (t. 13621-13641.)
• Sir Thopas.
• Prologue to Melibeus. (t. 13847-13875.)
• The Tale of Melibeus.
• The Monk’s Prologue. (t. 13895-13924.)
• The Monkes Tale.
• The Prologue of the Nonne Prestes Tale. (t. 14773-14798).
• The Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Group C.
• The Phisiciens Tale. (t. 11935-11957.)
• Words of the Host. (t. 12221-12239.)
• The Prologue of the Pardoners Tale. (t. 12263-12288).
• The Pardoners Tale. ( Numbered In Continuation of the Preceding. )
• Group D.
• The Wife of Bath’s Prologue. (t. 5583-5602; For T. 5582, See P. 164.)
• The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe.
• The Friar’s Prologue. (t. 6847-6868).
• The Freres Tale.
• The Somnour’s Prologue. (t. 7247-7270.)
• The Somnours Tale.
• Group E.
• The Clerk’s Prologue. (t. 7877-7898.)
• The Clerkes Tale.
• The Merchant’s Prologue. (t. 9089-9120).
• The Marchantes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Marchantes Tale.
• Group F.
• The Squieres Tale. (t. 10315-10334).
• The Franklin’s Prologue. (t. 11021-11040).
• The Frankeleyns Tale.
• Group G.
• The Seconde Nonnes Tale.
• The Canon’s Yeoman’s Prologue. (t. 16022-16043.)
• The Chanouns Yemannes Tale.
• Group H.
• The Manciple’s Prologue. (t. 16950-16968).
• The Maunciples Tale.
• Group I.
• The Parson’s Prologue. (t. 17312-17330).
• The Persones Tale.
• Appendix to Group A.
• The Tale of Gamelyn.

THE MERCHANT’S PROLOGUE.
(T. 9089-9120).

The Prologe of the Marchantes Tale.

• ‘WEPING and wayling, care, and other sorwe
• I know y-nogh, on even and a-morwe,’
• Quod the Marchaunt, ‘and so don othere mo1215
• That wedded been, I trowe that it be so.
• For, wel I woot, it fareth so with me.
• I have a wyf, the worste that may be;
• For thogh the feend to hir y-coupled were,
• She wolde him overmacche, I dar wel swere.1220
• What sholde I yow reherce in special
• Hir hye malice? she is a shrewe at al.(10)
• Ther is a long and large difference
• Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
• And of my wyf the passing crueltee.1225
• Were I unbounden, al-so moot I thee!
• I wolde never eft comen in the snare.
• We wedded men live in sorwe and care;
• Assaye who-so wol, and he shal finde
• I seye sooth, by seint Thomas of Inde,1230
• As for the more part, I sey nat alle.
• God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!(20)
• A! good sir hoost! I have y-wedded be
• Thise monthes two, and more nat, pardee;
• And yet, I trowe, he that all his lyve1235
• Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve
• Un-to the herte, ne coude in no manere
• Tellen so muchel sorwe, as I now here
• Coude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!’
• ‘Now,’ quod our hoost, ‘Marchaunt, so god yow blesse,1240
• Sin ye so muchel knowen of that art,
• Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.’(30)
• ‘Gladly,’ quod he, ‘but of myn owene sore,
• For sory herte, I telle may na-more.’