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The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, edited from numerous manuscripts by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat (2nd ed.) (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899). 7 vols. Vol. 4.

Author: Geoffrey Chaucer
Editor: Walter W. Skeat

Part of: The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, 7 vols.

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THE MARCHANTES TALE.

Here biginneth the Marchantes Tale.

WHYLOM ther was dwellinge in Lumbardye1245
A worthy knight, that born was of Pavye,
In which he lived in greet prosperitee;
And sixty yeer a wyflees man was he,
And folwed ay his bodily delyt
On wommen, ther-as was his appetyt,1250
As doon thise foles that ben seculeer.
And whan that he was passed sixty yeer,
Were it for holinesse or for dotage,
I can nat seye, but swich a greet corage(10)
Hadde this knight to been a wedded man,1255
That day and night he dooth al that he can
Tespyen where he mighte wedded be;
Preyinge our lord to granten him, that he
Mighte ones knowe of thilke blisful lyf
That is bitwixe an housbond and his wyf;1260
And for to live under that holy bond
With which that first god man and womman bond.
‘Non other lyf,’ seyde he, ‘is worth a bene;
For wedlok is so esy and so clene,(20)
That in this world it is a paradys.’1265
Thus seyde this olde knight, that was so wys.
And certeinly, as sooth as god is king,
To take a wyf, it is a glorious thing,
And namely whan a man is old and hoor;
Thanne is a wyf the fruit of his tresor.1270
Than sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir,
On which he mighte engendren him an heir,
And lede his lyf in Ioye and in solas,
Wher-as thise bacheleres singe ‘allas,’(30)
Whan that they finden any adversitee1275
In love, which nis but childish vanitee.
And trewely it sit wel to be so,
That bacheleres have often peyne and wo;
On brotel ground they builde, and brotelnesse
They finde, whan they wene sikernesse.1280
They live but as a brid or as a beste,
In libertee, and under non areste,
Ther-as a wedded man in his estaat
Liveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,(40)
Under the yok of mariage y-bounde;1285
Wel may his herte in Ioye and blisse habounde.
For who can be so buxom as a wyf?
Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
To kepe him, syk and hool, as is his make?
For wele or wo, she wol him nat forsake.1290
She nis nat wery him to love and serve,
Thogh that he lye bedrede til he sterve.
And yet somme clerkes seyn, it nis nat so,
Of whiche he, Theofraste, is oon of tho.(50)
What force though Theofraste liste lye?1295
‘Ne take no wyf,’ quod he, ‘for housbondrye,
As for to spare in houshold thy dispence;
A trewe servant dooth more diligence,
Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf.
For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf;1300
And if that thou be syk, so god me save,
Thy verray frendes or a trewe knave
Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
After thy good, and hath don many a day.(60)
And if thou take a wyf un-to thyn hold,
[T. om.
Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold.’
[T. om.
This sentence, and an hundred thinges worse,
Wryteth this man, ther god his bones corse!
But take no kepe of al swich vanitee;
Deffye Theofraste and herke me.1310
A wyf is goddes yifte verraily;
Alle other maner yiftes hardily,
As londes, rentes, pasture, or commune,
Or moebles, alle ben yiftes of fortune,(70)
That passen as a shadwe upon a wal.1315
But dredelees, if pleynly speke I shal,
A wyf wol laste, and in thyn hous endure,
Wel lenger than thee list, paraventure.
Mariage is a ful gret sacrement;
He which that hath no wyf, I holde him shent;1320
He liveth helplees and al desolat,
I speke of folk in seculer estaat.
And herke why, I sey nat this for noght,
That womman is for mannes help y-wroght.(80)
The hye god, whan he hadde Adam maked,1325
And saugh him al allone, bely-naked,
God of his grete goodnesse seyde than,
‘Lat us now make an help un-to this man
Lyk to him-self;’ and thanne he made him Eve.
Heer may ye se, and heer-by may ye preve,1330
That wyf is mannes help and his confort,
His paradys terrestre and his disport.
So buxom and so vertuous is she,
They moste nedes live in unitee.(90)
O flesh they been, and o flesh, as I gesse,1335
Hath but on herte, in wele and in distresse.
A wyf! a! Seinte Marie, benedicite!
How mighte a man han any adversitee
That hath a wyf? certes, I can nat seye.
The blisse which that is bitwixe hem tweye1340
Ther may no tonge telle, or herte thinke.
If he be povre, she helpeth him to swinke;
She kepeth his good, and wasteth never a deel;
Al that hir housbonde lust, hir lyketh weel;(100)
She seith not ones ‘nay,’ whan he seith ‘ye.’1345
‘Do this,’ seith he; ‘al redy, sir,’ seith she.
O blisful ordre of wedlok precious,
Thou art so mery , and eek so vertuous,
And so commended and appreved eek,
That every man that halt him worth a leek,1350
Up-on his bare knees oghte al his lyf
Thanken his god that him hath sent a wyf;
Or elles preye to god him for to sende
A wyf, to laste un-to his lyves ende.(110)
For thanne his lyf is set in sikernesse;1355
He may nat be deceyved, as I gesse,
So that he werke after his wyves reed;
Than may he boldly beren up his heed,
They been so trewe and ther-with-al so wyse;
For which, if thou wolt werken as the wyse,1360
Do alwey so as wommen wol thee rede.
Lo, how that Iacob, as thise clerkes rede,
By good conseil of his moder Rebekke,
Bond the kides skin aboute his nekke;(120)
Thurgh which his fadres benisoun he wan.1365
Lo, Iudith, as the storie eek telle can,
By wys conseil she goddes peple kepte,
And slow him, Olofernus, whyl he slepte.
Lo Abigayl, by good conseil how she
Saved hir housbond Nabal, whan that he1370
Sholde han be slayn; and loke, Ester also
By good conseil delivered out of wo
The peple of god, and made him, Mardochee,
Of Assuere enhaunced for to be.(130)
Ther nis no-thing in gree superlatyf,1375
As seith Senek, above an humble wyf.
Suffre thy wyves tonge, as Caton bit;
She shal comande, and thou shalt suffren it;
And yet she wol obeye of curteisye.
A wyf is keper of thyn housbondrye;1380
Wel may the syke man biwaille and wepe,
Ther-as ther nis no wyf the hous to kepe.
I warne thee, if wysly thou wolt wirche,
Love wel thy wyf, as Crist loveth his chirche.(140)
If thou lovest thy-self, thou lovest thy wyf;1385
No man hateth his flesh, but in his lyf
He fostreth it, and therfore bidde I thee,
Cherisse thy wyf, or thou shalt never thee.
Housbond and wyf, what so men Iape or pleye,
Of worldly folk holden the siker weye;1390
They been so knit, ther may noon harm bityde;
And namely, up-on the wyves syde.
For which this Ianuarie, of whom I tolde,
Considered hath, inwith his dayes olde,(150)
The lusty lyf, the vertuous quiete,1395
That is in mariage hony-swete;
And for his freendes on a day he sente,
To tellen hem theffect of his entente.
With face sad, his tale he hath hem told;
He seyde, ‘freendes, I am hoor and old,1400
And almost, god wot, on my pittes brinke;
Up-on my soule somwhat moste I thinke.
I have my body folily despended;
Blessed be god, that it shal been amended!(160)
For I wol be, certeyn, a wedded man,1405
And that anoon in al the haste I can,
Un-to som mayde fair and tendre of age.
I prey yow, shapeth for my mariage
Al sodeynly, for I wol nat abyde;
And I wol fonde tespyen , on my syde,1410
To whom I may be wedded hastily.
But for-as-muche as ye ben mo than I,
Ye shullen rather swich a thing espyen
Than I, and wher me best were to allyen.(170)
But o thing warne I yow, my freendes dere,1415
I wol non old wyf han in no manere.
She shal nat passe twenty yeer, certayn;
Old fish and yong flesh wolde I have ful fayn.
Bet is,’ quod he, ‘a pyk than a pikerel;
And bet than old boef is the tendre veel.1420
I wol no womman thritty yeer of age,
It is but bene-straw and greet forage.
And eek thise olde widwes, god it woot,
They conne so muchel craft on Wades boot,(180)
So muchel broken harm, whan that hem leste,1425
That with hem sholde I never live in reste.
For sondry scoles maken sotil clerkis;
Womman of manye scoles half a clerk is.
But certeynly, a yong thing may men gye,
Right as men may warm wex with handes plye.1430
Wherfore I sey yow pleynly, in a clause,
I wol non old wyf han right for this cause.
For if so were , I hadde swich mischaunce,
That I in hir ne coude han no plesaunce,(190)
Thanne sholde I lede my lyf in avoutrye,1435
And go streight to the devel, whan I dye.
Ne children sholde I none up-on hir geten;
Yet were me lever houndes had me eten,
Than that myn heritage sholde falle
In straunge hand, and this I tell yow alle.1440
I dote nat, I woot the cause why
Men sholde wedde, and forthermore wot I,
Ther speketh many a man of mariage,
That woot na-more of it than woot my page,(200)
For whiche causes man sholde take a wyf.1445
If he ne may nat liven chast his lyf,
Take him a wyf with greet devocioun,
By-cause of leveful procreacioun
Of children, to thonour of god above,
And nat only for paramour or love;1450
And for they sholde lecherye eschue,
And yelde hir dettes whan that they ben due;
Or for that ech of hem sholde helpen other
In meschief, as a suster shal the brother;(210)
And live in chastitee ful holily.1455
But sires , by your leve, that am nat I.
For god be thanked, I dar make avaunt,
I fele my limes stark and suffisaunt
To do al that a man bilongeth to;
I woot my-selven best what I may do.1460
Though I be hoor, I fare as dooth a tree
That blosmeth er that fruyt y-woxen be;
A blosmy tree nis neither drye ne deed.
I fele me nowher hoor but on myn heed;(220)
Myn herte and alle my limes been as grene1465
As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene.
And sin that ye han herd al myn entente,
I prey yow to my wil ye wole assente.’
Diverse men diversely him tolde
Of mariage manye ensamples olde.1470
Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn;
But atte laste, shortly for to seyn,
As al day falleth altercacioun
Bitwixen freendes in disputisoun,(230)
Ther fil a stryf bitwixe his bretheren two,1475
Of whiche that oon was cleped Placebo,
Iustinus soothly called was that other.
Placebo seyde, ‘o Ianuarie, brother,
Ful litel nede had ye, my lord so dere,
Conseil to axe of any that is here;1480
But that ye been so ful of sapience,
That yow ne lyketh, for your heighe prudence,
To weyven fro the word of Salomon.
This word seyde he un-to us everichon:(240)
“Wirk alle thing by conseil,” thus seyde he,1485
“And thanne shaltow nat repente thee.”
But though that Salomon spak swich a word,
Myn owene dere brother and my lord,
So wisly god my soule bringe at reste,
I hold your owene conseil is the beste.1490
For brother myn, of me tak this motyf,
I have now been a court-man al my lyf.
And god it woot, though I unworthy be,
I have stonden in ful greet degree(250)
Abouten lordes of ful heigh estaat;1495
Yet hadde I never with noon of hem debaat.
I never hem contraried, trewely;
I woot wel that my lord can more than I.
What that he seith, I holde it ferme and stable;
I seye the same, or elles thing semblable.1500
A ful gret fool is any conseillour,
That serveth any lord of heigh honour,
That dar presume, or elles thenken it,
That his conseil sholde passe his lordes wit.(260)
Nay, lordes been no foles, by my fay;1505
Ye han your-selven shewed heer to-day
So heigh sentence, so holily and weel,
That I consente and conferme every-deel
Your wordes alle, and your opinioun.
By god, ther nis no man in al this toun1510
Nin al Itaille, that coude bet han sayd;
Crist halt him of this conseil wel apayd.
And trewely, it is an heigh corage
Of any man, that stopen is in age,(270)
To take a yong wyf; by my fader kin,1515
Your herte hangeth on a Ioly pin.
Doth now in this matere right as yow leste,
For finally I holde it for the beste.’
Iustinus, that ay stille sat and herde,
Right in this wyse to Placebo answerde:1520
‘Now brother myn, be pacient, I preye,
Sin ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye.
Senek among his othere wordes wyse
Seith, that a man oghte him right wel avyse,(280)
To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel.1525
And sin I oghte avyse me right wel
To whom I yeve my good awey fro me,
Wel muchel more I oghte avysed be
To whom I yeve my body; for alwey
I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley1530
To take a wyf with-oute avysement.
Men moste enquere, this is myn assent,
Wher she be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe,
Or proud, or elles other-weys a shrewe;(290)
A chydester, or wastour of thy good,1535
Or riche, or poore, or elles mannish wood.
Al-be-it so that no man finden shal
Noon in this world that trotteth hool in al,
Ne man ne beest, swich as men coude devyse;
But nathelees, it oghte y-nough suffise1540
With any wyf, if so were that she hadde
Mo gode thewes than hir vyces badde;
And al this axeth leyser for tenquere.
For god it woot, I have wept many a tere(300)
Ful prively, sin I have had a wyf.1545
Preyse who-so wole a wedded mannes lyf,
Certein, I finde in it but cost and care,
And observances, of alle blisses bare.
And yet, god woot, my neighebores aboute,
And namely of wommen many a route,1550
Seyn that I have the moste stedefast wyf,
And eek the mekeste oon that bereth lyf.
But I wot best wher wringeth me my sho.
Ye mowe, for me, right as yow lyketh do;(310)
Avyseth yow, ye been a man of age,1555
How that ye entren in-to mariage,
And namely with a yong wyf and a fair.
By him that made water, erthe, and air,
The yongest man that is in al this route
Is bisy y-nogh to bringen it aboute1560
To han his wyf allone, trusteth me.
Ye shul nat plese hir fully yeres three,
This is to seyn, to doon hir ful plesaunce.
A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce.(320)
I prey yow that ye be nat yvel apayd.’1565
‘Wel,’ quod this Ianuarie, ‘and hastow sayd?
Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes,
I counte nat a panier ful of herbes
Of scole-termes; wyser men than thow,
As thou hast herd, assenteden right now1570
To my purpos; Placebo, what sey ye?’
‘I seye, it is a cursed man,’ quod he,
‘That letteth matrimoine, sikerly.’
And with that word they rysen sodeynly,(330)
And been assented fully, that he sholde1575
Be wedded whanne him list and wher he wolde.
Heigh fantasye and curious bisinesse
Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
Of Ianuarie aboute his mariage.
Many fair shap, and many a fair visage1580
Ther passeth thurgh his herte, night by night.
As who-so toke a mirour polished bright,
And sette it in a commune market-place,
Than sholde he see many a figure pace(340)
By his mirour; and, in the same wyse,1585
Gan Ianuarie inwith his thoght devyse
Of maydens, whiche that dwelten him bisyde.
He wiste nat wher that he mighte abyde.
For if that oon have beaute in hir face,
Another stant so in the peples grace1590
For hir sadnesse, and hir benignitee,
That of the peple grettest voys hath she.
And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game,(350)
He atte laste apoynted him on oon,1595
And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
And chees hir of his owene auctoritee;
For love is blind al day, and may nat see.
And whan that he was in his bed y-broght,
He purtreyed, in his herte and in his thoght,1600
Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
Hir myddel smal, hir armes longe and sclendre,
Hir wyse governaunce, hir gentillesse,
Hir wommanly beringe and hir sadnesse.(360)
And whan that he on hir was condescended,1605
Him thoughte his chois mighte nat ben amended.
For whan that he him-self concluded hadde,
Him thoughte ech other mannes wit so badde,
That inpossible it were to replye
Agayn his chois, this was his fantasye.1610
His freendes sente he to at his instaunce,
And preyed hem to doon him that plesaunce,
That hastily they wolden to him come;
He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some.(370)
Nedeth na-more for him to go ne ryde,1615
He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
Placebo cam, and eek his freendes sone,
And alderfirst he bad hem alle a bone,
That noon of hem none argumentes make
Agayn the purpos which that he hath take;1620
‘Which purpos was plesant to god,’ seyde he,
‘And verray ground of his prosperitee.’
He seyde, ther was a mayden in the toun,
Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun,(380)
Al were it so she were of smal degree;1625
Suffyseth him hir youthe and hir beautee.
Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf,
To lede in ese and holinesse his lyf.
And thanked god, that he mighte han hire al,
That no wight of his blisse parten shal.1630
And preyde hem to labouren in this nede,
And shapen that he faille nat to spede;
For thanne, he seyde, his spirit was at ese.
‘Thanne is,’ quod he, ‘no-thing may me displese,(390)
Saue o thing priketh in my conscience,1635
The which I wol reherce in your presence.
I have,’ quod he, ‘herd seyd, ful yore ago,
Ther may no man han parfite blisses two,
This is to seye, in erthe and eek in hevene.
For though he kepe him fro the sinnes sevene,1640
And eek from every branche of thilke tree,
Yet is ther so parfit felicitee,
And so greet ese and lust in mariage,
That ever I am agast, now in myn age,(400)
That I shal lede now so mery a lyf,1645
So delicat, with-outen wo and stryf,
That I shal have myn hevene in erthe here.
For sith that verray hevene is boght so dere,
With tribulacioun and greet penaunce,
How sholde I thanne, that live in swich plesaunce1650
As alle wedded men don with hir wyvis,
Come to the blisse ther Crist eterne on lyve is?
This is my drede, and ye, my bretheren tweye,
Assoilleth me this questioun, I preye.’(410)
Iustinus, which that hated his folye,1655
Answerde anon, right in his Iaperye;
And for he wolde his longe tale abregge,
He wolde noon auctoritee allegge,
But seyde, ‘sire, so ther be noon obstacle
Other than this, god of his hye miracle1660
And of his mercy may so for yow wirche,
That, er ye have your right of holy chirche,
Ye may repente of wedded mannes lyf,
In which ye seyn ther is no wo ne stryf.(420)
And elles, god forbede but he sente1665
A wedded man him grace to repente
Wel ofte rather than a sengle man!
And therfore, sire, the beste reed I can,
Dispeire yow noght, but have in your memorie,
Paraunter she may be your purgatorie!1670
She may be goddes mene, and goddes whippe;
Than shal your soule up to hevene skippe
Swifter than dooth an arwe out of the bowe!
I hope to god, her-after shul ye knowe,(430)
That their nis no so greet felicitee1675
In mariage, ne never-mo shal be,
That yow shal lette of your savacioun,
So that ye use, as skile is and resoun,
The lustes of your wyf attemprely,
And that ye plese hir nat to amorously,1680
And that ye kepe yow eek from other sinne.
My tale is doon:—for my wit is thinne.
Beth nat agast her-of, my brother dere.’—
(But lat us waden out of this matere.(440)
The Wyf of Bathe, if ye han understonde,1685
Of mariage, which we have on honde,
Declared hath ful wel in litel space).—
‘Fareth now wel, god have yow in his grace.’
And with this word this Iustin and his brother
Han take hir leve, and ech of hem of other.1690
For whan they sawe it moste nedes be,
They wroghten so, by sly and wys tretee,
That she, this mayden, which that Maius highte,
As hastily as ever that she mighte,(450)
Shal wedded be un-to this Ianuarie.1695
I trowe it were to longe yow to tarie,
If I yow tolde of every scrit and bond,
By which that she was feffed in his lond;
Or for to herknen of hir riche array.
But finally y-comen is the day1700
That to the chirche bothe be they went
For to receyve the holy sacrement.
Forth comth the preest, with stole aboute his nekke,
And bad hir be lyk Sarra and Rebekke,(460)
In wisdom and in trouthe of mariage;1705
And seyde his orisons, as is usage,
And crouched hem, and bad god sholde hem blesse,
And made al siker y-nogh with holinesse.
Thus been they wedded with solempnitee,
And at the feste sitteth he and she1710
With other worthy folk up-on the deys.
Al ful of Ioye and blisse is the paleys,
And ful of instruments and of vitaille,
The moste deyntevous of al Itaille.(470)
Biforn hem stoode swiche instruments of soun,1715
That Orpheus, ne of Thebes Amphioun,
Ne maden never swich a melodye.
At every cours than cam loud minstraleye,
That never tromped Ioab, for to here,
Nor he, Theodomas, yet half so clere,1720
At Thebes, whan the citee was in doute.
Bacus the wyn hem skinketh al aboute,
And Venus laugheth up-on every wight.
For Ianuarie was bicome hir knight,(480)
And wolde bothe assayen his corage1725
In libertee, and eek in mariage;
And with hir fyrbrond in hir hand aboute
Daunceth biforn the bryde and al the route.
And certeinly, I dar right wel seyn this,
Ymeneus, that god of wedding is,1730
Saugh never his lyf so mery a wedded man.
Hold thou thy pees, thou poete Marcian,
That wrytest us that ilke wedding murie
Of hir, Philologye, and him, Mercurie,(490)
And of the songes that the Muses songe.1735
To smal is bothe thy penne, and eek thy tonge,
For to descryven of this mariage.
Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stouping age,
Ther is swich mirthe that it may nat be writen;
Assayeth it your-self, than may ye witen1740
If that I lye or noon in this matere.
Maius, that sit with so benigne a chere,
Hir to biholde it semed fayerye;
Quene Ester loked never with swich an ye(500)
On Assuer, so meke a look hath she.1745
I may yow nat devyse al hir beautee;
But thus muche of hir beautee telle I may,
That she was lyk the brighte morwe of May,
Fulfild of alle beautee and plesaunce.
This Ianuarie is ravisshed in a traunce1750
At every time he loked on hir face;
But in his herte he gan hir to manace,
That he that night in armes wolde hir streyne
Harder than ever Paris dide Eleyne.(510)
But nathelees, yet hadde he greet pitee,1755
That thilke night offenden hir moste he;
And thoughte, ‘allas! o tendre creature!
Now wolde god ye mighte wel endure
Al my corage, it is so sharp and kene;
I am agast ye shul it nat sustene.1760
But god forbede that I dide al my might!
Now wolde god that it were woxen night,
And that the night wolde lasten evermo.
I wolde that al this peple were ago.’(520)
And finally, he doth al his labour,1765
As he best mighte, savinge his honour,
To haste hem fro the mete in subtil wyse.
The tyme cam that reson was to ryse;
And after that, men daunce and drinken faste,
And spyces al aboute the hous they caste;1770
And ful of Ioye and blisse is every man;
All but a squyer, highte Damian,
Which carf biforn the knight ful many a day.
He was so ravisshed on his lady May,(530)
That for the verray peyne he was ny wood;1775
Almost he swelte and swowned ther he stood.
So sore hath Venus hurt him with hir brond,
As that she bar it daunsinge in hir hond.
And to his bed he wente him hastily;
Na-more of him as at this tyme speke I.1780
But ther I lete him wepe y-nough and pleyne,
Til fresshe May wol rewen on his peyne.
O perilous fyr, that in the bedstraw bredeth!
Auctor.
O famulier foo, that his servyce bedeth!(540)
O servant traitour, false hoomly hewe,1785
Lyk to the naddre in bosom sly untrewe,
God shilde us alle from your aqueyntaunce!
O Ianuarie, dronken in plesaunce
Of mariage, see how thy Damian,
Thyn owene squyer and thy borne man,1790
Entendeth for to do thee vileinye.
God graunte thee thyn hoomly fo tespye.
For in this world nis worse pestilence
Than hoomly foo al day in thy presence.(550)
Parfourned hath the sonne his ark diurne,1795
No lenger may the body of him soiurne
On thorisonte, as in that latitude.
Night with his mantel, that is derk and rude,
Gan oversprede the hemisperie aboute;
For which departed is this lusty route1800
Fro Ianuarie, with thank on every syde.
Hom to hir houses lustily they ryde,
Wher-as they doon hir thinges as hem leste,
And whan they sye hir tyme, goon to reste.(560)
Sone after that, this hastif Ianuarie1805
Wolde go to bedde, he wolde no lenger tarie.
He drinketh ipocras, clarree, and vernage
Of spyces hote, tencresen his corage;
And many a letuarie hadde he ful fyn,
Swiche as the cursed monk dan Constantyn1810
Hath writen in his book de Coitu;
To eten hem alle, he nas no-thing eschu.
And to his privee freendes thus seyde he:
‘For goddes love, as sone as it may be,(570)
Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse.’1815
And they han doon right as he wol devyse.
Men drinken, and the travers drawe anon;
The bryde was broght a-bedde as stille as stoon;
And whan the bed was with the preest y-blessed,
Out of the chambre hath every wight him dressed.1820
And Ianuarie hath faste in armes take
His fresshe May, his paradys, his make.
He lulleth hir, he kisseth hir ful ofte
With thikke bristles of his berd unsofte,(580)
Lyk to the skin of houndfish, sharp as brere,1825
For he was shave al newe in his manere.
He rubbeth hir aboute hir tendre face,
And seyde thus, ‘allas! I moot trespace
To yow, my spouse, and yow gretly offende,
Er tyme come that I wil doun descende.1830
But nathelees, considereth this,’ quod he,
‘Ther nis no werkman, what-so-ever he be,
That may bothe werke wel and hastily;
This wol be doon at leyser parfitly.(590)
It is no fors how longe that we pleye;1835
In trewe wedlok wedded be we tweye;
And blessed be the yok that we been inne,
For in our actes we mowe do no sinne.
A man may do no sinne with his wyf,
Ne hurte him-selven with his owene knyf;1840
For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe.’
Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe;
And than he taketh a sop in fyn clarree,
And upright in his bed than sitteth he,(600)
And after that he sang ful loude and clere,1845
And kiste his wyf, and made wantoun chere.
He was al coltish , ful of ragerye,
And ful of Iargon as a flekked pye.
The slakke skin aboute his nekke shaketh,
Whyl that he sang; so chaunteth he and craketh.1850
But god wot what that May thoughte in hir herte,
Whan she him saugh up sittinge in his sherte,
In his night-cappe, and with his nekke lene;
She preyseth nat his pleying worth a bene.(610)
Than seide he thus, ‘my reste wol I take;1855
Now day is come, I may no lenger wake.’
And doun he leyde his heed, and sleep til pryme.
And afterward, whan that he saugh his tyme,
Up ryseth Ianuarie; but fresshe May
Holdeth hir chambre un-to the fourthe day,1860
As usage is of wyves for the beste.
For every labour som-tyme moot han reste,
Or elles longe may he nat endure;
This is to seyn, no lyves creature,(620)
Be it of fish, or brid, or beest, or man.1865
Now wol I speke of woful Damian,
That languissheth for love, as ye shul here;
Therfore I speke to him in this manere:
I seye, ‘O sely Damian, allas!
Answere to my demaunde, as in this cas,1870
How shaltow to thy lady fresshe May
Telle thy wo? She wole alwey seye “nay”;
Eek if thou speke, she wol thy wo biwreye;
God be thyn help, I can no bettre seye.’(630)
This syke Damian in Venus fyr1875
So brenneth, that he dyeth for desyr;
For which he putte his lyf in aventure,
No lenger mighte he in this wyse endure;
But prively a penner gan he borwe,
And in a lettre wroot he al his sorwe,1880
In manere of a compleynt or a lay,
Un-to his faire fresshe lady May.
And in a purs of silk, heng on his sherte,
He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte.(640)
The mone that, at noon, was, thilke day1885
That Ianuarie hath wedded fresshe May,
In two of Taur, was in-to Cancre gliden;
So longe hath Maius in hir chambre biden,
As custume is un-to thise nobles alle.
A bryde shal nat eten in the halle,1890
Til dayes foure or three dayes atte leste
Y-passed been; than lat hir go to feste.
The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon,
Whan that the heighe masse was y-doon,(650)
In halle sit this Ianuarie, and May1895
As fresh as is the brighte someres day.
And so bifel, how that this gode man
Remembred him upon this Damian,
And seyde, ‘Seinte Marie! how may this be,
That Damian entendeth nat to me?1900
Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?’
His squyeres, whiche that stoden ther bisyde,
Excused him by-cause of his siknesse,
Which letted him to doon his bisinesse;(660)
Noon other cause mighte make him tarie.1905
‘That me forthinketh,’ quod this Ianuarie,
‘He is a gentil squyer, by my trouthe!
If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe;
He is as wys, discreet, and as secree
As any man I woot of his degree;1910
And ther-to manly and eek servisable,
And for to been a thrifty man right able
But after mete, as sone as ever I may,
I wol my-self visyte him and eek May,(670)
To doon him al the confort that I can.’1915
And for that word him blessed every man,
That, of his bountee and his gentillesse,
He wolde so conforten in siknesse
His squyer, for it was a gentil dede.
‘Dame,’ quod this Ianuarie, ‘tak good hede,1920
At-after mete ye, with your wommen alle,
Whan ye han been in chambre out of this halle,
That alle ye go see this Damian;
Doth him disport, he is a gentil man;(680)
And telleth him that I wol him visyte,1925
Have I no-thing but rested me a lyte;
And spede yow faste, for I wole abyde
Til that ye slepe faste by my syde.’
And with that word he gan to him to calle
A squyer, that was marchal of his halle,1930
And tolde him certeyn thinges, what he wolde.
This fresshe May hath streight hir wey y-holde,
With alle hir wommen, un-to Damian.
Doun by his beddes syde sit she than,(690)
Confortinge him as goodly as she may.1935
This Damian, whan that his tyme he say,
In secree wise his purs, and eek his bille,
In which that he y-writen hadde his wille,
Hath put in-to hir hand, with-outen more,
Save that he syketh wonder depe and sore,1940
And softely to hir right thus seyde he:
‘Mercy! and that ye nat discovere me;
For I am deed, if that this thing be kid.’
This purs hath she inwith hir bosom hid,(700)
And wente hir wey; ye gete namore of me.1945
But un-to Ianuarie y-comen is she,
That on his beddes syde sit ful softe.
He taketh hir, and kisseth hir ful ofte,
And leyde him doun to slepe, and that anon.
She feyned hir as that she moste gon1950
Ther-as ye woot that every wight mot nede.
And whan she of this bille hath taken hede,
She rente it al to cloutes atte laste,
And in the privee softely it caste.(710)
Who studieth now but faire fresshe May?1955
Adoun by olde Ianuarie she lay,
That sleep, til that the coughe hath him awaked;
Anon he preyde hir strepen hir al naked;
He wolde of hir, he seyde, han som plesaunce,
And seyde, hir clothes dide him encombraunce,1960
And she obeyeth, be hir lief or looth.
But lest that precious folk be with me wrooth,
How that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle;
Or whether hir thoughte it paradys or helle;(720)
But here I lete hem werken in hir wyse1965
Til evensong
Here is ended the Marchantes Tale of Ianuarie.

[]Heading.So E. Hn. Pt

[1246. ]Pt. at; Ln. in (for of).

[1271. ]E. Thanne.

[1274. ]E. bacheleris.

[1278. ]E. bacheleris.

[1281. ]E. Pt. beest, arreest; Cm. Ln. beste, areste.

[1282. ]E. Pt. beest, arreest; Cm. Ln. beste, areste.

[1285. ]E. Hn. this; rest the.

[1293. ]E. Cp. nis; rest is.

[1301. ]E. Hn. Cm. om. that.

[1305. ]Not in Cp. Ln.; in a spurious form in Hn. Pt. Hl.

[1306. ]Not in Cp. Ln.; in a spurious form in Hn. Pt. Hl.

[1310. ]Cp. Hl. herkne; Pt. Ln. herkeneth.

[1316. ]Cm. dredles; Hn. Hl. dreed nat; Cp. Ln. drede nought; Pt. drede it nouȝt.

[1323. ]Cp. herkne; Pt. Ln. Hl. herken.

[1340. ]Hl. ioye (for blisse).

[1348. ]E. Hn. murye.

[1350. ]Hl holt; Ln. holdeth.

[1351. ]E. oughte; Hn. Cm. oghte.

[1357. ]E. reede; Hn. Cm. Cp. reed. The scribe of E. misses 1358-61. by confusing this reed with rede (1361).

[1358. ]From Hn.; so Cm.; so the rest (nearly).

Hn. kepen; rest beren, bere.

[1359. ]From Hn.; so Cm.; so the rest (nearly).

[1360. ]From Hn.; so Cm.; so the rest (nearly).

[1361. ]From Hn.; so Cm.; so the rest (nearly).

[1384. ]E. Hn. loued; Cm. louede; Cp. Pt. Ln. loueth; Hl. doth.

[1402. ]E. Cm. the; rest my.

[1410. ]Cp. Ln. aspye.

[1418. ]E. Hn. Pt. om. ful.

[1420. ]Cm. bef; Cp. Pt. beef. Hl. Ln. om. the.

[1427. ]E. sotile.

[1432. ]E. Cm. Cp. Ln. om. right.

[1433. ]E. were that I.

[1436. ]Hl. Hn. go; Cp. Pt. Ln. so; E. Cm. om. E vnto (for to).

[1438. ]E. Pt. leuere that houndes.

[1446. ]E. Siththe; Cm. Sith (for If). Hn. Cm. Hl. ne; rest om.

[1451. ]E. Hl. Cp. Pt. leccherye.

[1456. ]Cm. siris.

[1462. ]E. Cp. that; Ln. Hl. that the; Cm. than; Hn. Pt. the.

[1463. ]E. Hn. And; Pt. That; rest A.

[1479. ]E. hadde.

[1490. ]MSS. holde.

[1491. ]E. taak.

[1503. ]E. Hn. Cm. elles; rest ones.

[1506. ]Hn. Cm. shewed; E. seyd; Hl. y-spoken; rest spoken.

[1511. ]E. Nyn; rest Ne in. Cm. al; rest om.

[1512. ]E. Hn. ins. ful (Cm. wol) before wel; rest Crist holdeth him of this ful wel apayd.

[1514. ]Cp. Hl. stopen; Ln. stoupin; E. Hn. stapen; Cm. schapyn.

[1517. ]E. matiere.

[1520. ]All but Cm. insert he before Right, or to, or answerde.

[1531. ]E. Hn. Ln. withouten.

[1539. ]E. Cm. which. Hl. man can; Cp. Pt. men conne; E. Hn. Cm. men koude.

[1543. ]Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. to enquere.

[1545. ]Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. sin that I hadde.

[1551. ]Ln. stedfast.

[1559. ]E. yongeste.

[1560. ]E. ynough; Cm. I-nogh.

[1562. ]Cm. Hl. plese; rest plesen.

[1566. ]E. Hn. ysayd; Cm. Hl. sayd; Cp. Pt. Ln. al said.

[1573. ]E. Hn. Hl. matrimoigne; Pt. matrimoyne; rest matrimonye.

[1582. ]E. And; rest As. E. polisshed.

[1584. ]E. Thanne. E. Hn. se ful many.

[1587. ]E. Cm. Pt. dwellen.

[1591. ]E. Cm. benyngnytee.

[1602. ]E. sklendre.

[1609. ]E. repplye.

[1611. ]E. Cm. Hise.

[1615. ]Ln. hem.

[1617. ]E. Cm. Hise.

[1630. ]Cm. of; Cp. Ln. with; rest om.

[1631. ]Hn. labouren; rest laboure.

[1645. ]E. myrie; Hn. murye.

[1660. ]Hn. Pt. hye; E. hygh.

[1661. ]E. his hygh mercy; rest om. hygh.

[1665. ]Cp. Pt. Ln. but if.

[1672. ]E. Thanne.

[1682. ]Incomplete.

[1686. ]Hn. we; rest ye.

[1691. ]Hn. Cp. sawe; E. Hl. saugh. E. Hn. Cm. Hl. ins. that bef. it. E. om. nedes.

[1692. ]sly] Hl. sleighte.

[1693. ]MSS. Mayus.

[1698. ]Hl. feoffed.

[1704. ]E. lyk to; rest om. to.

[1706. ]his] E. hir.

[1707. ]E. Hn. Cm. croucheth.

[1715. ]So Cm. Hl.; E. puts swich before soun; Hn. repeats swich before soun.

[1718. ]E. Hn. thanne; Hl. ther.

[1731. ]E. myrie; Hn. murye.

[1740. ]E. thanne.

[1741. ]E. matiere.

[1742. ]E. benyngne; chiere.

[1743. ]Cp. Pt. Hl. fayerye: rest fairye.

[1744. ]Pt. Hl. ye; Cp. yhe; rest eye.

[1751. ]Hl. lokith.

[1772. ]E. Hn. Cm. highte; rest that highte (hight)

[1780. ]Hl. as; rest om. E. om. I.

[1784. ]Cp. Hl. famuler; Pt. famulere; Ln. famylere.

[1786. ]Hn. Cp. neddre; Cm. neddere; Hl. nedder; Pt. adder.

[1789. ]Pt. Hl. Of; Cp. Ln. O (!); rest In.

[1790. ]Cm. bore; Cp. Ln. Hl. borne; rest born.

[1792. ]Cp. Ln. to espye; Hn. Hl. espye.

[1802. ]E. Hl. hous; rest houses.

[1808. ]Cp. Pt. Hl. to encresen.

[1809. ]E. hath.

[1810. ]E. om. cursed.

[1812. ]Cm. Ln. was; rest nas.

[1824. ]Cp. Hl. thikke; rest thilke (with lk = kk). E. Cm. brustles.

[1838. ]E. Hn. Cm. om. our.

[1843. ]E. thanne; fyne.

[1844. ]E. thanne.

[1846. ]E. wantowne.

[1847. ]E. coltissh.

[1848. ]Cp. Pt. Girgoun; Ln. Girgun.

[1851. ]Hn. thoghte.

[1855. ]E. Thanne.

[1860. ]Pt. Ln. Hl. Holdeth; Cp. Holt; E. Hn. Heeld; Cm. Held.

[1867. ]Cp. langureth; Pt. languowreth; Ln. longurith.

[1870. ]E. Andswere.

[1888. ]Hl. Hn. Cp. abiden.

[1892. ]E. thanne.

[1896. ]E. fressh.

[1902. ]E. Hise.

[1920. ]E. taak.

[1921. ]E. noon; rest mete.

[1957. ]Hn. Cm. coghe; Ln. couhe.

[1962. ]E. ye; Cm. the; rest that.

[1964. ]E. wheither that; Hn. Cm. Hl. om. that.

[1966. ]Cp. Ln. euesong.

[1967. ]All but Ln. Hl. ins. by after or.

[1969. ]E. estaat, fortunaat.

[1970. ]E. estaat, fortunaat.

[1971. ]Hn. Hl. As; E. Cp. Pt. Ln. Was.

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THE MARCHANTES TALE. - Geoffrey Chaucer, The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, vol. 4 (The Canterbury Tales) [1899]

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THE MARCHANTES TALE.