Chapter 1
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 mo
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. What sholde I yow reherce in special
Hir hye malice? she is a shrewe at al. Ther is a long and large difference
Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
And of my wyf the passing crueltee. 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,
As for the more part, I sey nat alle. God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!
I know y-nogh, on even and a-morwe,’
Quod the Marchaunt, ‘and so don othere mo
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. What sholde I yow reherce in special
Hir hye malice? she is a shrewe at al. Ther is a long and large difference
Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
And of my wyf the passing crueltee. 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,
As for the more part, I sey nat alle. God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!
A! good sir hoost! I have y-wedded be
Thise monthes two, and more nat, pardee; And yet, I trowe, he that all his lyve
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!’
Thise monthes two, and more nat, pardee; And yet, I trowe, he that all his lyve
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,
Sin ye so muchel knowen of that art,
Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.’
Sin ye so muchel knowen of that art,
Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.’
‘Gladly,’ quod he, ‘but of myn owene sore,
For sory herte, I telle may na-more.’
For sory herte, I telle may na-more.’