Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50) (38 page)

This parish clerk, this amorous Absolon,
That is for love alway so woebegone,
Upon the Monday was at Oseney
With company, him to disport and play;
And asked upon cas
¹
a cloisterer
^2
1
occasion
²
monk
Full privily after John the carpenter;
And he drew him apart out of the church,
And said, “I n’ot;
¹
I saw him not here wirch
^2
1
know not
²
work
Since Saturday; I trow that he be went
For timber, where our abbot hath him sent.
And dwellen at the Grange a day or two:
For he is wont for timber for to go,
Or else he is at his own house certain.
Where that he be, I cannot
¹
soothly sayn.
¹
”
¹
say certainly
¹
This Absolon full jolly was and light,
And thought, “Now is the time to wake all night,
For sickerly
¹
I saw him not stirring
¹
certainly
About his door, since day began to spring.
So may I thrive, but I shall at cock crow
Full privily go knock at his window,
That stands full low upon his bower
¹
wall:
¹
chamber
To Alison then will I tellen all
My love-longing; for I shall not miss
That at the leaste way I shall her kiss.
Some manner comfort shall I have, parfay
¹
,
¹
by my faith
My mouth hath itched all this livelong day:
That is a sign of kissing at the least.
All night I mette
¹
eke I was at a feast.
¹
dreamt
Therefore I will go sleep an hour or tway,
And all the night then will I wake and play.”
When that the first cock crowed had, anon
Up rose this jolly lover Absolon,
And him arrayed gay,
¹
at point devise.
^1
1
with exact care
¹
But first he chewed grains and liquorice,
To smelle sweet, ere he had combed his hair.
Under his tongue a true love
 
he bare,
For thereby thought he to be gracious.

Then came he to the carpentere’s house,
And still he stood under the shot window;
Unto his breast it raught
¹
, it was so low;
¹
reached
And soft he coughed with a semisoun’.
^1
1
low tone
“What do ye, honeycomb, sweet Alisoun?
My faire bird, my sweet cinamome
¹
,
¹
cinnamon, sweet spice
Awaken, leman
¹
mine, and speak to me.
¹
mistress
Full little thinke ye upon my woe,
That for your love I sweat
¹
there as
¹
I go.
¹
wherever
No wonder is that I do swelt
¹
and sweat.
¹
faint
I mourn as doth a lamb after the teat
Y-wis
¹
, leman, I have such love-longing,
¹
certainly
That like a turtle
¹
true is my mourning.
¹
turtle-dove
I may not eat, no more than a maid.”
“Go from the window, thou jack fool,” she said:
“As help me God, it will not be, ‘come ba
¹
me.’
¹
kiss
I love another, else I were to blame”,
Well better than thee, by Jesus, Absolon.
Go forth thy way, or I will cast a stone;
And let me sleep;
¹
a twenty devil way
¹
.
¹
twenty devils take ye!
¹
“Alas!” quoth Absolon, “and well away!
That true love ever was so ill beset:
Then kiss me, since that it may be no bet
¹
,
¹
better
For Jesus’ love, and for the love of me.”
“Wilt thou then go thy way therewith?” , quoth she.
“Yea, certes, leman,” quoth this Absolon.
“Then make thee ready,” quoth she, “I come anon.”
[And unto Nicholas she said
¹
full still
¹
:
¹
in a low voice
¹
“Now peace, and thou shalt laugh anon thy fill.”]
This Absolon down set him on his knees,
And said; “I am a lord at all degrees:
For after this I hope there cometh more;
Leman, thy grace, and, sweete bird, thine ore.
¹
”
¹
favour
The window she undid, and that in haste.
“Have done,” quoth she, “come off, and speed thee fast,
Lest that our neighebours should thee espy.”
Then Absolon gan wipe his mouth full dry.
Dark was the night as pitch or as the coal,
And at the window she put out her hole,
And Absolon him fell ne bet ne werse,
But with his mouth he kiss’d her naked erse
Full savourly. When he was ware of this,
Aback he start, and thought it was amiss;
For well he wist a woman hath no beard.
He felt a thing all rough, and long y-hair’d,
And saide; “Fy, alas! what have I do?”
“Te he!” quoth she, and clapt the window to;
And Absolon went forth at sorry pace.
“A beard, a beard,” said Hendy Nicholas;
“By God’s corpus, this game went fair and well.”
This silly Absolon heard every deal
¹
,
¹
word
And on his lip he gan for anger bite;
And to himself he said, “I shall thee quite
¹
.
¹
requite, be even with
Who rubbeth now, who frotteth
¹
now his lips
¹
rubs
With dust, with sand, with straw, with cloth, with chips,
But Absolon? that saith full oft, “Alas!
My soul betake I unto Sathanas,
But me were lever
¹
than all this town,” quoth he
¹
rather
I this despite awroken
¹
for to be.
¹
revenged
Alas! alas! that I have been y-blent
¹
.”
¹
deceived
His hote love is cold, and all y-quent.
^1
1
quenched
For from that time that he had kiss’d her erse,
Of paramours he
¹
sette not a kers,
^1
1
cared not a rush
¹
For he was healed of his malady;
Full often paramours he gan defy,
And weep as doth a child that hath been beat.
A softe pace he went over the street
Unto a smith, men callen Dan
¹
Gerveis,
¹
master
That in his forge smithed plough-harness;
He sharped share and culter busily.
This Absolon knocked all easily,
And said; “Undo, Gerveis, and that anon.”
“What, who art thou?” “It is I, Absolon.”
“What? Absolon, what? Christe’s sweete tree
¹
,
¹
cross
Why rise so rath
¹
? hey! Benedicite,
¹
early
What aileth you? some gay girl, God it wote,
Hath brought you thus upon the viretote:
By Saint Neot, ye wot well what I mean.”
This Absolon he raughte
¹
not a bean
¹
recked, cared
Of all his play; no word again he gaf
¹
,
¹
spoke
For he had more tow on his distaff
Than Gerveis knew, and saide; “Friend so dear,
That hote culter in the chimney here
Lend it to me, I have therewith to don
¹
:
¹
do
I will it bring again to thee full soon.”
Gerveis answered; “Certes, were it gold,
Or in a poke
¹
nobles all untold,
¹
purse
Thou shouldst it have, as I am a true smith.
Hey! Christe’s foot, what will ye do therewith?”
“Thereof,” quoth Absolon, “be as be may;
I shall well tell it thee another day:”
And caught the culter by the colde stele
¹
.
¹
handle
Full soft out at the door he gan to steal,
And went unto the carpentere’s wall
He coughed first, and knocked therewithal
Upon the window, light as he did ere
¹
.
¹
before
This Alison answered; “Who is there
That knocketh so? I warrant him a thief.”
“Nay, nay,” quoth he, “God wot, my sweete lefe
¹
,
¹
love
I am thine Absolon, my own darling.
Of gold,” quoth he, “I have thee brought a ring,
My mother gave it me, so God me save!
Full fine it is, and thereto well y-grave
¹
:
¹
engraved
This will I give to thee, if thou me kiss.”
Now Nicholas was risen up to piss,
And thought he would
¹
amenden all the jape
¹
;
¹
improve the joke
¹
He shoulde kiss his erse ere that he scape:
And up the window did he hastily,
And out his erse he put full privily
Over the buttock, to the haunche bone.
And therewith spake this clerk, this Absolon,
“Speak, sweete bird, I know not where thou art.”
This Nicholas anon let fly a fart,
As great as it had been a thunder dent
¹
;
¹
peal, clap
That with the stroke he was well nigh y-blent
¹
;
¹
blinded
But he was ready with his iron hot,
And Nicholas amid the erse he smote.
Off went the skin an handbreadth all about.
The hote culter burned so his tout
¹
,
¹
breech
That for the smart he weened
¹
he would die;
¹
thought
As he were wood
¹
, for woe he gan to cry,
¹
mad
“Help! water, water, help for Godde’s heart!”

This carpenter out of his slumber start,
And heard one cry “Water,” as he were wood
¹
,
¹
mad
And thought, “Alas! now cometh Noe’s flood.”
He sat him up withoute wordes mo’
And with his axe he smote the cord in two;
And down went all; he found neither to sell
Nor bread nor ale, till he came to the sell
¹
,
¹
threshold
Upon the floor, and there in swoon he lay.
Up started Alison and Nicholay,
And cried out an “harow!”
 
in the street.
The neighbours alle, bothe small and great
In ranne, for to gauren
¹
on this man,
¹
stare
That yet in swoone lay, both pale and wan:
For with the fall he broken had his arm.
But stand he must unto his owen harm,
For when he spake, he was anon borne down
With Hendy Nicholas and Alisoun.
They told to every man that he was wood
¹
;
¹
mad
He was aghaste
¹
so of Noe’s flood,
¹
afraid
Through phantasy, that of his vanity
He had y-bought him kneading-tubbes three,
And had them hanged in the roof above;
And that he prayed them for Godde’s love
To sitten in the roof for company.
The folk gan laughen at his phantasy.
Into the roof they kyken
¹
and they gape,
¹
peep, look.
And turned all his harm into a jape
¹
.
¹
jest
For whatsoe’er this carpenter answer’d,
It was for nought, no man his reason heard.
With oathes great he was so sworn adown,
That he was holden wood in all the town.
For every clerk anon right held with other;
They said, “The man was wood, my leve
¹
brother;”
¹
dear
And every wight gan laughen at his strife.
Thus swived
¹
was the carpentere’s wife,
¹
enjoyed
For all his keeping
¹
and his jealousy;
¹
care
And Absolon hath kiss’d her nether eye;
And Nicholas is scalded in the tout.
This tale is done, and God save all the rout
¹
.
¹
company

List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

The Wife of Bath’s Tale

THE PROLOGUE
.

Experience, though none authority
^1
1
authoritative texts
Were in this world, is right enough for me
To speak of woe that is in marriage:
For, lordings, since I twelve year was of age,
(Thanked be God that
¹
is etern on live),
^1
1
lives eternally
¹
Husbands at the church door have I had five,
For I so often have y-wedded be,
And all were worthy men in their degree.
But me was told, not longe time gone is
That sithen
¹
Christe went never but ones
¹
since
To wedding, in the Cane
¹
of Galilee,
¹
Cana
That by that ilk
¹
example taught he me,
¹
same
That I not wedded shoulde be but once.
Lo, hearken eke a sharp word for the nonce,
^1
1
occasion
Beside a welle Jesus, God and man,
Spake in reproof of the Samaritan:
“Thou hast y-had five husbandes,” said he;
“And thilke
¹
man, that now hath wedded thee,
¹
that
Is not thine husband:”
 
thus said he certain;
What that he meant thereby, I cannot sayn.
But that I aske, why the fifthe man
Was not husband to the Samaritan?
How many might she have in marriage?
Yet heard I never tellen
¹
in mine age
^1
1
in my life
¹
Upon this number definitioun.
Men may divine, and glosen
¹
up and down;
¹
comment
But well I wot, express without a lie,
God bade us for to wax and multiply;
That gentle text can I well understand.
Eke well I wot, he said, that mine husband
Should leave father and mother, and take to me;
But of no number mention made he,
Of bigamy or of octogamy;
Why then should men speak of it villainy?
^1
1
as if it were a disgrace

Lo here, the wise king Dan
¹
Solomon,
¹
Lord
I trow that he had wives more than one;
As would to God it lawful were to me
To be refreshed half so oft as he!
What gift
¹
of God had he for all his wives?
¹
special favour, licence
No man hath such, that in this world alive is.
God wot, this noble king,
¹
as to my wit,
^1
1
as I understand
¹
The first night had many a merry fit
With each of them, so
¹
well was him on live.
^1
1
so well he lived
¹
Blessed be God that I have wedded five!
Welcome the sixth whenever that he shall.
For since I will not keep me chaste in all,
When mine husband is from the world y-gone,
Some Christian man shall wedde me anon.
For then th’ apostle saith that I am free
To wed,
¹
a’ God’s half,
¹
where it liketh me.
¹
on God’s part
¹
He saith, that to be wedded is no sin;
Better is to be wedded than to brin.
^1
1
burn
What recketh
¹
me though folk say villainy
^2
1
care
²
evil
Of shrewed
¹
Lamech, and his bigamy?
¹
impious, wicked
I wot well Abraham was a holy man,
And Jacob eke, as far as ev’r I can.
^1
1
know
And each of them had wives more than two;
And many another holy man also.
Where can ye see,
¹
in any manner age,
^1
1
in any period
¹
That highe God defended
¹
marriage
¹
forbade
By word express? I pray you tell it me;
Or where commanded he virginity?
I wot as well as you, it is no dread,
^1
1
doubt
Th’ apostle, when he spake of maidenhead,
He said, that precept thereof had he none:
Men may counsel a woman to be one,
^1
1
a maid
But counseling is no commandement;
He put it in our owen judgement.
For, hadde God commanded maidenhead,
Then had he damned
¹
wedding out of dread;
^2
1
condemned
²
doubt
And certes, if there were no seed y-sow,
^1
1
sown
Virginity then whereof should it grow?
Paul durste not commanden, at the least,
A thing of which his Master gave no hest.
^1
1
command
The dart
¹
is set up for virginity;
¹
goal
Catch whoso may, who runneth best let see.
But this word is not ta’en of every wight,
¹
But there as
¹
God will give it of his might.
¹
except where
¹
I wot well that th’ apostle was a maid,
But natheless, although he wrote and said,
He would that every wight were such as he,
All is but counsel to virginity.
And, since to be a wife he gave me leave
Of indulgence, so is it no repreve
^1
1
scandal, reproach
To wedde me, if that my make
¹
should die,
¹
mate, husband
Without exception
¹
of bigamy;
¹
charge, reproach
¹
All were it
¹
good no woman for to touch
¹
though it might be
¹
(He meant as in his bed or in his couch),
For peril is both fire and tow t’assemble
Ye know what this example may resemble.
This is all and some, he held virginity
More profit than wedding in frailty:
(
¹
Frailty clepe I, but if
¹
that he and she
¹
frailty I call it,
Would lead their lives all in chastity), unless
¹
I grant it well, I have of none envy
Who maidenhead prefer to bigamy;
It liketh them t’ be clean in body and ghost;
^1
1
soul
Of mine estate
¹
I will not make a boast.
¹
condition

For, well ye know, a lord in his household
Hath not every vessel all of gold;
Some are of tree, and do their lord service.
God calleth folk to him in sundry wise,
And each one hath of God a proper gift,
Some this, some that, as liketh him to shift.
^1
1
appoint, distribute
Virginity is great perfection,
And continence eke with devotion:
But Christ, that of perfection is the well,
^1
1
fountain
Bade not every wight he should go sell
All that he had, and give it to the poor,
And in such wise follow him and his lore:
^1
1
doctrine
He spake to them that would live perfectly, —
And, lordings, by your leave, that am not I;
I will bestow the flower of mine age
In th’ acts and in the fruits of marriage.
Tell me also, to what conclusion
^1
1
end, purpose
Were members made of generation,
And of so perfect wise a wight
¹
y-wrought?
¹
being
Trust me right well, they were not made for nought.
Glose whoso will, and say both up and down,
That they were made for the purgatioun
Of urine, and of other thinges smale,
And eke to know a female from a male:
And for none other cause? say ye no?
Experience wot well it is not so.
So that the clerkes
¹
be not with me wroth,
¹
scholars
I say this, that they were made for both,
That is to say,
¹
for office, and for ease
^1
1
for duty and
Of engendrure, there we God not displease. for pleasure
¹
Why should men elles in their bookes set,
That man shall yield unto his wife her debt?
Now wherewith should he make his payement,
If he us’d not his silly instrument?
Then were they made upon a creature
To purge urine, and eke for engendrure.
But I say not that every wight is hold,
^1
1
obliged
That hath such harness
¹
as I to you told,
¹
equipment
To go and use them in engendrure;
Then should men take of chastity no cure.
^1
1
care
Christ was a maid, and shapen
¹
as a man,
¹
fashioned
And many a saint, since that this world began,
Yet ever liv’d in perfect chastity.
I will not vie
¹
with no virginity.
¹
contend
Let them with bread of pured
¹
wheat be fed,
¹
purified
And let us wives eat our barley bread.
And yet with barley bread, Mark tell us can,
Our Lord Jesus refreshed many a man.
In such estate as God hath
¹
cleped us,
^1
1
called us to
I’ll persevere, I am not precious,
^1
1
over-dainty
In wifehood I will use mine instrument
As freely as my Maker hath it sent.
If I be dangerous
¹
God give me sorrow;
¹
sparing of my favours
Mine husband shall it have, both eve and morrow,
When that him list come forth and pay his debt.
A husband will I have, I
¹
will no let,
^1
1
will bear no hindrance
¹
Which shall be both my debtor and my thrall,
^1
1
slave
And have his tribulation withal
Upon his flesh, while that I am his wife.
I have the power during all my life
Upon his proper body, and not he;
Right thus th’ apostle told it unto me,
And bade our husbands for to love us well;
All this sentence me liketh every deal.
^1
1
whit

Up start the Pardoner, and that anon;
“Now, Dame,” quoth he, “by God and by Saint John,
Ye are a noble preacher in this case.
I was about to wed a wife, alas!
What? should I bie
¹
it on my flesh so dear?
¹
suffer for
Yet had I lever
¹
wed no wife this year.”
¹
rather
“Abide,”
¹
quoth she; “my tale is not begun
¹
wait in patience
Nay, thou shalt drinken of another tun
Ere that I go, shall savour worse than ale.
And when that I have told thee forth my tale
Of tribulation in marriage,
Of which I am expert in all mine age,
(This is to say, myself hath been the whip),
Then mayest thou choose whether thou wilt sip
Of
¹
thilke tunne,
¹
that I now shall broach.
¹
that tun
¹
Beware of it, ere thou too nigh approach,
For I shall tell examples more than ten:
Whoso will not beware by other men,
By him shall other men corrected be:
These same wordes writeth Ptolemy;
Read in his Almagest, and take it there.”
“Dame, I would pray you, if your will it were,”
Saide this Pardoner, “as ye began,
Tell forth your tale, and spare for no man,
And teach us younge men of your practique.”
“Gladly,” quoth she, “since that it may you like.
But that I pray to all this company,
If that I speak after my fantasy,
To take nought agrief
¹
what I may say;
¹
to heart
For mine intent is only for to play.

Now, Sirs, then will I tell you forth my tale.
As ever may I drinke wine or ale
I shall say sooth; the husbands that I had
Three of them were good, and two were bad
The three were goode men, and rich, and old
¹
Unnethes mighte they the statute hold
^1
1
they could with difficulty
In which that they were bounden unto me. obey the law
¹
Yet wot well what I mean of this, pardie.
^1
1
by God
As God me help, I laugh when that I think
How piteously at night I made them swink,
^1
1
labour
But,
¹
by my fay, I told of it no store:
^1
1
by my faith, I held it
They had me giv’n their land and their treasor, of no account
¹
Me needed not do longer diligence
To win their love, or do them reverence.
They loved me so well, by God above,
That I
¹
tolde no dainty
¹
of their love.
¹
cared nothing for
¹
A wise woman will busy her ever-in-one
^1
1
constantly
To get their love, where that she hath none.
But, since I had them wholly in my hand,
And that they had me given all their land,
Why should I take keep
¹
them for to please,
¹
care
But
¹
it were for my profit, or mine ease?
¹
unless
I set them so a-worke, by my fay,
That many a night they sange, well-away!
The bacon was not fetched for them, I trow,
That some men have in Essex at Dunmow.
I govern’d them so well after my law,
That each of them full blissful was and fawe
^1
1
fain
To bringe me gay thinges from the fair.
They were full glad when that I spake them fair,
For, God it wot, I
¹
chid them spiteously.
^1
1
rebuked them angrily
¹
Now hearken how I bare me properly.

Ye wise wives, that can understand,
Thus should ye speak, and
¹
bear them wrong on hand,
^1
1
make them
For half so boldely can there no man believe falsely
¹
Swearen and lien as a woman can.
(I say not this by wives that be wise,
¹
But if
¹
it be when they them misadvise.)
^1
1
unless
^1
1
act unadvisedly
A wise wife, if that she can
¹
her good,
¹
knows
Shall
¹
beare them on hand
¹
the cow is wood,
¹
make them believe
¹
And take witness of her owen maid
Of their assent: but hearken how I said.
“Sir olde kaynard, is this thine array?
Why is my neigheboure’s wife so gay?
She is honour’d
¹
over all where
¹
she go’th,
¹
wheresoever
I sit at home, I have no
¹
thrifty cloth.
^1
1
good clothes
¹
What dost thou at my neigheboure’s house?
Is she so fair? art thou so amorous?
What rown’st
¹
thou with our maid? benedicite,
¹
whisperest
Sir olde lechour, let thy japes
¹
be.
¹
tricks
And if I have a gossip, or a friend
(Withoute guilt), thou chidest as a fiend,
If that I walk or play unto his house.
Thou comest home as drunken as a mouse,
And preachest on thy bench, with evil prefe:
^1
1
proof
Thou say’st to me, it is a great mischief
To wed a poore woman, for costage:
^1
1
expense
And if that she be rich, of high parage;
^1
1
birth
Then say’st thou, that it is a tormentry
To suffer her pride and melancholy.
And if that she be fair, thou very knave,
Thou say’st that every holour
¹
will her have;
¹
whoremonger
She may no while in chastity abide,
That is assailed upon every side.
Thou say’st some folk desire us for richess,
Some for our shape, and some for our fairness,
And some, for she can either sing or dance,
And some for gentiless and dalliance,
Some for her handes and her armes smale:
Thus goes all to the devil, by thy tale;
Thou say’st, men may not keep a castle wall
That may be so assailed
¹
over all.
^1
1
everywhere
¹
And if that she be foul, thou say’st that she
Coveteth every man that she may see;
For as a spaniel she will on him leap,
Till she may finde some man her to cheap;
^1
1
buy
And none so grey goose goes there in the lake,
(So say’st thou) that will be without a make.
^1
1
mate
And say’st, it is a hard thing for to weld
¹
wield, govern
A thing that no man will,
¹
his thankes, held.
^1
1
hold with his goodwill
¹
Thus say’st thou, lorel,
¹
when thou go’st to bed,
¹
good-for-nothing
And that no wise man needeth for to wed,
Nor no man that intendeth unto heaven.
With wilde thunder dint
¹
and fiery leven
^2
1
stroke
²
lightning
Mote
¹
thy wicked necke be to-broke.
¹
may
Thou say’st, that dropping houses, and eke smoke,
And chiding wives, make men to flee
Out of their owne house; ah! ben’dicite,
What aileth such an old man for to chide?
Thou say’st, we wives will our vices hide,
Till we be fast,
¹
and then we will them shew.
¹
wedded
Well may that be a proverb of a shrew.
^1
1
ill-tempered wretch
Thou say’st, that oxen, asses, horses, hounds,
They be
¹
assayed at diverse stounds,
^1
1
tested at various
Basons and lavers, ere that men them buy, seasons
Spoones, stooles, and all such husbandry,
And so be pots, and clothes, and array,
^1
1
raiment
But folk of wives make none assay,
Till they be wedded, — olde dotard shrew! —
And then, say’st thou, we will our vices shew.
Thou say’st also, that it displeaseth me,
But if
¹
that thou wilt praise my beauty,
¹
unless
And but
¹
thou pore alway upon my face,
¹
unless
And call me faire dame in every place;
And but
¹
thou make a feast on thilke
²
day
¹
unless
²
that
That I was born, and make me fresh and gay;
And but thou do to my norice
¹
honour,
¹
nurse
And to my chamberere
¹
within my bow’r,
¹
chamber-maid
And to my father’s folk, and mine allies;
^1
1
relations
Thus sayest thou, old barrel full of lies.
And yet also of our prentice Jenkin,
For his crisp hair, shining as gold so fine,
And for he squireth me both up and down,
Yet hast thou caught a false suspicioun:
I will him not, though thou wert dead to-morrow.
But tell me this, why hidest thou,
¹
with sorrow,
^1
1
sorrow on thee!
¹
The keyes of thy chest away from me?
It is my good
¹
as well as thine, pardie.
¹
property
What, think’st to make an idiot of our dame?
Now, by that lord that called is Saint Jame,
Thou shalt not both, although that thou wert wood,
^1
1
furious
Be master of my body, and my good,
^1
1
property
The one thou shalt forego, maugre
¹
thine eyen.
¹
in spite of
What helpeth it of me t’inquire and spyen?
I trow thou wouldest lock me in thy chest.
Thou shouldest say, ‘Fair wife, go where thee lest;
Take your disport; I will believe no tales;
I know you for a true wife, Dame Ales.’
^1
1
Alice
We love no man, that taketh keep
¹
or charge
¹
care
Where that we go; we will be at our large.
Of alle men most blessed may he be,
The wise astrologer Dan
¹
Ptolemy,
¹
Lord
That saith this proverb in his Almagest:
‘Of alle men his wisdom is highest,
That recketh not who hath the world in hand.
By this proverb thou shalt well understand,
Have thou enough, what thar
¹
thee reck or care
¹
needs, behoves
How merrily that other folkes fare?
For certes, olde dotard, by your leave,
Ye shall have [pleasure]
 
right enough at eve.
He is too great a niggard that will werne
^1
1
forbid
A man to light a candle at his lantern;
He shall have never the less light, pardie.
Have thou enough, thee thar
¹
not plaine
²
thee
¹
need
²
complain
Thou say’st also, if that we make us gay
With clothing and with precious array,
That it is peril of our chastity.
And yet, — with sorrow! — thou enforcest thee,
And say’st these words in the apostle’s name:
‘In habit made with chastity and shame
^1
1
modesty
Ye women shall apparel you,’ quoth he,
‘And not in tressed hair and gay perrie,
^1
1
jewels
As pearles, nor with gold, nor clothes rich.’
After thy text nor after thy rubrich
I will not work as muchel as a gnat.
Thou say’st also, I walk out like a cat;
For whoso woulde singe the catte’s skin
Then will the catte well dwell in her inn;
^1
1
house
And if the catte’s skin be sleek and gay,
She will not dwell in house half a day,
But forth she will, ere any day be daw’d,
To shew her skin, and go a caterwaw’d.
^1
1
caterwauling
This is to say, if I be gay, sir shrew,
I will run out, my borel
¹
for to shew.
¹
apparel, fine clothes
Sir olde fool, what helpeth thee to spyen?
Though thou pray Argus with his hundred eyen
To be my wardecorps,
¹
as he can best
¹
body-guard
In faith he shall not keep me,
¹
but me lest:
^1
1
unless I please
¹
Yet could I
¹
make his beard,
¹
so may I the.
¹
make a jest of him
¹