The Canterbury Tales

epub:type="noteref">4005 of a man is soon gone and passed, when it is not renewed. And as touching that ye say, that ye will exile your adversaries, that thinketh ye much against reason, and out of measure,4006 considered the power that they have given you upon themselves. And it is written, that he is worthy to lose his privilege, that misuseth the might and the power that is given him. And I set case4007 ye might enjoin them that pain by right and by law (which I trow ye may not do), I say, ye might not put it to execution peradventure, and then it were like to return to the war, as it was before. And therefore if ye will that men do you obeisance, ye must deem4008 more courteously, that is to say, ye must give more easy sentences and judgements. For it is written, ‘He that most courteously commandeth, to him men most obey.’ And therefore I pray you, that in this necessity and in this need ye cast you4009 to overcome your heart. For Seneca saith, that he that overcometh his heart, overcometh twice. And Tullius saith, ‘There is nothing so commendable in a great lord, as when he is debonair and meek, and appeaseth him lightly.’4010 And I pray you, that ye will now forbear to do vengeance, in such a manner, that your good name may be kept and conserved, and that men may have cause and matter to praise you of pity and of mercy; and that ye have no cause to repent you of thing that ye do. For Seneca saith, ‘He overcometh in an evil manner, that repenteth him of his victory.’ Wherefore I pray you let mercy be in your heart, to the effect and intent that God Almighty have mercy upon you in his last judgement; for Saint James saith in his Epistle, ‘Judgement without mercy shall be done to him, that hath no mercy of another wight.’ ”

When Meliboeus had heard the great skills4011 and reasons of Dame Prudence, and her wise information and teaching, his heart gan incline to the will of his wife, considering her true intent, he conformed him anon and assented fully to work after her counsel, and thanked God, of whom proceedeth all goodness and all virtue, that him sent a wife of so great discretion. And when the day came that his adversaries should appear in his presence, he spake to them full goodly, and said in this wise; “Albeit so, that of your pride and high presumption and folly, an of your negligence and unconning,4012 ye have misborne4013 you, and trespassed4014 unto me, yet forasmuch as I see and behold your great humility, and that ye be sorry and repentant of your guilts, it constraineth me to do you grace and mercy. Wherefore I receive you into my grace, and forgive you utterly all the offences, injuries, and wrongs, that ye have done against me and mine, to this effect and to this end, that God of his endless mercy will at the time of our dying forgive us our guilts, that we have trespassed to him in this wretched world; for doubtless, if we be sorry and repentant of the sins and guilts which we have trespassed in the sight of our Lord God, he is so free and so merciable,4015 that he will forgive us our guilts, and bring us to the bliss that never hath end.” Amen.

The Monk’s Tale

The Prologue

When ended was my tale of Melibee,
And of Prudénce and her benignity,
Our Hostë said, “As I am faithful man,
And by the precious corpus Madrian,4016
I had lever4017 than a barrel of ale,
That goodë lefe4018 my wife had heard this tale;
For she is no thing of such patiénce
As was this Meliboeus’ wife Prudénce.
By Goddë’s bonës! when I beat my knaves
She bringeth me the greatë clubbed staves,
And crieth, ‘Slay the doggës every one,
And break of them both back and ev’ry bone.’
And if that any neighëbour of mine
Will not in church unto my wife incline,4019
Or be so hardy to her to trespace,4020
When she comes home she rampeth4021 in my face,
And crieth, ‘Falsë coward, wreak4022 thy wife:
By corpus Domini, I will have thy knife,
And thou shalt have my distaff, and go spin.’
From day till night right thus she will begin.
‘Alas!’ she saith, ‘that ever I was shape4023
To wed a milksop, or a coward ape,
That will be overlad4024 with every wight!
Thou darest not stand by thy wifë’s right.’

“This is my life, but if4025 that I will fight;
And out at door anon I must me dight,4026
Or ellës I am lost, but if that I
Be, like a wildë lion, fool-hardý.
I wot well she will do4027 me slay some day
Some neighëbour and thennë go my way;4028
For I am perilous with knife in hand,
Albeit that I dare not her withstand;
For she is big in armës, by my faith!
That shall he find, that her misdoth or saith.4029
But let us pass away from this mattére.
My lord the Monk,” quoth he, “be merry of cheer,
For ye shall tell a talë truëlý.
Lo, Rochester stands here fastë by.
Ride forth, mine owen lord, break not our game.
But by my troth I cannot tell your name;
Whether shall I call you my lord Dan John,
Or Dan Thomas, or ellës Dan Albon?
Of what house be ye, by your father’s kin?
I vow to God, thou hast a full fair skin;
It is a gentle pasture where thou go’st;
Thou art not like a penant4030 or a ghost.
Upon my faith thou art some officer,
Some worthy sexton, or