Arrayed1728 for this feast in every wise,
As farforth as his cunning1729 may suffice.
The morrow came, and Alla gan him dress,1730
And eke his wife, the emperor to meet:
And forth they rode in joy and in gladness,
And when she saw her father in the street,
She lighted down and fell before his feet.
“Father,” quoth she, “your youngë child Constance
Is now full clean out of your rémembránce.
“I am your daughter, your Constance,” quoth she,
“That whilom ye have sent into Syrie;
It am I, father, that in the salt sea
Was put alone, and damned1731 for to die.
Now, goodë father, I you mercy cry,
Send me no more into none heatheness,
But thank my lord here of his kindëness.”
Who can the piteous joyë tellen all,
Betwixt them three, since they be thus y-met?
But of my talë make an end I shall,
The day goes fast, I will no longer let.1732
These gladdë folk to dinner be y-set;
In joy and bliss at meat I let them dwell,
A thousand fold well more than I can tell.
This child Maurice was since then emperór
Made by the Pope, and lived Christianly,
To Christë’s Churchë did he great honór:
But I let all his story passë by,
Of Constance is my tale especially,
In the oldë Roman gestës1733 men may find
Mauríce’s life, I bear it not in mind.
This King Alla, when he his timë sey,1734
With his Constance, his holy wife so sweet,
To England are they come the rightë way,
Where they did live in joy and in quiét.
But little while it lasted, I you hete,1735
Joy of this world for time will not abide,
From day to night it changeth as the tide.
Who liv’d ever in such delight one day,
That him not moved either conscience,
Or ire, or talent, or some kind affray,1736
Envy, or pride, or passion, or offence?
I say but for this endë this senténce,1737
That little while in joy or in pleasance
Lasted the bliss of Alla with Constance.
For death, that takes of high and low his rent,
When passed was a year, even as I guess,
Out of this world this King Alla he hent,1738
For whom Constance had full great heaviness.
Now let us pray that God his soulë bless:
And Dame Constancë, finally to say,
Toward the town of Romë went her way.
To Rome is come this holy creature,
And findeth there her friendës whole and sound:
Now is she scaped all her áventure:
And when that she her father hath y-found,
Down on her kneës falleth she to ground,
Weeping for tenderness in heartë blithe
She herieth1739 God an hundred thousand sithe.1740
In virtue and in holy almës-deed
They liven all, and ne’er asunder wend;
Till death departeth them, this life they lead:
And fare now well, my tale is at an end.—
Now Jesus Christ, that of his might may send
Joy after woe, govérn us in his grace
And keep us allë that be in this place.
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
The Prologue1741
Experience, though none authority1742
Were in this world, is right enough for me
To speak of woe that is in marriáge:
For, lordings, since I twelve year was of age,
(Thanked be God that is etern on live),1743
Husbands at the church door have I had five—1744
For I so often have y-wedded be—
And all were worthy men in their degree.
But me was told, not longë timë gone is,
That sithen1745 Christë went never but onës
To wedding, in the Cane1746 of Galilee,
That by that ilk1747 example taught he me,
That I not wedded shouldë be but once.
Lo, hearken eke a sharp word for the nonce,1748
Beside a wellë Jesus, God and man,
Spake in reproof of the Samaritan:
“Thou hast y-had five husbandës,” said he;
“And thilkë1749 man, that now hath wedded thee,
Is not thine husband:”1750 thus said he certáin;
What that he meant thereby, I cannot sayn.
But that I askë, why the fifthë man
Was not husband to the Samaritan?
How many might she have in marriáge?
Yet heard I never tellen in mine age1751
Upon this number definitioún.
Men may divine, and glosen1752 up and down;
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 husbánd
Should leave father and mother, and take to me;
But of no number mentión made he,
Of bigamy or of octogamy;
Why then should men speak of it villainy?1753
Lo here, the wisë king Dan1754 Solomon,
I trow that he had wivës more than one;
As would to God it lawful were to me
To be refreshed half so oft as he!
What gift1755 of God had he for all his wivës?
No man hath such, that in this world alive is.
God wot, this noble king, as to my wit,1756
The first night had many a merry fit
With each of them, so well was him on live.1757
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 weddë me anon.
For then th’ apostle saith that I am free
To wed, a’ God’s half,1758 where it liketh me.
He saith, that to be wedded is no sin;
Better is to be wedded than to brin.1759
What recketh me1760 though folk say villainy1761
Of shrewed1762 Lamech, and his bigamy?
I wot well Abraham was a holy man,
And Jacob eke, as far as ev’r I can.1763
And each of them had wivës more than two;
And many another holy man also.
Where can ye see, in any manner age,1764
That highë God defended1765 marriáge
By word express? I pray you tell it me;
Or where commanded he virginity?
I wot
