As of Griselda patient and kind,
Lest Chichevache1 you swallow in her entrail.
"Follow Echo, that holdeth no silence,
But ever answereth at the countertail; 2
Be not bedaffed3 for your innocence,
But sharply take on you the governail; 4
Imprinte well this lesson in your mind,
For common profit, since it may avail.

"Ye archiwivës,5 stand aye at defence,
Since ye be strong as is a great camail,6
Nor suffer not that men do you offence.
And slender wives, feeble in battail,
Be eager as a tiger yond in Ind;
Aye clapping as a mill, I you counsail.

"Nor dread them not, nor do them reverence; For though thine husband armed be in mail, The arrows of thy crabbed eloquence

Shall pierce his breast, and eke his aventail; 7 In jealousy I rede eke thou him bind,

She would him overmatch, I dare well swear.
Why should I you rehearse in speciál
Her high malice? she is a shrew at all.13
There is a long and large difference
Betwixt Griselda's greatë patience,
And of my wife the passing cruelty.
Were I unbounden, all so may I thé,14
I would never eft 15 come in the snare.
We wedded men live in sorrow and care;
Assay it whoso will, and he shall find
That I say sooth, by Saint Thomas of Ind,
As for the more part; I say not all,-
God shielde 16 that it shouldë so befall.
Ah! good Sir Host, I have y-wedded be
These moneths two, and morë not, pardie;
And yet I trow 12 that he that all his life
Wifeless hath been, though that men would
him rive

Into the heartë, could in no mannére
Telle so much sorrów, as I you here

quail.

"Now," quoth our Host, "Merchant, so God you bless,

Since ye so muchë knowen of that art,
Full heartily I pray you tell us part."

wail."

THE MERCHANT'S TALE.

THE PROLOGUE.11

"WEEPING and wailing, care and other sorrow,
I have enough, on even and on morrow,"
Quoth the Merchant, "and so have other mo',
That wedded be; I trow 12 that it be so;
For well I wot it fareth so by me.

I have a wife, the worste that may be,
For though the fiend to her y-coupled were,

1 Chichevache, in old popular fable, was a monster that fed only on good women, and was always very thin from scarcity of such food; a corresponding monster, Bycorne, fed only on obedient and kind husbands, and was always fat. The origin of the fable was French; but Lydgate has a ballad on the subject. "Chichevache" literally means "niggardly" or "greedy COW."

2 Counter-tally or counter-foil; something exactly corresponding. 3 Befooled. 4 Helm. 6 Camel. 8 Advise.

5 Wives of rank. 7 Forepart of a helmet, vizor. 9 Submit, shrink. 10 Linden, lime-tree. 11 Though the manner in which the Merchant takes up the closing words of the Envoy to the Clerk's Tale, and refers to the patience of Griselda, seems to prove beyond doubt that the order of the Tales in the text is the right one, yet in some manuscripts of good authority the Franklin's Tale follows the Clerk's, and the Envoy is concluded by this stanza:

"This worthy Clerk when ended was his tale,
Our Hostë said, and swore by cocke's bones
Me lever were than a barrel of ale

My wife at home had heard this legend once;
This is a gentle tale for the nonce;
As to my purpose, wistë ye my will.

But thing that will not be, let it be still.""
In other manuscripts of less authority, the Host pro-
ceeds, in two similar stanzas, to impose a Tale on the
Franklin; but Tyrwhitt is probably right in setting

66

Gladly," quoth he; "but of mine owen

sore,

THE TALE, 18

Whilom there was dwelling in Lombardy
A worthy knight, that born was at Pavie,
In which he liv'd in great prosperity;
And forty years a wifeless man was he,
And follow'd aye his bodily delight
On women, where as was his appetite,
As do these foolës that be seculeres. 19
And, when that he was passed sixty years,
Were it for holiness, or for dotáge,

I cannot say, but such a great coráge 20
Hadde this knight to be a wedded man,
them aside as spurious, and in admitting the genuine-
ness of the first only, if it be supposed that Chaucer for-
got to cancel it when he had decided on another mode
of connecting the Merchant's with the Clerk's Tale.

12 Believe.

13 Thoroughly, in everything, wicked. 14 So may I thrive! 15 Again. 16 Guard, forbid. 17 Wickedness, shrewishness. 18 If, as is probable, this Tale was translated from the French, the original is not now extant. Tyrwhitt remarks that the scene is laid in Italy, but none of the names, except Damian and Justin, seem to be Italian, but rather made at pleasure; so that I doubt whether the story be really of Italian growth. The adventure of the pear-tree I find in a small collection of Latin fables, written by one Adolphus, in elegiac verses of his fashion, in the year 1315. . . . Whatever was the real origin of the Tale, the machinery of the fairies, which Chaucer has used so happily, was probably added by himself; and, indeed, I cannot help thinking that his Pluto and Proserpina were the true progenitors of Oberon and Titania; or rather, that they themselves have, once at least, deigned to revisit our poetical system under the latter names."

19 Of the laity; but perhaps, since the word is of twofold meaning, Chaucer intends a hit at the secular clergy, who, unlike the regular orders, did not live separate from the world, but shared in all its interests and pleasures-all the more easily and freely, that they had not the civil restraint of marriage.

20 Inclination.

By counsel good deliver'd out of woe
The people of God, and made him, Mardoché,
Of Assuere enhanced 1 for to be.
There is nothing in gree superlative 2
(As saith Senec) above a humble wife.
Suffer thy wife's tongue, as Cato bit;3
She shall command, and thou shalt suffer it,
And yet she will obey of courtesy.
A wife is keeper of thine husbandry:
Well may the sickë man bewail and weep,
There as there is no wife the house to keep.
I warne thee, if wisely thou wilt wirch,*
Love well thy wife, as Christ loveth his church:
Thou lov'st thyself, if thou lovest thy wife.
No man hateth his flesh, but in his life
He fost'reth it; and therefore bid I thee
Cherish thy wife, or thou shalt never thé.5
Husband and wife, what so men jape or play,"
Of worldly folk holde the sicker way;
They be so knit, there may no harm betide,
And namely upon the wife's side.

S

For which this January, of whom I told, Consider'd hath, within his dayës old, The lusty life, the virtuous quiét, That is in marriagë honey-sweet. And for his friends upon a day he sent To tell them the effect of his intent. With face sad, his tale he hath them told: He saidë, "Friendës, I am hoar and old, And almost (God wot) on my pitte's 10 brink, Upon my soulë somewhat must I think. I have my body foolishly dispended, Blessed be God that it shall be amended; For I will be certáin a wedded man, And that anon in all the haste I can, Unto some maiden, fair and tender of age; I pray you shape 11 for my marriage All suddenly, for I will not abide : And I will fond 12 to éspy, on my side, To whom I may be wedded hastily. But forasmuch as ye be more than I, Ye shallë rather 13 such a thing espy Than I, and where me best were to ally. But one thing warn I you, my friendës dear, I will none old wife have in no mannére : She shall not passë sixteen year certáin. Old fish and youngë flesh would I have fain. Better," quoth he, "a pike than a pickerel,14 And better than old beef is tender veal. I will no woman thirty year of age, It is but beanëstraw and great foráge. And eke these oldě widows (God it wot) They connë 15 so much craft on Wade's boat, 16 So muchë brooke harm 17 when that them lest,18 That with them should I never live in rest. For sundry schoolës make subtle clerkës;

Woman of many schoolës half a clerk is.
But certainly a young thing men may guy,19
Right as men may warm wax with handës
ply, 20

Wherefore I say you plainly in a clause,

I will none old wife have, right for this cause.
For if so were I hadde such mischance,
That I in her could have no pleasance,
Then should I lead my life in avoutrie,21
And go straight to the devil when I die.
Nor children should I none upon her getten :
Yet were me lever 22 houndës had me eaten
Than that mine heritage shouldë fall
In strange hands: and this I tell you all.
I doubtë not I know the cause why
Men shoulde wed: and farthermore know I
There speaketh many a man of marriage
That knows no more of it than doth my page,
For what causes a man should take a wife.
If he ne may not live chaste his life,
Take him a wife with great devotión,
Because of lawful procreatión

Of children, to th' honour of God above,
And not only for paramour or love;
And for they shoulde lechery eschew,
And yield their debte when that it is due :
Or for that each of them should help the other
In mischief, 23 as a sister shall the brother,
And live in chastity full holily.

But, Sirës, by your leave, that am not I,
For, God be thanked, I dare make avaunt,24
I feel my limbës stark 25 and suffisant
To do all that a man belongeth to:
I wot myselfe best what I may do.
Though I be hoar, I fare as doth a tree,
That blossoms ere the fruit y-waxen 28 be;
The blossomy tree is neither dry nor dead;
I feel me nowhere hoar but on my head.
Mine heart and all my limbës are as green
As laurel through the year is for to seen.27
And, since that ye have heard all mine intent,
I pray you to my will ye would assent."
Diverse men diversely him told

Of marriage many examples old;

Some blamed it, some praised it, certain;
But at the lastë, shortly for to sayn
(As all day 28 falleth altercatión
Betwixte friends in disputatión),

There fell a strife betwixt his brethren two,
Of which that one was called Placebo,
Justinus soothly called was that other.
Placebo said; "O January, brother,
Full little need have ye, my lord so dear,
Counsel to ask of any that is here:
But that ye be so full of sapience,
That you not liketh, for your high prudénce,

but Mr Wright seems to be warranted in supposing
that Wade's adventures were cited as examples of craft
and cunning-that the hero, in fact, was a kind of
Northern Ulysses. It is possible that to the same
source we may trace the proverbial phrase, found in
Chaucer's "Remedy of Love," to "bear Watti's pack"
signifying to be duped or beguiled.
17 So much mischief can they perform, employ.
18 Pleases. 19 Guide.
20 Bend, mould.
21 Adultery. 22 I would rather. 23 Trouble,

24 Boast.

27 See.

25 Strong. 26 Grown. 29 Constantly, every day.

To waive1 from the word of Solomon.
This word said he unto us every one;
Work alle thing by counsel,-thus said he,-
And thenně shalt thou not repentë thee.
But though that Solomon spake such a word,
Mine owen dearë brother and my lord,
So wisly God my soulë bring at rest,
I hold your owen counsel is the best.
For, brother mine, take of me this motive; 3
I have now been a court-man all my life,
And, God it wot, though I unworthy be,
I have standen in full great degree
Aboutë lordes of full high estate;
Yet had I ne'er with none of them debate;
I never them contráried truěly.

I know well that my lord can more than I;
What that he saith, I hold it firm and stable,
I say the same, or else a thing semblable.
A full great fool is any counsellor
That serveth any lord of high honour,
That dare presume, or ones thinken it,
That his counsel should pass his lorde's wit.
Nay, lordës be no foolës, by my fay.
Ye have yourselfë shewed here to-day
So high sentence," so holily and well,
That I consent, and cónfirm every deal
Your wordes all, and your opinioún.
By God, there is no man in all this town
Nor in Itále, could better have y-said:
Christ holds him of this counsel well apaid.?
And truely it is a high courage
Of any man that stopen is in age,
To take a young wife, by my father's kin;
Your heartë hangeth on a jolly pin.
Do now in this matter right as you lest,
For finally I hold it for the best."

Justinus, that aye stillë sat and heard,
Right in this wise to Placebo answér'd.
"Now, brother mine, be patient I pray,
Since ye have said, and hearken what I say,
Senec, among his other wordës wise,

Saith, that a man ought him right well advise,"
To whom he gives his land or his chattél.
And since I ought advisë me right well
To whom I give my good away from me,
Well more I ought advisë me, pardie,
To whom I give my body: for alway
I warn you well it is no childë's play
To take a wife without advisement.
Men must inquirë (this is mine assent)
Whe'er she be wise, or sober, or dronkelew, 10
Or proud, or any other ways a shrew,
A chidester, or a waster of thy good,
Or rich or poor; or else a man is wood.12
Albeit so, that no man finde shall

11

More goode thewes 15 than her vices bad:
And all this asketh leisure to inquére.
For, God it wot, I have wept many a tear
Full privily, since I have had a wife.
Praise whoso will a wedded manne's life,
Certes, I find in it but cost and care,
And observánces of all blisses bare.
And yet, God wot, my neighbours about,
And namely 16 of women many a rout,17
Say that I have the mostë steadfast wife,
And eke the meekest one, that beareth life.
But I know best where wringeth 18 me my shoe.
Ye may for me right as you likë do.
Advise you, ye be a man of age,
How that ye enter into marriage;
And namely 16 with a young wife and a fair.
By him that made water, fire, earth, air,
The youngest man that is in all this rout 17
Is busy enough to bringen it about
To have his wife alonë, trustë me :
Ye shall not please her fully yearës three,
This is to say, to do her full pleasance.
A wife asketh full many an observánce.
I pray you that ye be not evil apaid." 19
"Well," quoth this January, "and hast thou
said?

Straw for thy Senec, and for thy provérbs,
I countë not a pannier full of herbs
Of schoolë termes; wiser men than thou,
As thou hast heard, assented here right now
To my purpose: Placebo, what say ye?"
"I say it is a cursed 20 man," quoth he,
"That letteth 21 matrimony, sickerly."
And with that word they rise up suddenly,
And be assented fully, that he should

Be wedded when him list, and where he would.
High fantasy and curious business
From day to day gan in the soul impress 22
Of January about his marriage.

Many a fair shape, and many a fair viságe
There passed through his heartë night by night.
As whoso took a mirror polish'd bright,
And set it in a common market-place,
Then should he see many a figure pace
By his mirror; and in the same wise
Gan January in his thought devise

Of maidens, which that dweltë him beside:
He wistě not where that he might abide.
For if that one had beauty in her face,
Another stood so in the people's grace
For her sadness 24 and her benignity,
That of the people greatest voice had she:
And some were rich and had a baddë name.
But natheless, betwixt earnest and game,
He at the last appointed him on one,
And let all others from his heartë gon,
And chose her of his own authority;
For love is blind all day, and may not see.
And when that he was into bed y-brought,