The Shipman's Tale
1: a merchant whilom dwelled at seint-denys, 
2: That riche was, for which men helde hym wys. 
3: A wyf he hadde of excellent beautee; 
4: And compaignable and revelous was she, 
5: Which is a thyng that causeth more dispence 
6: Than worth is al the chiere and reverence 
7: That men hem doon at festes and at daunces. 
8: Swiche salutaciouns and contenances 
9: Passen as dooth a shadwe upon the wal; 
10: But wo is hym that payen moot for al! 
11: The sely housbonde, algate he moot paye, 
12: He moot us clothe, and he moot us arraye, 
13: Al for his owene worshipe richely, 
14: In which array we daunce jolily. 
15: And if that he noght may, par aventure, 
16: Or ellis list no swich dispence endure, 
17: But thynketh it is wasted and ylost, 
18: Thanne moot another payen for oure cost, 
19: Or lene us gold, and that is perilous. 
20: this noble marchaunt heeld a worthy hous, 
21: For which ne hadde alday so greet repair 
22: For his largesse, and for his wyf was fair, 
23: That wonder is; but herkneth to my tale. 
24: Amonges alle his gestes, grete and smale, 
25: Ther was a monk, a fair man and a boold -- 
26: I trowe a thritty wynter he was oold -- 
27: That evere in oon was drawynge to that place. 
28: This yonge monk, that was so fair of face, 
29: Aqueynted was so with the goode man, 
30: Sith that hir firste knoweliche bigan, 
31: That in his hous as famulier was he 
32: As it is possible any freend to be. 
33: and for as muchel as this goode man, 
34: And eek this monk, of which that I began, 
35: Were bothe two yborn in o village, 
36: The monk hym claymeth as for cosynage; 
37: And he agayn, he seith nat ones nay, 
38: But was as glad therof as fowel of day; 
39: For to his herte it was a greet plesaunce. 
40: Thus been they knyt with eterne alliaunce, 
41: And ech of hem gan oother for t'assure 
42: Of bretherhede, whil that hir lyf may dure. 
43: Free was daun john, and namely of dispence, 
44: As in that hous, and ful of diligence 
45: To doon plesaunce, and also greet costage. 
46: He noght forgat to yeve the leeste page 
47: In al that hous; but after hir degree, 
48: He yaf the lord, and sitthe al his meynee, 
49: Whan that he cam, som manere honest thyng; 
50: For which they were as glad of his comyng 
51: As fowel is fayn whan that the sonne up riseth. 
52: Na moore of this as now, for it suffiseth. 
53: But so bifel, this marchant on a day 
54: Shoop hym to make redy his array 
55: Toward the toun of brugges for to fare, 
56: To byen there a porcioun of ware; 
57: For which he hath to parys sent anon 
58: A messager, and preyed hat daun john 
59: That he sholde come to seint-denys to pleye 
60: With hym and with his wyf a day or tweye, 
61: Er he to brugges wente, in alle wise. 
62: This noble monk, of which I yow devyse, 
63: Hath of his abbot, as hym list, licence, 
64: By cause he was a man of heigh prudence, 
65: And eek an officer, out for to ryde, 
66: To seen hir graunges and hire bernes wyde, 
67: And unto seint-denys he comth anon. 
68: Who was so welcome as my lord daun john, 
69: Oure deere cosyn, ful of curteisye? 
70: With hym broghte he a jubbe of malvesye, 
71: And eek another, ful of fyn vernage, 
72: And volatyl, as ay was his usage. 
73: And thus I lete hem ete and drynke and pleye, 
74: This marchant and this monk, a day or tweye. 
75: The thridde day, this marchant up ariseth, 
76: And on his nedes sadly hym avyseth, 
77: And up into his countour-hous gooth he 
78: To rekene with hymself, as wel may be, 
79: Of thilke yeer how that it with hym stood, 
80: And how that he despended hadde his good, 
81: And if that he encressed were or noon. 
82: His bookes and his bagges many oon 
83: He leith biforn hym on his countyng-bord. 
84: Ful riche was his tresor and his hord, 
85: For which ful faste his countour-dore he shette; 
86: And eek he nolde that no man sholde hym lette 
87: Of his acountes, for the meene tyme; 
88: And thus he sit til it was passed pryme. 
89: Daun john was rysen in the morwe also, 
90: And in the gardyn walketh to and fro, 
91: And hath his thynges seyd ful curteisly. 
92: This goode wyf cam walkynge pryvely 
93: Into the gardyn, there he walketh softe, 
94: And hym saleweth, as she hath doon ofte. 
95: A mayde child cam in hire compaignye, 
96: Which as hir list she may governe and gye, 
97: For yet under the yerde was the mayde. 
98: O deere cosyn myn, daun john, she sayde, 
99: What eyleth yow so rathe for to ryse? 
100: Nece, quod he, it oghte ynough suffise 
101: Fyve houres for to slepe upon a nyght, 
102: But it were for an old appalled wight, 
103: As been thise wedded men, that lye and dare 
104: As in a fourme sit a wery hare, 
105: Were al forstraught with houndes grete and smale. 
106: But deere nece, why be ye so pale? 
107: I trowe, certes, that oure goode man 
108: Hath yow laboured sith the nyght bigan, 
109: That yow were nede to resten hastily. 
110: And with that word he lough ful murily, 
111: And of his owene thought he was reed. 
112: This faire wyf gan for to shake hir heed 
113: And seyde thus, ye, God woot al, quod she. 
114: Nay, cosyn myn, it stant nat so with me; 
115: For, by that God that yaf me soule and lyf, 
116: In al the reawme of france is ther no wyf 
117: That lasse lust hath to that sory pley. 
118: For I may synge -- allas and weylawey 
119: That I was born, -- but to no wight, quod she, 
120: Dar I nat telle how that it stant with me. 
121: Wherfore I thynke out of this land to wende, 
122: Or elles of myself to make an ende, 
123: So ful am I of drede and eek of care. 
124: This monk bigan upon this wyf to stare, 
125: And seyde, allas, my nece, God forbede 
126: That ye, for any sorwe or any drede, 
127: Fordo youreself; but telleth me youre grief. 
128: Paraventure I may, in youre meschief, 
129: Conseille or helpe; and therfore telleth me 
130: Al youre anoy, for it shal been secree. 
131: For on my porthors here I make an ooth 
132: That nevere in my lyf, for lief ne looth, 
133: Ne shal I of no conseil yow biwreye. 
134: The same agayn to yow, quod she, I seye. 
135: By God and by this porthors I yow swere, 
136: Though men me wolde al into pieces tere, 
137: Ne shal I nevere, for to goon to helle, 
138: Biwreye a word of thyng that ye me telle, 
139: Nat for no cosynage ne alliance, 
140: But verraily, for love and affiance. 
141: Thus been they sworn, and heerupon they kiste, 
142: And ech of hem tolde oother what hem liste. 
143: Cosyn, quod she, if that I hadde a space, 
144: As I have noon, and namely in this place, 
145: Thanne wolde I telle a legende of my lyf, 
146: What I have suffred with I was a wyf 
147: With myn housbonde, al be he youre cosyn. 
148: Nay, quod this monk, by God and seint martyn, 
149: He is na moore cosyn unto me 
150: Than is this leef that hangeth on the tree! 
151: I clepe hym so, by seint denys of fraunce, 
152: To have the moore cause of aqueyntaunce 
153: Of yow, which I have loved specially 
154: Aboven alle wommen, sikerly. 
155: This swere I yow on my professioun. 
156: Telleth youre grief, lest that he come adoun; 
157: And hasteth yow, and gooth youre wey anon. 
158: My deere love, quod she, o my daun john, 
159: Ful lief were me this conseil for to hyde, 
160: But out it moot, I may namoore abyde. 
161: Myn housbonde is to me the worste man 
162: That evere was sith that the world bigan. 
163: But sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me 
164: To tellen no wight of oure privetee, 
165: Neither abedde, ne in noon oother place; 
166: God shilde I sholde it tellen, for his grace! 
167: A wyf ne shal nat seyn of hir housbonde 
168: But al honour, as I kan understonde; 
169: Save unto yow thus muche I tellen shal: 
170: As helpe me god, he is noght worth at al 
171: In no degree the value of a flye. 
172: But yet me greveth moost his nygardye. 
173: And wel ye woot that wommen naturelly 
174: Desiren thynges sixe as wel as I: 
175: They wolde that hir housbondes sholde be 
176: Hardy, and wise, and riche, and therto free, 
177: And buxom unto his wyf, and fressh abedde. 
178: But by that ilke lord that for us bledde, 
179: For his honour, myself for to arraye, 
180: A sonday next I moste nedes paye 
181: An hundred frankes, or ellis I am lorn. 
182: Yet were me levere that I were unborn 
183: Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileynye; 
184: And if myn housbonde eek it myghte espye, 
185: I nere but lost; and therfore I yow preye, 
186: Lene me this somme, or ellis moot I deye. 
187: Daun john, I seye, lene me thise hundred frankes. 
188: Pardee, I wol nat faille yow my thankes, 
189: If that yow list to doon that I yow praye. 
190: For at a certeyn day I wol yow paye, 
191: And doon to yow what plesance and service 
192: That I may doon, right as yow list devise. 
193: And but I do, God take on me vengeance 
194: As foul as evere hadde genylon of france. 
195: This gentil monk answerde in this manere: 
196: Now trewely, myn owene lady deere, 
197: I have, quod he, on yow so greet a routhe 
198: That I yow swere, and plighte yow my trouthe, 
199: That whan youre housbonde is to flaundres fare, 
200: I wol delyvere yow out of this care; 
201: For I wol brynge yow an hundred frankes. 
202: And with that word he caughte hire by the flankes, 
203: And hire embraceth harde, and kiste hire ofte. 
204: Gooth now youre wey, quod he, al stille and softe, 
205: And lat us dyne as soone as that ye may; 
206: For by my chilyndre it is pryme of day. 
207: Gooth now, and beeth as trewe as I shal be. 
208: Now elles God forbede, sire, quod she; 
209: And forth she gooth as jolif as a pye, 
210: And bad the cookes that they sholde hem hye, 
211: So that men myghte dyne, and that anon. 
212: Up to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon, 
213: And knokketh at his countour boldely. 
214: Quy la? quod he. Peter! it am I, 
215: Quod she; what, sire, how longe wol ye faste? 
216: How longe tyme wol ye rekene and caste 
217: Youre sommes, and youre bookes, and youre thynges? 
218: The devel have part on alle swiche rekenynges! 
219: Ye have ynough, pardee, of goddes sonde; 
220: Com doun to-day, and lat youre bagges stonde. 
221: Ne be ye nat ashamed that daun john 
222: Shal fasting al this day alenge goon? 
223: What! lat us heere a messe, and go we dyne. 
224: Wyf, quod this man, litel kanstow devyne 
225: The curious bisynesse that we have. 
226: For of us chapmen, also God me save, 
227: And by that lord that clepid is seint yve, 
228: Scarsly amonges twelve tweye shul thryve 
229: Continuelly, lastynge unto oure age. 
230: We may wel make chiere and good visage, 
231: And dryve forth the world as it may be, 
232: And kepen oure estaat in pryvetee, 
233: Til we be deed, or elles that we pleye 
234: A pilgrymage, or goon out of the weye. 
235: And therfore have I greet necessitee 
236: Upon this queynte world t' avyse me; 
237: For everemoore we moote stonde in drede 
238: Of hap and fortune in oure chapmanhede. 
239: To flaundres wol I go to-morwe at day, 
240: And come agayn, as soone as evere I may. 
241: For which, my deere wyf, I thee diseke, 
242: As be to every wight buxom and meke, 
243: And for to kepe oure good be curious, 
244: And honestly governe wel oure hous. 
245: Thou hast ynough, in every maner wise, 
246: That to a thrifty houshold may suffise. 
247: Thee lakketh noon array ne no vitaille; 
248: Of silver in thy purs shaltow nat faille. 
249: And with that word his countour-dore he shette, 
250: And doun he gooth, no lenger wolde he lette. 
251: But hastily a messe was ther seyd, 
252: And spedily the tables were yleyd, 
253: And to the dyner faste they hem spedde, 
254: And richely this monk the chapman fedde. 
255: At after-dyner daun john sobrely 
256: This chapman took apart, and prively 
257: He seyde hym thus: cosyn, it standeth so, 
258: That wel I se to brugges wol ye go. 
259: Go and seint austyn spede yow and gyde! 
260: I prey yow, cosyn, wisely that ye ryde. 
261: Governeth yow also of youre diete 
262: Atemprely, and namely in this hete. 
263: Bitwix us two nedeth no strange fare; 
264: Farewel, cosyn; God shilde yow fro care! 
265: And if that any thyng by day or nyght, 
266: If it lye in my power and my myght, 
267: That ye me wol comande in any wyse, 
268: It shal be doon, right as ye wol devyse. 
269: O thyng, er that ye goon, if it may be, 
270: I wolde prey yow; for to lene me 
271: An hundred frankes, for a wyke or tweye, 
272: For certein beestes that I moste beye, 
273: To stoore with a place that is oures. 
274: God helpe me so, I wolde it were youres! 
275: I shal nat faille surely of my day, 
276: Nat for a thousand frankes, a mile way. 
277: But lat this thyng be secree, I yow preye, 
278: For yet to-nyght thise beestes moot I beye. 
279: And fare now wel, myn owene cosyn deere; 
280: Graunt mercy of youre cost and of youre cheere. 
281: This noble marchant gentilly anon 
282: Answerde and seyde, o cosyn myn, daun john, 
283: Now sikerly this is a smal requeste. 
284: My gold is youres, whan that it yow leste, 
285: And nat oonly my gold, but my chaffare. 
286: Take what yow list, God shilde that ye spare. 
287: But o thyng is, ye knowe it wel ynogh, 
288: Of chapmen, that hir moneie is hir plogh. 
289: We may creaunce whil we have a name; 
290: But goldlees for to be, it is no game. 
291: Paye it agayn whan it lith in youre ese; 
292: After my myght ful fayn wolde I yow plese. 
293: Thise hundred frankes he fette forth anon, 
294: And prively he took hem to daun john. 
295: No wight in al this world wiste of this loone, 
296: Savynge this marchant and daun john allone. 
297: They drynke, and speke, and rome a while and pleye, 
298: Til that daun john rideth to his abbeye. 
299: The morwe cam, and forth this marchant rideth 
300: To flaundres-ward; his prentys wel hym gydeth, 
301: Til he came into brugges murily. 
302: Now gooth this marchant faste and bisily 
303: Aboute his nede, and byeth and creaunceth. 
304: He neither pleyeth at the dees ne daunceth, 
305: But as a marchaunt, shortly for to telle, 
306: He let him lyf, and there I lete hym dwelle. 
307: The sonday next the marchant was agon, 
308: To seint-denys ycomen is daun john, 
309: With crowne and berd al fressh and newe yshave. 
310: In al the hous ther nas so litel a knave, 
311: Ne no wight elles, that he nas ful fayn 
312: For that my lord daun john was come agayn. 
313: And shortly to the point right for to gon, 
314: This faire wyf acorded with daun john 
315: That for thise hundred frankes he sholde al nyght 
316: Have hire in his armes bolt upright; 
317: And this acord parfourned was in dede. 
318: In myrthe al nyght a bisy lyf they lede 
319: Til it was day, that daun john wente his way, 
320: And bad the meynee farewel, have good day! 
321: For noon of hem, ne no wight in the toun, 
322: Hath of daun john right no suspecioun. 
323: And forth he rydeth hoom to his abbeye, 
324: Or where hym list; namoore of hym I seye. 
325: This marchant, whan that ended was the faire, 
326: To seint-denys he gan for to repaire, 
327: And with his wyf he maketh feeste and cheere, 
328: And telleth hire that chaffare is so deere 
329: That nedes moste he make a chevyssaunce; 
330: For he was bounden in a reconyssaunce 
331: To paye twenty thousand sheeld anon. 
332: For which this marchant is to parys gon 
333: To borwe of certeine freendes that he hadde 
334: A certeyn frankes; and somme with him he ladde. 
335: And whan that he was come into the toun, 
336: For greet chiertee and greet affeccioun, 
337: Unto daun john he gooth first, hym to pleye; 
338: Nat for to axe or borwe of hym moneye, 
339: But for to wite and seen of his welfare, 
340: And for to tellen hym of his chaffare, 
341: As freendes doon whan they been met yfeere. 
342: Daun john hym maketh feeste and murye cheere, 
343: And he hym tolde agayn, ful specially, 
344: How he hadde wel yboght and graciously, 
345: Thanked be god, al hool his marchandise; 
346: Save that he moste, in alle maner wise, 
347: Maken a chevyssaunce, as for his beste, 
348: And thanne he sholde been in joye and reste. 
349: Daun john answerde, certes, I am fayn 
350: That ye in heele ar comen hom agayn. 
351: And if that I were riche, as have I blisse, 
352: Of twenty thousand sheeld sholde ye nat mysse, 
353: For ye so kyndely this oother day 
354: Lente me gold; and as I kan and may, 
355: I thanke yow, by God and by seint jame! 
356: But nathelees, I took unto oure dame, 
357: Youre wyf, at hom, the same gold ageyn 
358: Upon youre bench; she woot it wel, certeyn, 
359: By certeyn tokenes that I kan hire telle. 
360: Now, by youre leve, I may no lenger dwelle; 
361: Oure abbot wole out of this toun anon, 
362: And in his compaignye moot I goon. 
363: Grete wel oure dame, myn owene nece sweete, 
364: And fare wel, deere cosyn, til we meete! 
365: This marchant, which that was ful war and wys, 
366: Creanced hath, and payd eek in parys 
367: To certeyn lumbardes, redy in hir hond, 
368: The somme of gold, and gat of hem his bond; 
369: And hoom he gooth, murie as a papejay, 
370: For wel he knew he stood in swich array 
371: That nedes moste he wynne in that viage 
372: A thousand frankes aboven al his costage. 
373: His wyf ful redy mette hym atte gate, 
374: As she was wont of oold usage algate, 
375: And al that nyght in myrthe they bisette; 
376: For he was riche and cleerly out of dette. 
377: Whan it was day, this marchant gan embrace 
378: His wyf al newe, and kiste hire on hir face, 
379: And up he gooth and maketh it ful tough. 
380: Namoore, quod she, by god, ye have ynough! 
381: And wantownly agayn with hym she pleyde, 
382: Til atte laste thus this marchant seyde: 
383: By go, quod he, I am a litel wrooth 
384: With yow, my wyf, although it be me looth. 
385: And woot ye why? by god, as that I gesse 
386: That ye han maad a manere straungenesse 
387: Bitwixen me and my cosyn daun john. 
388: Ye sholde han warned me, er I had gon, 
389: That he yow hadde an hundred frankes payed 
390: By redy token; and heeld hym yvele apayed, 
391: For that I to hym spak of chevyssaunce; 
392: Me semed so, as by his contenaunce. 
393: But nathelees, by god, oure hevene kyng, 
394: I thoughte nat to axen hym no thyng. 
395: I prey thee, wyf, ne do namoore so; 
396: Telle me alwey, er that I fro thee go, 
397: If any dettour hath in myn absence 
398: Ypayed thee, lest thurgh thy necligence 
399: I myghte hym axe a thing that he hath payed. 
400: This wyf was nat afered nor affrayed, 
401: But boldely she seyde, and that anon; 
402: Marie, I deffie the false monk, daun john! 
403: I kepe nat of his tokenes never a deel; 
404: He took me certeyn gold, that woot I weel, -- 
405: What! yvel thedam on his monkes snowte! 
406: For, God it woot, I wende, withouten doute, 
407: That he hadde yeve it me bycause of yow, 
408: To doon therwith myn honour and my prow, 
409: For cosynage, and eek for beele cheere 
410: That he hath had ful ofte tymes heere. 
411: But sith I se I stonde in this disjoynt, 
412: I wol answere yow shortly to the poynt. 
413: Ye han mo slakkere dettours than am i! 
414: For I wol paye yow wel and redily 
415: Fro day to day, and if so be I faille, 
416: I am youre wyf; score it upon my taille, 
417: And I shal paye as soone as ever I may. 
418: For by my trouthe, I have on myn array, 
419: And nat on wast, bistowed every deel; 
420: And for I have bistowed it so weel 
421: For youre honour, for goddes sake, I seye, 
422: As be nat wrooth, but lat us laughe and pleye. 
423: Ye shal my joly body have to wedde; 
424: By god, I wol nat paye yow but abedde! 
425: Forgyve it me, myn owene spouse deere; 
426: Turne hiderward, and maketh bettre cheere. 
427: This marchant saugh ther was no remedie, 
428: And for to chide it nere but folie, 
429: Sith that the thyng may nat amended be. 
430: Now wyf, he seyde, and I foryeve it thee; 
431: But, by thy lyf, ne be namoore so large. 
432: Keep bet my good, this yeve I thee in charge. 
433: Thus endeth now my tale, and God us sende 
434: Taillynge ynough unto oure lyves ende. Amen

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