London);
836 He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne.
He who has the shortest shall begin.
837 Sire Knyght," quod he, "my mayster and my lord,
Sir Knight," said he, "my master and my lord,
838 Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord.
Now draw a straw, for that is my decision.
839 Cometh neer," quod he, "my lady Prioresse.
Come nearer," he said, "my lady Prioress.
840 And ye, sire Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,
And you, sir Clerk, let be your modesty,
841 Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man!"
And study not; lay hand to (draw a straw), every
man!"
842 Anon to drawen every wight bigan,
Every person began straightway to draw,
843 And shortly for to tellen as it was,
And shortly to tell as it was,
844 Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas,
Were it by chance, or destiny, or luck,
845 The sothe is this: the cut fil to the Knyght,
The truth is this: the draw fell to the Knight,
846 Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght,
For which everyone was very happy and glad,
847 And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,
And he must tell his tale, as was reasonable,
848 By foreward and by composicioun,
By our previous promise and by formal agreement,
849 As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo?
As you have heard; what more words are needed?
850 And whan this goode man saugh that it was so,
And when this good man saw that it was so,
851 As he that wys was and obedient
Like one who was wise and obedient
852 To kepe his foreward by his free assent,
To keep his agreement by his free assent,
853 He seyde, "Syn I shal bigynne the game,
He said, "Since I must begin the game,
854 What, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!
What! Welcome be the draw, in God's name!
855 Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye."
Now let us ride, and listen to what I say."
856 And with that word we ryden forth oure weye,
And with that word we rode forth on our way,
857 And he bigan with right a myrie cheere And he began with a truly merry demeanor
858 His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.
To tell his tale straightway, and said as you may hear.
B2
The Wife of Bath's Tale
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[Alisoun, the Wife of Bath, has been married five times and is ready for another husband: Christ never specified how many times a woman should marry. Virginity is fine but wives are not condemned; the Apostle said that my husband would be my debtor, and I have power over his body. Three of my husbands were good and two bad. The first three were old and rich and I picked them clean. One of my old husbands, emboldened with drink, would come home and preach against women; but I got the better of him. My fourth husband was young and he had a mistress. I pretended to be unfaithful and made him burn in his own grease. I already had my eye on young Jankin, pall-bearer for my fourth, and he became my fifth and favorite husband. He beat me. Once when he was reading aloud from his Book of Wicked Wives, I tore a page from his book, and he knocked me down (so hard I am still deaf from it). I pretended to be dying, and when he leaned over to ask forgiveness, I knocked him into the fireplace. We made up, and he gave me full sovereignty in marriage; thereafter I was kind and faithful, and we lived in bliss.]
Lesson 30.
