Geoffrey Chaucer - Geoffrey Chaucer - The Canterbury Tales (English Edition)

And all above there lay a gay psalt'ry

On which he made at nightes melody,

So sweetely, that all the chamber rang:

And Angelus ad virginem<4> he sang.

And after that he sung the kinge's note;

Full often blessed was his merry throat.

And thus this sweete clerk his time spent

After *his friendes finding and his rent.* *Attending to his friends,

and providing for the

cost of his lodging*

This carpenter had wedded new a wife,

Which that he loved more than his life:

Of eighteen year, I guess, she was of age.

Jealous he was, and held her narr'w in cage,

For she was wild and young, and he was old,

And deemed himself belike* a cuckold. *perhaps

He knew not Cato,<5> for his wit was rude,

That bade a man wed his similitude.

Men shoulde wedden after their estate,

For youth and eld* are often at debate. *age

But since that he was fallen in the snare,

He must endure (as other folk) his care.

Fair was this younge wife, and therewithal

As any weasel her body gent* and small. *slim, neat

A seint* she weared, barred all of silk, *girdle

A barm-cloth* eke as white as morning milk *apron<6>

Upon her lendes*, full of many a gore**. *loins **plait

White was her smock*, and broider'd all before, *robe or gown

And eke behind, on her collar about

Of coal-black silk, within and eke without.

The tapes of her white volupere* *head-kerchief <7>

Were of the same suit of her collere;

Her fillet broad of silk, and set full high:

And sickerly* she had a likerous** eye. *certainly **lascivious

Full small y-pulled were her browes two,

And they were bent*, and black as any sloe. *arched

She was well more *blissful on to see* *pleasant to look upon*

Than is the newe perjenete* tree; *young pear-tree

And softer than the wool is of a wether.

And by her girdle hung a purse of leather,

Tassel'd with silk, and *pearled with latoun*. *set with brass pearls*

In all this world to seeken up and down

There is no man so wise, that coude thenche* *fancy, think of

So gay a popelot*, or such a wench. *puppet <8>

Full brighter was the shining of her hue,

Than in the Tower the noble* forged new. *a gold coin <9>

But of her song, it was as loud and yern*, *lively <10>

As any swallow chittering on a bern*. *barn

Thereto* she coulde skip, and *make a game* *also *romp*

As any kid or calf following his dame.

Her mouth was sweet as braket,<11> or as methe* *mead

Or hoard of apples, laid in hay or heath.

Wincing* she was as is a jolly colt, *skittish

Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.

A brooch she bare upon her low collere,

As broad as is the boss of a bucklere.

Her shoon were laced on her legges high;

She was a primerole,* a piggesnie <12>, *primrose

For any lord t' have ligging* in his bed, *lying

Or yet for any good yeoman to wed.

Now, sir, and eft* sir, so befell the case, *again

That on a day this Hendy Nicholas

Fell with this younge wife to rage* and play, *toy, play the rogue

While that her husband was at Oseney,<13>

As clerkes be full subtle and full quaint.

And privily he caught her by the queint,* *cunt

And said; "Y-wis,* but if I have my will, *assuredly

For *derne love of thee, leman, I spill."* *for earnest love of thee

And helde her fast by the haunche bones, my mistress, I perish*

And saide "Leman, love me well at once,

Or I will dien, all so God me save."

And she sprang as a colt doth in the trave<14>:

And with her head she writhed fast away,

And said; "I will not kiss thee, by my fay*. *faith

Why let be," quoth she, "let be, Nicholas,

Or I will cry out harow and alas!<15>

Do away your handes, for your courtesy."

This Nicholas gan mercy for to cry,

And spake so fair, and proffer'd him so fast,

That she her love him granted at the last,

And swore her oath by Saint Thomas of Kent,

That she would be at his commandement,

When that she may her leisure well espy.

"My husband is so full of jealousy,

That but* ye waite well, and be privy, *unless

I wot right well I am but dead," quoth she.

"Ye muste be full derne* as in this case." *secret

"Nay, thereof care thee nought," quoth Nicholas:

"A clerk had *litherly beset his while*, *ill spent his time*

*But if* he could a carpenter beguile." *unless

And thus they were accorded and y-sworn

To wait a time, as I have said beforn.

When Nicholas had done thus every deal*, *whit

And thwacked her about the lendes* well, *loins

He kiss'd her sweet, and taketh his psalt'ry

And playeth fast, and maketh melody.

Then fell it thus, that to the parish church,

Of Christe's owen workes for to wirch*, *work

This good wife went upon a holy day;

Her forehead shone as bright as any day,

So was it washen, when she left her werk.

Now was there of that church a parish clerk,

The which that was y-cleped Absolon.

Curl'd was his hair, and as the gold it shone,

And strutted* as a fanne large and broad; *stretched

Full straight and even lay his jolly shode*. *head of hair

His rode* was red, his eyen grey as goose, *complexion

With Paule's windows carven on his shoes <16>

In hosen red he went full fetisly*. *daintily, neatly

Y-clad he was full small and properly,

All in a kirtle* of a light waget*; *girdle **sky blue

Full fair and thicke be the pointes set,

And thereupon he had a gay surplice,

As white as is the blossom on the rise*. *twig <17>

A merry child he was, so God me save;

Well could he letten blood, and clip, and shave,

And make a charter of land, and a quittance.

In twenty manners could he trip and dance,

After the school of Oxenforde tho*,<18> *then

And with his legges caste to and fro;

And playen songes on a small ribible*; *fiddle

Thereto he sung sometimes a loud quinible* *treble

And as well could he play on a gitern.* *guitar

In all the town was brewhouse nor tavern,

That he not visited with his solas*, *mirth, sport

There as that any *garnard tapstere* was. *licentious barmaid*

But sooth to say he was somedeal squaimous* *squeamish

Of farting, and of speeche dangerous.

This Absolon, that jolly was and gay,

Went with a censer on the holy day,

Censing* the wives of the parish fast; *burning incense for

And many a lovely look he on them cast,

And namely* on this carpenter's wife: *especially

To look on her him thought a merry life.

She was so proper, and sweet, and likerous.

I dare well say, if she had been a mouse,

And he a cat, he would *her hent anon*. *have soon caught her*

This parish clerk, this jolly Absolon,

Hath in his hearte such a love-longing!

That of no wife took he none offering;

For courtesy he said he woulde none.

The moon at night full clear and brighte shone,

And Absolon his gitern hath y-taken,

For paramours he thoughte for to waken,

And forth he went, jolif* and amorous, *joyous

Till he came to the carpentere's house,

A little after the cock had y-crow,

And *dressed him* under a shot window <19>, *stationed himself.*

That was upon the carpentere's wall.

He singeth in his voice gentle and small;

"Now, dear lady, if thy will be,

I pray that ye will rue* on me;" *take pity

Full well accordant to his giterning.

This carpenter awoke, and heard him sing,