Heere bigynneth the Marchantes Tale

	Whilom ther was dwellynge in Lumbardye
	A worthy knyght, that born was of Pavye,
35	In which he lyved in greet prosperitee;
	And sixty yeer a wyflees man was hee,
	And folwed ay his bodily delyt
	On wommen, ther as was his appetyt,
	As doon thise fooles that been seculeer.
40	And whan that he was passed sixty yeer,
	Were it for hoolynesse or for dotage,
	I kan nat seye, but swich a greet corage
	Hadde this knyght to been a wedded man
	That day and nyght he dooth al that he kan
45	T'espien where he myghte wedded be,
	Preyinge oure lord to graunten him that he
	Mighte ones knowe of thilke blisful lyf
	That is bitwixe an housbonde and his wyf,
	And for to lyve under that hooly boond
50	With which that first God man and womman bond.
	"Noon oother lyf," seyde he, "is worth a bene;
	For wedlok is so esy and so clene,
	That in this world it is paradys."
	Thus seyde this olde knyght, that was so wys.

	Once on a time there dwelt in Lombardy
	A worthy knight, born in Pavia,
35	And there he lived in great prosperity;
	And sixty years a wifeless man was he,
	And followed ever his bodily delight
	In women, whereof was his appetite,
	As these fool laymen will, so it appears.
40	And when he had so passed his sixty years,
	Were it for piety or for dotage
	I cannot say, but such a rapturous rage
	Had this knight to become a married man
	That day and night he did his best to scan
45	And spy a place where he might married be;
	Praying Our Lord to grant to him that he
	Might once know something of that blissful life
	That is between a husband and his wife;
	And so to live within that holy band
50	Wherein God first made man and woman stand.
	"No other life," said he, "is worth a bean;
	For marriage is so easy and so clean
	That in this world it is a paradise."
	Thus said this ancient knight, who was so wise.

lines 55-98: About the pros of marriage

55	And certeinly, as sooth as God is kyng,
	To take a wyf it is a glorious thyng,
	And namely whan a man is oold and hoor;
	Thanne is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor.
	Thanne sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir,
60	On which he myghte engendren hym and heir,
	And lede his lyf in joye and in solas,
	Where as thise bacheleris synge allas,
	Whan that they funden any adversitee
	In love, which nys but childyssh vanytee.
65	And trewely it sit wel to be so,
	That bacheleris have often peyne and wo;
	On brotel ground they buylde, and brotelnesse
	They fynde, whan they wene sikernesse.
	They lyve but as a bryd or as a beest,
70	In libertee, and under noon arreest,
	Ther as a wedded man in his estaat
	Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,
	Under this yok of mariage ybounde.
	Wel may his herte in joy and blisse habounde,
75	For who kan be so buxom as a wyf?
	Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
	To kepe hym, syk and hool, as is his make?
	For wele or wo she wole hym nat forsake;
	She nys nat wery hym to love and serve,
80	Thogh that he lye bedrede, til he sterve.
	And yet somme clerkes seyn it nys nat so,
	Of whiche he Theofraste is oon of tho.
	What force though Theofraste liste lye?
	"Ne take no wyf," quod he, "for housbondrye,
85	As for to spare in houshold thy dispence.
	A trewe servant dooth moore diligence
	Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf,
	For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf.
	And if that thou be syk, so God me save,
90	Thy verray freendes, or a trewe knave,
	Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
	After thy good and hath doon many a day.
	And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hoold,
	Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold."
95	This sentence, and an hundred thynges worse,
	Writeth this man, ther God his bones corse!
	But take no kep of al swich vanytee;
	Deffie Theofraste, and herke me.

55	And certainly, as sure as God is King,
	To take a wife, it is a glorious thing,
	Especially when a man is old and hoary;
	Then is a wife the fruit of wealth and glory.
	Then should he take a young wife and a fair,
60	On whom he may beget himself an heir,
	And lead his life in joy and in solace,
	Whereas these bachelors do but sing "Alas!"'
	When they fall into some adversity
	In love, which is but childish vanity.
65	And truly, it is well that it is so
	That bachelors have often pain and woe;
	On shifting ground they build, and shiftiness
	They find when they suppose they've certainness.
	They live but as a bird does, or a beast,
70	In liberty and under no arrest,
	Whereas a wedded man in his high state
	Lives a life blissful, ordered, moderate,
	Under the yoke of happy marriage bound;
	Well may his heart in joy and bliss abound.
75	For who can be so docile as a wife?
	Who is so true as she whose aim in life
	Is comfort for him, sick or well, to make?
	For weal or woe she will not him forsake.
	She's ne'er too tired to love and serve, say I,
80	Though he may lie bedridden till he die.
	And yet some writers say it is not so,
	And Theophrastus is one such, I know.
	What odds though Theophrastus chose to lie?
	"Take not a wife," said he, "for husbandry,
85	If you would spare in household your expense;
	A faithful servant does more diligence
	To keep your goods than your own wedded wife.
	For she will claim a half part all her life;
	And if you should be sick, so God me save,
90	Your true friends or an honest serving knave
	Will keep you better than she that waits, I say,
	After your wealth, and has done, many a day.
	And if you take a wife to have and hold,
	Right easily may you become cuckold."
95	This judgment and a hundred such things worse
	Did this man write, may God his dead bones curse!
	But take no heed of all such vanity.
	Defy old Theophrastus and hear me.

lines 99-124: God made Adam a wife

	A wyf is Goddes yifte verraily;
100	Alle othere manere yiftes hardily,
	As londes, rentes, pasture, or commune,
	Or moebles, alle been yiftes of fortune,
	That passen as a shadwe upon a wal.
	But drede nat, if pleynly speke I shal,
105	A wyf wol laste, and thyn hous endure,
	Wel lenger than thee list, paraventure.

	A wife is God's own gift, yes truly;
100	All other kinds of gifts, most certainly,
	As lands, rents, pasture, rights in common land,
	Or moveables, in gift of Fortune stand,
	And pass away like shadows on the wall.
	But, without doubt, if plainly speak I shall,
105	A wife will last, and in your house endure
	Longer than you would like, peradventure.

	Mariage is a ful greet sacrement.
	He which that hath no wyf, I holde hym shent;
	He lyveth helplees and al desolat, --
110	I speke of folk in seculer estaat.
	And herke why, I sey nat this for noght,
	That womman is for mannes helpe ywroght.
	The hye God, whan he hadde Adam maked,
	And saugh him al allone, bely-naked,
115	God of his grete goodnesse syde than,
	"Lat us now make an helpe unto this man
	Lyk to hymself"; and thanne he made him Eve.
	Heere may ye se, and heerby may ye preve,
	That wyf is mannes helpe and his confort,
120	His paradys terrestre, and his disport.
	So buxom and so vertuous is she,
	They moste nedes lyve in unitee.
	O flessh they been, and o fleesh, as I gesse,
	Hath but oon herte, in wele and in distresse.

	But marriage is a solemn sacrament;
	Who has no wife I hold on ruin bent;
	He lives in helplessness, all desolate,
110	I speak of folk in secular estate.
	And listen why, I say not this for naught:
	It's because woman was for man's help wrought.
	The High God, when He'd Adam made, all rude,
	And saw him so alone and belly-nude,
115	God of His goodness thus to speak began:
	"Let us now make a help meet for this man,
	Like to himself." And then he made him Eve.
	Here may you see, and here prove, I believe,
	A wife is a man's help and his comfort,
120	His earthly paradise and means of sport;
	So docile and so virtuous is she
	That they must needs live in all harmony.
	One flesh they are, and one flesh, as I guess,
	Has but one heart in weal and in distress.

lines 125-149: Men should thank God for their wives

125	A wyf! a, Seinte Marie, benedicite!
	How myghte man han any adversitee
	That hath a wyf? certes, I kan nat seye.
	The blisse which that is bitwixe hem tweye
	Ther may no tonge telle, or herte thynke.
130	If he be povre, she helpeth hym to swynke;
	She kepeth his good, and wasteth never a deel;
	Al that hire housbonde lust, hire liketh weel;
	She seith nat ones "nay", whan he seith "ye".
	"Do this," seith he; "Al redy, sire," seith she.
135	O blisful ordre of wedlok precious,
	Thou art so murye, and eek so vertuous,
	And so commended and appreved eek
	That every man that halt hym worth a leek,
	Upon his bare knees oughte al his lyf
140	Thanken his God that hym hath sent a wyf,
	Or elles preye to God hym for to sende
	A wyf, to laste unto his lyves ende.
	For thanne his lyf is set in sikernesse;
	He may nat be deceyved, as I gesse,
145	So that he werke after his wyves reed.
	Thanne may he boldely beren up his heed,
	They been so trewe, and therwithal so wyse;
	For which, if thou wolt werken as the wyse,
	Do alwey so as wommen wol thee rede.

125	A wife! Ah, Holy Mary, ben'cite!
	How may a man have any adversity
	Who has a wife? Truly, I cannot say.
	The bliss that is between such two, for aye,
	No tongue can tell, nor any heart can think.
130	If he be poor, why, she helps him to swink;
	She keeps his money and never wastes a deal;
	All that her husband wishes she likes well;
	She never once says "nay" when he says "yea."
	"Do this," says he; "All ready, sir," she'll say.
135	O blissful state of wedlock, prized and dear,
	So pleasant and so full of virtue clear,
	So much approved and praised as fortune's peak,
	That every man who holds him worth a leek
	Upon his bare knees ought, through all his life,
140	To give God thanks, who's sent to him a wife;
	Or else he should pray God that he will send
	A wife to him, to last till his life's end.
	For then his life is set in certainness;
	He cannot be deceived, as I may guess,
145	So that he act according as she's said;
	Then may he boldly carry high his head,
	They are so true and therewithal so wise;
	Wherefore, if you will do as do the wise,
	Then aye as women counsel be your deed.

lines 150-162: Biblical examples about good wives