Previous Previous:
From The Merchant's Tale, lines 1007-1024:
Pluto the fairy king and his wife Proserpine the fairy queen witness the scene
Previous
Librarius Homepage
© Librarius
All rights reserved.


From The Canterbury Tales:
The Merchant's Tale
lines 1025-1051: Pluto pities the deceived knight and says he will return the power of vision to January


1025        "My wyf," quod he, "ther may no wight seye nay;
Th'experience so preveth every day
The tresons whiche that wommen doon to man.
Ten hondred thousand (tales) tellen I kan
Notable of youre untrouthe and brotilnesse.
1030O Salomon, wys, and richest of richesse,
Fulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie,
Ful worthy been thy wordes to memorie
To every wight that wit and reson kan.
Thus preiseth he yet the bountee of man:
1035'Amonges a thousand men yet foond I oon,
But of wommen alle foond I noon.' -
1025       "My wife," said he, "there may no one say nay;
Experience proves fully every day
The treason that these women do to man.
Ten hundred thousand stories tell I can
To show your fickleness and lies. Of which,
1030O Solomon wise, and richest of the rich,
Fulfilled of sapience and worldly glory,
Well worth remembrance are thy words and story
By everyone who's wit, and reason can.
Thus goodness he expounds with praise of man:
1035'Among a thousand men yet found I one,
But of all women living found I none.'
       Thus seith the kyng that knoweth youre wikkednesse.
And Jhesus, filius Syrak, as I gesse,
Ne speketh of yow but seelde reverence.
1040A wylde fyr and corrupt pestilence
So falle upon youre bodyes yet to-nyght!
Ne se ye nat this honurable knyght,
By cause, allas that he is blynd and old,
His owene man shal make hym cokewold.
1045Lo, where he sit, the lechour, in the tree!
Now wol I graunten, of my magestee,
Unto this olde, blynde, worthy knyght
That he shal have ayen his eyen syght,
Whan that his wyf wold doon hym vileynye.
1050Thanne shal he knowen al hire harlotrye,
Bothe in repreve of hire and othere mo."
       Thus spoke the king that knew your wickedness;
And Jesus son of Sirach, as I guess,
Spoke of you seldom with much reverence.
1040A wild fire and a rotten pestilence
Fall on your bodies all before tonight!
Do you not see this honourable knight,
Because, alas! he is both blind and old,
His own sworn man shall make him a cuckold;
1045Lo, there he sits, the lecher, in that tree.
Now will I grant, of my high majesty,
Unto this old and blind and worthy knight,
That he shall have again his two eyes' sight,
Just when his wife shall do him villainy;
1050Then shall he know of all her harlotry,
Both in reproach to her and others too."




Next Next:
From The Merchant's Tale, lines 1052-1098:
Proserpine pities Maia and says she will enhance Maia's power of speech
Next