Previous: From The Summoner's Tale, lines 512-535: The friar shares his thoughts with his hosts

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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Summoner's Tale
lines 536-551: The lady of the house agrees on the churlishness of Thomas' behaviour

The lady of the hous ay stille sat Til she had herd what the frere sayde. "Ey, Goddes mooder," quod she, "Blisful mayde! Is ther oght elles? telle me feithfully."

The lady of the house right silent sat Till she had heard all that the friar said: "Eh, by God's Mother," cried she, "Blessed Maid! Is there aught else? A point that we did miss?"

540        "Madame," quod he, "how thynke ye herby?"        "How that me thynketh?" quod she, "So God me speede, I seye, a cherl hath doon a cherles dede. What shold I seye? God lat hym nevere thee! His sike heed is ful of vanytee; 545 I holde hym in a manere frenesye."        "Madame," quod he, "by god, I shal nat lye But in on oother wyse may be wreke, I shal disclaundre hym over al ther I speke, This false blasphemour, that charged me 550 To parte that wol nat departed be, To every man yliche, with meschaunce!"

540        "Madam," said he, "what do you think of this?"        "What do I think?" she said, "So God me speed, I say, a churl has done a churlish deed. What should I say? May God desert him! See- Why his sick head is full of vanity. 545 The man, no doubt, is more or less insane."        "Madam," said he, "I will not lie or feign: If otherwise I cannot vengeance wreak, I will defame him wheresoe'er I speak, This false blasphemer who has dared charge me 550 Thus to divide what won't divided be, To every man alike, and with mischance!"

Next: From The Summoner's Tale, lines 552-578: The host is puzzled by the intellectual challenge of dividing the indivisible fart