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"Gladly," quod she, "sith it may yow like. |
| 195 | But yet I praye to al this compaignye, |
| If that I speke after my fantasye, |
| As taketh not agrief of that I seye, |
| For myn entente nis but for to pleye." |
| Now, sire, now wol I telle forth my tale, |
| 200 | As evere moote I drynken wyn or ale, |
| I shal seye sooth, tho housbondes that I hadde, |
| As thre of hem were goode, and two were badde. |
| The thre men were goode, and riche, and olde; |
| Unnethe myghte they the statut holde |
| 205 | In which that they were bounden unto me- |
| Ye woot wel what I meene of this, pardee! |
| As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke |
| How pitously a-nyght I made hem swynke. |
| And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor, |
| 210 | They had me yeven hir gold and hir tresoor; |
| Me neded nat do lenger diligence |
| To wynne hir love, or doon hem reverence, |
| They loved me so wel, by God above, |
| That I ne tolde no deyntee of hir love. |
| 215 | A wys womman wol sette hire evere in oon |
| To gete hire love, ther as she hath noon. |
| But sith I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond, |
| And sith they hadde me yeven all hir lond, |
| What sholde I taken heede hem for to plese, |
| 220 | But it were for my profit and myn ese? |
| I sette hem so a-werke, by my fey, |
| That many a nyght they songen "weilawey!" |
| The bacon was nat fet for hem, I trowe, |
| That som men han in Essex at Dunmowe. |
| 225 | I governed hem so wel after my lawe, |
| That ech of hem ful blisful was, and fawe |
| To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre. |
| They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire, |
| For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously. |
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"Gladly," said she, "since it may please, not pique. |
| 195 | But yet I pray of all this company |
| That if I speak from my own phantasy, |
| They will not take amiss the things I say; |
| For my intention's only but to play. |
| "Now, sirs, now will I tell you forth my tale. |
| 200 | And as I may drink ever wine and ale, |
| I will tell truth of husbands that I've had, |
| For three of them were good and two were bad. |
| The three were good men and were rich and old. |
| Not easily could they the promise hold |
| 205 | Whereby they had been bound to cherish me. |
| You know well what I mean by that, pardie! |
| So help me God, I laugh now when I think |
| How pitifully by night I made them swink; |
| And by my faith I set by it no store. |
| 210 | They'd given me their gold, and treasure more; |
| I needed not do longer diligence |
| To win their love, or show them reverence. |
| They all loved me so well, by God above, |
| I never did set value on their love! |
| 215 | A woman wise will strive continually |
| To get herself loved, when she's not, you see. |
| But since I had them wholly in my hand, |
| And since to me they'd given all their land, |
| Why should I take heed, then, that I should please, |
| 220 | Save it were for my profit or my ease? |
| I set them so to work, that, by my fay, |
| Full many a night they sighed out 'Welaway!' |
| The bacon was not brought them home, I trow, |
| That some men have in Essex at Dunmowe. |
| 225 | I governed them so well, by my own law, |
| That each of them was happy as a daw, |
| And fain to bring me fine things from the fair. |
| And they were right glad when I spoke them fair; |
| For God knows that I nagged them mercilessly. |
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