|
Yet tikled it his herte, for that he! |
| Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee. |
| I swoor that al my walkynge out by nyghte |
| Was for t'espye wenches that he dighte. |
| 405 | Under that colour hadde I many a myrthe; |
| For al swich wit is yeven us in oure byrthe, |
| Deceite, wepyng, spynnyng, God hath yive |
| To wommen kyndely whil they may lyve. |
| And thus of o thyng I avaunte me, |
| 410 | Atte ende I hadde the bettre in ech degree, |
| By sleighte, or force, or by som maner thyng, |
| As by continueel murmur or grucchyng. |
| Namely a bedde hadden they meschaunce; |
| Ther wolde I chide and do hem no plesaunce, |
| 415 | I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde, |
| If that I felte his arm over my syde |
| Til he had maad his raunsoun unto me; |
| Thanne wolde I suffre hym do his nycetee. |
| And therfore every man this tale I telle, |
| 420 | Wynne who so may, for al is for to selle; |
| With empty hand men may none haukes lure. |
| For wynnyng wolde I al his lust endure |
| And make me a feyned appetit; |
| And yet in bacon hadde I nevere delit; |
| 425 | That made me that evere I wolde hem chide. |
| For thogh the pope hadde seten hem biside, |
| I wolde nat spare hem at hir owene bord, |
| For by my trouthe I quitte hem word for word. |
| As help me verray God omnipotent, |
| 430 | Though I right now sholde make my testament, |
| I ne owe hem nat a word, that it nys quit. |
| I broghte it so aboute by my wit, |
| That they moste yeve it up as for the beste, |
| Or elles hadde we nevere been in reste. |
| 435 | For thogh he looked as a wood leon, |
| Yet sholde he faille of his conclusioun. |
|
| Yet tickled this the heart of him, for he |
| Deemed it was love produced such jealousy.
| | I swore that all my walking out at night
| | Was but to spy on girls he kept outright;
| | 405 | And under cover of that I had much mirth.
| | For all such wit is given us at birth;
| | Deceit, weeping, and spinning, does God give
| | To women, naturally, the while they live.
| | And thus of one thing I speak boastfully,
| | 410 | I got the best of each one, finally,
| | By trick, or force, or by some kind of thing,
| | As by continual growls or murmuring;
| | Especially in bed had they mischance,
| | There would I chide and give them no pleasance;
| | 415 | I would no longer in the bed abide
| | If I but felt his arm across my side,
| | Till he had paid his ransom unto me;
| | Then would I let him do his nicety.
| | And therefore to all men this tale I tell,
| | 420 | Let gain who may, for everything's to sell.
| | With empty hand men may no falcons lure;
| | For profit would I all his lust endure,
| | And make for him a well-feigned appetite;
| | Yet I in bacon never had delight;
| | 425 | And that is why I used so much to chide.
| | For if the pope were seated there beside
| | I'd not have spared them, no, at their own board.
| | For by my truth, I paid them, word for word.
| | So help me the True God Omnipotent,
| | 430 | Though I right now should make my testament,
| | I owe them not a word that was not quit.
| | I brought it so about, and by my wit,
| | That they must give it up, as for the best,
| | Or otherwise we'd never have had rest.
| | 435 | For though he glared and scowled like lion mad,
| | Yet failed he of the end he wished he had. |
|
