|
My fifthe housbonde, God his soule blesse, |
| Which that I took for love and no richesse, |
| He somtyme was a clerk of Oxenford, |
| And hadde left scole, and wente at hom to bord |
| 535 | With my gossib, dwellynge in oure toun, |
| God have hir soule! hir name was Alisoun. |
| She knew myn herte and eek my privetee |
| Bet than oure parisshe preest, as moot I thee. |
| To hir biwreyed I my conseil al, |
| 540 | For hadde myn housbonde pissed on a wal, |
| Or doon a thyng that sholde han cost his lyf, |
| To hir, and to another worthy wyf, |
| And to my nece, which that I loved weel, |
| I wolde han toold his conseil every deel. |
| 545 | And so I dide ful often, God it woot, |
| That made his face ful often reed and hoot |
| For verray shame, and blamed hym-self, for he |
| Had toold to me so greet a pryvetee. |
|
| My fifth husband, may God his spirit bless! |
| Whom I took all for love, and not riches,
| | Had been sometime a student at Oxford,
| | And had left school and had come home to board
| | 535 | With my best gossip, dwelling in our town,
| | God save her soul! Her name was Alison.
| | She knew my heart and all my privity
| | Better than did our parish priest, she helped me!
| | To her confided I my secrets all.
| | 540 | For had my husband pissed against a wall,
| | Or done a thing that might have cost his life,
| | To her and to another worthy wife,
| | And to my niece whom I loved always well,
| | I would have told it - every bit I'd tell,
| | 545 | And did so, many and many a time, knows God,
| | Which made his face full often red and hot
| | For utter shame; he blamed himself that he
| | Had told me of so deep a privity. |
|
