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From The Wife of Bath's Tale, lines 888-904:
A rape, a penalty, the queen judge
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Wife of Bath's Tale
lines 905-918: The queen sends the criminal knight on a quest


905        The queene thanketh the kyng with al hir myght,
And after this thus spak she to the knyght,
Whan that she saugh hir tyme, upon a day,
"Thou standest yet," quod she, "in swich array
That of thy lyf yet hastow no suretee.
910I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me
What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren.
Be war and keep thy nekke-boon from iren!
And if thou kanst nat tellen it anon,
Yet shal I yeve thee leve for to gon
915A twelf-month and a day to seche and leere
An answere suffisant in this mateere;
And suretee wol I han, er that thou pace,
Thy body for to yelden in this place."
905        The queen she thanked the king with all her might,
And after this, thus spoke she to the knight,
When she'd an opportunity, one day:
"You stand yet," said she, "in such poor a way
That for your life you've no security.
910I'll grant you life if you can tell to me
What thing it is that women most desire.
Be wise, and keep your neck from iron dire!
And if you cannot tell it me anon,
Then will I give you license to be gone
915A twelvemonth and a day, to search and learn
Sufficient answer in this grave concern.
And your knight's word I'll have, before forth you pace,
To yield your body to me in this place."




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From The Wife of Bath's Tale, lines 919-957:
The knight searches the land
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