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16. THE SHIPMAN'S TALE

1 A marchant whilom dwelled at Seint-Denys,
2 That riche was, for which men helde hym wys.
3 A wyf he hadde of excellent beautee;
4 And compaignable and revelous was she,
5 Which is a thyng that causeth more dispence
6 Than worth is al the chiere and reverence
7 That men hem doon at festes and at daunces.
8 Swiche salutaciouns and contenaunces
9 Passen as dooth a shadwe upon the wal;
10 But wo is hym that payen moot for al!
11 The sely housbonde, algate he moot paye,
12 He moot us clothe, and he moot us arraye,
13 Al for his owene worshipe richely,
14 In which array we daunce jolily.
15 And if that he noght may, par aventure,
16 Or ellis list no swich dispence endure,
17 But thynketh it is wasted and ylost,
18 Thanne moot another payen for oure cost,
19 Or lene us gold, and that is perilous.
20 This noble marchaunt heeld a worthy hous,
21 For which he hadde alday so greet repair
22 For his largesse, and for his wyf was fair,
23 That wonder is; but herkneth to my tale.
24 Amonges alle his gestes, grete and smale,
25 Ther was a monk, a fair man and a boold --
26 I trowe a thritty wynter he was oold --
27 That evere in oon was drawynge to that place.
28 This yonge monk, that was so fair of face,
29 Aqueynted was so with the goode man,
30 Sith that hir firste knoweliche bigan,
31 That in his hous as famulier was he
32 As it is possible any freend to be.
33 And for as muchel as this goode man,
34 And eek this monk of which that I bigan,
35 Were bothe two yborn in o village,
36 The monk hym claymeth as for cosynage,
37 And he agayn; he seith nat ones nay,
38 But was as glad therof as fowel of day,
39 For to his herte it was a greet plesaunce.
40 Thus been they knyt with eterne alliaunce,
41 And ech of hem gan oother for t' assure
42 Of bretherhede whil that hir lyf may dure.
43 Free was daun John, and manly of dispence,
44 As in that hous, and ful of diligence
45 To doon plesaunce, and also greet costage.
46 He noght forgat to yeve the leeste page
47 In al that hous; but after hir degree,
48 He yaf the lord, and sitthe al his meynee,
49 Whan that he cam, som manere honest thyng,
50 For which they were as glad of his comyng
51 As fowel is fayn whan that the sonne up riseth.
52 Na moore of this as now, for it suffiseth.
53 But so bifel, this marchant on a day
54 Shoop hym to make redy his array
55 Toward the toun of Brugges for to fare,
56 To byen there a porcioun of ware;
57 For which he hath to Parys sent anon
58 A messager, and preyed hath daun John
59 That he sholde come to Seint-Denys to pleye
60 With hym and with his wyf a day or tweye,
61 Er he to Brugges wente, in alle wise.
62 This noble monk, of which I yow devyse,
63 Hath of his abbot, as hym list, licence,
64 By cause he was a man of heigh prudence
65 And eek an officer, out for to ryde,
66 To seen hir graunges and hire bernes wyde,
67 And unto Seint-Denys he comth anon.
68 Who was so welcome as my lord daun John,
69 Oure deere cosyn, ful of curteisye?
70 With hym broghte he a jubbe of malvesye,
71 And eek another ful of fyn vernage,
72 And volatyl, as ay was his usage.
73 And thus I lete hem ete and drynke and pleye,
74 This marchant and this monk, a day or tweye.
75 The thridde day, this marchant up ariseth,
76 And on his nedes sadly hym avyseth,
77 And up into his countour-hous gooth he
78 To rekene with hymself, wel may be,
79 Of thilke yeer how that it with hym stood,
80 And how that he despended hadde his good,
81 And if that he encressed were or noon.
82 His bookes and his bagges many oon
83 He leith biforn hym on his countyng-bord.
84 Ful riche was his tresor and his hord,
85 For which ful faste his countour-dore he shette;
86 And eek he nolde that no man sholde hym lette
87 Of his acountes, for the meene tyme;
88 And thus he sit til it was passed pryme.
89 Daun John was rysen in the morwe also,
90 And in the gardyn walketh to and fro,
91 And hath his thynges seyd ful curteisly.
92 This goode wyf cam walkynge pryvely
93 Into the gardyn, there he walketh softe,
94 And hym saleweth, as she hath doon ofte.
95 A mayde child cam in hire compaignye,
96 Which as hir list she may governe and gye,
97 For yet under the yerde was the mayde.
98 "O deere cosyn myn, daun John," she sayde,
99 "What eyleth yow so rathe for to ryse?"
100 "Nece," quod he, "it oghte ynough suffise
101 Fyve houres for to slepe upon a nyght,
102 But it were for an old appalled wight,
103 As been thise wedded men, that lye and dare
104 As in a fourme sit a wery hare,
105 Were al forstraught with houndes grete and smale.
106 But deere nece, why be ye so pale?
107 I trowe, certes, that oure goode man
108 Hath yow laboured sith the nyght bigan
109 That yow were nede to resten hastily."
110 And with that word he lough ful murily,
111 And of his owene thought he wax al reed.
112 This faire wyf gan for to shake hir heed
113 And seyde thus, "Ye, God woot al," quod she.
114 "Nay, cosyn myn, it stant nat so with me;
115 For, by that God that yaf me soule and lyf,
116 In al the reawme of France is ther no wyf
117 That lasse lust hath to that sory pley.
118 For I may synge `allas and weylawey
119 That I was born,' but to no wight," quod she,
120 "Dar I nat telle how that it stant with me.
121 Wherfore I thynke out of this land to wende,
122 Or elles of myself to make an ende,
123 So ful am I of drede and eek of care."
124 This monk bigan upon this wyf to stare,
125 And seyde, " Allas, my nece, God forbede
126 That ye, for any sorwe or any drede,
127 Fordo youreself; but telleth me youre grief.
128 Paraventure I may, in youre meschief,
129 Conseille or helpe; and therfore telleth me
130 Al youre anoy, for it shal been secree.
131 For on my portehors I make an ooth
132 That nevere in my lyf, for lief ne looth,
133 Ne shal I of no conseil yow biwreye."
134 "The same agayn to yow," quod she, "I seye.
135 By God and by this portehors I swere,
136 Though men me wolde al into pieces tere,
137 Ne shal I nevere, for to goon to helle,
138 Biwreye a word of thyng that ye me telle,
139 Nat for no cosynage ne alliance,
140 But verraily for love and affiance."
141 Thus been they sworn, and heerupon they kiste,
142 And ech of hem tolde oother what hem liste.
143 "Cosyn," quod she, "if that I hadde a space,
144 As I have noon, and namely in this place,
145 Thanne wolde I telle a legende of my lyf,
146 What I have suffred sith I was a wyf
147 With myn housbonde, al be he youre cosyn."
148 "Nay," quod this monk, "by God and Seint Martyn,
149 He is na moore cosyn unto me
150 Than is this leef that hangeth on the tree!
151 I clepe hym so, by Seint Denys of Fraunce,
152 To have the moore cause of aqueyntaunce
153 Of yow, which I have loved specially
154 Aboven alle wommen, sikerly.
155 This swere I yow on my professioun.
156 Telleth youre grief, lest that he come adoun;
157 And hasteth yow, and gooth youre wey anon."
158 "My deere love," quod she, "O my daun John,
159 Ful lief were me this conseil for to hyde,
160 But out it moot; I may namoore abyde.
161 Myn housbonde is to me the worste man
162 That evere was sith that the world bigan.
163 But sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me
164 To tellen no wight of oure privetee,
165 Neither abedde ne in noon oother place;
166 God shilde I sholde it tellen, for his grace!
167 A wyf ne shal nat seyn of hir housbonde
168 But al honour, as I kan understonde;
169 Save unto yow thus muche I tellen shal:
170 As helpe me God, he is noght worth at al
171 In no degree the value of a flye.
172 But yet me greveth moost his nygardye.
173 And wel ye woot that wommen naturelly
174 Desiren thynges sixe as wel as I:
175 They wolde that hir housbondes sholde be
176 Hardy and wise, and riche, and therto free,
177 And buxom unto his wyf and fressh abedde.
178 But by that ilke Lord that for us bledde,
179 For his honour, myself for to arraye,
180 A Sonday next I moste nedes paye
181 An hundred frankes, or ellis I am lorn.
182 Yet were me levere that I were unborn
183 Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileynye;
184 And if myn housbonde eek it myghte espye,
185 I nere but lost; and therfore I yow preye,
186 Lene me this somme, or ellis moot I deye.
187 Daun John, I seye, lene me thise hundred frankes.
188 Pardee, I wol nat faille yow my thankes,
189 If that yow list to doon that I yow praye.
190 For at a certeyn day I wol yow paye,
191 And doon to yow what plesance and service
192 That I may doon, right as yow list devise.
193 And but I do, God take on me vengeance
194 As foul as evere hadde Genylon of France."
195 This gentil monk answerde in this manere:
196 "Now trewely, myn owene lady deere,
197 I have," quod he, "on yow so greet a routhe
198 That I yow swere, and plighte yow my trouthe,
199 That whan youre housbonde is to Flaundres fare,
200 I wol delyvere yow out of this care;
201 For I wol brynge yow an hundred frankes."
202 And with that word he caughte hire by the flankes,
203 And hire embraceth harde, and kiste hire ofte.
204 "Gooth now youre wey," quod he, "al stille and softe,
205 And lat us dyne as soone as that ye may;
206 For by my chilyndre it is pryme of day.
207 Gooth now, and beeth as trewe as I shal be."
208 "Now elles God forbede, sire," quod she;
209 And forth she gooth as jolif as a pye,
210 And bad the cookes that they sholde hem hye,
211 So that men myghte dyne, and that anon.
212 Up to hir housbonde is this wyf ygon,
213 And knokketh at his countour boldely.
214 "Quy la?" quod he. "Peter! it am I,"
215 Quod she; "What, sire, how longe wol ye faste?
216 How longe tyme wol ye rekene and caste
217 Youre sommes, and youre bookes, and youre thynges?
218 The devel have part on alle swiche rekenynges!
219 Ye have ynough, pardee, of Goddes sonde;
220 Com doun to-day, and lat youre bagges stonde.
221 Ne be ye nat ashamed that daun John
222 Shal fasting al this day alenge goon?
223 What, lat us heere a messe, and go we dyne."
224 "Wyf," quod this man, "litel kanstow devyne
225 The curious bisynesse that we have.
226 For of us chapmen, also God me save,
227 And by that lord that clepid is Seint Yve,
228 Scarsly amonges twelve tweye shul thryve
229 Continuelly, lastynge unto oure age.
230 We may wel make chiere and good visage,
231 And dryve forth the world as it may be,
232 And kepen oure estaat in pryvetee,
233 Til we be deed, or elles that we pleye
234 A pilgrymage, or goon out of the weye.
235 And therfore have I greet necessitee
236 Upon this queynte world t' avyse me,
237 For everemoore we moote stonde in drede
238 Of hap and fortune in oure chapmanhede.
239 "To Flaundres wol I go to-morwe at day,
240 And come agayn, as soone as evere I may.
241 For which, my deere wyf, I thee biseke,
242 As be to every wight buxom and meke,
243 And for to kepe oure good be curious,
244 And honestly governe wel oure hous.
245 Thou hast ynough, in every maner wise,
246 That to a thrifty houshold may suffise.
247 Thee lakketh noon array ne no vitaille;
248 Of silver in thy purs shaltow nat faille."
249 And with that word his countour-dore he shette,
250 And doun he gooth, no lenger wolde he lette.
251 But hastily a messe was ther seyd,
252 And spedily the tables were yleyd,
253 And to the dyner faste they hem spedde,
254 And richely this monk the chapman fedde.
255 At after-dyner daun John sobrely
256 This chapman took apart, and prively
257 He seyde hym thus: "Cosyn, it standeth so,
258 That wel I se to Brugges wol ye go.
259 God and Seint Austyn spede yow and gyde!
260 I prey yow, cosyn, wisely that ye ryde.
261 Governeth yow also of youre diete
262 Atemprely, and namely in this hete.
263 Bitwix us two nedeth no strange fare;
264 Farewel, cosyn; God shilde yow fro care!
265 And if that any thyng by day or nyght,
266 If it lye in my power and my myght,
267 That ye me wol comande in any wyse,
268 It shal be doon right as ye wol devyse.
269 "O thyng, er that ye goon, if it may be,
270 I wolde prey yow: for to lene me
271 An hundred frankes, for a wyke or tweye,
272 For certein beestes that I moste beye,
273 To stoore with a place that is oures.
274 God helpe me so, I wolde it were youres!
275 I shal nat faille surely of my day,
276 Nat for a thousand frankes, a mile way.
277 But lat this thyng be secree, I yow preye,
278 For yet to-nyght thise beestes moot I beye.
279 And fare now wel, myn owene cosyn deere;
280 Graunt mercy of youre cost and of youre cheere."
281 This noble marchant gentilly anon
282 Answerde and seyde, "O cosyn myn, daun John,
283 Now sikerly this is a smal requeste.
284 My gold is youres, whan that it yow leste,
285 And nat oonly my gold, but my chaffare.
286 Take what yow list; God shilde that ye spare.
287 "But o thyng is, ye knowe it wel ynogh
288 Of chapmen, that hir moneie is hir plogh.
289 We may creaunce whil we have a name,
290 But goldlees for to be, it is no game.
291 Paye it agayn whan it lith in youre ese;
292 After my myght ful fayn wolde I yow plese."
293 Thise hundred frankes he fette forth anon,
294 And prively he took hem to daun John.
295 No wight in al this world wiste of this loone
296 Savynge this marchant and daun John allone.
297 They drynke, and speke, and rome a while and pleye,
298 Til that daun John rideth to his abbeye.
299 The morwe cam, and forth this marchant rideth
300 To Flaundres-ward; his prentys wel hym gydeth
301 Til he came into Brugges murily.
302 Now gooth this marchant faste and bisily
303 Aboute his nede, and byeth and creaunceth.
304 He neither pleyeth at the dees ne daunceth,
305 But as a marchaunt, shortly for to telle,
306 He let his lyf, and there I lete hym dwelle.
307 The Sonday next the marchant was agon,
308 To Seint-Denys ycomen is daun John,
309 With crowne and berd al fressh and newe yshave.
310 In al the hous ther nas so litel a knave,
311 Ne no wight elles, that he nas ful fayn
312 That my lord daun John was come agayn.
313 And shortly to the point right for to gon,
314 This faire wyf acorded with daun John
315 That for thise hundred frankes he sholde al nyght
316 Have hire in his armes bolt upright;
317 And this acord parfourned was in dede.
318 In myrthe al nyght a bisy lyf they lede
319 Til it was day, that daun John wente his way,
320 And bad the meynee "Farewel, have good day!"
321 For noon of hem, ne no wight in the toun,
322 Hath of daun John right no suspecioun.
323 And forth he rydeth hoom to his abbeye,
324 Or where hym list; namoore of hym I seye.
325 This marchant, whan that ended was the faire,
326 To Seint-Denys he gan for to repaire,
327 And with his wyf he maketh feeste and cheere,
328 And telleth hire that chaffare is so deere
329 That nedes moste he make a chevyssaunce,
330 For he was bounden in a reconyssaunce
331 To paye twenty thousand sheeld anon.
332 For which this marchant is to Parys gon
333 To borwe of certeine freendes that he hadde
334 A certeyn frankes; and somme with him he ladde.
335 And whan that he was come into the toun,
336 For greet chiertee and greet affeccioun,
337 Unto daun John he first gooth hym to pleye;
338 Nat for to axe or borwe of hym moneye,
339 But for to wite and seen of his welfare,
340 And for to tellen hym of his chaffare,
341 As freendes doon whan they been met yfeere.
342 Daun John hym maketh feeste and murye cheere,
343 And he hym tolde agayn, ful specially,
344 How he hadde wel yboght and graciously,
345 Thanked be God, al hool his marchandise,
346 Save that he moste, in alle maner wise,
347 Maken a chevyssaunce, as for his beste,
348 And thanne he sholde been in joye and reste.
349 Daun John answerde, "Certes, I am fayn
350 That ye in heele ar comen hom agayn.
351 And if that I were riche, as have I blisse,
352 Of twenty thousand sheeld sholde ye nat mysse,
353 For ye so kyndely this oother day
354 Lente me gold; and as I kan and may,
355 I thanke yow, by God and by Seint Jame!
356 But nathelees, I took unto oure dame,
357 Youre wyf, at hom, the same gold ageyn
358 Upon youre bench; she woot it wel, certeyn,
359 By certeyn tokenes that I kan hire telle.
360 Now, by youre leve, I may no lenger dwelle;
361 Oure abbot wole out of this toun anon,
362 And in his compaignye moot I goon.
363 Grete wel oure dame, myn owene nece sweete,
364 And fare wel, deere cosyn, til we meete!"
365 This marchant, which that was ful war and wys,
366 Creanced hath, and payd eek in Parys
367 To certeyn Lumbardes, redy in hir hond,
368 The somme of gold, and gat of hem his bond;
369 And hoom he gooth, murie as a papejay,
370 For wel he knew he stood in swich array
371 That nedes moste he wynne in that viage
372 A thousand frankes aboven al his costage.
373 His wyf ful redy mette hym atte gate,
374 As she was wont of oold usage algate,
375 And al that nyght in myrthe they bisette;
376 For he was riche and cleerly out of dette.
377 Whan it was day, this marchant gan embrace
378 His wyf al newe, and kiste hire on hir face,
379 And up he gooth and maketh it ful tough.
380 "Namoore," quod she, "by God, ye have ynough!"
381 And wantownly agayn with hym she pleyde
382 Til atte laste thus this marchant seyde:
383 "By God," quod he, "I am a litel wrooth
384 With yow, my wyf, although it be me looth.
385 And woot ye why? By God, as that I gesse
386 That ye han maad a manere straungenesse
387 Bitwixen me and my cosyn daun John.
388 Ye sholde han warned me, er I had gon,
389 That he yow hadde an hundred frankes payed
390 By redy token; and heeld hym yvele apayed,
391 For that I to hym spak of chevyssaunce;
392 Me semed so, as by his contenaunce.
393 But nathelees, by God, oure hevene kyng,
394 I thoughte nat to axen hym no thyng.
395 I prey thee, wyf, ne do namoore so;
396 Telle me alwey, er that I fro thee go,
397 If any dettour hath in myn absence
398 Ypayed thee, lest thurgh thy necligence
399 I myghte hym axe a thing that he hath payed."
400 This wyf was nat afered nor affrayed,
401 But boldely she seyde, and that anon,
402 "Marie, I deffie the false monk, daun John!
403 I kepe nat of his tokenes never a deel;
404 He took me certeyn gold, that woot I weel --
405 What! Yvel thedam on his monkes snowte!
406 For, God it woot, I wende, withouten doute,
407 That he hadde yeve it me bycause of yow
408 To doon therwith myn honour and my prow,
409 For cosynage, and eek for beele cheere
410 That he hath had ful ofte tymes heere.
411 But sith I se I stonde in this disjoynt,
412 I wol answere yow shortly to the poynt.
413 Ye han mo slakkere dettours than am I!
414 For I wol paye yow wel and redily
415 Fro day to day, and if so be I faille,
416 I am youre wyf; score it upon my taille,
417 And I shal paye as soone as ever I may.
418 For by my trouthe, I have on myn array,
419 And nat on wast, bistowed every deel;
420 And for I have bistowed it so weel
421 For youre honour, for Goddes sake, I seye,
422 As be nat wrooth, but lat us laughe and pleye.
423 Ye shal my joly body have to wedde;
424 By God, I wol nat paye yow but abedde!
425 Forgyve it me, myn owene spouse deere;
426 Turne hiderward, and maketh bettre cheere."
427 This marchant saugh ther was no remedie,
428 And for to chide it nere but folie,
429 Sith that the thyng may nat amended be.
430 "Now wyf," he seyde, "and I foryeve it thee;
431 But, by thy lyf, ne be namoore so large.
432 Keep bet thy good, this yeve I thee in charge."
433 Thus endeth my tale, and God us sende
434 Taillynge ynough unto oure lyves ende. Amen
435 "Wel seyd, by corpus dominus," quod oure Hoost,
436 "Now longe moote thou saille by the cost,
437 Sire gentil maister, gentil maryneer!
438 God yeve the monk a thousand last quade yeer!
439 A ha! Felawes, beth ware of swich a jape!
440 The monk putte in the mannes hood an ape,
441 And in his wyves eek, by Seint Austyn!
442 Draweth no monkes moore unto youre in.
443 "But now passe over, and lat us seke aboute,
444 Who shal now telle first of al this route
445 Another tale;" and with that word he sayde,
446 As curteisly as it had been a mayde,
447 "My lady Prioresse, by youre leve,
448 So that I wiste I sholde yow nat greve,
449 I wolde demen that ye tellen sholde
450 A tale next, if so were that ye wolde.
451 Now wol ye vouche sauf, my lady deere?"
452 "Gladly," quod she, and seyde as ye shal heere.

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